Hi Pat,
Please tell me more about your computer system. I also have one that I put
together to monitor and control temperature in my small greenhouse and
upload to the net periodically. I'm looking into ways to control it thru
the net but not much progress so far.
If you have a web site or any pix, infor, I would appreciate it. See mine
at
www.colorkidz.com/orchids. Any comments are always welcome.
Paul
"Pat Brennan" wrote in message
...
The sensaphone has saved me more than once. They are not really built for
greenhouse conditions, I am protecting my second one much better than I
did
the first. Sensaphone does get lonely and sometimes asks me to come visit
at 3 in the morning for no good reason. Besides calling my house and a
backup person, I have a beeper with gets much better coverage than a cell
phone. Cell coverage is pretty weak in rural nowhere.
As with the other components of the greenhouse, having independent backup
systems is almost a must. I picked up a pallet of old computers and an
old
AT&T OmiPulse. Old electronics is so cheap. The OmiPulse is an alarm
system that has 64 A/D converters, 48 relays and interfaces with a
computer.
I have networked my greenhouses, lab, and house. I can now monitor
greenhouse temperatures from any location on the net and have started to
allow the OmiPulse to control noncritical functions. I still need to
connect a hardwire alarm from it to the house so all my alarms are not
dependent on the phone system. That is on the to do list. So far I am
very
happy with the OmiPulse and its functions will continue to grow. Now when
the sensaphone call, I can watch things from the house and decide if I
have
to get dressed.
Pat
"Al" wrote in message
...
Sensaphone is the system that many people use for greenhouse monitoring.
http://www.sensaphone.com/
It will call you on any phone you ask it to if certain conditions are
met.
Temperature, intrusion, power failure, etc. You can probably set it to
monitor the news and call you when Bin Laden blows up a major oil
producing facility and thereby puts all greenhouses run on oil out of
commission. It costs about $400.00 However, without a back up power
and
heat system, all it can do is call you when you are away to say your
orchids will soon die. Look into a generator with some kind of
auto-start
switch and a back up heater, if you don't already have these in place.
I have a neighbor with a greenhouse who lets this infernal machine have
*my* home phone when she goes out of town. I believe it has the ability
to cause reasons to call in the middle of the night, among all it's
other
talents.
I don't use this system here. ;-0 I never leave. Still I have a back
up
generator and two heaters in case one fails. Believe it or not there
has
already been a case when the two heaters went down at the same time, and
a
time when the auto-start switch shorted out at a power failure and
caught
on fire. This is why I never leave.
I have a "Thermalarm III. A low cost wire connected BUZZER that sounds
inside my home if the temperature in the greenhouse goes outside a
certain preset range. Very helpful to scare you awake during the night
but you have to be home to hear it.. Low cost, about $50.00
http://www.thermalarm.com/Products/thermalarm3.html
I live in Virginia too. How'd you like those 17 degree temperatures the
other night?
"Reka" wrote in message
...
GARLAND HANSON wrote:
To followup the "Wireless Thermometer" thread, I wondering what folks
are using as a remote low temperature alarm. I'd like to get an
indication of low greenhouse temperature in my house, bedroom, cell
phone, palm pilot, etc. that would alert me to avoid diaster! I'd
also
like a security system tied into the same system.
Something simple that will let me know if the temps is going too low
or
if the door is forced open...
Power outages are not uncommon in this part of Virginia so something
that would work under those conditions would be a plus!
Thanks in advance,
Garland
My Oregon Scientific with three remote units can be set to set off an
alarm per unit when a high or low temp is reached. Again, it is the
EMR899, which is a European model.
--
Reka
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