Buying Guides

Guides built from data/guides.json and data/parts.json. Each comparison pulls only parts I have in a running build, with the real verdict and the affiliate link (where I have one).

• Temperature Sensors for Raspberry Pi: 2026 Buying Guide
• Radio Links for Raspberry Pi Sensors: HC-12 vs WiFi with ESP32-C3
• Energy Monitoring on Raspberry Pi: CT Clamps and ADS1115
• DS18B20 Troubleshooting Guide: CRC Errors and Long Runs
• CT Clamp Burden Resistor Selection and ADS1115 Calibration

Related reading

• SQLite Rollups and Retention: Stop Your Sensor DB From Eating the SD Card

  How rollup tables and a retention policy keep a Raspberry Pi sensor SQLite database from growing unbounded — and why SD-card wear is rarely the real problem.

• CT Clamp Burden Resistor Calibration for ADS1115: Avoiding Voltage Drift in Home Sensor Projects

  A practical guide to calibrating CT clamp sensors with ADS1115 ADC, covering burden resistor selection, capacitor stabilization, and common failure modes in home sensor projects.

• HC-12 Packet Loss and Retry Protocol

  The HC-12 433MHz serial bridge has no built-in retry or CRC at the UART passthrough level. Here is a practical application-level framing scheme with CRC-16, timeout-based retry, and backoff that actually worked on a live link — plus what went wrong.