Smart Boat 13: Engine Temp Monitor using ESP32 and DS18B20

[@dikaoesodo4311]

Why you use a resistor for this project?

[@SmartBoatInnovations]

The resistor in the connection between an ESP32 and a DS18B20 temperature sensor, often referred to as a "pull-up" resistor, is crucial for the proper operation of the one-wire communication protocol used by the DS18B20 A pull-up resistor connected to the power supply to maintain the data line at a high level when no device is pulling it low. The DS18B20 communicates by pulling the data line low to send a '0' and releasing it (letting it be pulled high by the resistor) to send a '1'. Without the resistor, the data line would remain at an indeterminate voltage level when it should be high, leading to unreliable communication or no communication at all.

[@davidhopkins]

Thank you very much for these great ideas. I just completed this project. One small point. You referred to the PIN as P25. I think you meant D25. I have a 30 pin esp32 so my layout is different from yours. I note that pin D25 is one of 2 DAC pins. I take it that is why you selected it.

[@SmartBoatInnovations]

You can use any pin in the ramge 21 to 27. Just make sure you update the Yaml to reflect the pin number.

[@rsimonis1]

Impressive videos. I’ve been catching up (now that I’m home) and this is so easy to follow. I’ve been looking at those on and off on various site. But with you, all looks so simple. Will install on engine, alternator and also inside the fridge. Keep it up.

[@SmartBoatInnovations]

Thank you so much for your kind words! I'm really glad to hear that you find the videos easy to follow. It has always been my goal to find and share the simplest solutions, so that anyone, regardless of their technical know-how, can follow along and get things installed on their boat without any hassle. It's great to know that I'm succeeding in that! I appreciate your support and encouragement. Keep watching and happy boating!

[@8m405]

what sensor can one use to accurately monitor the water temp. Yours are just attached to the body not touching water directly

[@SmartBoatInnovations]

The water temperature readings are generally accurate, though they might be a couple of degrees lower than the actual temperature. The key purpose of these sensors is to trigger warnings when temperatures exceed predetermined levels. Therefore, a slight difference in actual versus measured temperature isn't critical for this function. However, if precise temperature readings are needed, you can directly connect to the engine water sensor using additional wires. This method, as shown in my oil pressure video, involves using resistance readings from the engine's water sender to achieve more exact temperature measurements

[@chrisr819]

Awesome video Rob, compare to other you really show all needed details for noobies which is very rare. Actually knew a lot already but always missing some little details that made me get stuck but thanks to your video I know now how to solve them and what I need. Subscribed Video request: Could you actually make a video about flow sensors for gasoline, diesel and water. I eg have 2 overpowered engines and never know if it’s better fuel economy if running one at higher RPM or 2 on very low RPMs and the actual fuel consumption at each 100RPM…I have a rough guess but diesel fuel flow sensors on both would be a saint. Also very good to monitor if the engine has a fuel supply issue is the most common issue on engines. Same sweet water flow sensors at the tank output to know how much I use and another at the output of the watermaker so I can actually a)match the consumption I use with refill from watermaker. Also help for monitoring for alarms eg if you have a leak somewhere, watermaker output is below a threshold eg clogged input/filters…would be awesome.

[@chrisr819]

Also wireless please as routing cables is a nightmare on boats.

[@SmartBoatInnovations]

Thanks! Water flow sensor video is coming soon. A fuel monitor is also possible but normally you need 2 sensors per engine. One for supply and one for the return. I have plans for this but I need to find some quality fuel sensors that are not too expensive. A fuel pressure sensor is also something I have been planning as this can indicate if the filters need changing.

[@SmartBoatInnovations]

Of course. Will be using a esp32. I also do not like routing cables :)

[@chrisr819]

Could you tell me which sensors you gonna use for water and if via the Ina 216? Just putting all the needed material together for my smart cat and in canary island where shipping is an issue and takes 4 weeks minimum. Thanks to you just setting all the basic system up on an intel Nuc, ai-net beryl 3000 router with starlink and a netgear sim router. The beryl has fallback so if starlink has outage the sim router takes over. That’s what I have already plus a Victron cerbo install that I will interface with home assistant too. I think that NUC is significantly more powerful then raspi, so local voice assistant should be possible.

[@SmartBoatInnovations]

@@chrisr819 Just planning on a esp32 and this amzn.eu/d/bqGNm3a But I have not tested it yet. And maybe an ina219 to measure the voltage if it is higher than 3V.

[@RogerDempsey]

Could your oil pressure approach also be used for the engines built in temp sensor ?

[@SmartBoatInnovations]

Yes, indeed. The majority of engine sensors, including those for oil pressure and temperature, operate using a resistance-based system, much like the one I demonstrated in the video. This means you can apply the same setup for these sensors. Do keep me updated on your progress. I'm here to assist further if needed

[@moimeme3468]

hi, thanks for the videos. very useful. I would be interested in a video about monitioring the alternator rpm and water/fuel sensor level

[@SmartBoatInnovations]

Hi, thanks for your feedback! Videos covering the monitoring of alternator RPM and water/fuel sensor levels are planned. For monitoring water/fuel sensor levels, you can apply a similar method to what I demonstrated in my Oil Pressure video. Here’s the link for a quick reference: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iZSzaKughNyKfMk.

[@moimeme3468]

Ok great. I will

[@davidhopkins]

Great idea. I'm so nervous placing those sensors in hot environments. Will the sheath around the wires melt under any normal engine situation? From your photos it looks like to get the tip on the things you are measuring. For instance, the alternator. Am I correct? Should I aim to get the tip touching what I am measuring? Or should I aim to get as much of the silver sensor touching the thing I am measuring? Do zip ties stand up to the heat of being around these things? 165F? 225F? What can they withstand?

[@SmartBoatInnovations]

Great questions! I had similar concerns when I first installed mine nearly two years ago. When running the wires, it's best to follow existing engine wiring routes as much as possible. Be sure to avoid placing them over the dry exhaust or other high-heat areas. For sensor placement, you'll want to ensure that as much of the metal part of the sensor as possible is in contact with the surface you're measuring. This will give you the most accurate readings. In my case, I secured each sensor with two zip ties for added redundancy. It's important to make sure that if the ties fail, the sensor won’t fall onto a moving part like a drive belt. The zip ties have held up well, but I recommend replacing them every few years to avoid degradation due to heat and vibration. If you're particularly concerned about durability, you could add some stainless steel wire as an extra backup. Most standard ties can withstand temperatures up to about 185°F, but high-temperature variants (usually black or specially labeled) can handle up to 225°F, which should work for most engine environments. As for the ESP32, it’s rated for temperatures up to 220°F, but I still recommend placing it in a plastic enclosure and mounting it near a cooler part of the engine to prolong its life and protect it from extreme heat.

[@davidhopkins]

@@SmartBoatInnovations I think I have an even better solution! Thermal duct tape. 3M make a flue tape that they say can withstand 600F.

[@SmartBoatInnovations]

@@davidhopkins 3M make very good products. But I am not sure you can tighten it as much as with zip ties. And then there is also vibrations. But let me know how you go.

[@davidhopkins]

@@SmartBoatInnovations zip ties will be hard for my setup. I was also contemplating glue.

[@dr.m.sanaullahsahar9859]

thanks for your video. its really informative.

[@SmartBoatInnovations]

Glad it was helpful!

[@chrisgrable6922]

Hi Rob! it looks like the last update of Home Assistant changed the yaml for Dallas sensors, now one_wire. could you please share a revised code snippet? My attempts validate, but return NaN data. Thanks for any help! -Chris G

[@SmartBoatInnovations]

Thanks for letting me know. Website updated with revised yaml snippet. Let me know if you have any problems.

[@chrisgrable6922]

oh my goodness that was fast! update works like a charm. Thanks so much!

[@akauppi2]

I so loved seeing the sailing clip as well! With you, enjoying nature and technology…

[@SmartBoatInnovations]

Hi Asko, I truly appreciate your kind words and your support on Ko-fi. Nature and technology are both passions of mine, and I'm thrilled to share them with you. Stay tuned for more adventures! 🌊⛵️

[@SVRockChalk]

Do you have a link for Ferinheight conector?

[@SmartBoatInnovations]

You use exactly the same sensor/connector. We just need to do a conversion in Home Assistant. I have updated the Esphome configuration with an example for Fahrenheit. See: www.smartboatinnovations.com/dallas-yaml

[@JohnMoseley-u4e]

I am seeing a Check Sum error, any suggestions?

[@SmartBoatInnovations]

One-Wire sensor connected to an ESP32 via ESPHome often indicate issues with the data transmission between the sensor and the ESP32. Power Supply: Ensure that the Dallas sensor is properly powered like I show in the video. Data Line: Verify that the data line is correctly connected to a the correct GPIO pin on the ESP32 and that the connection is secure. Pull-up Resistor: A pull-up resistor (typically 4.7kΩ) is required on the data line to ensure proper communication. Make sure it's connected between the data line and the VCC. Ground: Ensure a solid ground connection between the ESP32 and the Dallas sensor.

[@imaginehealing7969]

Genius

[@MarleyMarlz1234]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but i don't see (in this video or the previous one) the step where you add the device to HA integrations. If this isn't done then there will be no temperature sensors under "entities".

[@SmartBoatInnovations]

Normally when you add a esp32 device via esphome and adopt, it auto adds the integration to HA. However there are cases when you change the esp32 device name you then need to go into settings and integrations and manually add it.

[@MarleyMarlz1234]

@@SmartBoatInnovations I think that's what happened to me. Thanks

[@yannistsopelas7217]

Great work and very simple to follow - thanks Rob!

[@SmartBoatInnovations]

Thanks Yannis. Much appreciated.

[@bybeka1]

Great vdeo and very well explaines, gracias!

[@SmartBoatInnovations]

Gracias por tu comentario. Lo aprecio mucho.

[@johndeer1756]

So good! Well done Rob. You make it very easy to understand

[@SmartBoatInnovations]

Thanks John.

[@aryadarmasaputra9195]

Is it possible with one ESP32 for 4 sensors, then how do you connect the sensors to an ESP32 with 4 sensors?

[@SmartBoatInnovations]

Yes you can. Look at 3:53 on the video and I say how. You just need to use a small 3 way terminal block and then connect all the like colored cables together. and then a single cable from each terminal on the block to the esp.

[@davidhopkins]

For me it was tough getting the 4 sensor wires into the same connection. I ended up soldering 4 wires together. Works great.

[@SmartBoatInnovations]

That also works. But a small terminal block is easy. Maybe the one you used was too small.

[@Dasol0135]

Thank you for making such an easy to follow tutorial, worked first time for me

[@SmartBoatInnovations]

I'm so glad to hear that! Thank you for the feedback, and happy boating! 🚤

[@Dasol0135]

@@SmartBoatInnovations not a boater, but you have the best tutorials, can you do one on node red and esp32 sensor in home assistant. Thanks

[@SmartBoatInnovations]

​@@Dasol0135Thank you for the kind words! Great suggestion on the Node-RED and ESP32 sensor integration with Home Assistant. I'll definitely look into creating a tutorial on that topic soon. Stay tuned!

[@andrewbartonspencer]

This is excellent.

[@SmartBoatInnovations]

Thank you so much! I'm glad you think so. Stay tuned for more! Engine Oil pressure is coming soon.

[@andrewbartonspencer]

@@SmartBoatInnovations can't wait!

[@DirkJacobsz]

Great idea - thanks Rob

[@SmartBoatInnovations]

Thanks Dirk. Yes for $20 you can setup an incredible level of engine monitoring.

[@philmummah889]

Very good however I do not like attaching temp sensors with plastic cable ties. Are you aware of sensors that can be bolted?

[@SmartBoatInnovations]

Thanks. Yes, I understand the challenge. When I first installed the temperature sensors, I also explored alternatives to using cable ties. I considered using stainless steel wire, but it was difficult to firmly secure the sensor in place. As for bolting, I haven't come across any sensors equipped with brackets. Fabricating a custom bracket might be feasible, but the real challenge is identifying suitable places to attach the bolt, especially in areas like the exhaust elbow. Directly bolting onto various engine parts can be quite complex. In the end, I opted for cable ties. By using two, I ensured that the sensor was firmly positioned, with the second tie serving as a backup for extra security. This setup has been effective for over a year now. It requires regular checks, but it has proven to be a satisfactory solution.

[@ralph9987]

This is a great video. I am not sure on what device the display is shown on? Hiw do you set it up as standalone and onto a mobile phone or tablet? Tia

[@SmartBoatInnovations]

In the video, the display of the ESP32 engine temperature data is showcased on a dashboard that can be accessed through devices like a mobile phone, tablet, or computer browser. This setup is part of a smart boat system, which I detail in another video (kzbin.info/www/bejne/kGepaGB_gNyLb6M)