SkyWeather Solar WXLink Extender Kit

Tutorial on Selecting a Solar Power System Here.

NOTE:  As of 12/1/2020, both OurWeather V2 and SkyWeather do not require the second Arduino for receiving.   Just plug the Second LoRa Transciever into the Serial Grove connector on the OurWeather WeatherPlusV2 board and for SkyWeather, directly into the Serial Grove Connector on the Pi2Grover board.

NOTE:    The unit is shipped with a simple wire antenna on each LoRa transceiver.  This is good (depending on your environment, walls, etc) to about 30m.   Above 30m you may want to consider another antenna (although test it first.  You may be OK!) such as our Yagi Antenna.   You can add a Yagi at both ends to really blow out the range.   6000 meters or even further depending on the height of the antenna and environment.  You need to try it and see.

 Note:  Can't detect your LoRa transciever on Buster or Raspberry Pi 4?  Do this

Here is what you to detect it. Don't be surprised if you have to move the LoRa away from the RPI4.  We used a 50cm Grove cable.

sudo raspi-config

go to 5 Interfacing Options

go to P6 Serial

Answer "No" to "would you like a login shell to be accessible over serial?"

Answer "Yes" to "would you like the serial port hardware to be enabled"

And rerun your software.

The Solar WXLink is a solar powered wireless serial link that can transmit up to 6000 meters in free air, with the proper antenna (like our Yagi Antenna product). It is designed to connect up to any source of data from sensors connected to the Mini Pro LP Arduino compatible low power computer board. It was specifically designed to connect a WeatherRack weather sensor array to a Weather Board based system connected to an Arduino or Raspberry Pi computer. The receiver is read by the host computer through an I2C interface. Much easier and more available than a serial interface. And yes, it has Grove connectors throughout the system. The WXLink LoRa comes preloaded with the software to support a WeatherRack and AM2315. See below for the source code. No soldering required.

Other SkyWeather Extender Kits Available:

• Solar Power System for SkyWeather 
• Display Pack for SkyWeather

Downloads and Manuals

• SkyWeather Solar WXLink Assembly and Testing Manual 
• SkyWeather Solar WXLink WeatherProofing and Mounting Manual (Coming Soon)
• Transmitter Software - https://github.com/switchdoclabs/SDL_Arduino_WXLink_LoRa_Tx 

What is in the Kit?

The kit does not include a Bud enclosures box, 3d Printed parts, 3.7V LiPo battery and other weatherproofing parts.  However, we do supply the list of all the parts needed in the "SkyWeather  Solar WXLink WeatherProofing Manual" listed above.

• Mini Pro LP Tx Arduino
• WXLinkWR WeatherRack Interface Board
• Two Grove 433MHz LoRa Boards
• Two 330mA Solar Panels
• Multi Panel Adaptor Board
• SunAir Plus Solar Power Controller Board
• USB cable - A/MicroB

A good source for 3.7V LiPo batteries is adafruit.com.

3D Printed Parts for Mounting the Solar WXLink SkyWeather Panels

The SkyWeather WXLink Solar Panels can be mounted in many different ways.  

SkyWeatherKit Descriptions and Extensions

SkyWeather SD Card containing SkyWeather and Raspberry Pi OS

You can find a pre-configured SD Card here.

SkyWeather Lite

• The basic SkyWeather system without the Wind/Rain and Lightning Sensors

This kit is for those whom are most interested in the Sky Camera, temperature, humidity and air quality measurements.

The basic SkyWeather system without the Wind/Rain and Lightning Sensors.

SkyWeather

• All the software, electronics and cables to build your SkyWeather Kit (not including the Raspberry Pi)

The full SkyWeather kit including the Lightning and Wind Direction, Speed and Rain sensors. Includes: Rain, Wind Speed / Direction, Lighting Detection, Outside Temperature and Humidity, Barometric Pressure, Internal Temperature/Humidity, Sunlight Strength, and Outside Air Quality.

SkyWeather Solar Extender Kit

• The solar panels and solar controller SunControl (not including the Raspberry Pi or LiPo battery)

SkyWeather Solar is designed for off-the-grid usage where bringing power is tough. The kit including the Lightning and Wind Direction, Speed and Rain sensors.

Solar Power Your SkyWeather Kit. The Solar SkyWeather kit includes a SunControl based solar power system.

Supplies excellent and complete information about the solar power performance and charging status. Really understand solar power.

SkyWeather Solar WXLink Extender Kit

• The hardware to move your WeatherRack (Wind Direction, Speed, Rain and Outside Temperature/Humidity) away from your base SkyWeather unit. (not including the Raspberry Pi) and the Solar Panels to power the WXLink.

SkyWeather with Solar WXLink Extender Kit is designed for those who would like their base weather station in one place and the temperature/humidity/wind/Rain in another place connected wirelessly and the sensors are solar powered.

The SkyWeather Plus Solar WXLink Remote kit includes remote wireless solar power sensor kit for the WeatherRack and Outside Temperature/Humidity Sensor.  Supplies excellent and complete information about the solar WXLink Remote Sensing power performance and charging status.