Weather stations. Anyone got one?
Discussion
I moved from Hampshire to a coastal town in Australia. We don't get as many rainy days here thank god (!) but I believe my current spot has the highest rainfall intensity in Australia, so when it rains, it can come down pretty hard.
So what have you got? I notice a few even pair a webcam to theirs so you can see the weather come in.
So what have you got? I notice a few even pair a webcam to theirs so you can see the weather come in.
So I bought the Ambient Weather Station WS2000 as it got good reviews. Plonked it on a pole at the house and let it monitor away. I bought a weather station so I could see just how much rain we get amongst other things.
Maybe I backed the wrong horse though because I wouldn't mind a few additional sensors to pair with it, but being a setup from America, their own websites postage to Oz adds up a lot!
I wouldn't mind a lightning sensor. Seemed interesting come storms. They're meant to tell you roughly how far away strikes are, or become.
Then due to the bush fires last year and having to evacuate from the ever nearing 365715.965 acre wide fire that was heading for us, I wouldn't mind a particle monitor to see how the air quality changed. The smoke smell and haze was obvious, but as it's a cheap sensor I thought about adding it to the collection too.
I notice that one nearish to me has a webcam pointing out from their house to sea so you can see the weather change quite a bit. Not sure how much that setup would cost to implement and keep powered. Maybe a POE cam was used.
Maybe I backed the wrong horse though because I wouldn't mind a few additional sensors to pair with it, but being a setup from America, their own websites postage to Oz adds up a lot!
I wouldn't mind a lightning sensor. Seemed interesting come storms. They're meant to tell you roughly how far away strikes are, or become.
Then due to the bush fires last year and having to evacuate from the ever nearing 365715.965 acre wide fire that was heading for us, I wouldn't mind a particle monitor to see how the air quality changed. The smoke smell and haze was obvious, but as it's a cheap sensor I thought about adding it to the collection too.
I notice that one nearish to me has a webcam pointing out from their house to sea so you can see the weather change quite a bit. Not sure how much that setup would cost to implement and keep powered. Maybe a POE cam was used.
Hey!
Sorry I missed this post and good to see you on the weather forum too.
Have to say the Fine Offset one I bought, the HP2550 is really good (essentially the same as yours), have so far purchased an Ecowhitt lightning detector and an air quality sensor for it and impressed so far. Looks like you might be getting some decent rain in the next few days to test yours out.
I'm also kicking myself now as we were in Coffs late last year and I should have given you a shout for a catch up over a beer!!
Stef
Sorry I missed this post and good to see you on the weather forum too.
Have to say the Fine Offset one I bought, the HP2550 is really good (essentially the same as yours), have so far purchased an Ecowhitt lightning detector and an air quality sensor for it and impressed so far. Looks like you might be getting some decent rain in the next few days to test yours out.
I'm also kicking myself now as we were in Coffs late last year and I should have given you a shout for a catch up over a beer!!
Stef
Do those sensors just pair into your units online interface?
Trying to see if I can get local sensors to do the same, or find a US person could might be able to minimise the postage. Seemingly mine had good reviews so I bought it, but in hindsight it has (or is) cones that I couldn't have probably bought locally.
We got ~500mm rain or so over 24 hours last year they approximated. My gauge was monitoring 150mm an hour before the power went out (all above ground poles out here), so I'm thinking of buying an UPS to keep it and the router alive.
O/T: What brought you to Coffs? The UK will wake up soon and it might not be an Australian thread haha
Trying to see if I can get local sensors to do the same, or find a US person could might be able to minimise the postage. Seemingly mine had good reviews so I bought it, but in hindsight it has (or is) cones that I couldn't have probably bought locally.
We got ~500mm rain or so over 24 hours last year they approximated. My gauge was monitoring 150mm an hour before the power went out (all above ground poles out here), so I'm thinking of buying an UPS to keep it and the router alive.
O/T: What brought you to Coffs? The UK will wake up soon and it might not be an Australian thread haha
Gingerbread Man said:
Do those sensors just pair into your units online interface?
Trying to see if I can get local sensors to do the same, or find a US person could might be able to minimise the postage. Seemingly mine had good reviews so I bought it, but in hindsight it has (or is) cones that I couldn't have probably bought locally.
We got ~500mm rain or so over 24 hours last year they approximated. My gauge was monitoring 150mm an hour before the power went out (all above ground poles out here), so I'm thinking of buying an UPS to keep it and the router alive.
O/T: What brought you to Coffs? The UK will wake up soon and it might not be an Australian thread haha
They do yes, I'm pretty sure they should work with yours too, I had to update my firmware though.Trying to see if I can get local sensors to do the same, or find a US person could might be able to minimise the postage. Seemingly mine had good reviews so I bought it, but in hindsight it has (or is) cones that I couldn't have probably bought locally.
We got ~500mm rain or so over 24 hours last year they approximated. My gauge was monitoring 150mm an hour before the power went out (all above ground poles out here), so I'm thinking of buying an UPS to keep it and the router alive.
O/T: What brought you to Coffs? The UK will wake up soon and it might not be an Australian thread haha
The lightning detector is WH57 and the air quality (outdoor is WH41/indoor WH43) sensor are both available on Amazon AU, around $50 each or so. On the weather forum in the Fineoffset and Ambient Weather clones page there is a useful sticky at the top with a compatibility matrix.
We came up for a few days holiday, rented a house on Camperdown Street.
Stef
Monty Python said:
Oregon Scientific WMR200
That's the one I have at home too. It's fine, but definitely a home-hobby thing. I bought a couple of "spare" sets when Maplin shut down, so I have many sets of sensors and stuff kicking about.The Davis ones are much better quality, I used one of their stations on a construction site many years back, as they needed weather records. It lasted 5+ years without any attention.
The main thing I found (a few years back) was that the software to go with all these things was extremely clunky, often relying on a Windows desktop to be connected and on 24/7, I'm sure that side of things has moved on now.
The rain sensor on mine (and I suspect most) uses a little "see-saw" bucket enclosed in a box with a hole in the top. Each tip of the bucket sends a pulse which is counted and converted to mm of rain. The problem is that spiders like to take up residence inside and spin webs which gum up the pivot action.
Not a problem clearing them out every so often in the UK, but your Aussie spiders might be a bit more defensive!
Not a problem clearing them out every so often in the UK, but your Aussie spiders might be a bit more defensive!
Nimby said:
The rain sensor on mine (and I suspect most) uses a little "see-saw" bucket enclosed in a box with a hole in the top. Each tip of the bucket sends a pulse which is counted and converted to mm of rain. The problem is that spiders like to take up residence inside and spin webs which gum up the pivot action.
Not a problem clearing them out every so often in the UK, but your Aussie spiders might be a bit more defensive!
Spraying insect repellent on it helps I hear. I've had no spidery problems just yet.Not a problem clearing them out every so often in the UK, but your Aussie spiders might be a bit more defensive!
shtu said:
That's the one I have at home too. It's fine, but definitely a home-hobby thing. I bought a couple of "spare" sets when Maplin shut down, so I have many sets of sensors and stuff kicking about.
The Davis ones are much better quality, I used one of their stations on a construction site many years back, as they needed weather records. It lasted 5+ years without any attention.
The main thing I found (a few years back) was that the software to go with all these things was extremely clunky, often relying on a Windows desktop to be connected and on 24/7, I'm sure that side of things has moved on now.
I don't suppose you have a spare UV sensor? I've had two any they didn't last very long.The Davis ones are much better quality, I used one of their stations on a construction site many years back, as they needed weather records. It lasted 5+ years without any attention.
The main thing I found (a few years back) was that the software to go with all these things was extremely clunky, often relying on a Windows desktop to be connected and on 24/7, I'm sure that side of things has moved on now.
Misaps said:
I have been running a Davis Pro 2 since 2006 and other than a twice yearly clean I have only had one issue which was a PCB failure. I think the solar panels will need replacing soon though as they are looking a bit tired
That's one issue I have with the wireless stations is that the batteries are usually in the sensor which is inevitably at the top of a pole or some other place that requires the use of a ladder to get at. Why can't they put the batteries in a weatherproof box that's linked via a cable so you can mount it at ground level?Monty Python said:
Misaps said:
I have been running a Davis Pro 2 since 2006 and other than a twice yearly clean I have only had one issue which was a PCB failure. I think the solar panels will need replacing soon though as they are looking a bit tired
That's one issue I have with the wireless stations is that the batteries are usually in the sensor which is inevitably at the top of a pole or some other place that requires the use of a ladder to get at. Why can't they put the batteries in a weatherproof box that's linked via a cable so you can mount it at ground level?Mines on my roof, but luckily having no snow, the pitches are an easy walk here and single story for most of it..
Monty Python said:
That's one issue I have with the wireless stations is that the batteries are usually in the sensor which is inevitably at the top of a pole or some other place that requires the use of a ladder to get at. Why can't they put the batteries in a weatherproof box that's linked via a cable so you can mount it at ground level?
I don’t have a problem with the main ISS as this is on a post 4’ off the ground, the anemometer is a different thing though, being fixed to a pole 20’ above the roof. However, the solar panel keeps the Davis station going well and I doubt I have changed the back up battery more than every twenty four months.Gassing Station | Computers, Gadgets & Stuff | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff