Topic: 2810 (2) New Problem ?

[VaJim]

...well it's day 6 and the 2810 (2) is still plugging along.  The sun is due up soon and should have some good recharge action.  Last night I noticed something strange. The pressure history graph had dropped out (blank) on one of it's bars. This morning while in mode 1 the bars fill in from the right and now the last 2 bars (18 & 24) are blank.  When I shift it over to mode 2 the 24hr bar is the only one blank.  I hope it's only a hiccup and it just missed some readings..?  Will keep an eye on it.

[DanS]

That's something I haven't seen happen here or heard about from anyone else (yet?).  I didn't read anything in the manual about this.  Do you any software running that has barometric records to compare with during the same time period it happened? Give LaCrosse a call perhaps if it doesn't correct itself?

[VaJim]

Thanks Dan

The pressure history is starting to fill back in.  In mode 1 only the 24hr range is blank.  However, back to our main concern (anny failure), tonight I'm starting to see NO receiver icon in the anny block. It still shows a wind speed and direction, just no icon. The rain and temp is fine.  This is the first time I've noticed this.  Usually all three would grab and display the received data icon.  Might need to send out funeral notices.

quick update...just looked over at the display and did see the dashes of death in the anny for a few seconds then it bounced back.  I feel the end is near.

[DanS]

Are you using the store packaged supplied batteries? If so, tried swapping them for other fresher ones in the temp/hygo sensor and console? hmmm, seeing wind data without the connection icon.... strange indeed. I thought you mentioned that you just got that system. Is there still a chance of returning it for another?

[VaJim]

I'm using the batteries that came with the unit for they have the same expiration date (2016) as all my others.  If I do return this one, it'll be for a cash refund.  I'm too tired to go through this a 3rd time.  Besides when I stopped by my local Costco last week they only had one left.

The way I understand it, the unit may display data without a icon, but if this lasts for 4(?) minutes then the receiver (thermo) stops looking and you get the dashes.

[DanS]

That's really too bad that you have to go through all the bad luck you've had. Makes me wonder if there are different production batches or lots that clump together in the various stores. Like your Costco received a bad run of them yet another location has good ones?? To hear the horror stories from some members (like yours) about going through several sets and yet nothing or no complaints from others makes me wonder.

[VaJim]

Thanks Dan

I'll keep all posted.  Maybe I'm wrong and it will survive.  Monday will be a week.  Oh, wait, more rain due late tomorrow.  Another opportunity to excel.

[DanS]

My fingers are crossed!
Just as a note, mine too came with 2016 dated duracells inside that measured good with a meter but I went ahead and swapped the temp/hygro's with newer one's I bought that day. It seems the temp'hygo sensor is the workhorse of the 3 units communicating with each other and I did this just to eliminate any possible comm drop-outs. Along this thinking I did notice LaCrosse tech support (cough) mentioning 90% of all these problems were because of batteries. I know, easy generic answer, magic cure all, etc. but I swapped them just to eliminate that possibility.

[DanS]

...well it's day 6 and the 2810 (2) is still plugging along.  The sun is due up soon and should have some good recharge action.  Last night I noticed something strange. The pressure history graph had dropped out (blank) on one of it's bars. This morning while in mode 1 the bars fill in from the right and now the last 2 bars (18 & 24) are blank.  When I shift it over to mode 2 the 24hr bar is the only one blank.  I hope it's only a hiccup and it just missed some readings..?  Will keep an eye on it.

Been doing some diggin' and thinkin' on this baro graph thing. I looked on Wu at your baro pressure graph for around that time frame.
 Do you think it's possible that a broad swing in pressure may show the highs on the console but not the lows if they are spread too much?  Like no auto-scaling on the console graph? As your chart shows, approx. 30.22 high and 29.62 low is just too much of a spread for the scale of the console scrolling graph? I haven't had that much of a pressure swing here yet to see for myself. Just a thought.

[VaJim]

...well it looks like the pressure history graph problem was only a bump in the road.  Things this morning (mode 1) have all bars filling in.  The anny is still transmitting and the dash of death is not present.  Not sure what caused the baro drop out.  Thanks for the detective work.  That Rainwise never misses a beat.

As far as batteries, I may take your advice.  I'm headed over to Costco this PM to pick up a pack of 'C' batteries and may just go ahead and change the thermo and the display out. 

Heavy rain moving in tonight so the 2810 gets another Chance in the ring.

[DanS]

Good news to hear... hope it all hangs in there for this next upcoming event. Thanks for the update.

[VaJim]

Dan:  You were right!

I was just watching the display and it kept trying to receive a signal from all sensors.  After 4 minutes (from the manual) the dashes of death appeared on all.  I had picked up a pack of new (Mar 2016) C batteries today at Costco.  I went out to the Thermo sensor and installed 2 new batteries.  Went back and re-synched everything and now all sensors are back.  Amazing!

Maybe that was what was wrong with the first unit.  The CSR from Lacrosse never mentioned 'check' the batteries;.

Thanks!

Rain due in 3 hours.

[DanS]

Good deal! Yeah, I've been finding out just how much that temp/hygro sensor means to the overall operation, including only losing wind data. It's easy to "assume" the anny is at fault when this happens when it's actually the temp/hygro dropping that portion for some reason. Anyway happy to hear you're back up again! Next, the approaching rain and seeing if you may need to "tweak" that gauge a little. If yours is like many others I've been reading about it may read close to 2X the real amount.  Great hobby isn't it!?  

[SlowModem]

Dan:  You were right!

He's a pretty sharp cookie!   

[VaJim]

Update....well we're at day 7 (one week) and the 2810 (2) is still ticking.   Today was a real test.  We had a 30mph wind gust and nearly an inch of rain. 

Read a post over on the 'Greg in the desert' blog where someone says he thinks Lacrosse is aware that the anny (some) have a leakage problem.  There was some discussion on Lacrosse possibly replacing the anny.  Interesting. 

...for now...mine continues to be on probation under a close watch.  More to follow.

Thanks for not falling asleep.

[DanS]

Update....well we're at day 7 (one week) and the 2810 (2) is still ticking.   Today was a real test.  We had a 30mph wind gust and nearly an inch of rain.  

Read a post over on the 'Greg in the desert' blog where someone says he thinks Lacrosse is aware that the anny (some) have a leakage problem.  There was some discussion on Lacrosse possibly replacing the anny.  Interesting. 

...for now...mine continues to be on probation under a close watch.  More to follow.

Thanks for not falling asleep.

Good to hear! That 30mph wind, inch of rain sounds like a good test too. Alright!

[VaJim]

...well the 2810 (2) is still ticking sorta.  The missing bar graph is back and the anny dropped out (dashes of death) but came back after only a few seconds.

I'm wondering if replacing the batteries in the display would help with the bar graph problem.

[DanS]

Is the barometric pressure there varying pretty much? I ask because I've been watching my graph along with the pressure here and saw my graph go down to only 2 horizontal bars in one of the columns today. This was following the pressure drop in the area and it if would have dropped a little more then those 2 horizontal bars may have been none. A blank field. After reading the manual again about this it says the first column, far right, stays at mid-scale and represents the current pressure. All the rest follow after it and rise (if the current press. is dropping) or go down (if the current press. is rising). I know it's confusing at first and I have difficulty putting into text. Bottom line is, if your area pressure is changing rapid enough then the graph's range may be exceeded for the time and nothing's really wrong.

Separate issue. I've also noticed that moving the console around different areas (still in range of the sensors) can cause temporary wind data drop outs (a little later) just like you describe. Mine will run just fine for a week or more and I'll pick up the console for whatever reason and put it back only to see a drop in the wind data for a brief period. After that it's happy again until the next time I decide to move it. Maybe just mine.?.?.

Rain / water seal part holding up o.k.?

edit: Just got off WU looking at your press. chart and you do have a pretty good pressure swing. May be all that's happening. Perhaps when the barometric pressure around there starts to level off then you won't see the blank columns anymore. I hope.

[PNWFlyer]

The barometric graph on the display unit rescales based on the trended pressures, so as someone suggested, if there's significant swings in the pressure that will happen. In Washington last week we had record low pressures, my lowest measurement was 28.95, so at one point there was only 1 bar displaying. Very interesting El nino effects.

I was also a victim of the leaking anny and have had uninterrupted signal for 21 days now, following a total of about 6 inches of rain during that time.

[DanS]

The barometric graph on the display unit rescales based on the trended pressures, so as someone suggested, if there's significant swings in the pressure that will happen. In Washington last week we had record low pressures, my lowest measurement was 28.95, so at one point there was only 1 bar displaying. Very interesting El nino effects.

I was also a victim of the leaking anny and have had uninterrupted signal for 21 days now, following a total of about 6 inches of rain during that time.

Good deal and think you got that leak problem under control with 6" of rain and still clickin' along. Chalk up another successful recovery.
How's your rain measurements compared to other local readings (manual gauge, nearby station equip., airport, etc.)? Appear to be accurate or closer to twice the amount as everywhere else? I ask because the over measuring has been noted with some of the 2810 systems but fairly easy to remedy.

[VaJim]

Day 11...and its' still clicking.  Tonight and tomorrow we're 'suppose' to get 10" of snow.  That with the possible sleet or frozen rain will make one heck of a test for the 2810.  Ru rah.....

[DanS]

Day 11...and its' still clicking.  Tonight and tomorrow we're 'suppose' to get 10" of snow.  That with the possible sleet or frozen rain will make one heck of a test for the 2810.  Ru rah.....

(Similar to the MADIS green thumbs up  )

[VaJim]

well I believe the end has come.  The anny has stopped transmitting.  I've tried to reset it a couple of times.  Can't really do anything since we've got about 10" of snow.  I think I'll drop Lacrosse a note and see what they say.  Will probably end up taking it back to Costco next week.

[VaJim]

well perhaps I spoke too soon.  about 10-15 minutes after i tried to re-synch it twice, the anny came back.   during the time that it was dead we were having almost blizzard conditions.   it sure is trying hard.  the weather yesterday was brutal and this morning is not much better.

[GWD]

Hate to be a wet blanket here but the Costco 2810 with Heavy Weather just never worked right for me. Rain amounts were consistently about double compared to the NWS station at the airport two miles away and with my old tube gauge. The last straw was either the batteries in the solar powered anemometer or the solar panel itself failed (apparently - since Heavy Weather showed it to be one bar charged) with no data. This after three months.

Thank goodness for Costco's generous return policy. However, I was now bitten by the weather bug and needed my daily fix. A Davis VP2 is arriving with an Envoy and Weatherlink on Tuesday. Yes, it is ten times the price of the 2810 but I'm looking at having a much more reliable unit with high quality that will last a looooong time.

You are to be commended for your patience with the 2810.