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Weather Station Hardware => Oregon Scientific Hardware => Topic started by: va3mw on August 19, 2016, 03:30:42 PM
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First, let me say I will never buy another OS weather station. I have had so many problems over the years.
Lately, my rain gauge worked great.... as long as it wasn't raining.
It would then start to rain, work for a bit and die. After a few dry weeks, it would start to work again (after I did a re-acquire on the base station). Not good for a station that I don't see for months on end.
The fix was were the wires are soldered on the circuit board in the actual rain gauge. Those wires are covered with silicon sealant. And, that is the problem. Over time, the sealant shrinks and pulls away from the wires. This allows water to seep underneath the sealant and that causes your failure.
The fix is to remove the sealant (easy to do) and then just waterproof the wires with either nothing or some candle wax. That is the fix. It does not have to be complicated. Silicon Sealant is the curse. (there are better ways to waterproof things).
100mm of rain later, it is working fine.
Mike va3mw
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Lately, my rain gauge worked great.... as long as it wasn't raining.
:lol:
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If you have had it for "years", then that isn't too bad. Mine is brand new and works great.
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The real problem is the radio in the transmitters and receiver is not very reliable. As a radio guy using the right tools I guy see that the radio frequencies drifts all over the place.
Mike
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Thanks for the tip.
I took my rain gauge down and was able to get it going again based on your instructions.
Now if it will just las another 6 mos.
Thanks!
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Well it did not last and conked out again.
I just bought my 4th RGR968 rain gauge today (lucky find on ebay......again).
Why do I do this to myself?
This summer I get to switch to my Davis unit in NM and bid Oregon Scientific farewell forever.
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I've tried to reconnect wires to the pc boards in OS devices and always had an impossible time with it.
The solder just does NOT want to melt and flow. I have a good solder station it just does not seem to act like....solder.
Anyone know what I am talking about? Is it a special formulation by the Chinese?
Any tricks to making it act right?
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You may be used to tin/lead solder, while they may be using ROHS lead free solder. It can act the way you describe.
First of all, ensure that there is no clear coating on the solder. Then, try getting a blob of tin/lead solder on the iron tip and see if that helps. If it's hot enough to melt the Chinese solder, the tin/lead solder should alloy with it and make it easier to work.
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I'll try that.
I've been watching a few videos on the net about fixing phones and they always dob some rosin flux on the connection before they start.
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OS has the worst engineers on the planet.
The wires running from the "solar collectors" to the battery charger had rotted off.
They really must not have planned for this to be outdoors.
Oddly the anemometer is the original unit.....the only original unit.
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It looks like my patch job is working. At least my WMR968 reading is changing.
When I get the new one from Ebay I'm going to get a can of that Flex Seal stuff and cover everything with it before I put it up.
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It died again