BME280 How to use it outdoors
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Ok, I changed the BME280. Now it is better.
I like this sensor, I have right now 3 of them running next to each other:
T 20.8 21.2 21.1 H 60% 60% 60% P 1015.3 1015.0 1014.9Isn't that great? Now let's see how long the outdoor sensor lasts. I don't know what else to improve...
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Ok, I changed the BME280. Now it is better.
I like this sensor, I have right now 3 of them running next to each other:
T 20.8 21.2 21.1 H 60% 60% 60% P 1015.3 1015.0 1014.9Isn't that great? Now let's see how long the outdoor sensor lasts. I don't know what else to improve...
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It does not look that it was much longer time. But instead like the sensor before, the current one is now showing values between 0-22% humidity. T seems to be fine. That is SO disappointing. It seems that these things are not suitable for outdoor use. Lasted only a month...
Buuuuh.
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:( Sounds bad :(
Next step for you is to try with a SHT21 with the protective film it might get a better chance than the BME280... -
@r-nox Somehow, doesn't it? A bit too short for my taste. It should not see any rain, I wonder what is killing it. Or, how I can protect it even better.
@Nca78 I had a SI7021 with protective foil before, but it was not very accurate. Actually it was quite far off, that's why I started to look for something more accurate.
When I look around online there seems to be some connection/confusion with the SI7021 and SHT21. But I did not really understand it. Does anybody know more about it?
EDIT: Hm, seems to be two different sensors, but the board is always the same. So I would need to check to really get a SHT21 and with a protective cover...
EDIT2: I do not seem to find any SHT21 with protective cover...
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@r-nox Hm, it is reading every 15 seconds at the moment. Do you think this is too much?
The current sensor is not completely broken, it seems. Sometimes it is showing "normal" values. I brought it into the house to test it, and in the house it seems to show normal values. I will know more tomorrow morning.
According to its specs it is supposed to be good for weather monitoring. But then, it seems it does not like "weather" too much.
I also found it strange that in the past 30 days the maximum humidity it read was 87 %. And for sure there were plenty of nights here with 100 %. But ok, I could live with that. But it has started to show far too low values for humidity, down to 0 %. I'll leave it in the house for 1-2 days and then see how it behaves outside.
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So, this story also continues. After having these problems, I brought the sensor into the house and left it running for the past several weeks in the living room. Actually it is working fine. No more problems.
Now, for Christmas, I have brought it back outside to the birdhouse. And it is still working fine, even at -10 °C. Let's see how long it will last this time.
What I also noticed is that now I have a second of these in the greenhouse where the humidity is definitely from time to time 100%. At 4°C. But both outdoor sensors somehow never reach 100%, but stop somewhere between 85-90%. It seems they are not made to detect 100% humidity.
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Now after 2-3 month more outside the sensor seems to be finally dead. No reaction anymore. Also the 2nd one in the greenhouse does not reply anymore. I'll have to check. The one in the living room is fine.
It seems that at least the ones I bought are not really lasting long outdoors.
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Interesting idea, the ptfe tape. I will try it with the next sensor!
So, only the outdoor sensors fail. It is now more than one that failed.
I have one in the living room -- perfect.
And, very strange: I have one in the green house. Huge T differences, sometimes very hot, and often 100% humidity. Actually conditions should be worse for this sensor compared to the outdoor sensor. But: it is just fine.
Weird.
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@karl261 Do you happen to live near te sea? Because salty air wreaks havoc on anything sooner or later. Tiny electronics rather sooner...
I have a BME280 outside and that's been running for over a year now. It's pretty well protected though, but it catches a few hours of direct sunlight per day.
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Hi, no, I live rather far from the sea. I don't know what is killing the outdoor sensor. The same in the greenhouse survives much weirder temperatures and humidities.
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@karl261 Any update on this topic?
Are you still struggling with that your BME280s don't seem to last long time outdoors?
Anyway. My crappy BME280 clone that I bought on ebay for $8.98 (in December 2016) lasted only for 4 days.
Now I will have to take down my weather station and repair it.
I will now buy an original Adafruit BME280 for 289 SEK (32$) + postage. I hope that one will last.
