Topic: Acu-rite 1035, My Backyard Weather and Wunderground

[Jake]

I brought home an Acu-rite 1035 a few weeks ago and just got around to installing it a few days ago. I will be adding my comments here as my experience and observations grow. So far it is working well. We finally got some rain so I will be able to see the rain gauge in action.

The Sensors
Some way to adjust your pressure readings (only day 5 of calibration).
Backlight setting. Auto-off after a minute or always on or off.

The Software
Need decimal degrees in uploaded data.
Better explanation of Weather Center Data uploads (it says 18 seconds but I don't see that in the plots at MBW or WG). It must relay the data through MBW to WG. A direct upload from the PC service would be better.
Call it a Control Panel or Configuration Tool since it does not display any weather data.
A way to stop the service instead of using the Windows Service Manager.

My Backyard Weather
Ability to move the windows around or resize
Ability to superimpose graphs (I think that is what the extra slots are for)
Guest access (no account needed)

More comments to come.

[DanS]

Hi Jake and welcome! From all the folks on here that have gone with the Acu-rite stations, everyone seems to be satisfied. These newer stations appear to be designed really well. Have fun and keep us up with your discoveries.

[Jake]

Thanks and I will.

Here are a few more.

1. Rainfall is not being passed to Wunderground.
2.This was mentioned before but worth repeating. A randomized 12 minute refresh on MBW stats. That should not overload the server.
3. Add inside temperature and humidity to MBW. This is not something you would share but helpful if you wanted to monitor your house temp and humidity remotely.
4. It seems if you rename your sensor in MBW it adds a second sensor with the default name of 5 in 1. I don't think it is a neighbor's signal either (houses are far apart). Also, the signal level for the ghost sensor is always showing a red X .

[Rhino]

Thanks for the feedback! Many of the comments are already in the process of being addressed or are planned in the future as updates. It's important to note that all of these new connectivity products are a platform that will continue to receive support and updates. We are excited about the future of Acu-Link.

The rainfall issue might be a weather underground problem, I am not seeing that issue anywhere else. Maybe try turning off weather underground sharing and then turn it on again from the drop down menu on the website (www.acu-link.com).

The Aculink USB software that is available now is only v.1.0- pure functionality. There is a new version in the works right now that is more concise and easier to use, as well as having a live weather view window, and an easier way to stop the service.

The 18 seconds refers to the the transmission interval from the sensor to the USB console (or bridge). After that it's depending on network traffic and ISP speeds, server loads, speed of wunderground, etc., the update interval will vary.

[Skywatch]

One suggestion. Now that the bridge is out maybe putting a sticker or ad on the packages of the weather stations so buyers will know what's avalible? Davis does the same thing on the side of their box. Otherwize many station buyers maybe unaware of what's avalible. If Davis hadn't put the options on the side panel of their boxes no one would know about them. Like at Market Street where I work, the store it layed out where the geust (customer) comes in to buy 1 or 2 items but a simple glance to the side encourages them to keep going. that 1 or 2 items turns into 10-20.

Also any support for CWOP PWS Weather or WeatherBug?

[Rhino]

Yes, current items in stock at retail do not have any bridge "advertising", but future packages that roll into stores will have it.

Also, all products that have sensors that will connect to the bridge (most of them) will have a "ACU-LINK COMPATIBLE" mark on the packaging.

Thanks for the feedback!

[boomtown2011]

I have been thinking about getting a 1025 or 1035 because oof the PC connect what is the difference??????. I also wished to look at the software but i saw where it required XPSP3 is that true or will it work with XPSP2 if not i will have to pass on one. I love my 1500 but also like to track the weather on my PC. I do not like the idea of having to go to a remote web site just to keep track of my weather data.
Brad

[Jake]

Thanks Rhino for checking in. I will keep posting comments in this thread. It may help to trouble shoot the bugs.

I will try your trick about toggling the rainfall sharing. It actually occurred to me as I was biking yesterday in the pouring rain.

Here are two attachments showing you the ghost sensors. Also the dashboard is now cluttered. Note I only added the "Weather" sensors. The  "Five in One" appeared on their own. And as you can see it was a blistering hot day at 73°C.

[Jake]

The communications are getting worse. Lots of ghost sensors now. Also, still no rainfall rate data at Wunderground. Wunderground posts total rainfall amount at the end of the day though. I am not sure where it is getting it from but it is close.

I am still waiting for the pressure to get closer to reality. About 3/4 through the calibration period.
 

[Rhino]

Jake- Hang in there buddy, I'm going to check into this more and see what I can figure out the ghosting thing...

[weatherforyou]

Also any support for CWOP PWS Weather or WeatherBug?

I don't think I saw a reply to this (particularly interested in PWSweather.com since we're co-sponsors of it).

[Jake]

Thank Rhino. Consider these posts sort of a loose blog. I know you are working on updates and hope they can help pin-point the problem.

Today we had freezing rain. Only a few mm. No problems with the wind data that I can see. My truck doors on the other hand were "stuck real good".

PS: I received an opt-in email claiming to be from Acu-Rite today but it was sent from aweber. Being cautious I have not opted-in. Can anyone comment/vouch for this? I assume if legitimate it is because of my MBW account. I don't have a problem if it is in fact true.

[JES]

For what it's worth, I own the 1025 and had the ghosting issues as well while using the PC Connect utility.

After I purchased and installed the Acu-Link 09150TRX, my ghosting issues have disappeared.  It would appear that the ghosting issues are most certainly related to the PC Connect utility.

[Jake]

Good to know. Mine is version 0.0.3 so there are lots of digits for future improved versions.

I recorded a record low pressure of -3290 hPa today. I thought air seems rather thin!

[Jake]

Another tip. Clean up the graphic for the Weather Select geographic region or add some landmarks. There is a large blue area where Maine should be as well as one near Montreal. Something is wrong with the Great Lakes etc.

[Jake]

A few more glitches to note. With no way of editing MBW data the graphs are of limited use. See the two examples attached where erroneous pressure and temperature readings have increased the vertical graph range resulting in a flat plot. Options are to limit the graph range or reject outliers. Wunderground seems to do this as the plots for the same period are normal.

[Jake]

At 2PM yesterday my results stopped being sent to Wunderground. I checked MBW and it indicated no signal and no updates (as well as 5 sensors!). I checked the PC and the service was running. I noticed that the Weather Ticker said the logger was full. I guess it stops transmitting via the bridge once the internal memory is full. The device should really continue to send data via the USB regardless. I know I can disable logging via mode 4 but I like to keep the logger running for periodic checks.

I opened the Acu-Link Utility and tried to download the data. The application froze and I could not get the data off the unit. I tried a few more times. It looks like I will have to reset the unit.

At this point my interest and enthusiasm in the product is fading.

[Rhino]

We have been madly testing the updated software for these products- had some troubles on windows XP. I will post a link when the software is available!

This updated version of the PC Connect software will fix the issues we are hearing about and be much more stable. Hang in there!

[Jake]

Thanks. Short of resetting my unit any tips on how I can get it back online?

[Jake]

I got it back online. I did a series of things. I turned off logging in the monitor and app, I turned off the bridge. I then re-enabled the bridge. But when I went back in the Weather Center App it reverted back to Mode 2. In MBW I removed the sensor re-added it. Since I have multiple ghost sensors I tried a few before I found the true sensor.

I really hope these comments are helpful. While I understand you are working on a new app I hope you are taking all the comments into consideration. IMO MBW is only adding unnecessary middleware. Ideally a thin client forwarding data directly to Wunderground or another service would be preferred.   

[Weather Display]

I might have found a bug in the acuweather server program code for the barometer reading which could account for the problems seen with that

[Jake]

Could you elaborate? I doubt there is anything I could do until the ware is updated.

[Weather Display]

the code in the program that is supplied by acurite, i.e the service program to update the web, has a bug in the barometer calculation from what I can tell that could cause unexpected results for the barometer reading

[FaxCap]

So what is the status of the 1035? Read on the Acu-rite forums some down right nasty
posts about the USB driver. I understand there is a beta driver but I "think" there may
still be a Win XP USB problem.

I was given a new 1035 but I don't want to even take it out of the box until I read the
XP USB driver issues have been fixed.

Jake, have your readings like Pressure settled down?

Ken

[Weather Display]

it does need to be a relatively later version of default windows HID driver, yes, but XP is OK
it does turn out that one solution with the service stopping is fixed by flusing out the system events/service message logs and making the limit on them bigger
the weather display software us working with this station now (beta), which can then update wunderground direct