Computer based temperature monitoring?

[Badfish740]

I was thumbing through my McMaster-Carr catalog today and found a temperature monitoring device that allows you to attach up to 10 thermocouples and scroll through the temperature of each one. The drawback is that only one temperature at a time can be displayed, and it's a little pricey ($275.00), so I was wondering if there was any reasonably priced software/hardware out there that would allow me to monitor temperatures via my laptop. Basically what I'd like to do is have thermocouples mounted in the chimney, hot air outlet (I'm installing an add-on furnace), inside the house, and outside the house. I'd like to then be able to supply this information to my computer so that I could, at any given time, be able to bring up the flue gas temperature, hot air temperature, and inside/outside ambient temperatures on my screen. Thermocouples are relatively cheap ($20-30) and McMaster also sells thermocouple wire so that I could run wires to pretty much anywhere in my home. Does anybody have a system like this?

 

[Slow1]

Did this system come with the software to keep logs of each of the 10 inputs? If so, can you give me a link to this system... I'm rather interested in such a setup myself.. (ug. Yes, I'm obsessive too..)

 

[WES999]

Check this out:
http://www.weedtech.com/
4 input Thermocouple Input Module for $100.
Looks like some pretty neat stuff.

 

[BurningIsLove]

Myself and other burners have the Oregon Scientific WMR series (100, 200, etc). It includes a touch screen basic unit which serves as the receiver for dozens or more wireless sensor as well as housing its own temp/humidity sensor. I have mine near the wood stove to monitor it, as well as receiving data from outdoor sensors on rainfall (rate & accumulation), wind speed & direction, temp, humidity, barometric pressure, etc. The output is a USB cable which I have connected to a cheap NSLUG unit (takes about 3Watts, so negligible). That Slug puts the device & data on my home network, publishing it to sources like Weather Underground, CWOP, NOAA, etc. as well as allowing me to monitor conditions where Im away on travel. I also have sensors in various parts of the house.

If you're a real tech person, the SLug runs a Linux OS so you have lots of control over the base system, adding your own scripts and web services, etc. The graphical UI allows you to do a lot of nice tasks if you're not computer/Linux-inclined. Below is a link to my PWS (Personal Weather Station) on Weather Underground. I dont publish the the indoor data publicly, but it should give you a reasonable idea of whats available out of box.


(broken link removed to http://www.wunderground.com/weatherstation/WXDailyHistory.asp?ID=KMABILLE7)

 

[woodheat]

Check this one out, Can monitor and track 2 thermocouple inputs and tie into the internet for web based monitoring. It even send email alarms. This site also has pretty much anything you could want for temp monitoring options.

Features
Dual Thermocouple
10 Thermocouple Types: J, K, T, E, R, S, B, C, N, L
Virtual Chart Recorder
Email Alarms
Two Relay Alarms
Flash Memory Card
Web Server
No Special Software

(broken link removed to http://www.omega.com/iseries/ise-tc.htm)

 

[SlyFerret]

I've been wanting to setup a couple temp sensors and hook them up so that I can check on the indoor and outdoor temperatures at the house from work via the internet.

Actually, I'd like to have a full weather station setup at the house, but funding for that isn't available right now.

Cool idea! Good links!

-SF

BurningIsLove: From your post, I suspect you might also be a ham?

 

[Brian VT]

Do you guys have servos hooked up to your intakes to make adjustments from afar ? lol

 

[SlyFerret]

Na, once it's rolling along I don't need to adjust the air.... lol

That would be a fun project though! I could log into my stove and adjust the air from the couch!

-SF

 

[BrotherBart]

30 years doing the latest and greatest tech stuff. Retired and just wanna burn wood and stay warm. ;-P

Is it too hot? Close it down. Is it too cool? Open it up. Real time process control.

 

[Andre B.]

At work I have a data logging multimeter, it has a thermocouple function.
The other night I took it home and put the probe on the pipe.

Here is what it looked like.

 

[BurningIsLove]

I've been wanting to setup a couple temp sensors and hook them up so that I can check on the indoor and outdoor temperatures at the house from work via the internet.

Actually, I'd like to have a full weather station setup at the house, but funding for that isn't available right now.

Cool idea! Good links!

-SF

BurningIsLove: From your post, I suspect you might also be a ham?

I'm not actually, the closest I come is using a single side band unit while sailing off shore. The 'weather station' is updated via the internet (broadband connection) vs. over the air.

 

[downeast]

30 years doing the latest and greatest tech stuff. Retired and just wanna burn wood and stay warm. ;-P
Is it too hot? Close it down. Is it too cool? Open it up. Real time process control.

The man has spoken. :coolsmile: Can we agree more ? Luddites unite.
Time for a Luddite poll. :lol:

 

[atvdave]

At work I have a data logging multimeter, it has a thermocouple function.
The other night I took it home and put the probe on the pipe.

Here is what it looked like.

What model# Fluke? or?

 

[Andre B.]

What model# Fluke? or?

It is an Extech ML720. http://www.extechstore.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=591
Also got one of these to go with it. http://www.extechstore.com/index.asp?PageAction=PRODSEARCH&txtSearch=ca310&Page=1

Not the best or most expensive but I can put that amp clamp on a mill or lathe here and let it record a sample every second for a full shift, and then I can tell the operator how many parts he made.

 

[mellow]

I have had my eye on this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/PC-USB-Thermoco...1QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1638Q2em118Q2el1247

But I have not pulled the trigger yet, I am hoping to find something better in the $50.00 range that has software that will email at set trigger points.

 

[mellow]

Also, one other thing I was looking at on the omega site was the TJ USB thermocouple, but once again, the software does not have trigger points to email.

http://www.omega.com/ppt/pptsc.asp?ref=TJ-USB&Nav=dasc01