Author Topic: Vantage Vue no wind speed and repair  (Read 18661 times)

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Offline CW2274

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Re: Vantage Vue no wind speed and repair
« Reply #25 on: September 10, 2016, 05:04:57 PM »
Although not a Vue, and other than the fans, my VP2 has gone through nine summers in the Arizona sun flawlessly. Same supercap and even the C123 is original.

Offline nixxon

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Re: Vantage Vue no wind speed and repair
« Reply #26 on: September 18, 2016, 04:02:13 PM »
Although not a Vue, and other than the fans, my VP2 has gone through nine summers in the Arizona sun flawlessly. Same supercap and even the C123 is original.

Pretty good performance through 9 years. I just came to think of it that the Vue ISS i bought second hand had some residue inside the cover that was white and a little sticky. It was possibly sea spray residue after having being mounted close to the sea in Northern Norway. I guess there is not much sea spray in your area ;)

I have decided to take my ISS out of service while making a final attempt to fix it. I will rinse the inside of the cover well with fresh water. Then I will remove the conformal coating from the parts of the PCBA that has the wind speed circuitry, including the 8-pin connector. Then I will dry off any residue and rinse with deionised water (or battery water) and let dry. Then I will rinse with IPA and/or contact cleaner and let dry. Then I hope it will work again. If it all works again, I will cover  the PCBA with some Loctite 3900 conformal coating or similar.

Offline nixxon

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Re: Vantage Vue no wind speed and repair
« Reply #27 on: September 20, 2016, 10:22:42 AM »
Hello agin. I forgot to mention that I am not an electronics engineer. I would be happy if anyone could comment on my understanding of how the speed circuit works. Are my amateur assumptions plausible?
« Last Edit: September 20, 2016, 10:26:26 AM by nixxon »

Offline jackman

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Re: Vantage Vue no wind speed and repair
« Reply #28 on: September 20, 2016, 11:18:14 AM »
Hello agin. I forgot to mention that I am not an electronics engineer. I would be happy if anyone could comment on my understanding of how the speed circuit works. Are my amateur assumptions plausible?

Nixxon, I am an electronics engineer and yes your assumptions are plausible. I've been following along with your posts and am impressed with the analysis you've been performing. You're likely at a point where only Davis can say for sure whether it's correct since they don't share much information about their design.

Offline nixxon

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Re: Vantage Vue no wind speed and repair
« Reply #29 on: September 20, 2016, 12:22:03 PM »
Thank you for your friendly reply. It made a difference for me :)

Offline hailstorm

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Re: Vantage Vue no wind speed and repair
« Reply #30 on: September 26, 2016, 09:39:41 AM »
Just sent my Vue and console back to Davis, it's a year and a half old and I've had trouble since day one. Issue is the battery doesn't last more than 3 months before it gives me the "low battery station1" message and then the console dashes out. Previously Davis sent me two complete transmitter assembles and both failed after 3 months. Last week the display dashed out again, I put in a new battery, pushed the reset button and nothing happened, no blinking light. I called Davis to voice my displeasure, the person I talked to advised me to send the ISS and console in and they would repair or replace it for free, they even mailed me a prepaid shipping label. I mailed it off a week ago, waiting to see what happens.

Offline nixxon

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Re: Vantage Vue no wind speed and repair
« Reply #31 on: September 27, 2016, 06:27:46 AM »
I hope you get a unit that will work for a long time.

Did you keep the transmitter assemblies that failed? I would be interested in buying them from you. For parts and troubleshooting.

Offline hailstorm

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Re: Vantage Vue no wind speed and repair
« Reply #32 on: October 01, 2016, 06:56:58 AM »
Unfortunately, Davis called me yesterday and requested I send the transmitters back to them or I would be charged.  Funny because when they sent them to me no mention was made about returning them, verbally or on the invoice. From past experience, if it's warranty and they want the parts back they usually include a return shipping label in the box and the invoice is marked to return the old part or be charged.

Offline nixxon

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Re: Vantage Vue no wind speed and repair
« Reply #33 on: October 01, 2016, 08:15:34 AM »
Thank you for your reply. So, after I posted my request, September 27, 2016, 06:27:46 AM, Davis Instruments presented you with new conditions to their offer of without any cost replacing your faulty equipment. Can they legally really do that, according to US contract law? I guess you may already, in a proper and environmentally friendly manner, have disposed of the faulty electronics, after Davis Instruments offered to fix your expensive Davis equipment without any conditions? I wonder what Davis Instruments are thinking and why they present new conditions, long after a sound offer has been made. Go figure.  :roll:

Offline hailstorm

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Re: Vantage Vue no wind speed and repair
« Reply #34 on: October 01, 2016, 09:26:19 AM »
Having not heard from Davis for almost 2 weeks I decided to call them on the 29th, the guy told me it just arrived and they were checking it in, an hour later he calls back asking where the defective parts were. I told him I didn't send them cause nobody asked for them to be returned, that's when he informed me they needed them back or I would be charged. So since they have my Vue I'm sorta stuck and I sure don't want to pay for parts that don't work, so I shipped the defective parts back yesterday on my dime.

I only hope I get my Vue back in proper working order so I won't have to deal with them again.

Offline nixxon

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Re: Vantage Vue no wind speed and repair
« Reply #35 on: October 01, 2016, 09:56:40 AM »
Having not heard from Davis for almost 2 weeks I decided to call them on the 29th, the guy told me it just arrived and they were checking it in, an hour later he calls back asking where the defective parts were. I told him I didn't send them cause nobody asked for them to be returned, that's when he informed me they needed them back or I would be charged. So since they have my Vue I'm sorta stuck and I sure don't want to pay for parts that don't work, so I shipped the defective parts back yesterday on my dime.

I only hope I get my Vue back in proper working order so I won't have to deal with them again.

So you experienced they held your gear for ransom? That sounds a bit hairy...

The last couple of days, the humidity has been low and the wind speed sensor has been working.
https://www.wunderground.com/personal-weather-station/dashboard?ID=IBRUM59#history/s20160924/e20161001/mweek

When the humidity rises again and the wind speed surely fails, I will troubleshoot the ISS again. I feel certain I will fix it :D

According to the forecast, it will be a few days: http://www.yr.no/sted/Norge/Akershus/Bærum/Stabekk/time_for_time_detaljert.html
« Last Edit: October 01, 2016, 10:35:55 AM by nixxon »

Offline RayattheSea

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Re: Vantage Vue no wind speed and repair
« Reply #36 on: October 01, 2016, 12:59:25 PM »
Just a thought from my experience.  I live by the sea in a very windy location and two Anerometers failed,  I changed my aluminium pole to a scaffold pole which has no vibration.  So far the current one has lasted much longer.  I did wonder if the constant shaking upsets the fibre sensors?

Bye

Raymond
Ray at the Sea

Offline nixxon

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Re: Vantage Vue no wind speed and repair
« Reply #37 on: October 01, 2016, 03:05:52 PM »
Just a thought from my experience.  I live by the sea in a very windy location and two Anerometers failed,  I changed my aluminium pole to a scaffold pole which has no vibration.  So far the current one has lasted much longer.  I did wonder if the constant shaking upsets the fibre sensors?

Bye

Raymond

Do you by chance have a picture of your scaffold setup?

I agree that vibrations generally make gear fail. Whether your anemometers had not failed in a less vibrating environment is hard to tell, as we do not know how and why it failed. Did you figure out which component or circuit that failed?

Offline RayattheSea

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Re: Vantage Vue no wind speed and repair
« Reply #38 on: October 02, 2016, 02:39:56 AM »
Will send one today.  Bye
 Raymond
Ray at the Sea

Offline RayattheSea

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Re: Vantage Vue no wind speed and repair
« Reply #39 on: October 02, 2016, 03:24:17 AM »
Hi,
Herewith 3 photos which I hope shows the installation.  You can get brackets that will attach to chimneys or externally on a house.  This has been in place for 5 years, previously the anemometer failed after 2 years, two of them!!!

Bye Raybythesea

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]  [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]  [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Ray at the Sea

Offline RayattheSea

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Re: Vantage Vue no wind speed and repair
« Reply #40 on: October 02, 2016, 03:27:01 AM »
Sent 3 different but all came the same, 
Ray at the Sea

Offline nixxon

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Re: Vantage Vue no wind speed and repair
« Reply #41 on: October 02, 2016, 05:07:21 AM »
Looks like a nice and sturdy setup.

Offline RayattheSea

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Re: Vantage Vue no wind speed and repair
« Reply #42 on: October 03, 2016, 08:27:48 AM »
It has to be with gusts that can reach 75 80mph.

Raymond
Ray at the Sea

Offline meadowlark

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Re: Vantage Vue no wind speed and repair
« Reply #43 on: October 04, 2016, 04:49:34 PM »
I am not the "brightest light bulb" when it comes to using the correct terminology in regards to parts and pieces, but as for my fix, whether it be temporary or permanent has successfully resolved the problem and continues as of today.  My wind speeds are consistent with other local stations.  I still believe it's the "magnet" that trips the sensor that was the problem in my instance, either that or pieces within that housing were not correctly located in the first place.

I'm glad it works again. For how long has Your wind speed been working after your fix?

Offline tommyr

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Re: Vantage Vue no wind speed and repair
« Reply #44 on: March 11, 2017, 09:09:08 AM »
I know this is an old thread but my Vantage Vue anemometer has been acting up as well I emailed Davis and apparently you have to buy a new wind speed cartridge. Part # 7345.271. About $18-20. I have to order one shortly. My Vantage Vue is 4 years old now.

Tom

Offline tommyr

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Re: Vantage Vue no wind speed and repair
« Reply #45 on: April 10, 2017, 04:39:44 PM »
Just an update to my last post. I replaced the wind speed cartridge today. It's a piece of cake. Working fine again.

Offline thewebgal

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Re: Vantage Vue no wind speed and repair
« Reply #46 on: August 26, 2018, 04:03:49 PM »
Same problem for me - I bought a Vantage Vue via Amazon in May 2013. I have the console in myupstairs (home) office by the window so it faces the weather station. The station is on a 12 foot mast, mounted with Y braces to our shed. Had the console go a few years back, so that got replaced. The weather vane got shortened - not sure if it was a bird or what, replaced that. Now the wind speed shows zero mph - for a few months. I got it down and cleaned everything. No change. I ordered the wind speed cartridge - which is basically the shaft (with a magnet on one end?) in a housing. Just had a chance to pull the unit down, pulled the cups off, opened  unit, swapped in the new one and - no change!
Tried it twice - no change (tested it by Spinning cups by hand while its still accessible inside  my office). Wind vane direction works fine this way.
Anyway, the sensor assembly under the black tower should contain the reed switch - easily accessible. I tried to shim it so its higher in the tower, and closer to the spinning magnet, but not sure what else to do at this point.
I'd hate to have to buy another weather station because a goofy switch failed!

Offline johnd

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Re: Vantage Vue no wind speed and repair
« Reply #47 on: August 26, 2018, 04:56:18 PM »
I tried to shim it so its higher in the tower, and closer to the spinning magnet, but not sure what else to do at this point.
I'd hate to have to buy another weather station because a goofy switch failed!

As you've discovered, the wind cartridge is purely mechanical - replacing it can't cure zero wind speed, except in circumstances of seized bearing etc. 2013 Vue is probably an M revision IIRC, so short of doing so microsurgery on the PCBA with the reed switch (which isn't really to be recommended) a replacement harness is what's needed I'm afraid. But a new ISS is much the same price, which would therefore be the suggested fix.
Prodata Weather Systems
Prodata's FAQ/support site for Davis stations
Includes many details on 6313 Weatherlink console.
UK Davis Premier Dealer - All Davis stations, accessories and spares
Cambridge UK

Sorry, but I don't usually have time to help with individual issues by email unless you are a Prodata customer. Please post your issue in the relevant forum section here & I will comment there if I have anything useful to add.

Offline thewebgal

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Re: Vantage Vue no wind speed and repair
« Reply #48 on: August 26, 2018, 09:44:24 PM »
So I spent $20 that did me no good, thats not a huge loss.
But I have a new console and the logger module hooked to my macPro -
I don't need to replace all the indoor gear at this point - can I buy just the outdoor assembly?
Ah, apparently that part is called "Davis Vantage Vue Wireless Integrated Sensor Suite"
Seems like buying just that would be the most sensible approach.
« Last Edit: August 26, 2018, 09:56:17 PM by thewebgal »

Offline adnadeau

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Re: Vantage Vue no wind speed and repair
« Reply #49 on: September 01, 2018, 10:09:05 AM »
nixxon, I think you've inadvertently solved the mystery of what's in the new "solid state" Pro2 anemometer/wind vane.  Your schematic makes a good match to work with the 2 existing anemometer wires.

Alan

 

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