Who does not like a challange

I recently got asked to install a weather station to c-bus to show wind speed and direction on home-gate. I have aquired a 4-20 mA weather station with an anemometer for wind speed and a wind vane for direction.

The wind vane works by 0 degrees due north is 4mA - 359 degrees almost due north is 20 mA.

I will connect this to a general input unit.

Has anyone tried to map the wind direction to a compass grapic on home-gate?

I assume that logic would be the easiest way of going about it with if input x is = to or < than then show graphic y for direction on homegate.

Would appreciate sugestions

 

I would look at forming a circle with squares or circles as direction markers. I would then activate them individually for a particular reading from the 4 -20 ma readings.
If wind = 200 then (status is true)

You could also draw a line from a central point to a (X,Y) position that corresponds to the degree angle.

Find a weather station that generates a web page for its display and then use the touch screen web page pointed to the weather station. Ensure that it is capable of matching the display resolution of the C-Touch or other screen.

Colin Smith

 

There is a much easier way of showing something like the wind direction. Use an image with frames. Refer to the help file topic "Using the PICED Software/Components/Visible properties/Images".

There are some sample images in C:\Clipsal\PICED\Image Library\Frames which you can use for ideas. For example, C:\Clipsal\PICED\Image Library\Frames\knob grey.bmp is a rotating knob which is similar to what you need. You can create an image with 8 or 16 frames to show the direction.

 

Thanks

Gents, thanks for you replies.

Darren, once again you put me on the path to be able to create what I had in mind. I have attached a zip of the frame that I am going to use just in case anyone wants to do the same thing. I may need a little fine tuning, but has worked just fine on my project.

Cheers again.

 

Hi Damaxx

Can you post the details on the weather station you've used for this?

Thanks

 

Use weather stations supplied software app maybe?

I have seen things like this done in other platforms. Does sound like a challenge but certainly not one for the too hard basket. If it were me I would first look to see what 'front end' software was available with the weather station, and/or base my selection of the particular weather station of the available front end software.

I would look for something which could run its supplied software from say a Schedule Plus special function button "Run program". Then I could have a Schedule Plus button which when pushed, brought up someone elses software Which has been designed to display e.g. the compass

I would still look to use say a General Input 4-20mA input channel, for background control applications. I would simplify the input into 4 to 8 conditions, e.g. to represent wind from N, S, E, W, and intermediate points if needed (NE, SE, SW, NW), to say control shutters, windows, or HVAC optimisation.

This allows the flashy user interface stuff to operate as per the manufacturers supplied user interface, removes the flashy graphics burden from your own project costs, while simplifying anything you are trying to do control wise given that a control function would not likely need full 360 degree resolution to determine whether for example there is a southerly.

If I wanted a higher level weather interface maybe I would try and scrape some data via a website before I tried to get to detailed in my local weather station interface.

Hope this helps

 

Logic is the only way you can get general input modules to function correctly. One thing I've realised about input modules is that they're a bit crap, in that you can only stagger 8 group addresses from your 4-20ma input. I could never get that broadcast level option to work properly.

Easiest way is to create 8 group address in the input module, then another 8 which are your 'status' group addresses in homegate/schedplus. Add 8 modules of logic that will trigger just ONE of your status group addresses depending on how many have been turned on via the input module.

if its say 8ma from the input, that would mean 2-3 of the input module group address' would be active. In this condition, use logic ONCE (address1) AND ONCE (address2) AND ONCE (address3) then set STATUSADDRESS3 = ON; and STATUSADDRESSS1,2,4,5,6,7,8 all OFF;

Bear in mind the input module will only trigger its 1-8 group addresses on power up from your supply into the module, or change in input voltage from whatever device is driving it. Because its wind direction ie changes often this won't be a problem. For tank levels it is an issue, as you won't get the correct status until there is enough change in the input module to trigger your logic so if your pc goes down it displays 'nothing' till some of that logic can trigger.

 

Could you clarify what you mean here? It does not look quite right.

 

Its a basic kit but great for interfacing with a CBUS GUI aswell as a PC with a serial port for more info if you want it.

http://www.oceancontrols.com.au/modbus/kta250_anemometer_alarm.htm

 

Dont know if this is going to be any help Bill (I am no CBUS guru... just a self learned crash bandicot!) But I was given some advice on getting the broadcast level option working by reducing the hysteresis to 0.1 on things that did not fluctate too much. Works brilliant for me now. Just trying to think of what other things I can hook up 4-20 ma to justify another GIU.....