Outdoor enclosure recommendations for static mount sensor (Onyx)

[Richard Johnson]

I'm hooking my Kickstarter Onyx (#011 of 263, upgraded so far with Wizkers to 12.30-d) up to a computer for logging with the IMI Gateway Chrome app.

Do any of you have recommendations for suitable and/or modifiable outdoor enclosures that'll allow me to get the most out of it for logging?

My goals:

    Keep the Onyx heated to above minimum operating temperature in (rarely) -25F winters -- heat tape with a thermostat

    Survive 90+ MPH wind gusts (Chinook winds)

    Protect it against direct sunlight, against water from above (rain & snow), and against large amounts of dry desert dust deposition

    Give the Onyx a relatively unobstructed view of ambient radiation levels, while minimizing contamination of the Onyx itself with emitting materials

    Optionally have room for a Beaglebone or Android device (else I'll run USB to computer inside)

Perhaps I could use a repurposed small weather station cover? But for those, I don't know anything about the attenuation they might provide. Are there any purpose-built relatively transparent protective enclosures I should consider? Or should I skip minimizing this?

If you've done this for your sensor already, what did you end up with? Any other ideas most welcome too.

Thanks in advance!

Richard

[Edouard Lafargue]

  Hi Richard,

   Glad to see that IMI Gateways is working out for you! I would suggest looking at weather station enclosures: those are usually well shielded from direct rain while letting condensation leave the enclosure, which is critical. Something like http://www.windandweather.com/outdoor-weather-sensor-shield.htm - just used that URL for the image, no idea what the site is worth.

    Since you are on the latest Onyx firmware: as long as the USB cable is connected you can slide the Onyx switch to "standby" and it will actually continue running with the screen off and the serial interface will still be active. That way, you won't burn the screen. That said, running for a long period of time in very cold temperatures won't be good for the lithium battery, I'm afraid.

     Also, you can definitely use a Raspberry Pi connected to the Onyx. You can run Wizkers.io - the framework that is used for IMI Gateway - on the Raspberry Pi directly if you want to. In that case, it will give you a real time web interface to the Onyx. Check out http://wizkers.github.io/wizkers-doc/building/ for instructions on how to install it on the Raspberry Pi - Beaglebone will also work, but won't have the built-in Wifi. Use the "Nuclear" build variant in the instructions. Last, if you have Wizkers-related questions and don't want to overload this mailing-list, ask those on forum.wizkers.io

    Oh, and for bGeigie owners, the same instructions are also valid for the bGeigie if you have a Bluetooth LE module, Wizkers.io supports BLE on the Pi. Enjoy!

Ed

[Yohanan Weininger]

There's Bluetooth 4.2/BLE on the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+ released 14 Mar, still @ 35$ board.

https://www.raspberrypi.org/products/raspberry-pi-3-model-b-plus/
Perhaps you don't need USB communication and external receiver computer, if you have BLE?

[Edouard Lafargue]

  Oh, there is BLE on the standard Raspberry Pi 3 Model B as well, I've been using it for a while, works great.

  The Onyx does not have BLE, but if you have a bGeigie Nano with a BLE module, it will work perfectly with Wizkers on the Raspberry Pi 3 B or B+. You will need to work out a way to keep it charged though, so cables will be in the picture in one way or another...

Ed