Topic: (Hopefully) Just joined the "sensible wind readings" club

[davey6693]

I just finished my roof anemometer mount. I chose a slightly more discrete apex that I have above my back bedroom, and have a tripod mounted there. Its cradle, where my mast's lowest point sits, is roughly a foot above the roof. I have a 10 foot pole, with my "discrete" apex being about 3 feet lower than the main house roof apex, so I should be a clear 8 feet above the highest point on the roof now.

Needless to say, the wind readings have jumped dramatically from my old installation! I'll try to post some before and after pictures by the end of the weekend. I went with the Davis anemometer transmitter because my wife has banned me running wires through the garden.

[chief-david]

better the garden than the bedroom

[Downlinerz2]

   Keep us up to date on how the transmitter works.  I may be going over to the transmitter in the future.  Good Luck!!!

[killwilly]

my wife has banned me running wires through the garden.

A wise lady.   

Alan.

[davey6693]

Here we go then:

Out with the old:


And in with the new:



As a point of reference when looking at the third picture, the first two pictures were taken from the window on the middle floor. As you can see, the old anemometer location was heavily shielded by the house.

[davey6693]

   Keep us up to date on how the transmitter works.  I may be going over to the transmitter in the future.  Good Luck!!!

The transmitter is very nice. It's basically just another ISS transmitter, so it communicates as station number 2 with the VP2 console. It does have other cable connections too, so I'm wondering if I could plug a radiation sensor in up there and have it transmit that data too.

Forgot to mention that I added the FARS with the recent upgrades too.

[SpartanWX]

Jealous.

I am surrounded by mature trees.

On second thought, I'd rather have the trees =)

[dalecoy]

   Keep us up to date on how the transmitter works.  I may be going over to the transmitter in the future.  Good Luck!!!

The transmitter is very nice. It's basically just another ISS transmitter, so it communicates as station number 2 with the VP2 console. It does have other cable connections too, so I'm wondering if I could plug a radiation sensor in up there and have it transmit that data too.

Forgot to mention that I added the FARS with the recent upgrades too.

Solar (and UV) sensors should work just fine on your "main" ISS, since it has good Southern exposure.  At least until those two trees grow a lot more. 

A bit of shading in the early morning and late afternoon is not really a "big deal".

[davey6693]

What do you guys think about the chances of this thing getting struck by lightning? While the clear and obvious answer is "slightly more than before", I wonder if I'm worrying a bit too much about this. I mean has it gone from 1 in 100,000 to 2 in 100,000 - if it's those kind of odds I'm not bothered.

By my estimation, a 15 metre length of 6 AWG ground wire is going to run 55 bucks plus tax up here in Canada. Add to that a couple of clamps and a ground rod and I'm closer to 100.

[SoMDWx]

Ground it! I don't know if Davis has the same problem as the Oregon Scientific anemometers but you get weird wind readings off the OSI stuff if it is not grounded. Plus, this will drain static charges away to the ground.....

[dalecoy]

OK, just to be contrary, I'll say this:

A.  I can't see why any well-designed hardware (like the Davis stuff) would transmit "weird wind readings", just because it wasn't grounded.  It's wireless, and RF doesn't care about grounding.  [If I'm wrong, then you'll find out soon enough about weird readings]

B.  If you ground the tripod and mast, and it gets struck by lightning, your Davis stuff is toast.  So, grounding isn't going to help that part.

C.  It looks like there are a lot of other "targets" around you.  And the trees are probably taller?

D.  Does your homeowners' insurance care?

I think you've got the "increased risk calculation" about right.

[davey6693]

OK, just to be contrary, I'll say this:

A.  I can't see why any well-designed hardware (like the Davis stuff) would transmit "weird wind readings", just because it wasn't grounded.  It's wireless, and RF doesn't care about grounding.  [If I'm wrong, then you'll find out soon enough about weird readings]

B.  If you ground the tripod and mast, and it gets struck by lightning, your Davis stuff is toast.  So, grounding isn't going to help that part.

C.  It looks like there are a lot of other "targets" around you.  And the trees are probably taller?

D.  Does your homeowners' insurance care?

I think you've got the "increased risk calculation" about right.

Thanks Dale.. to answer a couple of specifics

B. Yep, understood. House would be the main motivation for doing this if it goes ahead.

C. The mast is the highest object in a clear 750 yards in (I think) all directions. However, there is a very tall hydro transmission pole (one of the largest inter-city types) at a distance of 750 yards away. The mast is 8 feet higher than the roofline, which in percentage of distance to the nearest cloud doesn't change the big picture much. My inkling is that to have a direct strike, it's maybe likely that this would have to be a bolt that had my house in its sights anyway, or my neighbour's.

I'd be happy to be called out as wrong though by someone who understands this stuff, and I'm grateful for all opinions.

[SoMDWx]

Grounding helps discharge static electricity which can build up on tall metal objects as well as equipment attached to those mast. As I stated, the OSI stuff DOES produce erroneous readings if the unit is not grounded. That's just the way the OSI stuff is. I do not know if the Davis stuff has the same problem... Just poiting that out.

True, if a bolt hits the mast, everything is toast anyway, but a grounding rod does help drain off charges before they can build up and produce a flash....

[davey6693]

Grounding helps discharge static electricity which can build up on tall metal objects as well as equipment attached to those mast. As I stated, the OSI stuff DOES produce erroneous readings if the unit is not grounded. That's just the way the OSI stuff is. I do not know if the Davis stuff has the same problem... Just poiting that out.

True, if a bolt hits the mast, everything is toast anyway, but a grounding rod does help drain off charges before they can build up and produce a flash....

Thanks.

You guys must get some interesting weather in MD. Off the top of my head I'm imagining winter Nor'Easters, summer heatwaves, and not to mention the odd hurricane or tropical storm. What's the max gust you have recorded on your anemometer?

[dalecoy]

By my estimation, a 15 metre length of 6 AWG ground wire is going to run 55 bucks plus tax up here in Canada. Add to that a couple of clamps and a ground rod and I'm closer to 100.

Grounding helps discharge static electricity which can build up on tall metal objects as well as equipment attached to those mast. As I stated, the OSI stuff DOES produce erroneous readings if the unit is not grounded.

If those are the concerns, then some 14 AWG (or smaller) wire and a metal fencepost in the ground, should do just fine.  No need for 6 AWG and an 8-ft ground rod.

[SoMDWx]

This year it's been 49 mph.