USB Multimeter for Temp ??

I too am looking for a voltage data logger with USB output and software. I can find some fairly inexpensive thermal loggers like this, but nothing that is, say, a 200mV input logger. The thermal ones I have seen look like a USB memory stick.

Neil S.

Why tie up the multimeter..

This does not look bad:

But if you insist:

You can get a PICDEM FS USB Demo board from Microchip for about $50, and it has an on-board temperature sensor that you can read through the USB interface with a simple Windows App. You could add more sensors to the board if you want, and it's an excellent way to learn the details of USB. It can also be configured as a USB to Serial adapter, and you can design your own interface that reads temperature or other parameters into your own application.

Paul

Here's what $40 gets you, note the limited measurement range and sample frequency:

These may be the best solution, if you don't need real-time updating on the PC.

Infinitely better than a PC and a multimeter.

Dave.

Wow this is promiscuously cross-posted...

Where you can install a computer, one could use 1-Wire devices and software like 'digitemp' or roll-your-own.

For standalone, I have used educational data loggers like the TI CBL and serial-port interfaced loggers from the likes of DH, Vernier or Fourier, which for the more general purpose models include a 200mv range.

Michael

I like the Microdaq unit. Good price, good value.

A couple cheaper units, pretty good prices:

Omega has what appears to be the same unit as above, @$60 USD.

F....but I'm getting lazy...

a USB interface and software so I can log

experience with any I'd like to know what's

thermal mass for a passive solar home design.

Omega has the OM-62, standalone. I've worked with one, stick it where you want, then download the data. Temp dew point and RH.

Cheers

If you want another multimeter anyway

The included PC logging software is a bit klunky and undocumented, the communications protocol is undocumented so you won't be using it with anything else.

Comes with a thermocouple probe too.

For about the same money you could get one of these

Which is well documented and supported.

Wow, my options are getting better and better.. Please keep sending them in.. thanks

messagenews:oHeDj.1493$ snipped-for-privacy@newssvr19.news.prodigy.net...

F....but I'm getting lazy...

with a USB interface and software so I can log

experience with any I'd like to know what's

thermal mass for a passive solar home design.

want, then download the data. Temp dew point and

The Themrochron iButtons are a much sexier solution. Only $25ea, have up to a 10 year battery life, are waterproof, and are only the size a few stacked coins.

Serial and USB readers are available, and data can be exported to Excel etc. You can get little plastic tags to attach them to to things too. I hang one off my harness when I go canyoning, to log the water temp.

Dave.

I was also working on a project which required temperature to be monitored in many discrete points, over a period of time. There's several options, but I believe the best to be as below:

These are cheap, simple, accurate enough, easy to use, and pretty much perfect for your application. The previous generation of logger we used (ACR) were about $800 per unit, and these do basically the same thing for $30 a piece. Thank you China! It would be prudent to buy several, and put them in different spots so you can also evaluate temperature variations.

I think it will save you time, and get you better and more useful data if you go with this approach rather than trying to use a general purpose multimeter.

the Fluke 289 series has a nice trending graph in it and if you want to link it to the PC, it has an IR port which many laptops have..including desktops. I own a 289, I like it. It can do up to 200 hours of recording and data can be read back in a chart etc..

Check that out. It can computer link of show the data on it's own VGA screen along with saving it for later viewing.

Found another option which may be the least expensive and that is a DataWatch Elite M2000 temperature logger with LCD display and is RS232 but works with a conversion cable to USB. Come with software and can store 1,868 samples, sampling at 1 to 255 minutes with a real-time clock, -40F to +158F. Cost $45.00.. Replaceable lithium cell runs it for a year. I have a PDF spec sheet if anyone wants it, let know.

--

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Google can't find it, how about a link ?

donald

PCI is going away if not already completely gone on new PCs, USB will be here for quite a while in some form. USB also allows you to easily move the device from one PC to another, and connect it to laptops.