solar-powered-weather-station

Build:

Output Data:

Mechanical / Enclosure Design:

• Utilized a custom 3D-printed enclosure based on a modular, layered Stevenson screen for environmental shielding

• Designed internal mounting structures for:

  • Sensor modules

  • ESP32 controller board

  • Battery pack and charge controller

  • Cable routing channels for clean and protected wiring

• Included a top-mounted solar panel bracket for optional off-grid power operation

• Printed the housing using weather-resistant white PLA/PETG to minimize heat absorption and ensure long-term durability

• Optimized vent spacing to allow natural convection airflow while preventing water ingress and limiting direct solar heating of sensors

PCB Design/Schematic

• Designed a custom PCB that consolidates the ESP32, sensors, connectors, and power circuitry into a single compact board

• Used strategically placed pin headers for modular sensor replacement and upgrades

• Routed analog and digital lines with separation to reduce interference from the PM sensor fan motor

• Implemented ground planes and decoupling capacitors for stable sensor operation

• Followed outdoor-station best practices such as conformal coating options and corrosion-resistant connectors

Sensors & Sensing:

• Integrated a BME280 environmental sensor to measure temperature, humidity, and atmospheric pressure with high accuracy

• Added a laser-based particulate matter sensor (e.g., PMS7003 / SPS30) to capture PM1.0, PM2.5, and PM10 concentrations

• Used a dedicated NDIR CO₂ sensor (e.g., SCD30 or MH-Z19B) for stable and calibrated indoor air-quality measurements

• Designed proper sensor placement inside a Stevenson-style ventilated enclosure to ensure accurate airflow and protect components from direct sunlight and precipitation

• Implemented sensor smoothing filters (moving average / exponential smoothing) to reduce noise from airflow turbulence and particulate fluctuations

Control & Data Processing System:

• Powered by an ESP32 microcontroller, selected for its integrated Wi-Fi, low-power modes, and high-speed ADC/I²C/SPI interfaces

• Developed firmware to poll sensors at fixed intervals, perform calibration routines, and compute derived metrics such as:

  • Absolute humidity

  • Air Quality Index (AQI)

  • Dew point

  • Pressure-based altitude estimation

• Integrated a local display (OLED/TFT) showing key readings such as temperature, humidity, pressure, PM2.5 levels, and CO₂ concentration in real time

• Implemented optional data logging and wireless telemetry via Wi-Fi to cloud dashboards (MQTT, Thingspeak, or custom API)