Topic: VantageVue, what should I do?

[zackdog]

I currently have two VantageVues and a VP2 Plus.  One Vue Is packed away in the Travel Trailer, while the other is mounted within four feet of the VP2+.  When I got home from my fishing trip, I tried to set the Vue console from the trailer unit to receive from the Vue (#1) mounted next to VP2+ (#2) but was getting no signal from #1 so I just set it to receive from #2.

This morning I decided to relocate the Vue and put a new battery in.  I moved the unit and installed  a new battery.  The old battery registered 0.89v.  I checked the new battery at 3.26v and inserted it and pressed the white button.  No light blinking.  I went to console and put it into setup mode, but it would not find the ISS.  I went back out and pulled the battery and got the light blinking for a few seconds, then nothing.  I took the battery inside and checked it at 2.89v.

I contacted Davis and was told to put unit in a dark closet for 24 hours to reset it, and then put a fresh battery in and see if it works.  If it doesn't solve the problem it will need to be sent in for repair or replacement.  I was given a price of $100.

My question, has anyone else had this problem and solved it themselves?  Could it be the super cap?  I am thinking, I would rather try and fix it myself or just buy a new ISS from Scaled Instruments and have spare parts from this unit.

Any help would be appreciated.

Mark

[dalecoy]

If the "reset" doesn't fix the problem, then it is unlikely to be the supercap.  More likely some other problem that will require replacement of the circuit assembly.

[nixxon]

Try the dark room ISS reset trick. Maybe the ISS recovers after that.

The fresh battery voltage drop of 0.37 Volts from 3.26 Volts to 2.89 Volts was pretty big. The ISS seems to draw way too much current. If you are sure you put the battery in with the right polarity, it seems to be a short (or a way to low resistance between the battery poles). If you had access to a thermal camera, you would probably see where all the energy went (Hot area), and possibly figure out where the problem is.

The funny thing is that the ISS indicator LED flashed a few times AFTER you removed the battery. Maybe the solar panel powered the ISS at the time. After trying the dark room reset trick, you should measure that the solar panel generates voltage in the sunlight. (I guess the ISS should work under the sun even without a battery inserted)

How old is the faulty ISS? What is the mfg. code? (I have come to know the importance of knowing this particular code)

[zackdog]

Mfg code MJ150302019.  The unit is in a dark closet right now.  Tomorrow we will see if the "reset" worked, possibly at the expense of another battery.

Thanks for the replies.

Mark

[nixxon]

Mfg code MJ150302019.  The unit is in a dark closet right now.  Tomorrow we will see if the "reset" worked, possibly at the expense of another battery.

Thanks for the replies.

Mark

You have to remove the battery! It is very important to remove any power source, being the solar panel or the battery, during the reset period.

If the battery has been inserted until now, what is the battery voltage just after you remove it from the ISS? And what is the voltage after 10 minutes and 60 minutes of rest?

According to your ISS mfg code, it was manufactured close to 1.5 years ago (March 2, 2015) When did you buy it? If the purchase date was after October 14 2015 it is still under the very short US formal warranty... If the reset trick doesn't work, I would talk to the seller and/or Davis about the matter. My guess is that they will fix it for free, considering that the unit just came off the production line.

[zackdog]

The battery was removed prior to putting the unit in the closet.   This Vue was purchased 5/9/16 and I know it was working on September 11, before I left for a three week fishing trip and took the console with me.

Hopefully the "reset" works.

Mark

[nixxon]

The battery was removed prior to putting the unit in the closet.   This Vue was purchased 5/9/16 and I know it was working on September 11, before I left for a three week fishing trip and took the console with me.

Hopefully the "reset" works.

Mark

I see. ( I misunderstood something again). The battery is out of the ISS. Good! Let's hope for the best.

Is there any chance you earlier may have put the battery in backwards? (Wrong polarity). I don't know if the battery would even make contact the wrong way around...

[zackdog]

Well, the "reset" did nothing.

Inserted new battery at 3.25V,  light blinked indicating power and station id 1, then made half a dozen transmission blinks, then nothing.  Put console in setup mode and tried to get reception of #1.  After fifteen minutes without success, I removed the battery, after which it blinked indicating id 1, then two transmission blinks, then nothing.

Battery voltage when removed was 2.88v,  after sitting for ten minutes it was up to 2.94v.  After sitting for an hour it was up to 2.98v.

Leaving early Monday morning for a couple weeks in AZ, so I guess this will have to wait until I get back.

Thanks for the replies.

Mark

[dalecoy]

If the "reset" doesn't fix the problem, then it is unlikely to be the supercap.  More likely some other problem that will require replacement of the circuit assembly.

[Bushman]

Seems to me that it is still in the warranty period.  The seller or Davis should fix/replace it for free.

[dalecoy]

Seems to me that it is still in the warranty period.  The seller or Davis should fix/replace it for free.

If you looked, nixxon registered from Stabekk, Norway.  So, that would depend a lot on details like how the Vue was purchased, etc.

[nixxon]

Seems to me that it is still in the warranty period.  The seller or Davis should fix/replace it for free.

If you looked, nixxon registered from Stabekk, Norway.  So, that would depend a lot on details like how the Vue was purchased, etc.

The Vue in question in this thread is not mine. If I have got it right, there is a 1 year after purchase guarantee against production defects in the US. As the unit was purchased 5/9/2016, the guarantee had just expired as the ISS failed. That is a shame. Let's hope the seller or Davis will fix it for free anyway.

[Bushman]

If it was bought in May of this year how could the one year be up??

[nixxon]

If it was bought in May of this year how could the one year be up??

You are so right. I was thinking 2015   

[EDIT: I was thinking 2015 because of the manufacture date March 2, 2015. Davis PWS's are sold pretty rapidly. Accidentally (and luckily for me) the unit was actually sold in 2015 and not 2016, as originally posted by the threadstarter but corrected below  ]

[dalecoy]

The Vue in question in this thread is not mine.

Oops - I lost track of the thread.  It's zackdog's, and is presumably in Colorado USA.

[zackdog]

Okay guys, I screwed up ,  it was purchased in May of 2015, so it is out of warranty.

I will call Davis when I get to AZ.

Mark

[CW2274]

Okay guys, I screwed up ,  it was purchased in May of 2015, so it is out of warranty.

I will call Davis when I get to AZ.

Mark

If I may, since it's slightly out of warranty, ask nicely if they'd consider "good willing" you, if not all the cost, perhaps half. I've had success at this before with others. 

[nixxon]

Okay guys, I screwed up ,  it was purchased in May of 2015, so it is out of warranty.

I will call Davis when I get to AZ.

Mark

If I may, since it's slightly out of warranty, ask nicely if they'd consider "good willing" you, if not all the cost, perhaps half. I've had success at this before with others. 

I agree. Please let us all know how the seller responds. And then, if the seller refuses, how Davis responds.