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Weather Station Hardware => Davis Instruments Weather Stations => Topic started by: wrz0170 on December 17, 2017, 10:18:36 PM

Title: Vantage Pro 2?
Post by: wrz0170 on December 17, 2017, 10:18:36 PM
Hello!  After I posted http://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=33376.0 (http://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=33376.0) here, I did a bit of reading and it appears that Vantage Pro 2 might do the trick.  Astrophotography and having fun with it.  I.e. uploading to WunderStation app or something similar.

With that said, I’m very new to the PWS hobby and recommendations on “must have” extras  and nice to have.  There appears to be a number of add ons, so basically where to start.

To recap, I live in a very sunny area.  Little shade.  Very windy at times (Reno, Nv). 

Thanks in advance for the assistance!

William
Title: Re: Vantage Pro 2?
Post by: wrz0170 on December 28, 2017, 12:57:58 PM
I suppose I didn’t ask the right questions on this. My bad on that.  Still looking at the Vantage Pro 2.  Model 6152 or 6153.   

Other than price difference , is there a reason one would go daytime fan as opposed to 24hr fan? Humid evenings?

Davis offers the data logging/Weather link package.  I see some purchase/make their own from a gentleman here.  Advantages? 

Any other aftermarket software to link the VP2 to Weather Underground?

Thanks!

William
Title: Re: Vantage Pro 2?
Post by: waiukuweather on December 28, 2017, 01:15:13 PM
if you get plenty of wind then maybe just the daytime fan?
there is plenty of 3rd party software available to use instead of weatherlink :)
Title: Re: Vantage Pro 2?
Post by: Aardvark on December 28, 2017, 01:17:21 PM
IF I were living where you are, I would go with the 24 hr. FARS.   You generally have hot days and cool nights,  The daytime unit only works when there is sun on the solar panel.  At night , if it is a muggy one, you want to get the air moving across the sensor.  I would go for the 24 hr.    And with it go with the VP2 Plus, that comes with the solar radiation and UV sensor  to complete the unit .  more expensive but valuable.

I have a VP2Plus FARS.  Wireless  and solar/UV sensors... soil moisture/temperature sensors.  A lot of good information on how things are above the ground and below.
Title: Re: Vantage Pro 2?
Post by: wrz0170 on December 28, 2017, 07:52:31 PM
if you get plenty of wind then maybe just the daytime fan?
there is plenty of 3rd party software available to use instead of weatherlink :)

Thanks!  Reno can be really windy at times.  Mostly very hot in the summer.  This past summer we had over 50 days of 90+.   I will not have a problem pointing those solar panels.  The nights are cool but I wouldn’t say muggy as genrally the humidity is low.

If I bought the daytime fan, is the 24 hour fan something I can add to the VP 2 at a later time? Davis appears to be modular from what I can see but not sure how modular!  :grin:

Any recommendations on 3rd party software that most gravitate towards?

William
Title: Re: Vantage Pro 2?
Post by: chief-david on December 28, 2017, 08:40:12 PM
Software

Virtual VP
Weatherlink for setup
Weatherdisplay
Title: Re: Vantage Pro 2?
Post by: wrz0170 on December 28, 2017, 11:26:38 PM
Software

Virtual VP
Weatherlink for setup
Weatherdisplay

Thank you!  I will look into these!
Title: Re: Vantage Pro 2?
Post by: wrz0170 on December 28, 2017, 11:29:01 PM
I use a VP2 Plus with 24 hour fan and Meteobridge (or Weatherbridge from Ambient Weather).  You can post to other weather servers besides WU, which is all built into the Meteobridge.  It also has the ability to update your own weather site without keeping a computer running 24/7 should you decide to do that.

I will look into this one as well!  Especially since I don’t want to run a computer 24/7.  Thanks!
Title: Re: Vantage Pro 2?
Post by: sho23 on December 29, 2017, 11:42:09 AM
Avoid the weatherlinkIP logger... its moody...
Title: Re: Vantage Pro 2?
Post by: Mattk on December 29, 2017, 03:25:38 PM
Avoid the weatherlinkIP logger... its moody...

It's what?
Title: Re: Vantage Pro 2?
Post by: johnd on December 29, 2017, 04:16:07 PM
It plugs into a Davis console and allows you to collect and upload data to the web without the need of a computer running.  I use the USB version which is hardwired to a computer or server which then uploads data to the web.

Whoosh!
Title: Re: Vantage Pro 2?
Post by: CW2274 on December 29, 2017, 04:19:40 PM
I was polite.... :-)
Title: Re: Vantage Pro 2?
Post by: sho23 on December 29, 2017, 05:19:54 PM
Avoid the weatherlinkIP logger... its moody...

It's what?

It's a piece of trash - lots of random connectivity issue, yada yada.
Title: Re: Vantage Pro 2?
Post by: nincehelser on December 29, 2017, 07:38:59 PM
It's a piece of trash - lots of random connectivity issue, yada yada.

Is it a 10Meg half-duplex device connected to a gigabit network by any chance?
Title: Re: Vantage Pro 2?
Post by: Mattk on December 29, 2017, 10:58:35 PM
Avoid the weatherlinkIP logger... its moody...

It's what?

It's a piece of trash - lots of random connectivity issue, yada yada.

Nah more like inexperience and/or bad supporting systems
Title: Re: Vantage Pro 2?
Post by: miraculon on December 30, 2017, 09:00:15 AM
It's a piece of trash - lots of random connectivity issue, yada yada.

Is it a 10Meg half-duplex device connected to a gigabit network by any chance?

Yup. Right from the specs/manual:

Network Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Base-T half duplex

Dunno about the OP's network though...

Greg H.
Title: Re: Vantage Pro 2?
Post by: nincehelser on December 30, 2017, 10:43:35 AM
It's a piece of trash - lots of random connectivity issue, yada yada.

Is it a 10Meg half-duplex device connected to a gigabit network by any chance?

Yup. Right from the specs/manual:

Network Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Base-T half duplex

Dunno about the OP's network though...

Greg H.

If they are attaching to a gig network, manually configuring the gigabit port to 10Meg half-duplex can do a world of good for stability.

Some gigabit gear does not auto-negotiate down to 10Meg half-duplex mode very well.  Problems range from "it won't work at all" to "it will work sometimes" depending on what happens at the next network interface reset.  Manual port configuration usually fixes that.

Acurite has been battling this issue with their SmartHUB.  Acurite is moving up to a 100Meg interface on their new Access (the next-generation SmartHUB) which should side-step the whole issue.
Title: Re: Vantage Pro 2?
Post by: LABob on December 31, 2017, 01:13:50 PM
Any recommendations on 3rd party software that most gravitate towards?

My main concern was not running a power-hungry PC 24x7, and not having to replace expensive components more often. I went with a Meteobridge (http://www.meteobridge.com/wiki/index.php/Home). It's worked great for over 4 years.
Title: Re: Vantage Pro 2?
Post by: wrz0170 on January 01, 2018, 12:11:55 AM
Any recommendations on 3rd party software that most gravitate towards?

My main concern was not running a power-hungry PC 24x7, and not having to replace expensive components more often. I went with a Meteobridge (http://www.meteobridge.com/wiki/index.php/Home). It's worked great for over 4 years.

I’m strongly considering Meteobridge.  It appears relatively easy to “make” with the suggested hardware.   Big thing as you mentioned, no need for computer 24/7. 
Title: Re: Vantage Pro 2?
Post by: LABob on January 01, 2018, 10:31:52 AM
The only thing I've noticed is that the USB datalogger being read constantly heats up the console a little bit, and unfortunately not consistently over time. This essentially trashes your indoor temperature and humidity readings. If those are at all important to you then you might want to consider those effects.
Title: Re: Vantage Pro 2?
Post by: wrz0170 on January 01, 2018, 10:45:16 AM
The only thing I've noticed is that the USB datalogger being read constantly heats up the console a little bit, and unfortunately not consistently over time. This essentially trashes your indoor temperature and humidity readings. If those are at all important to you then you might want to consider those effects.

Thank you for the heads up!  Which datalogger do you use?
Title: Re: Vantage Pro 2?
Post by: LABob on January 01, 2018, 10:48:33 AM
The Davis 6510 (https://www.scaledinstruments.com/product/davis-6510usb-weatherlink-windows-usb-port/)
Title: Re: Vantage Pro 2?
Post by: waiukuweather on January 01, 2018, 02:00:39 PM
you could extend the wiring to the temp sensor on the console itself to remove it from the console maybe?
Title: Re: Vantage Pro 2?
Post by: belfryboy on January 02, 2018, 02:49:27 AM
Extending the wiring to the console t/h sensor is not particularly feasible.
Title: Re: Vantage Pro 2?
Post by: sho23 on January 02, 2018, 03:05:22 PM
Quote
If they are attaching to a gig network, manually configuring the gigabit port to 10Meg half-duplex can do a world of good for stability.

Some gigabit gear does not auto-negotiate down to 10Meg half-duplex mode very well.  Problems range from "it won't work at all" to "it will work sometimes" depending on what happens at the next network interface reset.  Manual port configuration usually fixes that.

This interests me --- do you think it's enough info to ask my IT fellow "hey, can you check if the gigabit port related to that specific IP address is set to 10Meg half-duples?). I am pretty removed from how the setup goes internally (the IPLogger is connected to our district's internal network, the weatherlink is run on a virtual machine that's kept on 24/7) so pardon my lack of knowledge here.
Title: Re: Vantage Pro 2?
Post by: LABob on January 02, 2018, 03:09:25 PM
Pretty close. If you asked, "Can you check whether the port connected to the IP logger successfully negotiated 10Mbps half-duplex? It's supposed to auto-negotiate, but sometimes it doesn't work for some reason," your IT guy will know exactly what you're talking about.
Title: Re: Vantage Pro 2?
Post by: sho23 on January 02, 2018, 03:43:20 PM
Pretty close. If you asked, "Can you check whether the port connected to the IP logger successfully negotiated 10Mbps half-duplex? It's supposed to auto-negotiate, but sometimes it doesn't work for some reason," your IT guy will know exactly what you're talking about.

Awesome, thank you much!