Author Topic: Davis flatlining  (Read 5013 times)

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Offline Bashy

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Davis flatlining
« on: April 07, 2017, 04:26:28 AM »
Hi folks

I have a Davis VP2 Plus with extra temp for night cloud and Leaf wetness for rain duration
using weatherlink USB I also have an OS 968 running with 3 extra sensors for similar to the
Davis setup again on USB. Both stations are on the same PC running separate instances of
WD.

The issue i am having is that the Davis will, at random and normally once a day or other day
flatline in WD.

I have, for now shut down the OS WD and removed the USB to serial from the PC.

Do you think that its possible that the  OS station USB could be causing the Weatherlink
USB to stop receiving data? I wish i had gone serial now and that will be changing very soon
as i want the Weatherlink 6544 Alarm output. In the mean time though, it would be interesting
to try to figure out what is actually going on, oh and the pc USB is set not to shut down too

Any thoughts please?
Kind regards
Bashy

Online mcrossley

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Re: Davis flatlining
« Reply #1 on: April 07, 2017, 04:31:11 AM »
Power saving enabled on your USB ports/hubs?
Mark

Offline Bashy

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Re: Davis flatlining
« Reply #2 on: April 07, 2017, 04:34:43 AM »
Hi Mark, no, that's turned off, I am using maximum performance too.. Wouldn't be so bad if it was as specific times, I could possibly narrow it down, when it happened last night, it was just after I had turned off the monitors and went to bed, I just so happened to check it after I finished reading and it had flatlined, had to get up and go sort it, that's when I pulled the plug on the OS.

PS just literally checked the USB ports in device manager too, they are all set to
off re power management
« Last Edit: April 07, 2017, 04:40:08 AM by Bashy »
Kind regards
Bashy

Offline weatherc

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Re: Davis flatlining
« Reply #3 on: April 07, 2017, 08:11:29 AM »
I have had the flatline-issue with Davis-VirtualVP-WD for years and have never figured out what cause it. For me do it happen maybe twice a month. The most disturbing thing with it is that while WeatherLink stops/resuming receiving data OK during those cases do WD just flatline what mess up the data in WD.
As result do i seriously think about putting WD in junk-bin and go the Raspberry+WeeWX-route instead.

Offline Bashy

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Re: Davis flatlining
« Reply #4 on: April 07, 2017, 09:20:08 AM »
I wont bin WD, albeit it is a pain having to modify the data before restarting WD, its not really
a WD fault perse' its  pain not knowing why weatherlink stops talking to the USB, i believe that
its also random as to who has the issue too, as not everyone with a USB WL has this issue?

I will end up getting the serial alarm version, just hope that it dont do it with the serial to USB
is this possible that it might still do it?

Is it possible that its because i have the OS running alongside it?
Kind regards
Bashy

Offline weatherc

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Re: Davis flatlining
« Reply #5 on: April 07, 2017, 09:26:33 AM »
I wont bin WD, albeit it is a pain having to modify the data before restarting WD, its not really
a WD fault perse
Not me either but its handling of flatlines are just crap vs Weatherlink what handles it correct (stops receiving data). Btw. i have serial-USB-extender and i have tryed multiple ones. The last one with drivers from the manfacturer.

Offline Bashy

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Re: Davis flatlining
« Reply #6 on: April 07, 2017, 09:27:38 AM »
Ah poo, so you have the serial WL?
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Bashy

Offline weatherc

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Re: Davis flatlining
« Reply #7 on: April 07, 2017, 09:28:53 AM »
Ah poo, so you have the serial WL?
Yep.

Offline Bashy

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Re: Davis flatlining
« Reply #8 on: April 07, 2017, 09:29:59 AM »
Dammit, i was hoping that would resolve things, Is there such as thing as a PCI card that has serial?
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Bashy

Offline Bashy

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Re: Davis flatlining
« Reply #9 on: April 07, 2017, 09:31:04 AM »
Forget that, yes there are, i thought so, perhaps this would be a better way to go?
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Bashy

Offline weatherc

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Re: Davis flatlining
« Reply #10 on: April 07, 2017, 09:32:53 AM »
I don't know.

Offline Bashy

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Re: Davis flatlining
« Reply #11 on: April 07, 2017, 09:34:36 AM »
For £15 i think its worth the risk, its either that or buy the serial to USB and i now know
that too is an issue, i will order one when it get the new WL, thanks for the twoing and frowing :
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Bashy

Offline eyecue

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Re: Davis flatlining
« Reply #12 on: April 07, 2017, 12:44:37 PM »
Did you look in the event viewer for windows to see if there are any corresponding events logged at the same time that your station flatlines? Have you tried running the computer in safemode with networking or using a modified start up with minimum drivers installed?
Cocorahs, Skywarn, Aficionado of weather. Davis VP2  pro wireless, Oregon Scientific and DIY.

Offline Bashy

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Re: Davis flatlining
« Reply #13 on: April 07, 2017, 12:50:58 PM »
No, no and nope, didnt even think to think it could be a windows issue, thats a good point, if and when it does do it again
i will have a look in the event viewer and see whats what, as for safe mode, that woudlnt work would it due to minimal
drivers being loaded? i fear that the USB drivers for WL wont load?

Anyhoo, thats a good idea re' event viewer, thanks, will report back if and when i know more :)
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Bashy

Offline waiukuweather

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Re: Davis flatlining
« Reply #14 on: April 07, 2017, 01:48:58 PM »
WD does now detect a flat line for the OS WMR200 station and so then stops logging data, so that on restart it will add the missed history data correctly on to that stop
that could be done for the Davis VP
No one has suggested it though


Offline Josiah

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Re: Davis flatlining
« Reply #15 on: April 07, 2017, 02:45:33 PM »
One thing I ran into with the Davis USB logger: I had a florescent desk lamp and whenever I turned it on the USB connection would disconnect.
A real PITA when I'm trying to develop software...

Aside from replacing the lamp, I never really tried to figure out what specifically about it was causing the issue. My best guess, it was an RFI (Radio Frequency Interference) spike generated by the light igniting which was enough to mess up the logger's USB to Serial chip. That RFI could have been carried back through the power cables, or picked up wirelessly via the USB cable.

You may have something similar going. As a starting point, here's a list of some common sources of RFI: http://www.naic.edu/~sondy/rfi.html

One way to help fix RFI problems, utilize snap-on ferrite chokes for power and\or data carrying cables such as the USB cable.

Just a few thoughts.

Offline weatherc

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Re: Davis flatlining
« Reply #16 on: April 07, 2017, 03:27:45 PM »
WD does now detect a flat line for the OS WMR200 station and so then stops logging data, so that on restart it will add the missed history data correctly on to that stop
that could be done for the Davis VP
No one has suggested it though

That would be a great thing indeed.

Offline dalecoy

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Re: Davis flatlining
« Reply #17 on: April 07, 2017, 05:38:38 PM »
So, I'm confused - is the problem with the Davis hardware?  Or with the WD software?  Or can you tell?

Offline waiukuweather

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Re: Davis flatlining
« Reply #18 on: April 07, 2017, 05:59:43 PM »
there are not many users of the software with this particular problem
so I would be inclined to go with Josiah

Offline Bashy

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Re: Davis flatlining
« Reply #19 on: April 08, 2017, 01:53:00 AM »
Hi Josiah,

I am going to rule out RFI at this point due to this

Wireless (turn wireless off on your computer and phone so they do not transmit)
Bluetooth
Cordless telephones
Remote mice and slide advancers
Mobile phones: Edge, 3G, 4G, LTE...

This was the 1st section in the list from the link ya posted, all of the above are involved, i.e. the PC has a bluetooth speaker,
i have my cordless phone off its cradle and lays where the pc is, the PC has Wifi for connection, although, just switched to
those powerline networking things (last few days so not that either) Mouse and keyboard is bluetooth and my Galaxy Note 3
sits on the desk a lot throughout the day so, if its one of those things, it would be happening all the time, wouldnt it?
I will not rule out ferrite choke thingys though, open to all trials :) To add, there is no set time of day that this happens, it is totally
random but, its mostly been during the daytime, happen once at night shortly after i closed down the monitors, its not those either
cause when its happened during the day, ive not touched the monitors, they are on from dusk till dawn basically (solar panels on the house, so i can :D )

dalecoy, i dont think its a WD issue, but, what i havent tried is closing WD and seeing if it still flatlines in WL too, that would rule out WD

Oh and i dont use virtualVP either, just direct. USB

Sods law, it aint done it since i started this thread, it normally does it when i am away from it, and its died for at least an hour....
Kind regards
Bashy

Offline Bashy

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Re: Davis flatlining
« Reply #20 on: April 08, 2017, 02:16:17 AM »
WD does now detect a flat line for the OS WMR200 station and so then stops logging data, so that on restart it will add the missed history data correctly on to that stop
that could be done for the Davis VP
No one has suggested it though

That would be a great thing indeed.

sadly i cannot ask over there as one got himself banned for life...... 
Kind regards
Bashy

Offline weatherc

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Re: Davis flatlining
« Reply #21 on: April 08, 2017, 04:06:45 AM »
So, I'm confused - is the problem with the Davis hardware?  Or with the WD software?  Or can you tell?

I would say its not a problem with WD itself as also WL stops getting data but WD should handle flatlines better. That should be core thing for any software what collects data.

Offline Bashy

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Re: Davis flatlining
« Reply #22 on: April 08, 2017, 04:14:41 AM »
Ah, no need to test WL now then....
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Bashy

Offline hankster

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Re: Davis flatlining
« Reply #23 on: April 08, 2017, 09:47:30 AM »
It's not just an issue with the USB version, the IP version (on a Vue) would flatline too. That would force me to reboot the Davis console to get it working again. I finally bought the Belfreboy logger and haven't had any problems for a month.

Offline Bashy

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Re: Davis flatlining
« Reply #24 on: April 08, 2017, 09:53:01 AM »
Not good, so not really worth me buying the serial version then? I really wanted the alarm output too :(
Kind regards
Bashy

 

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