Topic: Remote UV/Solar sensors

[snapper]

Hi,

Can anyone confirm if its possible to plug the UV and Solar sensors into a remote wind transmitter and display the results (along with the regular ISS) on a Vantage Pro 2 console?

Ive read conflicting reports on the web, so wondered if anyone had actually done it successfully?

Cheers

[BigOkie]

Short answer is no.

I think it's possible if using an Envoy, but not with a standard console.  That was a HUGE gripe I had with this station.  Pretty much the only one however.

[dalecoy]

You didn't describe your problem. 

[snapper]

@BigOkie - thanks. I thought that was the case, but was confused by the Davis documentation pdf for the remote transmitter saying you could plug extra sensors in.

@dalecoy - my problem is that to mount my sensors in optimal locations, I would need to extend the solar/uv cables greater than the Davis 125ft limit.
I don't mind trying it out to see what happens with longer cables (discussed in another thread), but wondered if wireless would just be easier...

cheers!

[johnd]

I think it's possible if using an Envoy, but not with a standard console. 

No not the standard Envoy - must be Envoy8X.

[miraculon]

I ran into this issue when I first installed my solar sensor. My ISS was in the shade (not the best spot for a "solar" sensor) and the anemometer mast had excellent sun exposure. I wanted to patch the solar sensor into the anemometer transmitter, but it has been pointed out many times that although the transmitter sends it, the consoles and non-8x Envoys ignore it. (they could be read if the anemometer transmitter is configured as an ISS, but then you would not have rain/temp/hum).

My solution was an 85 foot extension that ran back into the house, through the basement and back outside to the ISS. I have since relocated to Northern Michigan and have the solar (and UV now) on the ISS "shelf".

The Envoy8x is a specialized product that only shows columnar displays, a text-like real time indication and allows database export. Even then, you have to trick the system by showing the anemometer transmitter as an ISS.

We have all griped to Davis about it, and suggested that they fix this in any future "VP3" product.

Greg H.

[johnd]

The Envoy8x is a specialized product that only shows columnar displays, a text-like real time indication and allows database export. Even then, you have to trick the system by showing the anemometer transmitter as an ISS.

Hmm, I'm not sure that's a very generous description of the 8X. The reality is that the 6332 anemometer transmitter IS an ISS (circuit board). It's the regular Envoy or VP2 console that you have to 'trick' into thinking that it's something less than that.

And it's an equally ungenerous description of the 8X software (WDTU). If you stop and think about it, any charting- or reporting-capable software that could take full advantage of the 8X's logging capability (ie that could process and chart data from all of the myriad possible combinations of eight distinct VP2 transmitters and their sensor combinations) would be hugely more complex than the standard WL program. I can understand why Davis have stopped at making WDTU able to manage a powerful SQL database containing all possible data combinations and then left it to the user to decide how they would like to process and display the data further, eg by exporting to Excel as a first step.

All that said, it's also perfectly possible to use an 8X to log data from a standard ISS  and with solar/UV sensors attached to a 6332 box and to combine and export the data into the standard WL program.

(From a founder member of the Envoy8X Appreciation Society )

[miraculon]

All that said, it's also perfectly possible to use an 8X to log data from a standard ISS  and with solar/UV sensors attached to a 6332 box and to combine and export the data into the standard WL program.

I didn't have much luck getting this to work. Is there a good description on exactly how to set this up? I was only able to get exported 8x files to import into WL. If there is a method to have WDTU feed WL real-time, I am very interested in knowing how to do this.

I do see the ..\profiles\export\mystation.bin file updating when I create the export file. I can only seem to view it with the data browser though. The real-time "Bulletin" and "Summary" expect data via the communication port.

Greg H.

[JanWerbinski]

I have anemometer on the roof 12m AGL and rest of ISS unit in the garden 2m high partially shaded.
Anemometer cable was cut to put self made extension using about 20m, 10 wire alarm cable with 0,5mm2 wires. So for anemometer i used four wires.
I plan to upgrade the ISS with solar sensor. Since ISS is in shade afternoon i want to mount in on the roof and to use another four wires from the same cable anemometer is extended.

How the readings will be affected by extending wires?
Someone told me extending anemometer cable will result in decrease top measuring range for wind speed. What about solar sensor? If reading as I assume is analog shouldn't there be any change in accuracy caused by resistance? Will ISS autocalibrate at night?
I plan to conect sensor for one day in the garden on short cable and next day to put in on the roof.

[miraculon]

Someone told me extending anemometer cable will result in decrease top measuring range for wind speed. What about solar sensor? If reading as I assume is analog shouldn't there be any change in accuracy caused by resistance?

True on the extending the anemometer cable decreasing the top speed. Excessive cable capacitance starts rounding the speed pulses into "shark fins" until the logic levels are no longer valid.

Davis says:

If you need to increase the distance between your anemometer and the transmitter shelter, use extension cables #7876 from Davis Instruments. Please be aware that maximum wind speed reading decreases as the total length of cable from the anemometer to the ISS increases. If this distance is greater than 240ʹ, maximum wind speed may be less than 100 mph.

For the Solar sensor, I don't recall exactly what Davis recommends, but I had a total of 85 feet (26m) in my previous location and it worked fine.  I think that the max was 100' if I remember correctly.

Greg H.

[johnd]

All that said, it's also perfectly possible to use an 8X to log data from a standard ISS  and with solar/UV sensors attached to a 6332 box and to combine and export the data into the standard WL program.

I didn't have much luck getting this to work. Is there a good description on exactly how to set this up? I was only able to get exported 8x files to import into WL. If there is a method to have WDTU feed WL real-time, I am very interested in knowing how to do this.

Sorry I didn't see this post at the time. No, AFAIAA there's no real-time option to feed data from WDTU to WL - the mechanism is via creating the .bin file and then importing into WL.

There is a (rather poorly documented and you need to ask Davis for it) 8X real-time API. Must admit that I've never really dug into this - and probably not likely to now given that the 8X is officially discontinued - and so I don't know exactly what data structures it supports, but I suppose it's feasible in principle that someone could write a program that could poll the 8X API and re-emit the data in WL packet format via a virtual com port, ie much as VVP does.

The other options are a Meteobridge Pro Red unit or to make one of Mark Crossley's clever relay units, as per:

http://sandaysoft.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=15915