Until now development has been on a table with components loosely connected together. However, the data logger is a tool to be used both inside and out and so requires suitable packaging. This in itself has proved quite a challenge to achieve a professional finish as there are many requirements that must be considered.
At this stage in the development the focus is on packaging the XBee module to give it adequate protection whilst allowing flexibility to connect to it's interfaces and include power from batteries. Central to the design is the enclosure to house the module. It could be thought that finding an enclosure that accommodated this would be easy. Unfortunately, although there are a wealth of enclosures available, a suitable product has been surprisingly difficult to find!
Eventually an enclosure that hopefully will be suitable has been found at Maplin although RS Components, Farnell etc were extensively searched. Most importantly it only costs a few pounds. Very few of the enclosures include a convenient method of holding components inside so this is to be achieved by self adhesive PCB mounts.
The XBee itself utilises a small 'motherboard' called an XBee Explorer to provide regulated power and a means of attaching external connections. Thankfully the Explorer is also designed to accept pcb header connectors so these are going to be added in order to connect the Explorer to another very small development board. This will be used to make the external connections which will be brought out of the enclosure as a small loom of wires terminated by crimped on pins protected by heat shrink sleeving. Overall this should provide a flexible method of onward connection and allow the enclosure to be made weather tight.
The battery power supply has and continues to be a problem to accommodate. At the moment a switched battery holder is proposed that will attach to the XBee enclosure with velcro. Of course an integral battery supply will be best in due course but nothing particularly suitable has been found so far.
The next step is finding the time for assembly.
