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Si Ballenger Si Ballenger is offline
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First recorded activity by BoatBanter: Nov 2007
Posts: 1
Default usb data collecting?

On Sat, 17 Nov 2007 10:13:56 -0500, "Bill Kearney"
wkearney-99@hot-mail-com wrote:

Anyone have recommendations for usb connected data collection devices, to be
used within windows? I'd like to leave an old laptop on the boat this
winter and have it send me information on air temp and whether the bilge
pumps have been operating. Ideally I'd like something non-intrusive to
monitor the bilge pumps, like an induction loop detecting when power is
actually being used.

I'd want to monitor two sets of 12vdc levels, three bilge pumps, two air
temp values (cabin and engine compartment) and perhaps an IR motion sensor
or two.

Thanks,
-Bill Kearney


For easier pogramming capability, I suggest a USB gizmo that is
seen as a virtual serial port device, or use a USB to serial
adapter and use a real serial port controlled gizmo for the data
I/O. I'd stay away from devices that require dll based
programming unless you are an experienced programmer.