Open Source Weather Station

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Basics

  • A "weather station"
  • Essentially a self contained sensor suite
  • Is modular, but should measure most/all of these things:
    • Air temperature
    • Relative humidity
    • Vapor pressure
    • Barometric pressure
    • Wind speed
    • Wind Direction
    • Gust/Gust Likeliness/Frequency (Via Software from other wind stuff)
    • Solar Radiation (General Brightness, and/or UV brightness)
    • Day/Night Time/Cycle (Via software from solar stuff)
    • Precipitation (any form, with differentiation)
    • Lightning Strike Counter
    • Lightning Strike Distance
  • A Nice Bonus Would be Integration with Wireless Indoor Air Quality Monitors that Monitor:
    • Air Temperature
    • Humidity
    • Air CO2 Concentration and maybe Oxygen (latter is less important)
    • Particulate Matter
    • Optional Hydrocarbon Sensors (Detects Offgassing etc, as long as you are careful about all that shouldn't be too huge of an issue, but a sensor can't hurt, just not desperate for one in my opinion)
  • Seems to be a total cost of ~150-200 USD for a MAXED OUT OTS Model

Off the Shelf Options

"Ambient Weather" Brand

Existing Open Source Designs

GreatScott

Open Green Energy

DigiblurDIY

University of Oklahoma

Minimum Viable Product

  • "Self Contained" ie is one unit, often on a post
  • Lots of Networking Options Via Modules (NONE (just storage on sd etc) , Wired XLR, Wired USB , CAN BUS or Ethernet etc
  • All sensors are modular
  • Can handle any* weather (* being whatever is desired by end user)
  • Durable
  • DIY (or premade)
  • As low cost as possible
  • Modular

Basic Design

General Overview/Conceptual Design

  • Stacked "modules" similar to Arduino Shields and Rasberry Pi Hats
  • Each is sealed (need to determine weatherproof connectors
  • Either the modules are "flush" or there is a seperate shell/cover
  • Arduino and/or Raspberr Pi as the core computer/microcontoller (unless a custom board is used)
  • The main controlls and electronics are in one module
  • Cables is in another
  • Optional Onboard Storage is on another
  • Each wireless thing is a module
  • Max "stack" no more than 50cm excluding the pole for mounting, and any antennae etc

Sensor Modules

Air temperature

Relative humidity

Vapor pressure

  • Standard PCB + Custom Mount / Leads for Module Specific Stuff
  • Estimate with math, or use actual sensor?

Barometric pressure

Wind speed

Wind Direction

Solar Radiation (General Brightness, and/or UV brightness)

  • Standard PCB + Custom Mount / Leads for Module Specific Stuff
  • All that may be needed is a solar panel or two, and if two a UV filter on one
  • Exerpt from This Article on Arduiono.com
    • "The instrument for measuring solar radiation is called a Pyranometer. Pyranometers can cost anywhere from $200 -$800, even from Chinese suppliers, making them inaccessible for the average hobbyist. You can read more about them here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyranometer

I was recently looking into buying a solar panel for my home and wanted to know if it would be worthwhile and so wanted to estimate the amount of solar energy available where I live.

I wasn't interested in buying a Pyranometer so I thought I could save some money and have some fun at the same time by making my own. "

  • Follow their directions + adapt to custom module

Precipitation (any form, with differentation)

Lightning Strike Counter

Lightning Strike Distance

BOM

Initial Guess/Rough BOM

  • Arduino ~20USD
  • And/or Raspberry Pi anywhere from ~9 USD for a Raspberry Pi Zero to ~75 USD for the "max spex" Raspberry Pi 4 Model B (8 GB RAM version)
  • PCB Blanks / copper plates etc for custom pb's ~X.xx USD for X many
  • SMD's for sensors
    • SMD a
    • SMD b...
  • Solder/Solder Paste
  • 3D Printed Cases / Welded Metal Case Cost ~20 USD max for fdm print, metal would be ~?x USD
  • All the Cables + Cable Breakouts/Adapter Plugs Needed ~20 USD -ish hard to estimate, also does not include long runs, also can be replaced by cheap wireless module for same ish cost
  • Total of ~150-200 USD for a MAXED OUT Model

V-BOM

CAD

Code

Internal Links

External Links