my turn to ask - what contraption is this ? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: 3roomlab
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 03, 2019, 09:35:07 pm
content: so I was just browsing some weather instruments (air temperature)browsing by picture searchthis appearedfrom herehttp://www.hiilipuu.fi/articles/air-temperaturethere are globe thermometersbut those are blackso what instrument is this?

author: Gyro
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 03, 2019, 09:59:35 pm
content: Sunlight recorder?

author: GrahamC
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2019, 12:22:35 am
content: that is an interesting device.I have a background in meteorology and instruments but I have never seen one like that.I am pretty sure it is not a sunlight recorder.I looked around on the website linked to and found a list of instruments that in use at the Hyytiälä Forestry Field Stationhttp://www.eusaar.net/upload/SMEAR2.pdfonly logical device is something to do with measuring solar radiation and it certainly looks the part. Possibly a device like this:http://www.imt-solar.com/fileadmin/docs/en/products/Pyranometer_E.pdfIt will be interesting to see if someone knows for certain what this device is.cheers, Graham

author: ArthurDent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2019, 03:16:11 am
content: I think you've got the answer. Here is a drawing of a device that looks like it has most of the elements of the one you've shown. Note there are three leveling screws in the photo you posted, two short rusty ones and one bright shiny one with a locking bolt in the middle. These would serve the same function as the level adjusters in the drawing below. The two wires in your photo could come from the thermopile inside the glass globe like the drawing shows. Thermoelectric pyranometer.

author: LateLesley
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2019, 03:45:39 am
content: Wow! What an interesting device. I'd never heard of it. I did some googling, and found an article which explains the history and how they work. So I thought I'd share it with you all, if you are interested.https://www.kippzonen.com/News/572/The-Working-Principle-of-a-Thermopile-PyranometerI hadn't even heard of a thermopile.This is why I love this place, it's an education.

author: 3roomlab
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2019, 07:37:22 am
content: I went for a little stroll at digikey etcnothing discretized when it comes to thermopile, I assume these things dont exist as "components" ?

author: ArthurDent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2019, 12:31:00 pm
content: Thermopiles are widely used today in gas furnaces and fireplaces. Here is a photo of one opened and a video that shows how these work.

author: 3roomlab
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2019, 03:14:41 pm
content: these components can be so full of voodoothermopile vs pyroelectric.

author: Nerull
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2019, 05:24:13 pm
content: A thermopile is just a bunch of thermocouples in series, they're inside every TEG/Peltier.

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 18, 2019, 06:48:31 pm
content: Quote from: ArthurDent on June 04, 2019, 03:16:11 amI just confirmed it with a specialist. It is indeed a so-called "global irradiance sensor" or Pyranometer.

author: lordvader88
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 21, 2019, 07:02:06 am
content: parking meter..ding ding