Author Topic: External power source for 5-in-1 sensor?  (Read 13518 times)

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Offline vreihen

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External power source for 5-in-1 sensor?
« on: December 07, 2011, 08:46:22 PM »
Has anyone voided their warranty yet and retrofitted an external power source onto the 5-in-1 sensor?  Just bought an AcuRite station yesterday, and am trying to figure out how to make the batteries easier to change from the ground before mounting the sensor array in its final location up high in the air.  Is it 6 volts?  How much tolerance is there for some voltage drop on a 30-foot wire if I put four D-cells into a battery holder at ground level?

Also, let me throw in my $0.02 that I'm impressed with the barometer's auto-calibration on the 01515 display after only 24 hours.  I was lucky enough to have put the batteries in yesterday when the nearby ASOS was reading 29.92 inches, and it has been tracking that barometer almost perfectly since despite still being in learning mode, a strong cold front approaching from the west, and developing nor'easter off the coast.....
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Offline DanS

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Re: External power source for 5-in-1 sensor?
« Reply #1 on: December 08, 2011, 02:11:21 AM »
Has anyone voided their warranty yet and retrofitted an external power source onto the 5-in-1 sensor?  Just bought an AcuRite station yesterday, and am trying to figure out how to make the batteries easier to change from the ground before mounting the sensor array in its final location up high in the air.  Is it 6 volts?  How much tolerance is there for some voltage drop on a 30-foot wire if I put four D-cells into a battery holder at ground level?

Also, let me throw in my $0.02 that I'm impressed with the barometer's auto-calibration on the 01515 display after only 24 hours.  I was lucky enough to have put the batteries in yesterday when the nearby ASOS was reading 29.92 inches, and it has been tracking that barometer almost perfectly since despite still being in learning mode, a strong cold front approaching from the west, and developing nor'easter off the coast.....


I don't own a 5-in-1 but as far as voiding the warranty goes and depending on the type of batteries it uses, couldn't you fabricate 'fake batteries' using trimmed wooden dowels with steel thumb tacks on each end for the contacts, wired to the outside through the battery door? No damage or changes to void anything with the power run outside.
« Last Edit: December 08, 2011, 02:17:25 AM by DanS »

Offline Rhino

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Re: External power source for 5-in-1 sensor?
« Reply #2 on: December 08, 2011, 02:58:37 PM »
Yes, the dowel "dummy battery" replacement would work technically speaking- but we officially "don't reccomend it" :grin:

We have an official adapter coming out eventually, and we have talked about doing a quick video explaining how to make one of these at home, if one were so inclined...

Offline vreihen

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Re: External power source for 5-in-1 sensor?
« Reply #3 on: December 08, 2011, 05:12:17 PM »
My bigger concern is voltage drop on the long wire.  Good idea about making dummy batteries! 

Guess I'll find out how tolerant it is to voltage drop this weekend, when I go to mount the sensor in its final location.....
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Offline hdtvluvr

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Re: External power source for 5-in-1 sensor?
« Reply #4 on: December 10, 2011, 04:02:47 PM »
Yes, the dowel "dummy battery" replacement would work technically speaking- but we officially "don't reccomend it" :grin:

We have an official adapter coming out eventually, and we have talked about doing a quick video explaining how to make one of these at home, if one were so inclined...

Put me down to be notified about the video and availability of the official adapter please.

Offline hdtvluvr

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Re: External power source for 5-in-1 sensor?
« Reply #5 on: February 27, 2012, 08:17:21 PM »
What happened to the external power adapter?

Offline Rhino

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Re: External power source for 5-in-1 sensor?
« Reply #6 on: March 01, 2012, 02:09:02 PM »
It's in the development schedule- I cant really give a date at this point- sorry!

Offline hdtvluvr

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Re: External power source for 5-in-1 sensor?
« Reply #7 on: August 16, 2012, 08:30:00 PM »
Any update on availability?

Offline hdtvluvr

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Re: External power source for 5-in-1 sensor?
« Reply #8 on: October 02, 2012, 08:36:47 PM »
Update please on the adapter or video to make one. Thanks

Offline Weather Display

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Re: External power source for 5-in-1 sensor?
« Reply #9 on: October 02, 2012, 10:15:02 PM »
I would have thought it would be just a case of taking the station apart then soldering in a power supply to the fan, from a DC source, and disconnecting the solar panel
Brian
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Offline hdtvluvr

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Re: External power source for 5-in-1 sensor?
« Reply #10 on: October 02, 2012, 10:36:50 PM »
I would have thought it would be just a case of taking the station apart then soldering in a power supply to the fan, from a DC source, and disconnecting the solar panel

Posted to wrong thread perhaps?

Offline vreihen

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Re: External power source for 5-in-1 sensor?
« Reply #11 on: October 03, 2012, 11:22:56 AM »
Ten months later, and I still have not mounted the 5-in-1 sensor at its final location! :-(  (The humidity sensor has been having some accuracy issues, and I've been too busy to do the warranty thing.)

To AcuRite's credit, the Duracells that I installed last December are still going strong.  I was figuring 3-6 months out of a set, but these may make it a full year if the cold weather doesn't get them.

From what I read in another thread either here or on AcuRite's web site, the 5-in-1 sensor is just like the indoor consoles where it uses two "banks" of batteries and not all of them in series.  This allows battery changes without losing your data, provided that you only take out one "bank" at a time.  Long story short, I have not taken a multimeter to the 5-in-1 yet to verify this, but suspect that it only needs 3 volts (two D-cells) to run it.....
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Offline Rhino

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Re: External power source for 5-in-1 sensor?
« Reply #12 on: October 03, 2012, 12:11:17 PM »
Yes, the 5-in-1 is designed with 2 banks of batteries, just like the display consoles. It can run on 2 "D" batteries if you were to wire them up - **DISCLAIMER** which will technically void your warranty **LAWYER HAT OFF**

I am going to wire up mine using a flashlight housing (2 "D" batteries), turned upside down to further eliminate water intrusion possibilities. We are still planning on offering an external battery pack, but it is still in development right now. I apologize for the delay, resources are loaded up heavily lately.

Offline Weather Display

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Re: External power source for 5-in-1 sensor?
« Reply #13 on: October 03, 2012, 02:38:58 PM »
not sure why  hdtvluvr  thinks I have posted to wrong thread
please explain
Brian
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Offline vreihen

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Re: External power source for 5-in-1 sensor?
« Reply #14 on: October 03, 2012, 03:01:42 PM »
not sure why  hdtvluvr  thinks I have posted to wrong thread
please explain

This thread is about external power for the entire 5-in-1 sensor array, so that the batteries can be changed from the ground without a ladder.  Your post appears to be about how to bypass the solar array that powers the fan, which is a different thread and topic.....
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Offline Weather Display

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Re: External power source for 5-in-1 sensor?
« Reply #15 on: October 03, 2012, 03:06:37 PM »
my post is about how to supply external power supply (as in DC power pack) to the weather station
(i.e no need for batteries or the solar panel)
Brian
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Offline vreihen

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Re: External power source for 5-in-1 sensor?
« Reply #16 on: October 03, 2012, 03:25:46 PM »
I am going to wire up mine using a flashlight housing (2 "D" batteries), turned upside down to further eliminate water intrusion possibilities.

I was planning to use metal conduit for the mast, and simply putting one of these at the bottom with a weatherproof faceplate to hold a battery clip:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_193810-53911-E381DWRL_4294722500__?productId=3646368&Ns=p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062241

I haven't done the measurements to see if the batteries will fit inside.  I may have to scale back to C-cell batteries.

Quote
We are still planning on offering an external battery pack, but it is still in development right now. I apologize for the delay, resources are loaded up heavily lately.

Understandable.  I imagine that you're pushing to get the bridge into the stores for the holiday shopping season, and that's way more important to many of us.....
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Offline hdtvluvr

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Re: External power source for 5-in-1 sensor?
« Reply #17 on: October 03, 2012, 07:31:51 PM »
my post is about how to supply external power supply (as in DC power pack) to the weather station
(i.e no need for batteries or the solar panel)


I'm 200 ft from the house or electrical supply. I need a remote battery option.

Offline Weather Display

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Re: External power source for 5-in-1 sensor?
« Reply #18 on: October 03, 2012, 07:36:09 PM »
you had not made that clear

I was just trying to help out, and it fitted with the subject of the thread ( External power source for 5-in-1 sensor?)
Brian
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Offline hdtvluvr

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Re: External power source for 5-in-1 sensor?
« Reply #19 on: October 05, 2012, 08:06:13 PM »
http://www.lowes.com/pd_193810-53911-E381DWRL_4294722500__?productId=3646368&Ns=p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062241

I haven't done the measurements to see if the batteries will fit inside.  I may have to scale back to C-cell batteries.


It won't. I went today and took the Radio Shack 2 D box and tested everything they had. This one does work:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_130902-53911-E382DE_0__?productId=3646226&Ntt=2+gang+box&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3D2%2Bgang%2Bbox&facetInfo=

Now I've got to make something like 2 dummy batteries for the sensor.

Offline hdtvluvr

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Re: External power source for 5-in-1 sensor?
« Reply #20 on: October 06, 2012, 04:57:55 PM »
I finished changing out the internal batteries to a remote box. I had to replace my 5 in 1 since it stopped reading rainfall so I went ahead and made a remote battery box. Used the electrical box (see previous post) and weatherproof cover along with the Radio Shack 2 - D cell holder. I added 9.5 ft. of 18 gauge lamp cord and everything works. I would note though that the 2 little wires that come connected to the cell holder did cause a problem (decreased range) so I ran the 18 gauge all the way to the battery terminals.

The lithium batteries that I took out of the unit were original and installed Feb 2011. I checked them with a battery tester and they were still well within the good range. Maybe I should have just used them since they seem to out last the 5 in 1  :grin:

Offline VaDeerHunter

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Re: External power source for 5-in-1 sensor?
« Reply #21 on: December 23, 2012, 10:10:02 AM »
On the same topic, sorta, if I ran power from a wall wart or other regulated power source to  the 5 in 1 would that change the reporting time. I would like real time wind speed and direction. I assume the reporting times are strung out to save batteries but if power was constant is it possible to change the reporting to continuous?

Also with continuous remote power, a heater for the rain gauge would be a cool option. Speaking of that will you offer at some point a plug or snap on cover for the rain gauge for winter?

Thanks!

Pat

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Offline Old Tele man

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Re: External power source for 5-in-1 sensor?
« Reply #22 on: December 23, 2012, 12:17:25 PM »
...to eliminate the worry over possible "voltage-drop" occurring because of the wire length, simply use a larger diameter wires. There's almost NO voltage drop in a 100-ft 10-gauge 120VAC extension cable when it's only handling 3-to-10VDC. Remember, it's the amount of current that's being carried that actually is the problem. As current goes UP, so does the chance of "voltage-drop" but if the copper resistance is very LOW--as it is with lower GAUGE numbers--the effects are almost nil.
« Last Edit: December 23, 2012, 12:21:38 PM by Old Tele man »
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Offline Ranch Hand

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Re: External power source for 5-in-1 sensor?
« Reply #23 on: September 24, 2018, 08:20:42 AM »
Rhino -- I am having the battery drain issue with my 5 in 1 weather station.  I have a 120VAC to 3VDC converter and have tried using wooden dowel rods in the battery compartment with the + (red wire) and -(black wire) attached to each end of the dowel rod and on separate dowel rods, but have not been able to get the weather head to connect to the inside unit.  Please advise how I should hook up the red and black wires in the battery compartment of the 5 in 1 weather head so that it will function.  Thanks in advance for your assistance.

Offline SkellyCA

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Re: External power source for 5-in-1 sensor?
« Reply #24 on: September 24, 2018, 09:26:54 AM »
Here's the Remote Battery option for the 5-in-1. Works good for me

Remote Batter Pack for the 5-in-1
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