Author Topic: WS-1001 wifi battery charging issues  (Read 4397 times)

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Offline Stratocaster

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WS-1001 wifi battery charging issues
« on: August 26, 2017, 11:48:15 AM »
I installed my WS-1001 wifi at the end of March and it has operated flawlessly. Until recently, that is. It has started going dead at about 3:00am and I just have a bunch of dashes on my console. At about 9:00am when there is plenty of sun (I live in The Bahamas) suddenly the unit comes to life. I am assuming that the unit is not recharging the batteries enough to get through the night.

I thought I would try replacing the batteries, but good luck finding rechargeable alkalines!!

I communicated all of this to Ambient Weather and to their credit, Ed offered me an immediate replacement of the outdoor array. Unfortunately it requires me to send the old unit back, after which they'll send a new one. Not living in the US, this is actually more expensive (FedEx international $$$) than buying a new unit. So I asked if they could send me a new one without sending back the old one, Ed said no, and provided me a link to the new array on Amazon  :roll:

Anyway - I guess I'll be buying a new array. Which led me to looking at the unit on their website.

Not sure if it's due to battery issues such as I've had, but it appears that AW has implemented a different concept for onboard power:

"The WS-1002-WiFi replaces the WS-1001-WiFi. The WS-1001-WiFi uses rechargeable batteries that are charged by a solar collector. The WS-1002-WiFi uses a super capacitor for energy storage, and is charged by the solar collector in the day, and non-rechargeable batteries at night".

Stay tuned for further developments!
Mike
WU Station ID INEWPROV18
Nassau, Bahamas

Offline Phil_W

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Re: WS-1001 wifi battery charging issues
« Reply #1 on: August 26, 2017, 11:35:45 PM »
In the meantime, ?try some normal alkaline / lithium batteries as they can last a long time all going well.

Offline railrode1

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Re: WS-1001 wifi battery charging issues
« Reply #2 on: August 27, 2017, 09:26:41 AM »
The batteries that come with the sensor are not that good. I had one fail about a month after I installed mine. I got a four pack of rechargable batteries at Walmart, charged them first with a wall charger. No issues in 1.5 years so far.
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Offline dupreezd

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Re: WS-1001 wifi battery charging issues
« Reply #3 on: August 27, 2017, 09:41:29 AM »
When buying re-chargeable batteries, keep in mind your location high and low temperatures. Then check the operating temperatures of the batteries. NiMH have a very limited range.
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Offline thereaper

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Re: WS-1001 wifi battery charging issues
« Reply #4 on: August 27, 2017, 11:29:55 AM »
DO NOT put normal alkaline / lithium batteries in lol as you will damage the pcb as the output is different to rechargeables and normal batts are not to be charged,as the small solar panel will try to do this and they may end up leaking
In the meantime, ?try some normal alkaline / lithium batteries as they can last a long time all going well.

Offline Aircub

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Re: WS-1001 wifi battery charging issues
« Reply #5 on: August 27, 2017, 04:24:09 PM »
Fitted these over a month ago, working great no problems with charging

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00E3DVQFS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


Offline Stratocaster

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Re: WS-1001 wifi battery charging issues
« Reply #6 on: August 28, 2017, 02:44:31 PM »
LOL - I just bought those same ones! I figure it can't hurt....
Mike
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Nassau, Bahamas

Offline rods55555

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Re: WS-1001 wifi battery charging issues
« Reply #7 on: August 29, 2017, 12:23:57 PM »
DO NOT put normal alkaline / lithium batteries in lol as you will damage the pcb as the output is different to rechargeables and normal batts are not to be charged,as the small solar panel will try to do this and they may end up leaking
In the meantime, ?try some normal alkaline / lithium batteries as they can last a long time all going well.

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Offline m-a-r-k

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Re: WS-1001 wifi battery charging issues
« Reply #8 on: August 29, 2017, 02:37:30 PM »
That's what I use (Lithium). More stable in low temperatures and they output 1.5V whereas rechargeables are more like 1.3V.
Nowhere in my manual or on product web site does it say rechargeable batteries.
« Last Edit: August 30, 2017, 01:37:38 PM by m-a-r-k »
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Aercus WeatherRanger - WS-1001 Clone

Offline Stratocaster

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Re: WS-1001 wifi battery charging issues
« Reply #9 on: August 30, 2017, 11:17:11 AM »
Well, the Duracell rechargeables don't work either. At around 3:00am, the array stops transmitting, just like before. During daylight hours it works fine, but the batteries will only keep it going for 6 hours after sundown...

I have some "Juice" alkaline rechargeables coming in a week or so, maybe they will work.

Otherwise, I'm buying a new array. Not great after only 5 months!
Mike
WU Station ID INEWPROV18
Nassau, Bahamas

Offline rods55555

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Re: WS-1001 wifi battery charging issues
« Reply #10 on: August 30, 2017, 11:59:09 AM »
I’m using non rechargeable alkaline in my ws-1001 clone. So far I didn't have any problems.
These are the batteries I'm using since I installed the unit.

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Offline thereaper

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Re: WS-1001 wifi battery charging issues
« Reply #11 on: August 30, 2017, 01:23:12 PM »
yes but original post was about the outdoor sensor :lol:and the batts dying these should be ,as it says  in your post  in the battery section say 3x alkaline rechargeable (as these are wot are supplied when you buy it)
you can put normal batts or recharegable  in the indoor sensor/console or 5v adaptor

DO NOT put normal alkaline / lithium batteries in lol as you will damage the pcb as the output is different to rechargeables and normal batts are not to be charged,as the small solar panel will try to do this and they may end up leaking
In the meantime, ?try some normal alkaline / lithium batteries as they can last a long time all going well.

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Offline Jstx

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Re: WS-1001 wifi battery charging issues
« Reply #12 on: September 11, 2017, 07:31:46 PM »
I was looking for some rechargeable alkaline batteries for my (old/orig) LaCrosse anemometer unit which uses them (and has a charging circuit).

Ran across this Ambient replacement which y'all are discussing here for a specific Ambient WS.
Don't know if these batts have just been offered by Ambient based on a rash of problems as described herein. But they might work for the OP, are "in stock", and may even ship from a domestic US location (others I've found were China sourced).

RA's are getting hard to find (I sometimes used them years ago), they're a little pricey at almost $3 each now (you'll choke on buying the RA charger, but the WS's have one anyway), but I may order some.

Note that I've bolded the comment below about using as a substitute the "non-rechargeable Energizer e2 Lithium batteries" as an equivalent. Advice right from Ambient itself (I guess).
I'm going to comparison shop and decide which to get.

http://www.ambientweather.com/amws1000batt.html#caption
"Product Description
Ambient Weather WS-1000-BATT 3 x AA Rechargeable Batteries for WS-1000-WiFi, WS-1200 Outdoor Sensor Array (replacement).
Note: The weather station uses alkaline batteries because of their wide temperature range. However, any AA battery will work in the unit, including non-rechargeable batteries.
If alkaline batteries are unavailable, we recommend non-rechargeable Energizer e2 Lithium batteries. They operate between -40 °F and 140 °F (-40 to 60 °C). They will not damage the weather station or the batteries because of the low charging current.
Using Ni-Mh rechargables are fine but expect a very limited temperature operating range.
« Last Edit: September 11, 2017, 07:34:19 PM by Jstx »

Offline thereaper

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Re: WS-1001 wifi battery charging issues
« Reply #13 on: September 20, 2017, 04:12:41 PM »
i cant believe they say use lith batts as they wont damage the unit..they will if they go bang as you shouldnt recharge non rechargeable  lith batts even if it is a low charge current as they could explode
I was looking for some rechargeable alkaline batteries for my (old/orig) LaCrosse anemometer unit which uses them (and has a charging circuit).

Ran across this Ambient replacement which y'all are discussing here for a specific Ambient WS.
Don't know if these batts have just been offered by Ambient based on a rash of problems as described herein. But they might work for the OP, are "in stock", and may even ship from a domestic US location (others I've found were China sourced).

RA's are getting hard to find (I sometimes used them years ago), they're a little pricey at almost $3 each now (you'll choke on buying the RA charger, but the WS's have one anyway), but I may order some.

Note that I've bolded the comment below about using as a substitute the "non-rechargeable Energizer e2 Lithium batteries" as an equivalent. Advice right from Ambient itself (I guess).
I'm going to comparison shop and decide which to get.

http://www.ambientweather.com/amws1000batt.html#caption
"Product Description
Ambient Weather WS-1000-BATT 3 x AA Rechargeable Batteries for WS-1000-WiFi, WS-1200 Outdoor Sensor Array (replacement).
Note: The weather station uses alkaline batteries because of their wide temperature range. However, any AA battery will work in the unit, including non-rechargeable batteries.
If alkaline batteries are unavailable, we recommend non-rechargeable Energizer e2 Lithium batteries. They operate between -40 °F and 140 °F (-40 to 60 °C). They will not damage the weather station or the batteries because of the low charging current.
Using Ni-Mh rechargables are fine but expect a very limited temperature operating range.

Offline thereaper

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Re: WS-1001 wifi battery charging issues
« Reply #14 on: September 20, 2017, 04:20:19 PM »
heres a thread from a electrical forum i belong to :can you recharge an energizer e2 lithium AAA batteries

Most people will tell you "NO" and with good reason, as explained elsewhere in this discussion. But the answer is actually yes, under carefully controlled conditions, which few of us are capable of creating safely. However, if the cell has discharged to the point where the entire electrode has dissolved, it's doubtful it can ever be recharged. Some cells which have been damaged by deep discharge can actually be rejuvenated over a longer period of charging.

I would not recommend this, but it would be dishonest of me to declare that it can't be done. You are simply dealing with something very dangerous, and potentially life-threatening if you don't know exactly what you're doing.

Hysteria isn't the best recipe for safety, but excellent awareness is.

 

anything