Wireless Sensor Response Rate Fix

[Hammerhead]

Those of you who use wireless sensors have agreed in my other threads that these things respond WAY too slowly to changes. If you're interested in a fast, fun project to kill some time on a weekend, I have developed a 'workaround' for how to improve the response rate. It requires only a few tools and can be done in less than an hour for all 3 of your sensors.

Note that this is only a partial remedy for the speed with which the sensors react, NOT the accuracy of them. Link to my web page here, and please let me know if you have any ideas for how to improve the information, or if you have a solution to the accuracy issue.

The goal of this workaround is to wind up with something that looks like this:

[shark]

Hey Hammerhead, love your idea. I took my Acurite model 00592W that uses
remote models 00984 or 32273. Opened them up and ventilated the cases around the sensor (front, back, bottom) using a .070 drill bit. I added 18 holes (I was not as neat as you were). My response time is under 2 hours from 30% to 68%. Much better than it was before.

[Hammerhead]

Originally Posted by shark

My response time is under 2 hours from 30% to 68%. Much better than it was before.

Interesting. It sounds like your sensors are much more accurate than the Oregon Scientific units. I find that they're all about -5% off. How close are the AcuRite sensors?

[shark]

Originally Posted by Hammerhead

Interesting. It sounds like your sensors are much more accurate than the Oregon Scientific units. I find that they're all about -5% off. How close are the AcuRite sensors?

I am using the Humidipak One-Step Calibration Kit. The sensors I have range from within 1% to 3%.
They have an adjustment scew inside, but I have not tried to use them.
I am not sure exactly what the adustment is for.

[chip]

My Radio Shack sensor is 1% low.
Thanks for this, I am going to try it when I have the time. The response is awful slow on these remotes.

[Hammerhead]

Darts, how did you verify the accuracy of your sensor? Did you check it against a calibrated hygrometer or salt test it? Just curious, because almost everyone finds their sensors to be 5 low. If yours are only 1 off, I'm curious to know where you got your unit.

[chip]

Salt test. I salt test all my hygrometers.
Took about 24 hrs to stabilize...kept it testing for about 36 if I remember.
I test using a small tupperware container, and seal that in a larger container for the double seal. I also use two large caps of salt, since the volume is larger, which means I probably need to test for longer time.

Local Radio Shack, I have bought 4 sensors from them and all have been 1% low except one that was about 7% low, I returned it. I have not tested the base unit....since I really don't care if it is off reading room ambient.
Guess I have been lucky, it would be a great find if someone knows of a a highly accurate setup with fast response times, for a reasonable price.

I don't get to anal about it anymore, Viper's beads are pretty much worry free, they have been dead on in the coolerdor...69-71% using 70% beads.
Course the temp has been 64-72 in my office this winter, I worry about temp in the summer, last year my humi ran around 76-78 degrees.
Not sure what to do about that yet...hmmm.

[Mister Moo]

...I don't get to anal about it anymore, Viper's beads are pretty much worry free, they have been dead on in the coolerdor...69-71% using 70% beads. Course the temp has been 64-72 in my office this winter, I worry about temp in the summer, last year my humi ran around 76-78 degrees. Not sure what to do about that yet...hmmm.

Sears (Haier) 47-bottle cooler closeout; added a Johnson Controls A419 temp controller from Zymico (recommended by Danimal - easy install and very presice for $75) for summer months when house ambient is often 80f for days or weeks. It manages 10-12 boxes plus 100-ct humi w/ Oasis 50/50 slab big enuff to keep steady 69%. Anal? I keep a 2-oz. fine mist spray bottle handy - a few squirts before closing the door keeps rh from wandering. I don't know who dreamed up the wine cooler idea but (for a closeout price) it makes a teriffic 300-400/ct humi.

[stogie_kanobie_one]

Originally Posted by Hammerhead

Darts, how did you verify the accuracy of your sensor? Did you check it against a calibrated hygrometer or salt test it? Just curious, because almost everyone finds their sensors to be 5 low. If yours are only 1 off, I'm curious to know where you got your unit.

I can't answer for darts of course but for me, I bought my Radio Shack units about two weeks ago and have been watching them carefully. None of the digital units have ever read the same reading so I bit the bullet and decided to salt test. Fortunately I have a digital hygrometer that came with my Vicksburg. I used the salt test on all three at the same time in a tupperware bowl. To my surprise the Western Caliber III that was included with the humi was spot on accurate +-0.... hit 75 and held it. I left all of them in extra long just to be safe. After 8 hours WCIII stayed at 75, Radio Shack sensor 1 was -3 and radioshack sensor 2 was -2. So the best way is the salt test OR take another digital that you know is spot on and stick them together. I too am searching for a way to tweak them.

[Hammerhead]

Originally Posted by stogie_kanobie_one

After 8 hours WCIII stayed at 75, Radio Shack sensor 1 was -3 and radioshack sensor 2 was -2. So the best way is the salt test OR take another digital that you know is spot on and stick them together. I too am searching for a way to tweak them.

Yeah, that's pretty much been my experience, too, except that I'm "lucky" in that all mine seem to be -5% which makes it easy to keep track of. Granted, I didn't salt test them, but used my CIII as a reference, since I know the CIII to be +1 based on a salt test. I'll probably test 'em all again, though, just to be sure.

[stogie_kanobie_one]

Hammerhead you are the man. Using your guide I did one of mine last night in well under an hour. Also I started looking into the adjustment of the humistat portion of it, trying to see if it had a potentiometer. Also went to the Boston Scientific website to try to get specs on the unit and couldn't find them. I did find in the Cigar Smoker's FAQ how to make adjustments for some of the older models of the Radio Shack units that had potentiometers in them.

I'm hoping it is only a matter of time before someone figures it out. I actually did remove a few of the screws from around the display in hopes of seeing if there were any potentiometer like screws underneath the raised cage holding the circuitry. Two of the remaining screws look as if if you tamper with them you'll come very close to destroying the alignment of the display. I backed off at that point.

This is becoming an obsession now. If we could get specs we would be able to tell. Then again it could be as easy as finding the 'right' person in tech support.... It is amazing what can happen when you get lucky by finding the right person... at the right time..... on the right day. And the cigar gods are smiling upon you.

[Hammerhead]

Originally Posted by stogie_kanobie_one

I actually did remove a few of the screws from around the display in hopes of seeing if there were any potentiometer like screws underneath the raised cage holding the circuitry. Two of the remaining screws look as if if you tamper with them you'll come very close to destroying the alignment of the display.

Ditto, I removed the circuit board from the housing, and the display failed until I restored it, so I imagine there's a grounding effect going on there that shouldn't be interrupted.

As to the rest, there's a 'daughterboard' that sits on the back of the main board and connects via pins. But my guess is that's simply the RF transmitter, which would have no bearing on the measuring circuit. Didn't see any pots, so back to the drawing board...

[guinsdan]

Originally Posted by Hammerhead

Those of you who use wireless sensors have agreed in my other threads that these things respond WAY too slowly to changes. If you're interested in a fast, fun project to kill some time on a weekend, I have developed a 'workaround' for how to improve the response rate. It requires only a few tools and can be done in less than an hour for all 3 of your sensors.

Note that this is only a partial remedy for the speed with which the sensors react, NOT the accuracy of them. Link to my web page here, and please let me know if you have any ideas for how to improve the information, or if you have a solution to the accuracy issue.

The goal of this workaround is to wind up with something that looks like this:

That's a great hack! I love this site!

[guinsdan]

Originally Posted by Mister MaDuroo

Sears (Haier) 47-bottle cooler closeout; added a Johnson Controls A419 temp controller from Zymico (recommended by Danimal - easy install and very presice for $75) for summer months when house ambient is often 80f for days or weeks. It manages 10-12 boxes plus 100-ct humi w/ Oasis 50/50 slab big enuff to keep steady 69%. Anal? I keep a 2-oz. fine mist spray bottle handy - a few squirts before closing the door keeps rh from wandering. I don't know who dreamed up the wine cooler idea but (for a closeout price) it makes a teriffic 300-400/ct humi.

This idea I like too!

[GOAT LOCKER]

As Stogie Kanobi One said, there is a procedure for older models Here. There is another procedure specifically for the Radio Shack 63-1030 receiver/63-1031 transmitter at Cigar Weekly . This is the same as the Scientific Atlanta you have. You could use the new bioveda calibration packs as a reference standard.

So far mine have been trouble free and accurate. The slow reaction to changes does not bother me.