Building a Breezedude from scratch - Breezedude/breezedudeWindSensor GitHub Wiki

If you want to build it from scratch yourself, here is a short guide. This is not meant to be a easy step-by-step manual and may require some basic knowledge in embedded development, SMD soldering skills and programming. Fells free to share your build in the discussion.

🚧 Getting the PCB

The KiCAD files are included in the repo. Generate gerber files (+BOM/CPL) using a fabrication plugin of your choice. You can choose ordering a naked PCB and source & solder the components yourself or order a SMD pre-assembled PCB. I recommend JLC-PCB. The LoRa modules may be out of stock and need to be purchased before. Battery holder, connectors and SMA connector can be soldered by hand and need to be sourced seperatly. If you want colored connectors, you can order them from LCSC (see below), otherwise just get a JST-PH crimping kit off amazon including some plugs & sockets.

❗ For private use (within your club and the friends of the other club...) this can be done free of charge. If you plan to sell the boards (commercially) a small licensing fee will help support my work (see LICENSE for details).
If you get some boards fabricated and sell the leftovers on tindie or kleinanzeigen for more than just the hardware cost, make sure to hit the "🍺 buy me a Landebier" button. It takes a lot of time to document everything in a way that everyone can get it working, I don't do this part for myself ;)

πŸ› Sourcing required parts

These are the parts recommended as they are tested in my builds. You can choose any other as well. I try to keep the links up to date.

❕The prices are just material and sometimes broken down to 1pcs. Best supplier for Germany. Not including shipping cost.

  • Sensor Ecowitt WS85 90€ / 120€
  • 1m cable 4 core (e.g. old USB cable) 1€
  • Case 3€
  • 868Mhz antenna 2€
  • SMA Edge connector 0.25€
  • 5V solar cell 60x60mm 1-2€
  • Li-Ion rechargeable battery 16340 3.7V ~700mAh (Aliexpress EU, ebay, any online battery shop) 3-5€
  • cable glands and nuts (2x PG7, 1x M20 for 13mm) 2€
  • Battery holder 2€
  • Waterproof vent plug M6 0.90€/0.40€
  • 2x mounting clamp 48mm 1€
  • 50cm aluminium square-round tube 1.50€
  • Some Nuts, screws, meltnuts & aluminum plates for build a mounting adapter

LSCS parts:

  • C2848400: LoRa Module Vollgo CC68 868Mhz
  • C19184081: CR123A battery holder
  • C20417850: 2p PH2.0 housing black
  • C18077982: 2p PH2.0 housing white
  • C5175230: 2p PH2.0 socket white
  • C7473092: 2p PH2.0 socket black
  • C20417849: 4p PH2.0 housing red
  • C20417855: 4p PH2.0 housing blue
  • C20417852: 4p PH2.0 housing black
  • C22388586: 4p PH2.0 socket red
  • C20617121: 4p PH2.0 socket blue
  • C7473093: 4p PH2.0 socket black
  • C5301850: SMA edge connector

For the pole

🏠 Prepare the housing

Insert the sealing in the cover, drill holes for antenna (M20), sensor cable (M12), pressure valve (M6) and solar cell (12mm).
I use a lasercutter for this and rework the drills with a drill afterwards.

⚠️ The space layout of the holes is really tight on the housing used. Make sure to work precisely and check your layout before drilling.

You can use the screws provided or replace them with M3x12 and melt nuts For mounting on the pole add some M5 melting nuts in the back Make a mounting plate according to your needs. I use 5mm PE lasercut plates.

Glue the solar cell using some neutral silicon. Mark the polarity as you can not see the labels afterwards. When cured, solder the wires The finished setup could look like this

🌑 Mounting the sensor

For mounting the WS85 to the pole I recommend some distance, as we do not want it on the top of the pole. The mount it comes with is not usable for that.

A replacement mount for a square-round aluminum tube printed from UV-resistent ASA filament

  • Drill a hole for the cable in the aluminium tube and a cross hole for fixing the tube.
  • On the other end drill two holes for mounting the tube clamp with an adapter plate.