PurpleAir air quality sensor data

[DLite]

We recently installed a PurpleAir indoor air quality sensor to measure PM2.5 levels in the house. I want to be able to program against its PM2.5 air quality readings.  We live on the west coast, so you can guess why.

The sensor data are available in a JSON file that can be accessed via a URL.  As far as I can tell, there is no existing Control4 driver specific to the PurpleAir sensor.  Would we need a custom driver to be written in order to pull down the JSON data? If so, are there any dealers or developers out there who might be interested in this project?  I am potentially willing to go it alone on the development costs if need be.

Alternatively, is there an existing driver that could be leveraged to extract the data from the JSON file?

Thanks a lot.

[cdepaola]

I believe that PurpleAir as an IFTTT channel, use that and the Chowmain IFTTT driver to bring PurpleAir into Control4.

This is something we are also toying with currently and doing the initial leg work on which sensor is the most accurate. A study was done several years ago of Air Quality Sensors and those results can be found at http://www.aqmd.gov/aq-spec. The most important data to look for is the R2 (r squared) numbers the closer to 1, with 1 being a reference grade sensor, the better. Unfortunately the grant was exhausted so its not being updated to the best of my knowledge.  

 

 

[DLite]

4 hours ago, cdepaola said:

I believe that PurpleAir as an IFTTT channel, use that and the Chowmain IFTTT driver to bring PurpleAir into Control4.

This is something we are also toying with currently and doing the initial leg work on which sensor is the most accurate. A study was done several years ago of Air Quality Sensors and those results can be found at http://www.aqmd.gov/aq-spec. The most important data to look for is the R2 (r squared) numbers the closer to 1, with 1 being a reference grade sensor, the better. Unfortunately the grant was exhausted so its not being updated to the best of my knowledge.  

 

 

Great point. I got the PurpleAir because it has been rated most accurate against benchmark devices. I guess one has to weigh that against the problem that PurpleAir has fewer home automation options compared to something like Foobot, for instance.

Unfortunately, it looks like there is no longer a PurpleAir IFTTT channel. Maybe they took it down?  There is a driver for Home Assistant, although I'm not sure how I would link that to C4.  

 I figured integration would be easier to solve than device accuracy, but maybe they are both hard to solve!

 

[MNWild]

On 10/8/2020 at 1:06 PM, DLite said:

Great point. I got the PurpleAir because it has been rated most accurate against benchmark devices. I guess one has to weigh that against the problem that PurpleAir has fewer home automation options compared to something like Foobot, for instance.

Unfortunately, it looks like there is no longer a PurpleAir IFTTT channel. Maybe they took it down?  There is a driver for Home Assistant, although I'm not sure how I would link that to C4.  

 I figured integration would be easier to solve than device accuracy, but maybe they are both hard to solve!

 

I used the study linked above when looking for an indoor air quality monitor about a month ago focusing on the Field R squared numbers.  I didn't consider the sensors that cost thousands of dollars as they were out of my price range. Based on this chart http://www.aqmd.gov/aq-spec/evaluations/summary-pm I narrowed it down to the Atmotube Pro, Kaiterra Laser 2+ Egg and PurpleAir PA-I-Indoor.  I chose the Atmotube Pro - since it is built as a portable device (comes with a carabiner) and had good R Squared numbers for PM1.0 and PM2.5.  The app is excellent and gives me a notification about once a week to run a reading so that I have an ongoing chart of the air quality measures.  I don't know what the market size is for any of these air quality devices but I would think at some point they are going to become more commonplace in homes.

[DLite]

4 hours ago, MNWild said:

I used the study linked above when looking for an indoor air quality monitor about a month ago focusing on the Field R squared numbers.  I didn't consider the sensors that cost thousands of dollars as they were out of my price range. Based on this chart http://www.aqmd.gov/aq-spec/evaluations/summary-pm I narrowed it down to the Atmotube Pro, Kaiterra Laser 2+ Egg and PurpleAir PA-I-Indoor.  I chose the Atmotube Pro - since it is built as a portable device (comes with a carabiner) and had good R Squared numbers for PM1.0 and PM2.5.  The app is excellent and gives me a notification about once a week to run a reading so that I have an ongoing chart of the air quality measures.  I don't know what the market size is for any of these air quality devices but I would think at some point they are going to become more commonplace in homes.

Portability is a nice feature -- could see using that when out for a run or a bike ride.  Does the Atmotube collect data continuously, or only when you run a reading?

[MNWild]

On 10/16/2020 at 12:59 AM, DLite said:

Portability is a nice feature -- could see using that when out for a run or a bike ride.  Does the Atmotube collect data continuously, or only when you run a reading?

Continuously until you tell it to stop - the documentation says up to 10 hours.  I'm a long-time runner and have carried all kinds of devices with me when I am out.  I don't think there would be an easy way to carry it since it has an internal fan that runs when it is taking the readings.  You would have to get creative.  Here in Minnesota the outdoor air is not a big concern but the indoor air quality is of interest as we spend a majority of time indoors during the winter months.