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  1. Home
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  3. BME280 How to use it outdoors

BME280 How to use it outdoors

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  • R Offline
    R Offline
    r-nox
    wrote on last edited by
    #24

    I don't know the specs for reading it off hand. Perhaps your housing is holding humidity. I plan to add a fan to mine. Spin the fan for a few moments before reading to cycle the air.

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    • karl261K Offline
      karl261K Offline
      karl261
      wrote on last edited by
      #25

      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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      • karl261K Offline
        karl261K Offline
        karl261
        wrote on last edited by
        #26

        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.

        parachutesjP 1 Reply Last reply
        0
        • R Offline
          R Offline
          r-nox
          wrote on last edited by
          #27

          Time to try something else.

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          • ferroF Offline
            ferroF Offline
            ferro
            wrote on last edited by
            #28

            What about to use PTFE (teflon) tape to protect the sensor board, see this project. It seems, characteristics of the material (PTFE) enables it to use it for this purpose, it is mentioned also link text here

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            • karl261K Offline
              karl261K Offline
              karl261
              wrote on last edited by karl261
              #29

              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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              • D Offline
                D Offline
                DavidZH
                wrote on last edited by
                #30

                @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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                • karl261K Offline
                  karl261K Offline
                  karl261
                  wrote on last edited by karl261
                  #31

                  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.

                  ร 1 Reply Last reply
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                  • karl261K karl261

                    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.

                    ร Offline
                    ร Offline
                    รอเรือ
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #32

                    @karl261 Any update on this topic?

                    Are you still struggling with that your BME280s don't seem to last long time outdoors?

                    ร 1 Reply Last reply
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                    • ร รอเรือ

                      @karl261 Any update on this topic?

                      Are you still struggling with that your BME280s don't seem to last long time outdoors?

                      ร Offline
                      ร Offline
                      รอเรือ
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #33

                      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.

                      skywatchS 1 Reply Last reply
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                      • ร รอเรือ

                        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.

                        skywatchS Offline
                        skywatchS Offline
                        skywatch
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #34

                        @รอเร-อ

                        I got 2x "BME280" from China today - they are not bosch sensors. If you are having problems, check carefully the markings with magnifying glass or microscope.

                        This may be the problem.....??

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                        • karl261K karl261

                          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.

                          parachutesjP Offline
                          parachutesjP Offline
                          parachutesj
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #35

                          @karl261 said in BME280 How to use it outdoors:

                          Now after 2-3 month more outside the sensor seems to be finally dead.

                          Quite old thread, but wanted to provide an update:
                          I have a BME280 up and running since about 1 year now. It is in the weather station outside on the roof. It is vented very well but protected from direct exposure to sun, wind and rain. Readings are reliable. What I did is treating the whole board except the sensor chip with this:
                          https://de.aliexpress.com/item/2pcs-lot-Genuine-Kafuter-k-705-RTV-Silicone-Rubber-Electronic-Glue-Sealant-Transparent-Organosilicon-45g/32649754904.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4d0W1ssb

                          Nca78N 1 Reply Last reply
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                          • parachutesjP parachutesj

                            @karl261 said in BME280 How to use it outdoors:

                            Now after 2-3 month more outside the sensor seems to be finally dead.

                            Quite old thread, but wanted to provide an update:
                            I have a BME280 up and running since about 1 year now. It is in the weather station outside on the roof. It is vented very well but protected from direct exposure to sun, wind and rain. Readings are reliable. What I did is treating the whole board except the sensor chip with this:
                            https://de.aliexpress.com/item/2pcs-lot-Genuine-Kafuter-k-705-RTV-Silicone-Rubber-Electronic-Glue-Sealant-Transparent-Organosilicon-45g/32649754904.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4d0W1ssb

                            Nca78N Offline
                            Nca78N Offline
                            Nca78
                            Hardware Contributor
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #36

                            @parachutesj thank you for the link I never noticed those before.

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