Build Instructions

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• 1

  Step 1

  We start by setting up the database.
  

  First we need to create a table to store the measured values, you might want to use phpMyadmin or similar:
  

  CREATE TABLE `heating` (
      `moment`          DATETIME NOT NULL ,
      `duration`        DOUBLE   NOT NULL ,
      `outside_temp`    DOUBLE   NOT NULL ,
      `wind`            DOUBLE   NOT NULL
  ) 
  

• 2

  Step 2

  Get the content of the "www" folder of the GitHub repo. Open "new_value.php" and "ajax.php" and fill in your information wherever you find <YOUR_XXX>.
  You have to create an account at openweathermaps.org to get an APPID to be used there (for testing purposes you can remove the APP-ID part from the URL)
  

  My heater is consuming 3.6l of oil per hour. The time is measured in seconds, so within "ajax.php" I convert it from seconds to liters, you might want to change this parameter.

  $row['output_duration']*0.001 (the code highlighter refused to work here)

  After you have filled in your data, upload the files to your webserver.
  

  create a subfolder "js", download jquery-2.1.1 (or a version you prefer, just change the path) and put it in the folder, then upload "js" to the server
  

  You can test the system by calling:
  

  example.com/somepath/new_value.php?o=somelocation&d=200

  where "somelocation" is the city where you measure

  by visiting
  

  example.com/somepath/
  

  you can see the data you entered

• 3

  Step 3

  Now we need to connect the ESP8266 to UART, I used a USB to UART converter, the only thing you need to check is that it is 3.3V! if it is 5 V on ANY pin (also TX/RX) you will kill the ESP8266!! So, no 5V Arduinos here! Connect GND and VDD TX and RX. Open a terminal and set it to 115200@8N1. There are different Versions of breakout boards around (~11 currently) Below you find a Pinout of the currently most common ESP8266 breakout. If you have another PSB, check the web for pinouts.
  

  
  

  There are also a few older Firmwares where it is 9600@8N1, if you bought it used it might be something different as the baudrate can be reconfigured.

  Now you need to connect CH_PD to VDD. This will activate the ESP8266. Some guys have soldered a bridge between the this pin and VDD. On the terminal you will see some... data... its actually the bootloader on another baudrate so you cant read it. The only thing you should be able to read is a "ready" at the end.
  
  You now can send commands (AT+Commands are on various sites on the web but as there is a lot of dynamic I dont want to post a absolute link: http://lmgtfy.com/?q=esp8266+at+commands) which are followed by a <CR><LF>. The firmware I wrote has a AT+HELP command to list all available commands.

  
  

  Does it work? Great, lets go to the next step

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