Detecting whether an appliance is currently working

By martinm, in DIY and Measures, may 02,2025.

A customer asked us how to detect whether a washing machine is working or not. The first idea that comes to mind is to measure its consumption with a Yocto-Watt, but there are ways of doing things more subtly for less money.

Improved humidity-sensitive ventilation

By mvuilleu, in Internet of Things and Measures, february 03,2025.

A few weeks ago, we showed you how to monitor the operation of humidity-sensitive ventilation (type B) with Home Assistant. We left off with the observation that, in some cases, the mechanical humidity-sensitive setting is not ideal. So let's take a look at how a little home automation, used wisely, can improve the system's energy performance.

Humidity-sensitive ventilation and Home Assistant

By mvuilleu, in Measures and Internet of Things, january 10,2025.

When insulating a house as part of an energy-efficiency renovation, it's essential to provide ventilation to evacuate any moisture that might accumulate inside. Since it's generally not possible to install a double-flow ventilation system after the fact, the recommended method is to use humidity-sensitive ventilation, which selectively ventilates the rooms that need it most. But does it really work? Let's find out with Yoctopuce modules and the Home Assistant home automation platform.

Wind speed measurements

By mvuilleu, in Measures, october 18,2024.

Today we present an application for the Yocto-RS485-V2, for which we provided assistance to one of our customers. The aim is to collect data measured by a Gill WindSonic ultrasonic wind sensor, and extract key values in accordance with World Meteorological Organization (WMO) standards.

Upcycling an old fan

By mvuilleu, in DIY, Internet of Things and Measures, september 27,2024.

Almost ten years ago, we showed you how to combat humidity in a room using humidity-controlled ventilation. The system described had just then been installed in a cellar, where it worked efficiently until very recently. Unfortunately, the discovery of mold alerted us to a problem, and a quick check revealed that the system had broken down: the fan controlling the air intake had died.