Solar project datalogging and control ...

Is fit-PC2 good for my intended application?
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solar tinkerer
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Jun 16, 2010 10:41 pm

Solar project datalogging and control ...

Post by solar tinkerer »

I'm considering one of the Fit PC models as a thermocouple datalogger on a solar hydronic heating project, with potential to expand to control if the dumb-thermostat approach proves inadequate. The system is all-solar, including about 120 watts of photovoltaic power to run the pumps, valves, and electronics. The pumps and valves only need to run if the sun is shining. There should be sufficient left over to run a 6W computer full-time.

I have an Omega USB-4718 data acquisition module on order. This allows eight differential analog inputs (thermocouples or DC voltages). I expect one channel will measure the available voltage of the PV system (one poster wondered about a low-voltage monitoring system ... I may add this capability). One channel will probably be a photoresistor or a radiometer to measure sunshine. The rest will be thermocouples.

The 4718 has a byte each of digital input and output, so controlling the system is an option.

The Omega literature suggests Windows drivers are available but not Gnu, so the option of running the Fit PC on XP is attractive. I'm told roll-your-own USB drivers in Linux are not for the faint of heart.

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