Temperature Sensor Heat Shield

Here is a home made heat shield I made for my Davis WX Stations temperature gauge. This would be a good science project for those students doing weather station projects, or if you want one on your temperature sensor. (Pictures below)

Items needed:

1 - 1/2 inch PVC pipe ( 4 ft. lengths available to purchase at hardware stores )

1 - 1/2 inch PVC tee

1 - 1/2 inch PVC 90' elbow

1 - 1/2 inch PVC union

2 - Hose clamps of special mounting ties

2 - Sets of three plastic cereal bowls from Dollar General or other dollar store. (yes, plastic bowls)

1 - Section of 1/2 inch pipe insulation (brown colored foam type with a split) use it for spacers, cut 5 - 1

inch spacers

Tools needed:

PVC cement

PVC cutter or saw

Measuring tape

7/8 inch uni-bit or 7/8 inch hole saw and an electric drill.

Directions:

Drill a 7/8 inch hole in the center of all of the bowls so the 1/2 inch pipe can be

inserted.

Then cut a 6 inch section of 1/2 inch PVC pipe and glue the 1/2 inch union on one

end, the union is greater than 7/8 inch so the bowl will fit to the union. Allow a 5

minutes to dry.

Put your bowls through the pipe and use the 1 inch foam insulation spacers in

between and when last bowl is on make sure it will be snug when the 90 elbow is

connected, the foam spacers will press together firmly. Do this before gluing to

assure proper spacing and fit. If you need to cut a small

mount you can do that now so it will be snug.

Once you assure that the fit is okay, glue the elbow and the length of pipe you desire it to extend from the elbow to the tee where you will be mounting it. ( I used 10 inches for my standoff)

5. Glue the tee vertical on the end and allow to dry 5 minutes.

After a few minutes mount to your tower or mast with hose clamps or special

mounting ties. Silicone the hole if you used one to insert sensor and at seams as

desired. (You can run the gauge in the pipe or drill a hole in the elbow and seal

with silicone as I did. Keep the pipes open for air flow and the tip of sensor just

out of the end as in picture).

Thats all there is to it, takes about 35 minutes of time to build. My temperature sensor is 6 ft. above the ground mounted on the side of the tower. You can modify your mounting as you see fit for your application.

Thanks,

Ronnie J. Casey, k4jdr@arrl.net
NAV-COM Communications
84 Angie Road
Raleigh, N.C. 27603-7336
www.carolina440.net