Simple Temp sensor (waterproof) needed

[runkster]

After much research and reading in many forums I am looking for opinions and or suggestions on a pool temp sensor setup.  Please keep in mind I started out with an insteon hub but now using an ISY944ZW/IR Pro.

I would just like a waterproof temp sensor so I can setup a program to turn off/on the pool heater within a certain temp range.  I don't need anything fancy just a temp sensor that performs the simple function of reporting the temp back to the ISY so I can program the parameters.

I was originally told (not here but on an insteon forum) that I would be able to use the wireless thermostat (2441ZTH) and the waterproof sensor (2433A3) to read the water temperature.  This turned out not to be true.  Although I was able to link to the wireless thermostat, only the primary (ambient) temperature is reported back from the thermostat, the remote/secondary/waterproof sensor is only reported on the screen of the thermostat in small numbers on the to pf the screen and this information is not readable on the ISY which makes it useless for what I'm trying to accomplish..

So I was considering z-wave devices, considering insteon has noting available, and thought this might work.  Im thinking of using the Quibino Thermostat module (link below) just to get the temperature information reported back to the ISY.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079J2HZ3Z/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A1XO9WGZO0A93O&psc=1

If this does not seem reasonable or if there is a better solution/suggestion please let me know.

Thanks,

Matt

[larryllix]

CAO Wireless Tags have a remote probe that is waterproof.

 

No wiring required. No building components. Install the KumoApp and customise it to your ISY.

[apostolakisl]

You could use one of these.

 

https://store.wirelesstag.net/products/outdoor-probe-basic   plus a DS18B20 probe.  Then you would need to use IFTTT to post the value to ISY (I haven't done this with this device but it seems that it is a possibility based on the literature).  Unfortunately, it appears to currently be out of stock.

I can say for certain that if you get a CAI Webcontrol8 and that same waterproof probe, then you can have the webcontrol board deliver the temp to ISY directly (I have done this, not with temp but with other inputs from it, but I know it works for temp).  You can even set up a node on ISY if you are running 5.x firmware and have the CAI unit appear as a native device.  Only downside here is that the CAI webcontrol board is not waterproof and requires an ethernet connection.  On the plus side, no need to worry about batteries since the CAI board gets plugged in.  My guess is that you have some sort of pump/filter area for your pool that has power outlets and a waterproof enclosure that you could do all this in.  You could also monitor a bunch of other stuff and control stuff using the CAI outputs.  It has 8 digital inputs, 3 analog inputs, and a bunch of one-wire inputs which can be temp or other one-wire devices.  It also has 8 ttl outputs which you can add a relay board to for controlling things like pumps.

 

[builderb]

Raspberry Pi Zero W, and a DS18B20 sensor.

I used Plastidip as extra waterproofing measure. As a bonus, you can run Polyglot on the Pi, and use the OneWire node server.

Or a simple script to poll the sensor and push that to the ISY REST interface, set on a cron job that runs every minute, which is what I still do.

[apostolakisl]

4 hours ago, builderb said:

Raspberry Pi Zero W, and a DS18B20 sensor.

I used Plastidip as extra waterproofing measure. As a bonus, you can run Polyglot on the Pi, and use the OneWire node server.

Or a simple script to poll the sensor and push that to the ISY REST interface, set on a cron job that runs every minute, which is what I still do.

That is amazing.  $10!  I don't know how they do it.  What sort of inputs does this have?  I'd be interested in analog inputs able to measure in the 1/10's of volts range.

[builderb]

That is amazing.  $10!  I don't know how they do it.  What sort of inputs does this have?  I'd be interested in analog inputs able to measure in the 1/10's of volts range.

Pis don’t do analog well natively, but ADCs are pretty cheap. Adafruit has a 16-bit one available, with adjustable gain, and good documentation for like $15. I was using one to read a linear potentiometer for a wind sensor as part of a weather station project.

‘Duinos, OTOH, do analog pretty well natively.

[apostolakisl]

22 hours ago, builderb said:

Pis don’t do analog well natively, but ADCs are pretty cheap. Adafruit has a 16-bit one available, with adjustable gain, and good documentation for like $15. I was using one to read a linear potentiometer for a wind sensor as part of a weather station project.

‘Duinos, OTOH, do analog pretty well natively.

I ordered up the 16 bit one. 

[runkster]

Thanks guys.  Some great options to chose from.  I appreciate you taking the time to reply.

Matt

[dbwarner5]

I have successfully used the CAI Webcontrol8 .  i have 8 temp probes reporting to it and subsequently the ISY. Took a little while to figure it all out. But did learn that there is "length of run" issue that affects the timing of the data being sent such that the CAI will zero out if the timing on the data report backs aren't  similar. Wish i had known that before hand and put several of the longer runs into a parallel wiring scheme vs individual wires around the house, all of different lengths. As a result, I have one outdoor probe that I can't get to work because it throws off the timing and then half the probes go to zero when its connected. I sacrificed that probe and just use the ISY weather climate module for outdoor temp as its close enough for my purposes.

But the important things like hot tub, master bedroom, garage etc are reporting perfectly.