SwitchDoc Labs WeatherSense User manual

Version 1.1 February 2021
WeatherSense
Solar Powered Air Quality Sensor
WeatherProofing Manual
February 2021
Version 1.1

Version 1.1 February 2021
Table of Contents
Cautions when building and using WeatherSense Sensors ............................................................................... 2
Errata ..................................................................................................................................................................... 2
What is The WeatherSense Solar Powered Air Quality Sensor? ..................................................................... 6
Before You Build Your WeatherSense AQ ........................................................................................................ 7
Step by Step Assembly and Parts List ................................................................................................................ 8
What are we doing here? .................................................................................................................................. 8
Parts List ............................................................................................................................................................ 8
Parts you need to buy separately from the kit .............................................................................................. 13
What else do you need for Assembly and Weatherproofing? ..................................................................... 13
How to select a LiPo Battery .......................................................................................................................... 14
Step by Step Assembly ........................................................................................................................................ 15
Initial Testing ................................................................................................................................................... 23
What does the JSON from the WeatherSenseAQ Sensor mean? ............................................................... 25
Final WeatherProofing ....................................................................................................................................... 28
Disclaimer ............................................................................................................................................................ 29
Cautions when building and using WeatherSense Sensors
1) Keep all water away from the electronics and power supply at all times!
2) This is not a toy! Keep it out of reach of young children and pets.
3) SwitchDoc Labs assumes no liabilities in the use of this kit, beyond the refund of the purchase price.
Errata

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What is The WeatherSense Solar Powered Air Quality Sensor?
Easy to build. Easy to learn about the IOT (Internet Of Things) and the Raspberry Pi.
The heart of the new WeatherSense Sensors is the our new 433MHz MiniProPlus CPU board in working in
conjunction with the HM3301 Laser Air Quality Sensor.
The WeatherSense Air Quality kit is so simple that even middle school children can build it with just a little
adult help for configuration and installation.

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Full Open Source Arduino IDE compatible C Software that you can Modify and the open source Python3
software for the Raspberry Pi.
We provide the Python3 software (for the Raspberry Pi) and C for the WeatherSense AQ. All open source with
the kit. The Pure Python software can be modified to add new sensors, support new cloud software and connect
up to your own projects and software.
Before You Build Your WeatherSense AQ
You should build and test your WeatherSense AQ system as BEFORE you put it in the optional 3D Printed
case. The WeatherSense Air Quality Assembly and Test manual will tell you how to do that. Get it working
first, then put it in the case. Believe us, it is always easier to debug the system before you close it up in the
case! All manuals are available on the WeatherSense AQ Product page on shop.switchdoc.com.

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Step by Step Assembly and Parts List
Cautions: Keep your static charge to a minimum during your assembly and operation. Touch metal before
handling parts. Avoid shuffling your feet. Before starting assembly, layout all the parts above and familiarize
yourself with the various parts.
What are we doing here?
We are assembling and weatherproof the WeatherSense AQ System.
In this manual, we are going to assemble the WeatherSense AQ system and test all the functions.
Parts List
Part A
SwitchDoc Labs Grove Mini Pro Plus
Part B
Short USB A to Micro USB

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Part C
433MHz Transmitter with Antenna
Part D
HM3301 Laser Quality Sensor

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Part E
330mA 6V Solar Panel
Part F
SunAirPlus2 Solar Power Data Collector
and Controller
Part G
3.7V LiPo Battery (Not included)
Part H
Two (2) 20cm Grove Cables

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Part I
Box Bottom
Part J
Box Top
Part K
Air Quality Housing
Part L
Optional Power Box Plug
]]]]

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Part M
Box Plug
Part N
Joiner
Part O
Bent Joiner
Part P
Saucer Lightning Housing Top

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Parts you need to buy separately from the kit
• 3.7V LiPo Battery
• Raspberry Pi
• Compatible SDR Software Defined Radio (For example: https://hpjhlytllzrwf4qn-
24552113.shopifypreview.com/products/software-defined-radio-sdr-and-antenna )
• 16GB SD Card (unless you bought the SD Card from SwitchDoc Labs)
• Power Supply for the Raspberry Pi
What else do you need for Assembly and Weatherproofing?
• 1 – 510mm x 3.6mm screen spline (any hardware store)
• 6 – 6mm M3 screws (Amazon - https://amzn.to/2K200QC)
• 8 – 5mm M3 screws
• 4 – 8mm M3 screws
• 2 – 16mm M3 screws
• 2 – 12mm M3 Screws
• 8 – 5mm M3 Brass Threaded Inserts (Amazon - https://amzn.to/39Rf9iL)
(All this hardware is available as a small hardware package here:
https://shop.switchdoc.com/products/weathersense-aq-lightning-hardware-parts-kit )
Part Q
Saucer Lightning Housing Bottom
Part R
Solar Bracket

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1 Package of Duct Seal (for covering holes and screws)
(Amazon - https://amzn.to/33SMkyE
Any Hardware Store)
How to select a LiPo Battery
The WeatherSense AQ requires 3.7V LiPo battery.
How large of a LiPo battery you need depends on how much sun you get and how often you have cloudy
weather. Generally, we would recommend a 6600mAh battery such as https://www.adafruit.com/product/353.
Adafruit has a great selection and you can find good ones on SparkFun.com too.
WARNING: if you get them off of Amazon, check the wiring. Most of them are wired backwards.
Here's a great website showing the problem and how to rewire the batteries if you wish:
https://docs.particle.io/tutorials/learn-more/batteries/

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Step by Step Assembly
You will need to disassemble the unit that you assembled in the WeatherSense AQ Assembly and Test and
follow the assembly instructions below.
Step 1: Superglue 6 5mm brass inserts into the bottom box (Part I) as in the picture below. Use a screw to help
you position and glue the inserts into the box. Apply glue to the outside of the inserts then push them into the
hole and gently unscrew the screw. If they are too tight to push in, gently pound the screw (with the insert
attached as below) into the bottom box. Super glue an additional 2 5mm brass inserts into the AQ Housing
(Part K) Let dry at least 30 minutes.

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Step 2: Using two 5mm screws, attach the Laser AQ sensor (Part D) to the bottom box (Part I) on the side. As
with all screws in this project, tighten snugly but don’t over tighten. You will pop the brass inserts out of the
box and have to re-glue them!
Step 3: Plug in the Grove 20cm cable (Part H) into the Laser AQ Sensor (Part D) routing it through the hole in
the bottom box (Part I) and then plug in the optional power reduction jumper (see the AQ assembly manual)
into the SET pin on the Laser AQ Sensor (Part D) and route the cable through the hole in the bottom box (Part
I) as shown above.
Step 4: Take 2 12 mm screws and screw them in the holes shown from the inside of the bottom box (Part I) so
they just extend through the box as to mount the AQ cover (Part K) onto the bottom box (Part I). Now attach
the AQ Housing to the bottom box by holding the housing and screwing in the screws into the brass inserts.
You don’t have to screw them all the way in, just enough to hold the box.

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Step 6: Attach the MiniProPlus (Part A) to the bottom box (Part I) using two 5mm screws as shown below. As
always, tighten, but don’t over tighten the screws as you will strip the plastic threads.
Step 7) Take the 433MHz transmitter (Part C) and plug it into the TX header on the MiniProPlus board (Part
A). Make sure you have bent the pins slightly (down-up-down) to ensure that you get a good connection.

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Step 8: Take the 20cm Grove Cable (Part H) that is connected to the Laser AQ Sensor (Part D) and plug it into
the Grove connector marked J5-I2C on the MiniProPlus board (Part A).
Step 9: Optional – If you did the optional AQ power reduction, plug the single wire Grove cable into the plug
marked D2/D3 on the MiniProPlus board (Part A)

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Step 10: Plug the remaining 20cm Grove cable (Part H) into the J7-I2C Grove connector on the MiniProPlus
(Part A).
Step 11) Plug the USB micro to USB Type A cable (Part B) into the MiniProPlus (Part A).

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Step 12: Insert your LiPo Battery (not included – example shown as Part G) into the space provided. You can
use Velcro or double sided tape to secure the battery to the bottom box (Part I).
Step 13: Making sure the SunAirPlus2 switch is in the off position (slide towards the battery connector), plug
in the battery (Part G) to the JST-2 connector marked Battery on the SunAirPlus2 Board (Part F) as shown
below.

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Step 14: Attach the Solar Panel (Part E) JST-2 plug to the JST-2 connector on the SunAirPlus2 (F) board as
shown above.
Step 15: Attach the USB Cable (Part B) to SunAirPlus2 (Part F) as shown above.
Step 16: Plug in the 20cm Grove Cable connected to the MiniProPlus (Part A) (plugged into J7-I2C) into the
SunAirPlus2 board Grove connector as shown above.
Step 17: Attach the SunAirPlus2 board (Part F) to the bottom box (Part I) using two 5mm screws as shown.
Step 18: Check to see that the Box Plug (Part M) fits in the right side hole of the bottom box (Part I). If it
doesn’t, file the Box Plug (Part M) down until it does fit. And it should fit pretty snugly.
Step 19: Screw the Joiner (Part N) into the Box Plug (Part M). Don’t screw it all the way in. Just until it is
snug.

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Step 20: Take the two 16mm screws and thread them through the lock blocks on the right side of the bottom
box (Part I) as shown.
Step 21: Take the Solar Bracket (Part R) and screw in the Joiner (Part N) and Box Plug (Part M) assembly.
Again, don’t screw it all in, just until it’s snug and oriented correctly as shown below. The wire channel on the
Box Plug (Part M) should be pointed down while the panel should up be at 45 degrees. You can use a drop of
glue if the threads don’t hold.

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Step 22: Remove the plastic from the front of the Solar Panel (Part E)
Step 23: Slide the Solar Panel (Part E) into the slots on the Solar Bracket (Part R) with the wires facing down.
If it is too loose, secure with tape or glue. Your Solar Bracket Assembly is complete.
Step 24: Slide the complete Solar Bracket Assembly into the bottom box (Part I) hole on the left side, making
sure all wires are in the slot and not being pinched by the assembly. Align the holes on both sides of the Box
Plug (Part M) with the lock screws. Tighten the lock screws.
Initial Testing
This is a good time to do some testing before we do the final assembly.
If you have the SwitchDoc Labs SD Card, you can proceed to Step 4.
Step 1: Install the SDL modified version of rtl_433.
In a terminal window on your Pi at /home/pi type:
git clone https://github.com/switchdoclabs/rtl_433.git
Then compile it on the Raspberry Pi: