Topic: Request for Feedback

[RobertM]

Hi all!

I'm the new owner of a Davis Vantage Vue and I'm chomping at the bit to put it up.

I just can't decide where I want to put it and what to use to install it.

I've attached two pictures. One shows my house and the second is taken from the same spot, just in the opposite direction.

I've narrowed it down to three spots. The open field area is my least favorite. Too tempting for folks to mess with the gear.

Of course, my top two choices are the two rooftops, the first in the foreground and then the one just behind it.

Now to my "dilemma." The roof in the background is probably the best site, but I would rather not be traipsing around that high
if the roof in the foreground will work just as well.

And should I use a tripod to secure the station of attach it to the roof with a length of pipe?

Any feedback and/or suggestions most welcome.

Thanks!

Bob
Frederick, MD

[CW2274]

Hello. Unfortunately, you're least favorite spot is the best of the three. Avoid the roof if you want accurate temp. readings from the radiation. It can effect the wind also if not high enough over the roof. Perhaps closer to the house in the field to detract meddlers?

[SlowModem]

With the all-in-one units, you either sacrifice wind accuracy or temp/rain accuracy.  Here is a link with info about sensor placement:

http://weather.gladstonefamily.net/CWOP-Siting.pdf

Of course, you can always buy a Davis anemometer and transmitter and have it up on the roof separate from your Vue, but that is just something to consider.

Good luck! 

Oh, just remember, wherever you put it, you're going to have to service it periodically. 

[miraculon]

I would tend to agree that except for wind, the rooftop location is not the best for either temperature or rain catch.

In case you do decide on the roof mount, here is the way that I installed my VP2 wind set. I have the ISS on its own tripod at ground level. (the advantage is being able to split them)

I was also apprehensive about going onto the 2nd floor of either my previous colonial house or my current 1½ story. I was however, comfortable about going on the lower roof of the garage in the first case, or the addition area on my current house.

I'll attach pictures of both my current anemometer mast installation and my old house setup. I have the two legs mounted so that the entire mast can swing up or down. The side bracket gives extra support and anchoring. This works well for maintenance. The mast swings parallel to the upper roof edge. Since the resulting wind mast direction was not "North", I correct for that in the consoles.

You will need to make sure that the mast extends sufficiently above the upper roofline. I believe that mine does. The new setup with the dual wind set has heavy-duty Rohn masts collapsed to form a double wall. This extends higher than my old house. There is some slight sway when we have winds >30mph, but it seems pretty solid.

Current setup:


Prior house installation:


Greg H.

[CW2274]

I would tend to agree that except for wind, the rooftop location is not the best for either temperature or rain catch.

In case you do decide on the roof mount, here is the way that I installed my VP2 wind set. I have the ISS on its own tripod at ground level. (the advantage is being able to split them)

I was also apprehensive about going onto the 2nd floor of either my previous colonial house or my current 1½ story. I was however, comfortable about going on the lower roof of the garage in the first case, or the addition area on my current house.

I'll attach pictures of both my current anemometer mast installation and my old house setup. I have the two legs mounted so that the entire mast can swing up or down. The side bracket gives extra support and anchoring. This works well for maintenance. The mast swings parallel to the upper roof edge. Since the resulting wind mast direction was not "North", I correct for that in the consoles.

You will need to make sure that the mast extends sufficiently above the upper roofline. I believe that mine does. The new setup with the dual wind set has heavy-duty Rohn masts collapsed to form a double wall. This extends higher than my old house. There is some slight sway when we have winds >30mph, but it seems pretty solid.

Current setup:


Prior house installation:


Greg H.

Curious, why the RM Young & Davis anemometer?

[RobertM]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I have to go digest this and figure out what I want to do.

Bob
Frederick, MD

[SlowModem]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I have to go digest this and figure out what I want to do.

Bob
Frederick, MD

The first year I had a station, I had holes all over the yard from looking for the best spot for the sensors.  It's a hobby so experiment and have fun with it!   

[RobertM]

LOL! I have a funny feeling my yard will look like yours did very, very soon!

Bob
Frederick, MD

[miraculon]

Curious, why the RM Young & Davis anemometer?

When we moved, I planned on installing the RM Young as my main wind set. I also had a temperature station (#6372) that I no longer had a use for. I also have an Envoy 8x.

The only thing that I needed was a solar door for the temp station, then voila it becomes an anemometer transmitter. I needed the extra mast pipe and crossbar to complete the installation.

Besides, I think it looks cool. 

Greg H.

[CW2274]

Curious, why the RM Young & Davis anemometer?

When we moved, I planned on installing the RM Young as my main wind set. I also had a temperature station (#6372) that I no longer had a use for. I also have an Envoy 8x.

The only thing that I needed was a solar door for the temp station, then voila it becomes an anemometer transmitter. I needed the extra mast pipe and crossbar to complete the installation.

Besides, I think it looks cool. 

Greg H.

RM Young's the bomb, if that's still a relevant saying. Could you consider putting the two anemometers far apart? Then you could detect wind shear for any landing planes.

[Stormtracker]

Do you encounter any crosswind stall issues with the aerovane?  I am pondering upgrading to the Rainwise station which features an aeorvane, but I had read somewhere that they will stall momentarily when hit with a cross wind...

[Skywatch]

They do. At least to my observations they have. Aerovanes sense wind from a 180° field. Cup anemometers monitor wind from 360° degrees. Some on here swear by their aerovanes. Of course then again I swear by my cup anemometer.

What's interesting, and I didn't know it until I researched it, aerovanes are frequently used by the RAWS and mesonet stations. However in renewable energy research aerovanes are discouraged due to their variability. Both have their pros and cons.

[miraculon]

I have noticed a couple of things:


• When we have a steady wind from the West, both vanes have been pointing in exactly the same direction. However, There are times that there is a directional skew between the two.
• The RM Young is much more responsive, both in terms of the vane movement and the "propeller" responding to the wind. I have seen the RM Young spinning and indicating 1-2 mph and the Davis is not moving.
• The Davis tends to run slightly higher on mph, especially on gusts. I am reluctant to try to "calibrate" it, since I have no calibrator and there have been situations where they match speed exactly.
  

You can look at both wind sets at

http://rogerscityweather.com/wxDavisYoung.php

Right now the speeds are matching:

Current Data
RM Young Wind Direction    ESE
RM Young Wind Speed    2.0 mph
RM Young Wind Gust 15 min    10.1 mph
Davis Wind Direction    SE
Davis Wind Speed    2.0 mph
Davis Wind Gust 15 min    10.1 mph

Greg H.
[/list]

[Stormtracker]

Yeah, clearly the Young instrumentation is the class of the field.  I suspect the Young aerovane propeller has a lower threshold of movement.  If money were no object, Texas Weather Instruments offers an upgraded wind sensor package which is manufactured by Texas Electronics in Dallas.  I have long admired their weather stations as they are cloned from the old Heathkit ID 5001.  I live in northwest Louisiana so rainfall is the dominant weather feature with little wind (even in storms) so I went with the Davis line when we transferred here.  I do miss the LED display that my old Heathkit had...

[miraculon]

Yeah, clearly the Young instrumentation is the class of the field.  I suspect the Young aerovane propeller has a lower threshold of movement.  If money were no object, Texas Weather Instruments offers an upgraded wind sensor package which is manufactured by Texas Electronics in Dallas.  I have long admired their weather stations as they are cloned from the old Heathkit ID 5001.  I live in northwest Louisiana so rainfall is the dominant weather feature with little wind (even in storms) so I went with the Davis line when we transferred here.  I do miss the LED display that my old Heathkit had...

My earlier weather station was originally Dallas Semiconductor, then when that one had storm damage it was replaced by an AAG. From what I can tell, the TxWx still has what appears to be the same unit in their WR/WRL series.
http://txwx.com/product-line/weather-report-wr-and-wrl-series/



I gave to my Son-in-Law when I got the Davis, and he gave it to another relative when he got his Davis. Still working the last I heard. Also has the original DalSemi rain gauge.

Greg H.

[Stormtracker]

I love that weather station and would take the plunge in a New York minute-- but for two issues.  In a power outage (common during storms) the display goes dead.  Secondly, I just abhor cables.  Like I said in another post, if TWI would bring out a wireless version of this I'd find a UPS to remedy the outage issue...  I used to call the gentleman that developed this station when he was in Dallas and he was pretty adamant about the design and product remaining cabled.  When I mentioned that the anemometer and vane were very similar to the Heathkit, he told me that when he decided to form his product, he hired an engineer to improve on the Heathkit design and thus, the TWI was born...  By the way, that Heathkit is still manufactured and offered through another vendor, although it's price is way too high.

[SufferinSuccotash]

I love that weather station and would take the plunge in a New York minute-- but for two issues.  In a power outage (common during storms) the display goes dead.  Secondly, I just abhor cables.  Like I said in another post, if TWI would bring out a wireless version of this I'd find a UPS to remedy the outage issue...  I used to call the gentleman that developed this station when he was in Dallas and he was pretty adamant about the design and product remaining cabled.  When I mentioned that the anemometer and vane were very similar to the Heathkit, he told me that when he decided to form his product, he hired an engineer to improve on the Heathkit design and thus, the TWI was born...  By the way, that Heathkit is still manufactured and offered through another vendor, although it's price is way too high.

Hi stormtracker.
I looked at these a while back and they are a few levels up from a Davis.  I believe that they do have a wireless version  [size=78%]http://txwx.com/product-line/network-weather-station/[/size] ,  and the solar powered version to boot.  I'm not an expert on their line however one could use this and then log into it via any computer on the home network to view the data.