4 ms·

We are maintaining a popular open source / open hardware air quality kit that is also available as a pre-soldered version [1]. It incorporates many of the feat

We are maintaining a popular open source / open hardware air quality kit that is also available as a pre-soldered version [1]. It incorporates many of the features of our commercial monitor, e.g. high quality and accurate sensor components, professional looking plastic enclosure, air flow optimized PCB for accurate measurements etc. Since it is open source it is very easy to point it to your own server. We do also have an active forum where you can get help and discuss specific things around the monitor [2]. On the pre-soldered kit that we sell, we test all components before shipping and preflash the MCU. It only consists of a few components that need to be plugged onto sockets already on the PCB. I am able to assemble it in less than five minutes (no soldering iron required). We spend a lot of time and resources to get this open hardware kit right and you are correct that many -if not most- DIY air quality monitor project that you find on the internet have significant weaknesses (e.g. poor sensor selection, internal overheating of the temperature sensor) that leads to very inaccurate measurements. Why do we do this? AirGradient started as a volunteer project to help a school in Thailand better manage air quality during wild fire season and from the start we worked with students building sensors. So this is part of our DNA and also an offical part of our company [3]. [1] https://www.airgradient.com/open-airgradient/kits/ https://www.airgradient.com/open-airgradient/kits/ [2] https://forum.airgradient.com/ https://forum.airgradient.com/ [3] https://www.airgradient.com/open-airgradient/ https://www.airgradient.com/open-airgradient/

TeMPOraL 4y ago
Thanks for replying! I actually saw you mentioned (and IIRC you posting) on a bunch of other HN threads during my research, which put AirGradient was on the top of my list so far. I'm considering the DIY Pro pre-soldered kit + the TVOC extension. Since you are responding on HN, a question: what's the noise level of the PM sensor? I assume that, like all PM sensors of this type, it has an internal fan that spins up when taking a measurement. When I did a Luftdaten kit build a few years ago, one of the issues I had indoors was that the fan spinning up was audible enough to be annoying, particularly to my wife, and particularly at night (with no background noises to drown it out). Do you know of any effective means of reducing that noise without impeding airflow to the sensor? Also, I remember reading someone hacking such a sensor to run its fan slower (and thus quieter), but continuously - but I'm not sure if that won't compromise the sensor readings.
- ahaucnx 4y ago
  The fan in the Plantower PMS5003 monitor we use is actually very silent and you can hear it only if you put your ear directly at the sensor. I have a few of our monitors in the bedroom less than 1m away from my ears and I cannot hear them at all.
sails 4y ago
Just FYI: The checkout is very confusing, no cart button in the top UX, need to find it in the actual product page. Also difficult to find shipping details.

TeMPOraL 4y ago

Thanks for replying! I actually saw you mentioned (and IIRC you posting) on a bunch of other HN threads during my research, which put AirGradient was on the top of my list so far. I'm considering the DIY Pro pre-soldered kit + the TVOC extension. Since you are responding on HN, a question: what's the noise level of the PM sensor? I assume that, like all PM sensors of this type, it has an internal fan that spins up when taking a measurement. When I did a Luftdaten kit build a few years ago, one of the issues I had indoors was that the fan spinning up was audible enough to be annoying, particularly to my wife, and particularly at night (with no background noises to drown it out). Do you know of any effective means of reducing that noise without impeding airflow to the sensor? Also, I remember reading someone hacking such a sensor to run its fan slower (and thus quieter), but continuously - but I'm not sure if that won't compromise the sensor readings.

ahaucnx 4y ago
The fan in the Plantower PMS5003 monitor we use is actually very silent and you can hear it only if you put your ear directly at the sensor. I have a few of our monitors in the bedroom less than 1m away from my ears and I cannot hear them at all.

sails 4y ago

Just FYI: The checkout is very confusing, no cart button in the top UX, need to find it in the actual product page. Also difficult to find shipping details.