Author Topic: AA battery and solar on 968  (Read 4719 times)

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Offline quasarba

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AA battery and solar on 968
« on: April 13, 2009, 01:58:22 PM »
With the solar battery depleted should just the AA battery allow it to work on the sensors? I try to reset with new aa batteries and nothing happens.

Later after there is some power from solar I guess I can get a blink from red light, reset it and reset console but still blank ---, not 0.00. Do I need to replace solar battery no matter what? Thanks
« Last Edit: April 13, 2009, 01:59:57 PM by quasarba »

Offline Downlinerz2

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Re: AA battery and solar on 968
« Reply #1 on: April 13, 2009, 02:04:39 PM »
  quasarbo,
    Did you try to force scan by pushing and hold the "channel button" on the console?  Hold till you hear second beep.
        Mark

Offline SlowModem

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Re: AA battery and solar on 968
« Reply #2 on: April 13, 2009, 02:37:21 PM »
I don't know but you might have to disconnect the rechargeable batteries to run strictly on AA batteries, but I wouldn't think so.  Be sure to reset the transmitter, and press and hold the channel button on the console.
Greg Whitehead
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Offline quasarba

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Re: AA battery and solar on 968
« Reply #3 on: April 13, 2009, 04:29:54 PM »
I always reset the console and the transmitter, problem is the transmitter is dead or if it is blinking the console never picks it up when holding down channel till second beep. Just stays ---, got it to work once and showed 0.00, then back to ---, solar battery is down or not enough sun? Why wouldn't the AA make it work? I will unplug the solar battery and see what happens.

Offline SlowModem

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Re: AA battery and solar on 968
« Reply #4 on: April 13, 2009, 04:36:37 PM »
I just remembered.  Another thing you might try is to take the AA batteries and the rechargeable batteries out and let the transmitter sit for 24 hours.  OS Tech Support told me once that's called a "hard" reset (or reboot).
Greg Whitehead
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Offline mackbig

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Re: AA battery and solar on 968
« Reply #5 on: April 13, 2009, 06:06:42 PM »
Which sensor is it (rain, wind, thermo/hygro)  Is it possible that the cable got compromised.  My rain gauge wire got whipper snippered last year. 

You can test the xmitter by swapping with one of the working ones.  If it works after that, you have it narrow to xmitter or cable.

Andrew

Andrew - Davis VP2+ 6163, serial weatherlink, wireless anemometer, running Weather Display.  Boltek PCI Stormtracker, Astrogenic Nexstorm, Strikestar - UNI, CWOP CW8618, GrLevel3, (Station 2 OS WMR968, VWS 13.01p09), Windows 7-64

Offline sam2004gp

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Re: AA battery and solar on 968
« Reply #6 on: April 13, 2009, 06:47:06 PM »
Sometimes these issues, seem like dealing with vodoo.
SAM --->>> http://www.mountcrawfordweather.org
OS WMR-968 with a Dedicated PWS Weather Computer running VWS v13.01 p09


Offline quasarba

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Re: AA battery and solar on 968
« Reply #7 on: April 15, 2009, 03:31:18 PM »
I just remembered.  Another thing you might try is to take the AA batteries and the rechargeable batteries out and let the transmitter sit for 24 hours.  OS Tech Support told me once that's called a "hard" reset (or reboot).


Tried this and so far so good, will check tonight. Thanks

Offline sam2004gp

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Re: AA battery and solar on 968
« Reply #8 on: April 15, 2009, 06:25:29 PM »
I hope that it works out for you. 

Some more thoughts I had....

Along the same lines, as one of the other posts, try taking the batteries out of the console rather than just hitting the reset button.  After I got my replacement anemometer, one of my consoles would sync up and the other would not.  I tried the "channel scan" and the reset in back of the console but that did not fix it.  Once I removed all power sources from that console for about minute, then did another "channel scan", all worked fine again.

On the other side, about three months after purchasing my WMR968, the symptoms that you describe were similar to my malfunctioning outdoor temp/hydro sensor.  I was lucky enough to get it replaced under warrenty, from my neighborhood "mom and pop" electronics store, where my wife had purchased it as a gift. 
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Offline quasarba

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Re: AA battery and solar on 968
« Reply #9 on: April 17, 2009, 11:18:23 AM »
Still doing good now that I have it going with the batteries and getting some sun!

Offline quasarba

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Re: AA battery and solar on 968
« Reply #10 on: April 20, 2009, 11:14:29 AM »
It worked ok for a couple of days and then quit. Tried an old temperature sensor and plugged into the two transmitters I had tried with the rain gauge. As soon as I did red light! I was lucky to get a new rain gage and transmitter for $30! It should be in this week and will see if everything works ok.

Offline sam2004gp

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Re: AA battery and solar on 968
« Reply #11 on: April 20, 2009, 11:17:05 AM »
I pretty much figured it was a hardware failure.  Oh well. :-)
SAM --->>> http://www.mountcrawfordweather.org
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Offline mackbig

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Re: AA battery and solar on 968
« Reply #12 on: April 20, 2009, 11:19:43 AM »
so its not the battery pack/xmitter. that's good.

Still might be as simple as a kink/break in the cable that is cauing a short or off and on type scenario.  Makes sense since it seemed to work for a few days.

if its the board on the sensor, its toast.

Since you have already ordered a replacement you are good.  But I would still re-wire the unit, then test, hopefully you will end up with a hot backup to the new one.

Andrew


It worked ok for a couple of days and then quit. Tried an old temperature sensor and plugged into the two transmitters I had tried with the rain gauge. As soon as I did red light! I was lucky to get a new rain gage and transmitter for $30! It should be in this week and will see if everything works ok.

Andrew - Davis VP2+ 6163, serial weatherlink, wireless anemometer, running Weather Display.  Boltek PCI Stormtracker, Astrogenic Nexstorm, Strikestar - UNI, CWOP CW8618, GrLevel3, (Station 2 OS WMR968, VWS 13.01p09), Windows 7-64