Author Topic: My First PWS - Advice Requested.  (Read 2061 times)

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Offline wcndave

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My First PWS - Advice Requested.
« on: October 12, 2017, 11:32:13 AM »
I have one of these:



However you have to toggle between channels, some seem to far away or blocked to connect, and it's not really that "modern" anymore.

So I am looking at a "proper" PWS, and here are the requirements.

1. Must have display which is wife and family friendly with simple display of indoor / outdoor (temp/humidity/pressure) and forecast.
2. Ability to turn off display at night, preferably automatically, or at least an extreme dim mode.
3. External rain / wind sensors for looking at on app / web
4. I'd like to monitor workshop / garage as I work in there and gets cold in winter with windows open.
5. I'd like to monitor attic, as it get's hot / cold / wet / dry in summer / winter and we store things in there including perishable goods
6. The display will be a few walls and thick floor / roof away from external sensors
7. Upload data to somewhere for historical viewing / remote viewing (WU is fine)
8. Must work in Italy.

I'd really like:

9. Wall mountable display
10. Temp / Humidity sensors separate from wind / rain
11. Display to have pressure graph

Ideally I'd like:

12. UV / Solar sensors
13. Everything connected via wifi, as I have that throughout house (multiple access points) and is much better coverage than RF.

So... I started with the Acurite, as they seem to have a good interoperable system, and a nice HD screen.
However, it seems they simply don't work here, the "location" for WU can only be US and the tiemzones are all US, so all the data is out.
Shame, as you can have lots of sensors on the one display, and external sensors that separate windrain/temphumid

I then looked at La Crosse, as they have nice displays, and you can add as many sensors with location / names as you like and view them on app, and it all connects to WU.  However the new View app doesn't support any of their latest models (eg 330-2315).  I'm also not sure that it does pressure properly as it's not on any of the displays. Did allow external sensors that separate windrain/temphumid.

Davis is too expensive

Ambient Weather:

1002: Can't add additional sensors, 1001 costs nearly £500 in EU, radio might not reach
1401: has no display, could combine with 1001, however not sure that if the ObserverIP module could be connected to wired network in close proximity to sensors, and then the display pick up data from internal network.  Not found anything where it all works over Wi-Fi
2902 Osprey: nicest screen, rather cheap - which worries me - no separate sensors, can't add sensors, can't source in EU.

Aercus WeatherRanger: seems same as AW1001, display ok, but can't add sensors, no separate windrain/temphumid. Not sure if you can move between forecast and pressure graph on display.

Oregon: Can't find anything that really matches, external sensors work with horrible displays, or nice display with only temphumid sensors...

Am I missing something?  What I want can't be that strange?  Basic external 5 sensor array (temp/humid/rain/windspeed/direction), uploading to WU + 3 or 4 internal temp/humid points that I can see on display or app.

I have to say the Acurite was by far the best kind of ecosystem, except it's US only.
The La Crosse was pretty close (required app instead of display for most sensors), however was again US only, and doesn't support their own devices.

I'm willing to piece things together, and will consider various price ranges up to say €500 / £450.  Possibly more to extend to the extra locations around my property.

Hoping you can help!

Dave




Offline pfletch101

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Re: My First PWS - Advice Requested.
« Reply #1 on: October 12, 2017, 03:59:10 PM »
It is a pity that you have rejected Davis as "too expensive", Davis kit isn't cheap, but it is probably the only setup that will give you everything that you want at anything resembling an affordable price! I grant that Davis is particularly costly (excessively so, IMHO) for additional remote temperature/humidity sensors (and it looks like you want/need at least two of these), but there are somewhat lower-cost independent options for these measurements, which might be worth looking at.
Vantage Pro 2+ connected to Raspberry Pi running weewx by means of Meteo-Pi - data incorporated in domestic energy production (PV) and use monitoring system.

Offline wcndave

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Re: My First PWS - Advice Requested.
« Reply #2 on: October 13, 2017, 03:18:15 AM »
It is a pity that you have rejected Davis as "too expensive", Davis kit isn't cheap, but it is probably the only setup that will give you everything that you want at anything resembling an affordable price! I grant that Davis is particularly costly (excessively so, IMHO) for additional remote temperature/humidity sensors (and it looks like you want/need at least two of these), but there are somewhat lower-cost independent options for these measurements, which might be worth looking at.
The acurite and La Crosse both do what I wanted exactly, for $400 or less. The Davis was looking like $700+

It's just that we can't use the first two in Europe from what I heard.

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Offline pfletch101

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Re: My First PWS - Advice Requested.
« Reply #3 on: October 13, 2017, 09:22:42 AM »

The acurite and La Crosse both do what I wanted exactly, for $400 or less. The Davis was looking like $700+

It's just that we can't use the first two in Europe from what I heard.

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I (and others here) have had bad experiences with La Crosse kit, but my point was that if the cheaper options are not available or usable where you want to use them, they aren't really options - hence my original comment.
Vantage Pro 2+ connected to Raspberry Pi running weewx by means of Meteo-Pi - data incorporated in domestic energy production (PV) and use monitoring system.

Offline wcndave

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Re: My First PWS - Advice Requested.
« Reply #4 on: October 13, 2017, 10:02:30 AM »
Thanks, I appreciate that ;-)

I guess my point was, I was asking if, given it's possible to source cheaper options that work in the US, are there any cheaper options in Europe?  My father has Davis (he's a proper enthusiast), and I didn't really want to deal with loggers and weatherlink etc.

I was hoping there's some simple and relatively cheap option that covers, what I feel, is a fairly common / reasonable use case for those who have an interest, rather than being proper enthusiasts...

If I was to get the Davis sensor array only, what are the options around collecting and displaying the data?  The other thing, is that there seems to be no nice display option for davis, and that's really my #1 goal.  I'd like indoors + outdoors, and then wind/rain, on a nice friendly wall mounted display.

If I got Acurite, are there any work arounds for the US issue? (Perhaps I'd be better posting that on the Acurite board)

Thanks!

Dave

Offline BeaverMeadow

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Re: My First PWS - Advice Requested.
« Reply #5 on: October 13, 2017, 10:17:20 AM »
I wonder if you subscribe to a VPN service and then connect to one of their U.S. or Canadian servers you would then be able to utilize the MyAcurite website and app? If this works you would have access to tracking the multiple sensors you want to set up. 

Offline pfletch101

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Re: My First PWS - Advice Requested.
« Reply #6 on: October 13, 2017, 10:28:23 AM »
I was hoping there's some simple and relatively cheap option that covers, what I feel, is a fairly common / reasonable use case for those who have an interest, rather than being proper enthusiasts...

A big part of your problem is your want/need for temperature/humidity sensors in multiple locations. This makes perfect sense for your situation, but is what is lifting you into the 'proper enthusiast' category in terms of hardware choices.

Quote
If I was to get the Davis sensor array only, what are the options around collecting and displaying the data?  The other thing, is that there seems to be no nice display option for davis, and that's really my #1 goal.  I'd like indoors + outdoors, and then wind/rain, on a nice friendly wall mounted display.

The Davis display is certainly not its best component, and there are some significant problems with indoor (console) temperature/humidity measurements being skewed by (particularly) heat production by the USB logger. It does 'do the job', however, and Belfryboy's USB logger is somewhat better behaved than the Davis one, provided you keep the console powered via its mains adapter. If you are uploading your weather data, you can rely on an app or a computer screen display for most purposes.
Vantage Pro 2+ connected to Raspberry Pi running weewx by means of Meteo-Pi - data incorporated in domestic energy production (PV) and use monitoring system.

Offline wcndave

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Re: My First PWS - Advice Requested.
« Reply #7 on: October 13, 2017, 10:46:55 AM »
Thanks for the reply.

I'd think knowing the temperature / humidity in my garage, house, greenhouse and outside would be quite a sensible thing, and in fact I can do that with the £50 Oregan I bought 10 years ago.

It's just that the range seems flaky, display is old, and I'd love to get wind / rainfall.

The point is to get up in the morning, and see it's going to be -10 outside, and snowing, and it's a nice 20deg in house, and think about wrapping up kids warm for school, or "do I need to de-ice car" etc... so using computer/phone/tablet is not really going to work, having a dedicated display is necessary, and the Oregan I have is ok, it's just a bit dated, and I thought I could do more.

The Acurite HD seems perfect, as does the La Crosse.  Aimed at pretty much the whole market.

I just think Oregan have fallen behind in terms of a nice display.  And I really can't have that Davis monstrosity sitting on my hallway cupboard ;-)

Offline wcndave

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Re: My First PWS - Advice Requested.
« Reply #8 on: October 13, 2017, 10:49:09 AM »
I wonder if you subscribe to a VPN service and then connect to one of their U.S. or Canadian servers you would then be able to utilize the MyAcurite website and app? If this works you would have access to tracking the multiple sensors you want to set up.

Well, then I'd be reporting as US based, which you can already do, in fact it seems to be the only option.  However I don't want to tell WU I am in Florida!  No matter how much I wish it were true.

Offline Bushman

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Re: My First PWS - Advice Requested.
« Reply #9 on: October 13, 2017, 11:09:48 AM »
A couple thoughts...  use Kevin Keys Acurite reader to  capture the data on your PC and post it where you want.  Or use a Meteobridge box to connect to the smart hub and turn off all Acurite reporting: report where you want.
Need low cost IP monitoring?  http://wirelesstag.net/wta.aspx?link=NisJxz6FhUa4V67/cwCRWA or PM me for 50% off Wirelesstags!!

Offline BeaverMeadow

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Re: My First PWS - Advice Requested.
« Reply #10 on: October 13, 2017, 11:11:16 AM »
I wonder if you subscribe to a VPN service and then connect to one of their U.S. or Canadian servers you would then be able to utilize the MyAcurite website and app? If this works you would have access to tracking the multiple sensors you want to set up.

Well, then I'd be reporting as US based, which you can already do, in fact it seems to be the only option.  However I don't want to tell WU I am in Florida!  No matter how much I wish it were true.

At least you might be able to view multiple sensors on the MyAcurite website/phone app. Also, You could try to find a server in a geographic location in N.A. that has similar latitude, altitude and/or weather conditions as at your location, (just to maintain a facade of authenticity).  :lol: