Author Topic: !Rainwise! (Read 2920 times)

toofarout · « **on:** January 06, 2015, 01:51:16 PM »

My thought for the day ...

Those Rainwise folks are absolutely positively wonderful!

ggsteve · « **Reply #1 on:** January 06, 2015, 06:23:49 PM »

Would you care to expand on that comment? Rainwise has been very supportive of me while they try to fix a problem they have with my brand new ISS. Then again, it's been 2 1/2 months and they haven't fixed it yet.

toofarout · « **Reply #2 on:** January 07, 2015, 01:48:32 AM »

Hi GGSTEVE,
First, I do not yet have a rainwise or any other pws, just so you know that I'm coming from a lack of experience.

Anyway, just like everyone, I have some site problems (my top ones are almost total lack of sun for nearly 2 months , prolonged cold temperatures, more than enough temperatures below -40F/-45f, even below -50 and a few times below -60f. Pretty much all of those are real hard on batteries and electronics, and most companies don't provide temperature sensors that register and record below -40. And, I have some expectations of what I want to get from a pws, top of the list being accuratly sensing, recording and disseminating all of temperatures. Even when it's too cold to breathe.

The rainwise folk have been working with me to see if there is a way to use their system where I live, *and* meet my expectations. I am more than hopeful that this will work out! Maybe I won't be able to afford it, but maybe I will, though I might have to save up for it. Then I will be a happy camper. The goal is to keep the control box with the electronics and battery warm enough to function well without interfering with the temperature sensor, and keeping the battery charged even when there is not enough sun for charging.

I know that you have been having trouble and mega frustrations with your rainwise unit. And I'm very sorry about that. Surely that has to disappointing for you, understatement of the year, huh?
I'm hoping whatever the problem has been is just a fluke, and will be corrected before I get together enough money to purchase mine. Selfish of me I know.

ggsteve · « **Reply #3 on:** January 07, 2015, 09:18:38 AM »

I believe they have a couple units in the field testing a fix. I'm not really a good candidate for field testing as my unit is way up on the peak of the roof, and getting up there is a chore in good weather and near impossible now that the snow and ice have come.

Now, disregarding the problem with my unit, the build quality is superb. I have a Davis VP2 on the roof of my high school and it is a quality unit, but it doesn't seem nearly as heavily built as my Rainwise. I hope Rainwise confirms a fix for my problem in the near future and that I can expect decades of quality service after that.

Their sensor specifications do seem to handle greater extremes than the other "prosumer" stations. Tonight is expected to be about as cold as it typically gets here, maybe 10 below. That's enough for me. I hope I never have to test the limits at 60 below like you do!

Feelgood Ranch · « **Reply #4 on:** January 07, 2015, 09:20:20 AM »

Interesting posts!
Keep us informed of your progress. I remain a customer of RainWise products since 1992 and applaud their attention to detail and customer service. They are just "good folks".

Ken Keyes

toofarout · « **Reply #5 on:** January 07, 2015, 01:35:33 PM »

Quote from: ggsteve on January 07, 2015, 09:18:38 AM

I believe they have a couple units in the field testing a fix. I'm not really a good candidate for field testing as my unit is way up on the peak of the roof, and getting up there is a chore in good weather and near impossible now that the snow and ice have come.

Their sensor specifications do seem to handle greater extremes than the other "prosumer" stations. Tonight is expected to be about as cold as it typically gets here, maybe 10 below. That's enough for me. I hope I never have to test the limits at 60 below like you do!

Oooooohhhhhhh, they could "test" a unit at my place!

Yesterday morning it was -30F, this morning it jumped to zero! A heat wave for sure.
I hope I never have to endure -60 again. The longer I live here (or maybe it is just the older I get), the harder it is to tolerate the really low temps.
-10 is cold enough.

It is time to start saving for my rainwise!

Richie Cohen · « **Reply #6 on:** January 07, 2015, 02:54:04 PM »

Steve,

We do currently have a few boards out in field testing and the results so far have been very good. I will be checking in with the testers at the end of this week and then we should have a solid solution. it was time consuming as we had testing it here ourselves MANY times and have never seen the issue. Was hard to solve a problem we couldn't see! But I believe we have located it and taken care of it.

Richie Cohen · « **Reply #7 on:** January 07, 2015, 02:55:59 PM »

Toofarout,

I imagine you are working with Wayne. We have a number of units in Alaska that see temperatures close to what you are reading, -40's and the systems work well, sometimes an additional charging mechanism is needed in areas that get 2-4 hours of sunlight. The -60 though may need some extra heat as you mentioned.

toofarout · « **Reply #8 on:** January 07, 2015, 03:26:12 PM »

Quote from: fubar701 on January 07, 2015, 02:55:59 PM

Toofarout,

I imagine you are working with Wayne. We have a number of units in Alaska that see temperatures close to what you are reading, -40's and the systems work well, sometimes an additional charging mechanism is needed in areas that get 2-4 hours of sunlight. The -60 though may need some extra heat as you mentioned.

It is Lonnie who I have been in contact with, through email.
He probably got with Wayne on what could/can be done but I have not spoken with Wayne myself.
It's great to hear that there are units already in Alaska working at below -40f.

I actually have maybe 1 1/2 months with *zero* sunlight because of a tall ridge across the valley to the south. It does get light, but it is pretty dim light. When the sun finally peaks over the ridge it is there for just about a couple of minutes. I usually do a celebration dance.

Thanks for replying!

Richie Cohen · « **Reply #9 on:** January 07, 2015, 03:38:16 PM »

Toofarout,

Yes some stations have been there since 1980. i think in total about 500 units in Alaska that are registered. I have done some testing and gotten 4-5 months on the newer systems running located in a dark deep freezer, and the battery failed at about the 5 month mark with no light what so ever.

ggsteve · « **Reply #10 on:** January 07, 2015, 04:23:05 PM »

Quote from: fubar701 on January 07, 2015, 02:54:04 PM

Steve,

We do currently have a few boards out in field testing and the results so far have been very good. I will be checking in with the testers at the end of this week and then we should have a solid solution. it was time consuming as we had testing it here ourselves MANY times and have never seen the issue. Was hard to solve a problem we couldn't see! But I believe we have located it and taken care of it.

That's great news. My fingers are crossed that this is resolved.

DaleReid · « **Reply #11 on:** January 07, 2015, 05:24:36 PM »

You have to remember that at those temperatures, without some sort of stimulation to the battery, there isn't much chemical reaction to create a voltage. Tough conditions, for sure. I doubt we'll get a plutonium generator approved for such locations, though.

Sue, how have the northern lights been this year?

Dale

VaJim · « **Reply #12 on:** January 07, 2015, 08:04:26 PM »

Quote from: ggsteve on January 06, 2015, 06:23:49 PM

Would you care to expand on that comment? Rainwise has been very supportive of me while they try to fix a problem they have with my brand new ISS. Then again, it's been 2 1/2 months and they haven't fixed it yet.

...just curious...what's an ISS?

I know Davis and perhaps some others refer to it as their 'Integrated Sensor Suite'. Not sure that term or abbreviation has ever made its way to the Rainwise website or catalog. More than likely its simply called The MK-lll (LR) Sensor Assembly.

ggsteve · « **Reply #13 on:** January 07, 2015, 08:09:22 PM »

Yeah, you're probably right. I am referring to the sensor array in my avatar, however, mine is not the LR version. I get confused because I have a Davis too.

VaJim · « **Reply #14 on:** January 07, 2015, 08:14:53 PM »

Quote from: ggsteve on January 07, 2015, 08:09:22 PM

Yeah, you're probably right. I am referring to the sensor array in my avatar, however, mine is not the LR version. I get confused because I have a Davis too.

cool....yours is like mine. Good luck. I actually have 4 stations in the backyard. Only Rainwise gets the title of 'Backyard Weather'.

ggsteve · « **Reply #15 on:** January 07, 2015, 08:33:59 PM »

One of my next purchases is going to be a second station in the backyard for comparison. Probably an Ambient 1400. The other possibility is a Vantage Vue.

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