Stamp project to detect bad weather conditions

Archiver

Guys, I am trying to build a stamp project that can:

1. Detect change in wind speed, humidity, etc,... so that
2. The stamp will translate this information as "dangerous weather"
that will harm my computer, so the stamp will trip the power strip
and cut off all power of the computer, cable modem, and other
peripherals to keep them safe from surge. Are there any stamp
modules that can facilitate such a project, and what additional
accessories would i need for stamp compatibility? PLEASE HEEELLLPPPP!



Michael

Archiver

Your biggest threat will be lightning... There are several electronic
versions of electroscopes out there on the web that are capable of
detecting lightning several miles away that could easily interface to
a Stamp. (...to count strikes per min/hour and with an ADC you could
measure the relative intensity of the strike.)

As far as boot-strapping your power strip to cut the mains power, I'm
not sure that a cold-shutoff of this nature would necessarily be beneficial
to your computer. Perhaps a program running in the background on your
PC to launch a series of shutdown procedures when it received a warning
from the Stamp and then initiate a power strip shutdown when your system
was stable might work. ...or simply an audible/visual indicator to let
you know that there is a threat, so you could shutdown and unplug your
system accordingly.


>Guys, I am trying to build a stamp project that can:
>
>1. Detect change in wind speed, humidity, etc,... so that
>2. The stamp will translate this information as "dangerous weather"
>that will harm my computer, so the stamp will trip the power strip
>and cut off all power of the computer, cable modem, and other
>peripherals to keep them safe from surge. Are there any stamp
>modules that can facilitate such a project, and what additional
>accessories would i need for stamp compatibility? PLEASE HEEELLLPPPP!
>
>
>
>Michael

---

Beau Schwabe Mask Designer II National Semiconductor Corporation
500 Pinnacle Court, Suite 525
Mail Stop GA1

---

Archiver

Michael,
i agree with Beau that lighting is what you need to
look out for. here is a simple homebrew detector for
the stamp:

http://homepage.mac.com/tbitson/weather/bslam/index.html

off the top of my head, i would envision using an
internal counter to count the number of strikes and
when the number exceeds a preset amount or frequency
disengage a normally open(NO) relay on the main. i
would use the NO relay, possibly a small motor
contactor depending on the load you want to carry, so
that in the event of a failure or power outage, it
will open as a failsafe, and thus protect your
equipment. you ask which stamp module, i think that
this could likely be done w/ the BS1.

i think Beau also has a valid point on the cold
shutdown of a computer, but without a background
program watching for your signal or you being home to
catch the audio/visual warning, this would be better
than nothing, in my opinion.

1 last thing, if you do try this route, the lighting
detector page claims it can read out some 50
miles...you may want to install a small routine that
would, in case you were using the computer...delay the
shutdown for say 5 minutes and give you an audible
beep. this would allow you the time to save your work
and perform a normal shutdown, or override your "black
box" so that you may continue working at your own
risk. just some thoughts.

ross



--- Beau Schwabe <bschwabe@a...> wrote:
> Your biggest threat will be lightning... There are
> several electronic
> versions of electroscopes out there on the web that
> are capable of
> detecting lightning several miles away that could
> easily interface to
> a Stamp. (...to count strikes per min/hour and with
> an ADC you could
> measure the relative intensity of the strike.)
>
> As far as boot-strapping your power strip to cut the
> mains power, I'm
> not sure that a cold-shutoff of this nature would
> necessarily be beneficial
> to your computer. Perhaps a program running in the
> background on your
> PC to launch a series of shutdown procedures when it
> received a warning
> from the Stamp and then initiate a power strip
> shutdown when your system
> was stable might work. ...or simply an
> audible/visual indicator to let
> you know that there is a threat, so you could
> shutdown and unplug your
> system accordingly.
>
>
> >Guys, I am trying to build a stamp project that
> can:
> >
> >1. Detect change in wind speed, humidity, etc,...
> so that
> >2. The stamp will translate this information as
> "dangerous weather"
> >that will harm my computer, so the stamp will trip
> the power strip
> >and cut off all power of the computer, cable modem,
> and other
> >peripherals to keep them safe from surge. Are there
> any stamp
> >modules that can facilitate such a project, and
> what additional
> >accessories would i need for stamp compatibility?
> PLEASE HEEELLLPPPP!
> >
> >
> >
> >Michael
>
>

---

> Beau Schwabe Mask Designer II National
> Semiconductor Corporation
> 500 Pinnacle
> Court, Suite 525
> Mail Stop GA1
>

---

>
>
>
>
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Archiver

As far as shutting down your computer find some backup battery
software,all it does is watch the com port for 2 pins shorting
together then turn off the computer at a specified time delay.

Stan











--- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, Klutch <klutch66@y...> wrote:
> Michael,
> i agree with Beau that lighting is what you need to
> look out for. here is a simple homebrew detector for
> the stamp:
>
> http://homepage.mac.com/tbitson/weather/bslam/index.html
>
> off the top of my head, i would envision using an
> internal counter to count the number of strikes and
> when the number exceeds a preset amount or frequency
> disengage a normally open(NO) relay on the main. i
> would use the NO relay, possibly a small motor
> contactor depending on the load you want to carry, so
> that in the event of a failure or power outage, it
> will open as a failsafe, and thus protect your
> equipment. you ask which stamp module, i think that
> this could likely be done w/ the BS1.
>
> i think Beau also has a valid point on the cold
> shutdown of a computer, but without a background
> program watching for your signal or you being home to
> catch the audio/visual warning, this would be better
> than nothing, in my opinion.
>
> 1 last thing, if you do try this route, the lighting
> detector page claims it can read out some 50
> miles...you may want to install a small routine that
> would, in case you were using the computer...delay the
> shutdown for say 5 minutes and give you an audible
> beep. this would allow you the time to save your work
> and perform a normal shutdown, or override your "black
> box" so that you may continue working at your own
> risk. just some thoughts.
>
> ross
>
>
>
> --- Beau Schwabe <bschwabe@a...> wrote:
> > Your biggest threat will be lightning... There are
> > several electronic
> > versions of electroscopes out there on the web that
> > are capable of
> > detecting lightning several miles away that could
> > easily interface to
> > a Stamp. (...to count strikes per min/hour and with
> > an ADC you could
> > measure the relative intensity of the strike.)
> >
> > As far as boot-strapping your power strip to cut the
> > mains power, I'm
> > not sure that a cold-shutoff of this nature would
> > necessarily be beneficial
> > to your computer. Perhaps a program running in the
> > background on your
> > PC to launch a series of shutdown procedures when it
> > received a warning
> > from the Stamp and then initiate a power strip
> > shutdown when your system
> > was stable might work. ...or simply an
> > audible/visual indicator to let
> > you know that there is a threat, so you could
> > shutdown and unplug your
> > system accordingly.
> >
> >
> > >Guys, I am trying to build a stamp project that
> > can:
> > >
> > >1. Detect change in wind speed, humidity, etc,...
> > so that
> > >2. The stamp will translate this information as
> > "dangerous weather"
> > >that will harm my computer, so the stamp will trip
> > the power strip
> > >and cut off all power of the computer, cable modem,
> > and other
> > >peripherals to keep them safe from surge. Are there
> > any stamp
> > >modules that can facilitate such a project, and
> > what additional
> > >accessories would i need for stamp compatibility?
> > PLEASE HEEELLLPPPP!
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >Michael
> >
> >
>

---

---
> > Beau Schwabe Mask Designer II National
> > Semiconductor Corporation
> > 500 Pinnacle
> > Court, Suite 525
> > Mail Stop GA1
> >
>

---

---
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
> > basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
> > from the same email address that you subscribed.
> > Text in the Subject and Body of the message will be
> > ignored.
> >
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> >
> > basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
>
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