Outdoor Wood Furnace Info
All-Purpose OWF Discussions => Advanced Electronics => Topic started by: ralphxj on January 12, 2016, 06:20:47 PM
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I plan on running an x300 from control by web next year for monitoring by boiler. I'm trying to get some leg work done ahead of time so I'm ready to go when I pull the trigger on getting an x300. I'm currently designing/programming a more visually appealing website for the x300 data with gauges for the temptress and a line chart graph for the logs.
Is anyone running an x300 that would like to share their Web address that I could use to test my site? Once I get everything setup and running, it will be very easy to let anyone else use the same setup with their x300.
Does anyone have the contact info for the user Marty (hasn't been on this site for almost a year) who had setup a website to log and monitor his x300 with a MySQL setup? I don't want to sign up for another site just to send him an email. He had done a lot of the same work I will be done and I wanted to pick his brain.
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Screenshot of what I've got so far. The gauges are pulling from a local download of the x300 XML file. Haven't started the line graph yet, but that's basically what it will look like.
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I’ve looked at the control by web products, very reasonably priced compared to some, but none will handle a k type thermocouple.
This guy seems to have it whooped.
http://www.nofossil.org:7281/public/gaugepanel.html
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I’ve looked at the control by web products, very reasonably priced compared to some, but none will handle a k type thermocouple.
This guy seems to have it whooped.
http://www.nofossil.org:7281/public/gaugepanel.html
I have seen that setup, seems like more "detail" then I want or need. Not sure why I would need my entire diagram as part of my monitoring page, all I'm looking for are a few diffrent temp's.
I plan on seeing if there is a way to use a thermocouple with the x300 to monitor my burn chamber. Just need to see if it's worth the effort. Thinking I can take the reading as a divided number of the actual value and then multiple it to display on my graphic gauge to show actual temp rather then divided temp.
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Ralph!!! i like the gages. I"m here, what do you need to know? Here is my current display (below). I went thru many iterations so let me know any specific questions to have. Your gage display will work fine for just reading the current xml values like you say, but you will run into a problem when trying to run the historical graphing with what you get out of the box. One thing I found the most useful was to track the last 5 historical values (polled every 30 seconds) to show the red or green arrows that indicate falling or rising temp. I do this with cookies in the browser.
The basic flaw with these units although otherwise fantastic and trouble free is that when the log file grows and grows it eventually becomes too large and slow to become readable. My solution was to pull the log.txt evey 5 mins, dump it in a database table then clear the log. Then the website here querys the database. I can lookup any day over the past 2 years.
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He is here!! I looked and it looked like you hadn't been on here in a year!
I was planning in running a SQL setup just like you were. I didn't think about polling the last few readings to show if the temps are going up or down, I really like that!!
I will need to reply later when I'm on a computer and not my phone to get more info on your SQL setup. Just trying to get some leg work done now so when it comes time to setup my own x300 all my web work is done.
What is your link for your current live tracking if you don't mind sharing? The old ddns.net link you posted on the other forum isn't online anymore?
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Ralph I tried to PM you let me know if u received
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Ok, really need to get something for monitoring. Have had issues the last week with the fire going out (twice at night and once at work) because of some bad wood and I really need a way to have the system warn me before i walk out and the boiler is at 120*
Looking at the x320 more then the x300 now. I think having 6 temp sensors and the inputs and outputs avaliable will be better then having the 8 temp sensors and relays only. Thay will allow me to monitor if the boiler fan is on as well as then stuff on with the output (and an external relay).
Marty, are you still running your system? Have you made any changes? Any chance you would be interested in sharing or selling the code/files for sending the txt data to the sql database?
Anyone else running this setup or found anything else as an alternative?
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I am still running my system, trouble free for 3+ yrs. The dyndns stuff got too frustrating to keep up so now I just access via my dynamic IP address. On my x300 factory interface you can set up alerts so you have have it email (or text) you when temps on specified sensors exceed the limits you specify. This has worked great for me in the past, mostly when burning crap wood. The past 2 years I actually burned good wood, and load properly each time I haven't had an alert in almost 2 years. My '05 CB5648 still going strong
My code is all here, feel free to use it, buy me a beer if you want. pm me
https://github.com/marsmith/x300-display
trickier part will be getting set up, I'll do my best to answer questions.
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I finally placed my order for an x320!! Excited to get it setup and running for this winter. Of course they announced the new x410 like 2 hours after I placed my order with a reseller through eBay, but I can always upgrade if I out grow the x320. I'll update as I get it installed and running.
Looks like they also have an adaptor to use Type-K Thermocouples with the new x410 as well!! Figures, after over a year of planning they release the cool new stuff the day after I place my order for the x320.
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I finally placed my order for an x320!! Excited to get it setup and running for this winter. Of course they announced the new x410 like 2 hours after I placed my order with a reseller through eBay, but I can always upgrade if I out grow the x320. I'll update as I get it installed and running.
Looks like they also have an adaptor to use Type-K Thermocouples with the new x410 as well!! Figures, after over a year of planning they release the cool new stuff the day after I place my order for the x320.
What about running a mySQL database and logging all your thermocouples there and incorporating queries into your web page?
Running a MAX6675 and an Arduino to log to the database is fairly easy. You can run quite a few MAX6675 thermocouple ADCs on a Uno or more of a Mega.
Got it rigged up so you can do as many thermocouples into your Arduino as you want. :thumbup:
Neal
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I finally placed my order for an x320!! Excited to get it setup and running for this winter. Of course they announced the new x410 like 2 hours after I placed my order with a reseller through eBay, but I can always upgrade if I out grow the x320. I'll update as I get it installed and running.
Looks like they also have an adaptor to use Type-K Thermocouples with the new x410 as well!! Figures, after over a year of planning they release the cool new stuff the day after I place my order for the x320.
What about running a mySQL database and logging all your thermocouples there and incorporating queries into your web page?
Running a MAX6675 and an Arduino to log to the database is fairly easy. You can run quite a few MAX6675 thermocouple ADCs on a Uno or more of a Mega.
Got it rigged up so you can do as many thermocouples into your Arduino as you want. :thumbup:
Neal
I hope to run the data into sql using Marty's setup above. Don't have much sql experience other then setting up WordPress sites so I'll see how well it goes. I just got my sensors and got the first 2 hooked up and working tonight. Looks like cold weather this week, so I want to get it all setup so so can test everything this week! The x320 was VERY easy to install and get it online.
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Awesome, let me know how it goes ralph
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hey guys....im getting ready to order the x-410. have a few questions....
the internet service we have it At&T. its through their mobile phone network. it is essentially a mobile hotspot. I am hoping this will still work
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Another cool option I’ve found with the Control By Web stuff is you can run basic script.
I had a Tekmar differential controller running the pump between the waste oil boiler and the fphx that’s between my G200 and WOB. Would only run the pump if the G200 was above 155 and a degree warmer than the WOB. Waste Oil Boiler holds roughly 450 gallons, so with almost 650 gallons between the WOB and the G200 made for some nice long burns, however made for some excessive idling as well waiting for 650 gallons to cool off, so thats why I installed the differential controller, it took a dump sometime over the winter so I have the X300 running the pump now.
Simple little script replaced a $195 controller.
DO
IF temp1 >= 155 THEN
IF temp1 >= temp3 + 1 THEN
LET relay1 = 1
ELSE
LET relay1 = 0
END IF
END IF
LOOP
END
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I saw that was an option in the manual. Pretty slick, but with the existing logic software (is it called software?) there didn't seem to be a need to make my own, which would have been an entire can of worms to sort through having never dabbled in logic scripts.
The sky is the limit whit these units, although it would be handy if an output could be triggered depending on an input sensor's temperature gradient, ie. too long for boiler temp to ramp up would disable a HX pump or boiler temp drop too rapid would trigger an early call for heat.
I'm not sure how I feel about letting one of these things do the actual controlling of whether the house and water are warm though, would have to have overrides.
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The existing logic functions really aren’t there for having it only control a relay if sensor 1 is over a minimum setpoint and over sensor 3.
My primary backup is controlled strictly by two Ranco’s and the clever use of single or double pole double throw relays.
The secondary backup for now is controlled by a Honeywell aquastat and a snap disc.
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I saw that was an option in the manual. Pretty slick, but with the existing logic software (is it called software?) there didn't seem to be a need to make my own, which would have been an entire can of worms to sort through having never dabbled in logic scripts.
The sky is the limit whit these units, although it would be handy if an output could be triggered depending on an input sensor's temperature gradient, ie. too long for boiler temp to ramp up would disable a HX pump or boiler temp drop too rapid would trigger an early call for heat.
I'm not sure how I feel about letting one of these things do the actual controlling of whether the house and water are warm though, would have to have overrides.
That could be done although I’ve not played with any of the delay functions that can be used in scrips.
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Is there a universal script language or is it specific to the system? I read through the x410 manual on making a script, but can't really make heads or tails of it. The commands seem to make sense, but the format is confusing.
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Is there a universal script language or is it specific to the system? I read through the x410 manual on making a script, but can't really make heads or tails of it. The commands seem to make sense, but the format is confusing.
Well of course not, the X-410 is slightly different than the X-300. Pretty much like Basic but no line numbers and the Control By Web devices have commands specific to them.