Need to monitor boiler temps

[WillyWonker]

HI All, I'm new to the forum. Purchased my first ISY this past August and having fun with it. I'm using it to control a ski house in VT.

 

I'm looking for an easy way to monitor the water temps on a boiler, supply and return. Can anyone suggest a simple way to do this with a sensor that can handle the 180 degree temps?

 

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Thanks, Will

[Xathros]

Hi WillyWonker-

 

The easiest way would be with a CAI Webcontrol board and a few one wire temp sensors. I do this with the output side of my hot water tank.

 

The Web Control board can be configured to post data directly to ISY state variables and your ISY programs can take action based on those values.

 

-Xathros

[WillyWonker]

Xathros,

Thank you for the reply. While searching the web, I see that the Dallas DS18B20 is common sensor used with the CAI board. Is this sensor what you use or what you recommend?

Also, I assume I have to purchase the network module for the ISY, right? I'm not very advanced at programming, however not a novice. Is this a difficult task getting the ISY and CAI board to talk?

 

 

PS: I saw your location and had to research "Republic of Vermont". Interesting history. I have a farmhouse in Andover, built in 1780.

 

Thanks, Will.

[apostolakisl]

Xathros,

Thank you for the reply. While searching the web, I see that the Dallas DS18B20 is common sensor used with the CAI board. Is this sensor what you use or what you recommend?

Also, I assume I have to purchase the network module for the ISY, right? I'm not very advanced at programming, however not a novice. Is this a difficult task getting the ISY and CAI board to talk?

 

 

PS: I saw your location and had to research "Republic of Vermont". Interesting history. I have a farmhouse in Andover, built in 1780.

 

Thanks, Will.

 

I would agree that the cai is a good way to get those temps posted. I am not using it to do boiler temps, but am using it for air temps. Xathros will need to tell you how he is getting the water temps, it may be simplest to just strap an air temp device tightly to the pipe, wrap it with insulation, and call that close enough. To get direct temp of water you would need to do some plumbing.

 

I don't believe that you need the network module. The latest cai firmware has a feature in it that posts directly to ISY using the REST. It has been a year or so since I set all that up, so my memory is a bit rusty, but I am pretty sure.

 

You will have to learn a little bit of PLC code to program that cai to send the temps. You will need the network module if you want ISY to send info back to the CAI.

[Xathros]

Hi Will-

 

As apostolakisl stated, you don't need the network module for the ISY with the newer revs of the CAI board. I am using DS1822's for the sensors (functionally the same I believe). I soldered the sensor to the end of some CAT3 wire and taped it to the outside of a 3/4 copper line exiting my hot water tank then covered the line with some 3/4 ID foam pipe insulation. These sensors appear to max out at 185F which is about 20F above what I needed in this application. I'm not sure if that will satisfy your needs or not. I believe the CAI board supports up to 8 of these sensors. I'm currently using 4. There are also, 8 digital outputs, 8 digital inputs, a few analog inputs and support for a single humidity sensor. All in all a very inexpensive and very capable little board. It makes an excellent addition to the ISY.

 

I'm down in the Brattleboro area.

 

-Xathros