How sloppy did you get with 1 wire wiring?

[Qmavam]

I'm about to install a 1 wire temp monitoring system.
I want to do it as inexpensive as possible.
I'm be using a DS9097U driver.
Looking at up to 20--DS18S20s.
If I can use wire I already have I won't buy Cat 5.

Anybody not using Cat 5?

I would like to eliminate connectors at each drop.

Anybody just solder a 6 ft drop to the main line?

Any run would be less than 50 ft.

Anybody getting away with two or three star runs from the DS9097U?

Your experience appreciated, Thanks Mike

 

[Qmavam]

I'm about to install a 1 wire temp monitoring system.
I want to do it as inexpensive as possible.
I'm be using a DS9097U driver.
Looking at up to 20--DS18S20s.
If I can use wire I already have I won't buy Cat 5.

Anybody not using Cat 5?

I would like to eliminate connectors at each drop.

Anybody just solder a 6 ft drop to the main line?

Any run would be less than 50 ft.

Anybody getting away with two or three star runs from the DS9097U?

Your experience appreciated, Thanks Mike

I guess everyone runs a single line of Cat 5 with good connectors and no drops.
I'll experiment, and maybe wire it twice.
Mike

 

[nsisman]

No cat 5 here , I just used 4 cond telephone wire and cheap "$ store" jacks.

I crimped the sensors into teledapt jacks and did the bridging of the sensor pins right in the phone jacks.

I have 6 installed now and a few more to go.

I made sure to add them one at a time so I could be sure they would work and I could ID the location.

Good luck......

 

[Qmavam]

Thanks nsisman,
I hope to run an inexpensive system, good to know someone
has one working with less than optimum wire runs.
What software are you running?
Mike

 

[JeffCharger]

I had problems when I hit a certain # of sensors and as the total length grew. I had used telephone wire instead of CAT5. I had so many problems I ended up switching to CAT5.... so watch out. It might be easier to go CAT5 from teh start if you're planning on 20 sensors..... it's half science and half magic...

 

[Qmavam]

Thanks Jeff,
I'll add that to my equation. I'll look at cat 5 prices.
I've never used it before, don't know much about it.
Mike

 

[nsisman]

Mike,

I use Homeseer and free MRB1WireTemperature plug-in.

Their are lots of really good paid plug-ins available as well.

Good luck...............

 

[JeffCharger]

Thanks Jeff,
I'll add that to my equation. I'll look at cat 5 prices.
I've never used it before, don't know much about it.
Mike

I've been able to pick up 1000 feet of CAT5 for about $60 - so it's not too bad. You can always find opportunities to use it.....

 

[Qmavam]

I've been able to pick up 1000 feet of CAT5 for about $60 - so it's not too bad. You can always find opportunities to use it.....
[/quote]

Thanks Jeff,
What about connectors?
If I have 20 sensors I would I can see 60 male and 60 female connectors.
I'd like to hardwire it, and save connector costs.
Can you give me more details of your wiring?
Do you have drops off the main line?
How long?
Are you using some type of "T" connector?
Did you wire in the series 120 ohm resistors on the DQ line.
I got my DS9097U and 25 sensors yesterday, I hooked up one sensor
and used Onewireviewer to verify operation. It worked!
I want different software, something that will display all sensors at once.

Thanks, Mike

 

[project_x]

Thanks Jeff,
What about connectors?
If I have 20 sensors I would I can see 60 male and 60 female connectors.
I'd like to hardwire it, and save connector costs.
Can you give me more details of your wiring?
Do you have drops off the main line?
How long?
Are you using some type of "T" connector?
Did you wire in the series 120 ohm resistors on the DQ line.
I got my DS9097U and 25 sensors yesterday, I hooked up one sensor
and used Onewireviewer to verify operation. It worked!
I want different software, something that will display all sensors at once.

Thanks, Mike

Until I write something that suits me better, I use LogTemp. It is pretty flexible and has a nice display.

 

[Qmavam]

Until I write something that suits me better, I use LogTemp. It is pretty flexible and has a nice display.

Hi project_x,
I downloaded LogTemp and couldn't get it to recognize my sensor. I have the right port.
I'm using DS18S20, the sensor list only has DS18B20 and DS1820, could that be a problem?
What else should I check?
Thanks, Mike

 

[JeffCharger]

Thanks Jeff,
What about connectors?
If I have 20 sensors I would I can see 60 male and 60 female connectors.
I'd like to hardwire it, and save connector costs.
Can you give me more details of your wiring?
Do you have drops off the main line?
How long?
Are you using some type of "T" connector?
Did you wire in the series 120 ohm resistors on the DQ line.
I got my DS9097U and 25 sensors yesterday, I hooked up one sensor
and used Onewireviewer to verify operation. It worked!
I want different software, something that will display all sensors at once.

Thanks, Mike

Mike, I have about 8 sensors going. I also don't have the best implementation -hence the cautions where I have learned some lessons. I have typically used a "star" configuration. 1 wire doesnt like this. What works best is one continous line with sensors hung off of it. When connecting, make sure that they're really protected, since corrosion will set in after a year or so (likely depending on your climate). I have used straight connectors that I got from Radio Shack. They are 'crimped' and are yellow. I tried the resistors on the line, but didn't find any impact (good or bad).

I use Weather Display as the software and reporting. It's not too expensive and has great flexibility. (it's also quite complicated to setup)

One further caution/word of advice..... start slowly. Add one sensor and then another. Let them run for a day or 2 so you can see if they're reliable. If you add some all at once and have a problem, it's hard to eliminate individual ones to find the problem.

 

[project_x]

Until I write something that suits me better, I use LogTemp. It is pretty flexible and has a nice display.

Hi project_x,
I downloaded LogTemp and couldn't get it to recognize my sensor. I have the right port.
I'm using DS18S20, the sensor list only has DS18B20 and DS1820, could that be a problem?
What else should I check?
Thanks, Mike

It could be, I am using 18B20s

 

[EL34]

I have used several types of wire

cat5 - regular
cat5 -direct buriable
Cat 5 is great for long runs and you have enough wires to run +5vdc, +12vdc, DQ and grounds

solid core telephone cable - not good for long runs but just fine for making DS1820 temp sensors on the end of a short wire. If you read DS1820's that are inside of plastic cases, the temp will be off because the voltage regulator and other parts inside the case produce heat. Telephone cable is tiny and has four wires and you can install RJ11 or RJ45 plugs on it.

I also purchased a 250ft spool of 3 wire cable that has a foil shield, two twisted wires and one bare wire. You only need 3 wires for most sensors, if you run a powered network. This worked out great. You only need two wires if you run a parasitic network. Well actually you may need four wires if you run 12volt sensors like a barometer.

I have installed RJ45 connectors on all of the wires above.
I have also used terminal blocks on the far end of cable runs. Then the sensors just get soldered ring terminals and you screw them down to the terminal blocks.

Lots of way to go.