Author Topic: Just upgraded my weather station  (Read 4592 times)

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Offline phil2010

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Just upgraded my weather station
« on: May 12, 2017, 05:50:08 PM »
...... From a Oregon WMR80 to Ultranatura UN1200, the main reason for this was, the rain gauge stopped working after a storm, then soon after the anemometer slowly seized up.

But I also hated the main display unit as it would only display the rain amount per hr and it didnt display both indoor and out door temps at the same time.

This new station has everything I want showing on the display, but I have no idea if the quality is better or worse though? One thing I noticed and took me a bit by shock was size of the anemometer, its huuggge, must be at least 2-3 times bigger then my old anemometer. Is there any advantage of a huge anemometer? Also it has a 2nd temp sensor in the anemometer, so Im guessing that will be the temp how it feels like (in the sun and wind)?

I have got as far as setting the temp sensor up under our wood barn and putting batteries in the anemometer but I haven't got the anemometer or rain gauge up yet, but hopefully in the next day or 2 they will be up and working :-)

« Last Edit: May 12, 2017, 05:56:42 PM by phil2010 »

Offline CW2274

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Re: Just upgraded my weather station
« Reply #1 on: May 12, 2017, 06:58:44 PM »
Is there any advantage of a huge anemometer?
Also it has a 2nd temp sensor in the anemometer, so Im guessing that will be the temp how it feels like (in the sun and wind)?
The only thing I could assume is that the "huge" anny would literally require more velocity to initially spin and sustain (more inertia to overcome), unless it has some super slick mechanism and/or some super cup design.
 
Temp sensor in the anny? That would be a first for me. How would it be protected from solar insolation? The heat index and wind chill are calculated by your console, and why a temp sensor would be in the anny is beyond me, unless they expect you to take a really bad "elevated" temp too. :???:

Offline phil2010

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Re: Just upgraded my weather station
« Reply #2 on: May 12, 2017, 07:34:50 PM »
Is there any advantage of a huge anemometer?
Also it has a 2nd temp sensor in the anemometer, so Im guessing that will be the temp how it feels like (in the sun and wind)?
The only thing I could assume is that the "huge" anny would literally require more velocity to initially spin and sustain (more inertia to overcome), unless it has some super slick mechanism and/or some super cup design.

The design doesnt look any differnt then my old anemonmeter, it just huge, looks more like a toy its so big :eek: I'll post pcs when I have it up.
 
Temp sensor in the anny? That would be a first for me. How would it be protected from solar insolation? The heat index and wind chill are calculated by your console, and why a temp sensor would be in the anny is beyond me, unless they expect you to take a really bad "elevated" temp too. :???:

At the moment i have the anemometer outside in the porch and its 1c higher then the actual temp sensor that I have under the barn.. The temps for the anemometer will be sky high in the full sun and a bit pointless surely?

To my eyes, that Ultranatura UN1200 console looks suspiciously like a relabelled Oregon Scientific unit...is it?

Its looks like a Brasser but renamed because the graphics on the base unit are the same and the sensors are the same too, with the huge anemometer



Offline CW2274

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Re: Just upgraded my weather station
« Reply #3 on: May 12, 2017, 07:51:55 PM »
Is there any advantage of a huge anemometer?
Also it has a 2nd temp sensor in the anemometer, so Im guessing that will be the temp how it feels like (in the sun and wind)?
The only thing I could assume is that the "huge" anny would literally require more velocity to initially spin and sustain (more inertia to overcome), unless it has some super slick mechanism and/or some super cup design.

The design doesnt look any differnt then my old anemonmeter, it just huge, looks more like a toy its so big :eek: I'll post pcs when I have it up.
 
Temp sensor in the anny? That would be a first for me. How would it be protected from solar insolation? The heat index and wind chill are calculated by your console, and why a temp sensor would be in the anny is beyond me, unless they expect you to take a really bad "elevated" temp too. :???:

At the moment i have the anemometer outside in the porch and its 1c higher then the actual temp sensor that I have under the barn.. The temps for the anemometer will be sky high in the full sun and a bit pointless surely?
The logic behind this is unbelievable to me, unless they're trying to get unsuspecting people to spend money on worthless equipment, and that's exactly what this is. I'd rather have a Netatmo in the sun.
Your money, but I'd get it back.

Offline DoctorKnow

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Re: Just upgraded my weather station
« Reply #4 on: May 12, 2017, 08:03:39 PM »
The anemometer is likely huge because they are trying to use it as a solar radiation shield, plus wind meter all into one. If it doesn't have a fan, I don't see how enough air will circulate through to give anything less than 5 C or so higher than ambient. Does it have any slits in it for air to get to the thermo/hygro?

This station looks like the old Honeywell model...

Offline CW2274

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Re: Just upgraded my weather station
« Reply #5 on: May 12, 2017, 08:18:11 PM »
to give anything less than 5 C or so higher than ambient. Does it have any slits in it for air to get to the thermo/hygro?
I think you're being generous at 5C. That tiny little compartment will COOK in full sun, with or without slits, which looking at the pic even worse, it has none. Still have the ISS (or equivalent, at least).

Offline phil2010

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Re: Just upgraded my weather station
« Reply #6 on: May 12, 2017, 08:22:55 PM »
The anemometer is likely huge because they are trying to use it as a solar radiation shield, plus wind meter all into one. If it doesn't have a fan, I don't see how enough air will circulate through to give anything less than 5 C or so higher than ambient. Does it have any slits in it for air to get to the thermo/hygro?

I think the sensor is in the base where your screw it to mask, pole or whatever, as its got a 2 small holes that look like sensor holes. But yeah I cant see the readings being much good if there's no compensation for the sun beaming at the sensor, but I will know more when its up

These temp sensors that are located with the anemometer on the pole like on the Davis are a bit like the same thing, yes they much more shielded from the sun, but I cannot see how round plastic boxes can stop the sun from heating them up inside as the sun gets things pretty dam hot?
« Last Edit: May 12, 2017, 08:45:49 PM by phil2010 »

Offline CW2274

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Re: Just upgraded my weather station
« Reply #7 on: May 12, 2017, 09:09:57 PM »
The anemometer is likely huge because they are trying to use it as a solar radiation shield, plus wind meter all into one. If it doesn't have a fan, I don't see how enough air will circulate through to give anything less than 5 C or so higher than ambient. Does it have any slits in it for air to get to the thermo/hygro?
These temp sensors that are located with the anemometer on the pole like on the Davis are a bit like the same thing
I'm not sure if you actually believe Davis or any other PWS maker (besides yours) puts a thermo/hydro sensor in it's anny because your post is somewhat ambiguous. As I said, yours would be the first, with good reason.  :roll:

Offline phil2010

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Re: Just upgraded my weather station
« Reply #8 on: May 12, 2017, 09:26:59 PM »
I cannot see how temp sensors that are in the same location as anemometers, can be accurate, mine wont be I know, but mine has another temp sensor that I have under a barn roof away from the sun.

Offline phil2010

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Re: Just upgraded my weather station
« Reply #9 on: May 13, 2017, 08:08:22 AM »
I managed to get the other sensors up this morning, probably not the ideal place but Im sure it will work ok for what I want it for. With my old anemometer I managed to get someone to put it on the roof of the house, but I need to get to this anemometer easier to change the batteries.




As you can see the temp sensor thats under the barn is 13.6c and the temp sensor on the anemometer is higher at 15.4c and the sun isn't even out :shock:
« Last Edit: May 13, 2017, 08:17:13 AM by phil2010 »

Offline DoctorKnow

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Re: Just upgraded my weather station
« Reply #10 on: May 13, 2017, 11:12:56 AM »
The location of the rain bucket is unfortunately, very poor. You want to locate it in the open, away from buildings, trees, etc, and have it 4 ft off the ground, so wind does not set it off.

The 15C you see on the display is a "wind chill" reading. It also may be a "heat index" reading in the summer. Refer to you manual to be sure. You may need to change channels on the display to get the thermometer reading from the anemometer.

With the thermo/hygro sensor, you should locate it in an open area, away from buildings, and trees, inside the cover of a solar radiation shield for the most accurate data.

Offline waiukuweather

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Re: Just upgraded my weather station
« Reply #11 on: May 13, 2017, 05:40:08 PM »
looks like an Irox type station

Offline phil2010

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Re: Just upgraded my weather station
« Reply #12 on: May 13, 2017, 05:45:50 PM »
I know its a totally rubbish place for the rain gauge but my old gauge was in a worse place, ontop of a dog kennel, screwed to a brick by the side of the house, not level and that did a pretty good job, until a bad storm killed it... I should of drilled a few holes in the platform I made for the new gauge, because I have made a effort to get the platform level, so the water will just sit on the platform and rot the wood. I didnt think of that, damn.

I have checked the manual, and it says that temp by the wind direction on the main unit is "the temperature at place of anemometer"..... Now I have it up, night times the temperature is lower at the anemometer, then the one under the barn. But the one under the barn is quite sheltered but it works well there, as almost always the same as the temp on the tv forecast and its even screwed on to a brick wall, so thats bad also :lol:

So I don't know if having a temp sensor out in the open on the anemometer is actually going to be that bad,,, for night times anyways. But hot days maybe a different story as Im guessing it will get to 40c+ easy. I will just say thats what it feels like outside, if anyone asks.

Offline DoctorKnow

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Re: Just upgraded my weather station
« Reply #13 on: May 14, 2017, 03:01:48 PM »
If the side of the mount for the anemometer we are looking at is due north, then temp reading may not be too bad, but if that wood heats up, it will throw off the thermometer readings as well.

I feel that rain bucket will get run-off from the roof, not to mention blockage from the building.

Offline phil2010

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Re: Just upgraded my weather station
« Reply #14 on: May 14, 2017, 03:59:35 PM »
Here's a better photo of the sensors and the rain bucket is quite a way out from the post that its screw onto. My measurements went a bit wrong on the frame making, because to get the bucket level the frame had to be wonky, but it does the job.

I might have to move my temp sensor thats under the barn because the main unit keeps loosing the signal for it :mad:

North is roughly top left in my first photo.


Offline phil2010

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Re: Just upgraded my weather station
« Reply #15 on: May 14, 2017, 05:18:37 PM »
Does the water run-off from the roof fall into the rain gauge...if yes, that's bad.
I think most of the rain runs along the,,,,, ummm what they called, "groves in the tin roof" so most of the water runs in the other direction, left and right. Some could run in the rain buckets direction as the barn is slightly tilting that way I think.

Sorry I am useless at explaining stuff.

Offline waiukuweather

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Re: Just upgraded my weather station
« Reply #16 on: May 14, 2017, 05:27:24 PM »
if the wind and rain are coming from behind the shed, the shed is going to shelter the rain gauge

Offline phil2010

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Re: Just upgraded my weather station
« Reply #17 on: May 14, 2017, 05:42:18 PM »
If I need to move my temp sensor from under the barn, I am thinking about moving it to the post that I have the other sensors on and designing a kind of a sunscreen box, with slats on all sides and printing it out on my 3d printer in beige ABS plastic. Would that work?

Offline CW2274

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Re: Just upgraded my weather station
« Reply #18 on: May 14, 2017, 06:04:40 PM »
Does the water run-off from the roof fall into the rain gauge...if yes, that's bad.
In a downpour, I can't see how it possibly couldn't. Might as well put it under a gutter downspout.

Offline CW2274

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Re: Just upgraded my weather station
« Reply #19 on: May 14, 2017, 06:09:00 PM »
if the wind and rain are coming from behind the shed, the shed is going to shelter the rain gauge
That too.

Offline phil2010

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Re: Just upgraded my weather station
« Reply #20 on: May 14, 2017, 07:31:49 PM »
The rain of the roof will miss the bucket as its a good 10+inches away from the side, unless the rain has a running jump off the roof and into the bucket :grin:

Offline CW2274

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Re: Just upgraded my weather station
« Reply #21 on: May 14, 2017, 07:38:08 PM »
The rain of the roof will miss the bucket as its a good 10+inches away from the side, unless the rain has a running jump off the roof and into the bucket :grin:
Ten inches is absolutely nothing when speaking of run-off a roof under a downpour. I've literally had rain run off my roof and hit the ground at least 6 FEET away.

Offline phil2010

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Re: Just upgraded my weather station
« Reply #22 on: May 14, 2017, 08:12:54 PM »
Noway,,,, I will see how it goes, as I dont really want to move it if I dont have to, as I cant do it myself and have to get other people to help me out. I had a bit of rain last night 1.4mm, but another station about 10miles away had over 2mm. Every tip of the seasaw on my bucket is 0.7mm
« Last Edit: May 14, 2017, 08:14:29 PM by phil2010 »

Offline CW2274

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Re: Just upgraded my weather station
« Reply #23 on: May 14, 2017, 08:40:14 PM »
Noway,,,,
Really? I just made that up, right? Your remark is insulting. Fine. When all your neighbors get 10mm of rain and you get 1000............ :roll:

Offline phil2010

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Re: Just upgraded my weather station
« Reply #24 on: May 14, 2017, 09:08:20 PM »
No, I am just shocked.. sorry if it came across that way. :???:

 

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