Thinking as I type... I'm having an issue with the furnace in my shop and when it's cold I may not go out there for several days at a time. Once in a while the pilot light in the furnace will go out, thermostat is telling the furnace to turn on the heat which turns on the blower but with the pilot out it never warms up the shop enough to turn the furnace off. The result is I find the shop at 30 deg with the furnace fan running when the thermostat is set for 50. Have to keep some heat going to keep the water lines from freezing.
I need a way to know when the temperature in the shop is well below what I have the thermostat is set for. I do have a cat-5 network cable to the shop and can keep a computer on. Thinking of using a Teensy 2.0 with a temp sensor salvaged from an old computer cooler. I have the temp sensor working with a Teensy but am trying to figure out the easiest way to have it report to me when I ask it to. I can write a Windows program to either send me an email or maybe use the network to talk to one of my computers in my office. Email may be the best option as I could receive it from one of several devices and computers.
This leaves the communications link between the computer in the shop and the Teensy. Could I just use the USB serial port? Send a command to the Teensy that tells it to read and report the temp back out the serial port. The Windows program could determine if the temperature is below whatever value I choose and if it is then send me an email telling me I need to go check the shop.
Does this sound feasible or does anyone have any other ideas?
Thanks and Merry Christmas.
I need a way to know when the temperature in the shop is well below what I have the thermostat is set for. I do have a cat-5 network cable to the shop and can keep a computer on. Thinking of using a Teensy 2.0 with a temp sensor salvaged from an old computer cooler. I have the temp sensor working with a Teensy but am trying to figure out the easiest way to have it report to me when I ask it to. I can write a Windows program to either send me an email or maybe use the network to talk to one of my computers in my office. Email may be the best option as I could receive it from one of several devices and computers.
This leaves the communications link between the computer in the shop and the Teensy. Could I just use the USB serial port? Send a command to the Teensy that tells it to read and report the temp back out the serial port. The Windows program could determine if the temperature is below whatever value I choose and if it is then send me an email telling me I need to go check the shop.
Does this sound feasible or does anyone have any other ideas?
Thanks and Merry Christmas.