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LED weather station with NTP clock and calendar

efi222 17670 63

TL;DR

  • Built an LED weather station with seven-segment displays, NTP clock/calendar, and support for up to 9 temperature/humidity modules.
  • ESP-Now links the ESP12 sensor modules to an ESP8266 receiver, while an Atmega64 drives the LEDs, trends, alarms, and station web pages.
  • A 2000 mAh 18650 battery powers a sensor module for about 6 to 7 months when it sends measurements every minute.
  • The 27.5 x 12.5 cm front panel shows time, date, module temperatures, home temperature, humidity, pressure, trend arrows, and alarm icons.
  • RC5 and RC6 remotes are not suitable, and subzero temperatures shorten battery life.
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Treść została przetłumaczona polish » english Zobacz oryginalną wersję tematu
📢 Listen (AI):
  • #61 19404542
    Gienek
    Level 37  
    Posts: 2775
    Help: 393
    Rate: 350
    Colleague efi22 wrote in one of the posts:
    Praktycznie każdą konstrukcję, którą buduję, a tym bardziej chcę pokazać światu, staram się zrobić w taki sposób, abym mógł zbudować następną, lub ktoś inny mógłby to zrobić.
    Ciekaw jestem tylko, czy ktoś szarpnie się na tę konstrukcje z tematu, bo pracy jest z tym od czorta.

    I have an AURIOL station (once bought in LIDL), but it has the inconvenience that you have to approach it and make interesting readings up close. Additionally - it measures temperatures only inside and outside (I ignore other readings). I have a need for measurements in several places and I was looking for something suitable.
    Intrigued by the topic, the station itself, the aesthetics of its performance, the possibility of measurements from several sensors and the visualization of measurements on LED displays (they ensure good visibility during the day and night), I decided to make this station.
    When I made this decision, I was not aware that it would be so time consuming.
    Without the help of a friend efi222 it would take even longer. He was very willing to help with the construction of this station, not only substantive, but also suggested many practical solutions. Thanks a lot.
    The very launch of the receiver and measurement modules was not a major problem. On the other hand, the assembly and commissioning of the display board was quite a challenge. But thanks to the help of the author - it was possible to do it all.
    My station looks like this:
    LED weather station with NTP clock and calendar

    I encourage you to repeat the station (the more so that you can count on the author's help) - the visual effect catches the eyes of visitors - and the satisfaction with doing it yourself is enormous.
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  • #62 19488317
    zbrozw
    Level 11  
    Posts: 61
    Rate: 30
    Hi,
    Very nice design, nicely made and generally interesting. I wonder why you use DS18b20 and an integrated temperature and hygro sensor - not easier on one (SHT30 or DHT22?).
    Isn't it nice if the station had an eCO2 and TVOC measurement - as it is already such a combine ;) . If you are interested, see my entries on CCS811 :) . greetings
    Zbyszek
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  • #63 19489597
    efi222
    Level 21  
    Posts: 655
    Help: 12
    Rate: 1057
    Hello :)
    Congratulations on your perceptiveness ...
    The topic of DS18B20 was also raised by my colleague @Gienek , when he was building this station. In fact, the HTU21D sensor has a pretty decent temperature measurement. I gave the DS18B20 a little off the beaten track. I use them a lot and that's why it probably turned out that way. After a bad experience with DHT11 (it's more like a toy), I focused on looking for a humidity sensor with good parameters and a good price. I chose the HTU21D.
    Friend's station @Gienek measures the temperature with this sensor (small changes in the transmitter code). Maybe he will say how these "thermometers" work in practice.
    The design was mainly about a legible panel and I think it worked. You can always expand the project with additional measurements.
  • #64 19489794
    Gienek
    Level 37  
    Posts: 2775
    Help: 393
    Rate: 350
    Knowing the capabilities of the HTU21D chip, I thought that the use of additional DS18B20 was unnecessary. That's why I asked a colleague efi222 o changing the software and enabling temperature measurement with HTU21D. As different temperature sensors have different measuring accuracy, a software change was made in an attempt to check the accuracy of the measurement. After checking with the "mercury reference thermometer", it was found that the difference in the readings with the HTU21D was not greater than 0.2 ° C. With this result, the test software remained final :D
    The station has been operating for over two months and, to my satisfaction, it is working perfectly.
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Topic summary

✨ The discussion revolves around the construction and functionality of a custom LED weather station utilizing seven-segment displays instead of traditional LCDs. The device features a range of measurements including temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, and time, with excellent visibility in various lighting conditions. Participants discuss the materials used, such as veneered MDF for the housing, and the integration of ESP8266 modules for data transmission in both AP and station modes. Concerns about sensor placement, power consumption, and the durability of components are addressed, along with suggestions for using alternative sensors like HTU21D for improved accuracy. The conversation also touches on PCB design, software updates, and the potential for expanding the station's capabilities.
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FAQ

TL;DR: “Wake-send-sleep takes 0.3 s” and a single 2000 mAh 18650 powers each sensor for 6–7 months [Elektroda, efi222, post #19272242] Build shows 2.5 cm LED digits, NTP-synced clock and up to nine ESP-Now wireless modules.

Why it matters: You get wall-clock readability, multi-room climate data and year-long battery life without cloud lock-in.

Quick Facts

• Digit height: 25 mm / 1 inch [Elektroda, efi222, post #19272242] • Auto-dimming: 30 brightness steps via LDR [Elektroda, efi222, post #19272242] • Station load: 1–5 W at 12 V, 1.5 A [Elektroda, efi222, post #19272242] • Battery runtime: 6–7 months on 2000 mAh @ 1-min interval [Elektroda, efi222, post #19272242] • Max sensors: 9 temperature/humidity nodes + repeater option [Elektroda, efi222, post #19272520]

Why choose seven-segment LEDs over common LCD or TFT panels?

LED digits are 25 mm tall, emit their own light and stay legible several metres away at wide angles [Elektroda, efi222, post #19272242] LCD/TFT panels depend on ambient or back-lighting and suffer contrast loss when viewed off-axis.

How bright is the display at night?

An LDR drives 30 exponential brightness levels; the firmware drops to the user-set minimum whenever room light falls, preventing glare [Elektroda, efi222, post #19272242]

How long can a wireless sensor run on one 18650 cell?

With 1-minute reporting the ESP-Now node draws 30–100 µA asleep, wakes for 0.3 s and lasts 6–7 months on 2000 mAh—longer if the interval is increased [Elektroda, efi222, post #19272242]

What wireless protocol and range are used?

Nodes use ESP-Now at 2.4 GHz. Coverage equals standard Wi-Fi; a simple repeater working as AP-client plus ESP-Now combo doubles range without extra channels [Elektroda, efi222, post #19272520]

How does the ESP-Now repeater forward packets?

  1. Repeater connects to the station’s hidden AP in STA mode. 2. In ESP-Now COMBO mode it listens for sensor packets. 3. It retransmits any packet to the station; duplicates are ignored by the MCU [Elektroda, efi222, post #19272520]

Does enclosing HTU21D inside the plastic sensor box skew humidity?

No. The module housing is ventilated; tests showed no measurable drift in relative humidity or temperature [Elektroda, efi222, post #19272520]

Why does the design still include a DS18B20 when HTU21D already measures temperature?

Author preferred the well-known accuracy and waterproof options of DS18B20, while HTU21D was selected mainly for humidity precision [Elektroda, efi222, post #19489597] A fork of the code removes DS18B20 and relies solely on HTU21D, showing ≤0.2 °C deviation [Elektroda, Gienek, post #19489794]

What failure modes trigger alarms?

If RSSI drops or no packet arrives within the set timeout, the Wi-Fi icon lights and the station auto-displays that module number. Below 3.3 V the low-battery icon blinks; under 3.0 V the node enters permanent sleep to protect the cell [Elektroda, efi222, post #19272242]

How is the MDF/glass enclosure built?

Expert quote: “Once applied, the veneer cannot be torn off” [Elektroda, efi222, post #19277647] 3-step quick guide:
  1. Glue 6 mm MDF frame, sand, seal with nitro varnish.
  2. Heat-apply matte black veneer, wrap edges, trim surplus.
  3. Mask glass, spread thin black silicone, press frame, clean excess, cure face-down [Elektroda, efi222, post #19277647]

Can I update firmware without opening the case?

Yes. Add one line of Arduino OTA library; ESP8266 will fetch new binaries over Wi-Fi, eliminating cables [Elektroda, krzbor, post #19284751] A companion sketch even lets ESP program the ATmega via ESP8266AVRISP [GitHub project].

How to reduce wake-up time further?

Use ESP.deepSleepInstant with WAKE_NO_RFCAL; scope traces show total active time of ~220 ms versus 360 ms for default deep-sleep—a 39 % saving [Elektroda, efi222, post #19300513]

Where can I get the PCB layouts?

Sprint-Layout 6 files and thermal-transfer PDFs for all boards, including the single-sided 27 × 11 cm display PCB, are attached in the first post [Elektroda, efi222, post #19285364]
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