Hey everyone! I'm on the hunt for a reliable and budget-friendly environmental monitoring system for my server room, which is more of a repurposed closet housing a four-post rack full of second-hand Dell PowerEdges. I'm hoping to keep my expenses under $100. I'm looking for a setup that supports Power over Ethernet (PoE), is easy to install, and allows me to access data remotely.
Recently, I've been experimenting with some sensor boards and microcontrollers to monitor temperature and humidity. I want to be alerted if there's a rapid temperature change or if it gets too hot or humid. Tracking trends over time is also a big deal for me, especially since my servers have significantly impacted the climate in my tiny apartment. I'm curious about what features you all find essential in environmental sensor systems. What do you currently use, and is there anything you'd like to see improved in your existing solutions beyond the basic alerting capabilities?
5 Answers
For my hobby space, I've got a simple temperature sensor linked to my SmartThings, along with a fan for cooling.
We just use the built-in temperature sensors that are part of our gear. It's more about looking at trend lines over years rather than stressing over individual sensor readings.
The Craft Computing guy is releasing a sensor setup aimed at home labs and small businesses. It's not the be-all and end-all, but his explanations about the journey to create it and the issues he faced might spark some ideas for your own system. Check out his video series!
Sounds interesting! I'll definitely dive into his videos. I've enjoyed playing around with sensors, especially the Bosch BME680s. Thanks for the tip!
I've been using an old APC Smart-UPS that has a temperature and humidity probe. It's been pretty dependable. Looking to upgrade soon, though!
I've heard good things about APCs! I'm currently using old Tripplite units that have annoying quirks after AC outages. Definitely considering APC for my next investment.
Check out TempStick! It's a neat WiFi device that sends alert texts. It's had a couple of quirks, but overall, it's reliable and affordable!
I missed that one! Looks great. I might just get one to compare it with what I've built.
Exactly! It's all about the trend rather than precise numbers that might mislead you. Just be cautious with flood and humidity sensors—they often need specific hardware.