Tell me about 1-wire...

["leewild80" <muddyboots@xxxxxxxxx>]

Afternoon all

Am trying to read up about the use of 1-wire networks & sensors for
temperature monitoring.

Tried to search this list, but as someone has the text "1-wire"
embedded at the end of all their posts, I couldn't see wood for't trees...
:)

I'd quite like to monitor temps in several places, for example:
1) At various points on my thermal store & associated pipework
2) On my UFH manifold, eg F&R temps to the manifold itself and also to
each zone
3) Same as 2) but on the manifold I'll soon be installing to run all my
rads off.

Each of the above are in quite separate locations in the house, so I forsee
having 3 separate networks, one to each area, running back to a PC.

I have a Linux PC that's running most of the time for file storage and
intend to use OWFS to get the data back from the sensors. It has USB ports
but no older style serial port.

I guess what I'm wanting to know is:
1) How can I cater for the 3 separate networks ? I have read about 1-wire
hubs but haven't yet seen where I could buy these from. I guess I can't
just "star" 3 long legs together, or can I ?
2) I presume I can use Cat5 UTP to run the networks, and hang the sensors
off this ? Route the cat5 around all the sensor locations and attach them
to it via short tails ?
3) Would I need to provide additional power to the networks to power the
sensors, or is there some kind of hub device that will do this for me ?
4) Will the DS9490R USB interface from Homechip be all I need to hook up to
my PC and be useable with OWFS ?
(http://www.homechip.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=22&products_id=30)

If there's a handy guide that tells me all of this, feel free to point me
at it !

Many thanks
Lee




------------------------------------

<*> Join the Automated Home Forums
http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/vbulletin/