Topic: Davis hardware fails every 12 to 18 months, sick of it, best alternative brand

[RainAlwaysRain]

First my Davis Anemometer failed after 10 months when the cold season returned last year. Replaced it, now starting the same failure pattern again with this week's cold spell. The Vantage Vue ISS lasted about 16 months then completely died. Replacement is still working but fool me twice shame on me syndrome is starting to sink in. I live in a perfectly moderate climate that should pose no challenge for Weather Station hardware.

Now I'm looking for a WS product that I don't have to replace every year or 18 months. Any suggested alternatives? I will pay more for quality and a product that can last say 3 to 5 years and provide the same data to my VWS software.

Thanks for your ideas. Not trying to knock Davis, I'm just ready to move to something better so I don't have to keep dealing with replacements, shipping, setup every year. I don't have a lot of free time.

[gwwilk]

Strange...

You have a separate anemometer with a Vantage Vue?

[miraculon]

I have been using my VP2 for two years and have had no problems with the anemometer. (did have a humidity sensor issue, replaced under warranty with no further issues).

Judging from my local METAR station (ASOS) which has "professional grade" wind hardware, I am not sure that there is anything that is 100% reliable. They keep reporting 0MPH/N or "Calm" when myself and other local stations are 10MPH+. Seems like an intermittent issue.

So far I have been having good luck with my RM Young Wind Monitor Jr. I have both this and the Davis up on my mast and can see them side-by-side. The "Jr" was discontinued, but you can find Wind Monitors on eBay occasionally for less than list price. I have been running it for less than a year, though.

Greg H.

[RainAlwaysRain]

Yeah, for wind I have the Davis Instruments 6332 (Vantage Pro2 Anemometer
Transmitter Kit) with the 6410 anemometer. Vue stations support this. And FWIW, the 6332 transmitter kit is the one piece of the puzzle that never fails.

It is starting to report 0 MPH again when I can see it spinning. I did the battery replacement a few days ago after it reported 0 MPH under major wind gusts for a few days. Last time, once it got to the point of complete failure, I did the research and it appears the reed mechanism has a high failure rate if I recall correctly.

It kind of amazes me that in this day of rapid wireless technology innovation we don't have many choices out there. Sure, there are plenty of new Netatmo style products out there I see in a quick search, but no new real weather station products that I have seen yet. I guess the demand just isn't there.

[dalecoy]

It is starting to report 0 MPH again when I can see it spinning. I did the battery replacement a few days ago after it reported 0 MPH under major wind gusts for a few days.

Did you do the other recommended troubleshooting for the wind cups, at the same time?

Did you try using the Davis "anemometer test" device to make sure the transmitter is OK?

Did you have any "low battery" reason for replacing the battery?

You apparently replaced the anemometer fairly recently.  Is your anemometer the old version or the new version (i.e., does it actually have a reed switch?)

[DoctorKnow]

As far as other stations, I would say Peet Bros. but it is a cabled station. If you want wireless, I would say Rainwise, but some seem to be having problems there too.

[RainAlwaysRain]

I was tempted by Rainwise before I went with Davis. Has anyone evaluated Weatherhawk stations? Surpising lack of info on them. http://www.weatherhawk.com/s916w 

I think a build a list of potentials to be ready. I want wireless and ideally compatibility with VWS so I don't have to start from scratch on all my special code. I will just ride out the rest of the Vue station's life and use its anemometer until it is no more.

[dalecoy]

I apologize for asking those technical questions.  Clearly, your mind is already made up.

[RainAlwaysRain]

dalecoy, two replies came in about the same time. i just missed your questions. I might be able to climb up there today if I'm feeling brave. I'll have to dig up the suggested troubleshooting I used the last time. Last time, I remember removing the cups and cleaning underneath. It the end, the sporadic outages increased over time and reed mechanism failure was the end result.

Both the transmitter kitter and the IIS transmitter always seem healthy and hold solid signals. Connections/cables are tight. The last failures were in the moving parts on the anemometer and then ISS main device itself. Transmitting has never been an issue. These are actually not far through the window from my console.

[ggsteve]

I was tempted by Rainwise before I went with Davis. Has anyone evaluated Weatherhawk stations? Surpising lack of info on them. http://www.weatherhawk.com/s916w 

I think a build a list of potentials to be ready. I want wireless and ideally compatibility with VWS so I don't have to start from scratch on all my special code. I will just ride out the rest of the Vue station's life and use its anemometer until it is no more.

I would wait a little while and then consider a Rainwise.  I have had problems with mine in heavy rain conditions.  Rainwise is aware of the problem and they have two returned units that they can not get to fail either outdoors or in their environmental chamber.  While it has been frustrating dealing with this problems, of this I am sure; they will stand behind their products.  The only reason they haven't sent me a replacement yet is because they haven't isolated a fix.  Mine has been working fine anyway as we have been in a dry spell.

[dalecoy]

dalecoy, two replies came in about the same time. i just missed your questions. I might be able to climb up there today if I'm feeling brave. I'll have to dig up the suggested troubleshooting I used the last time. Last time, I remember removing the cups and cleaning underneath. It the end, the sporadic outages increased over time and reed mechanism failure was the end result.

If you are in fact getting 0 (zero) for wind speed, (rather than dashes), the transmitter is doing OK (and the battery is OK) - but for instance, the cable might be loose.  Or the cups may have dropped down a bit.  Or, as you said, the reed switch might have failed.  The only way to determine the problem is to troubleshoot.  See the instructions.

And it is my understanding that the newer model anemometer doesn't use a reed switch.  So, maybe you have a newer one, since you replaced it within the last year.  I can't tell from here what you have.

[Bushman]

If you are not happy with Davis, there is a simple answer:  Vaisala At least some of their stations are supported by VWS.  Oh, and you better have deep pockets.  But these babies rock.  Simply about the best you can get.

[DaleReid]

In addition to Vaisala, look at Campbell Scientific and Met One if you indeed have deep pockets.

Careful browsing of the internet ebay type sales often bring up good stuff at reduced (or sometimes reduced) prices.

The nice thing about the advanced hobbyist level stuff is that the manufacturers have a nicely bundled product.  Unless you want to spend time programming the data loggers or soldering up and testing an Arduino or Raspberry, then the simplest and usually the most reliable is the commercial offerings.

My Rainwise have not had the wet weather problem reported.  I have replaced the batteries on more than one unit, but that goes with all of them, eventually.

The problem with a lot of this stuff is that it gets mounted where it isn't always the most accessible because we live where there are houses and buildings and trees and other stuff.  Even the wide open airports have locations that don't meet specs.

I don't know of an answer to your question as to one that is superior and will never fail.  But I can say my first Davis ran for over a decade and I didn't even replace the ISS battery until 5 years had gone by.

[Scalphunter]

Rainwise . lot of them in Fairbanks area.

[nincehelser]

You could always build your own.  I did that once, but the customer support was awful.

[RainAlwaysRain]

You could always build your own.  I did that once, but the customer support was awful.

Yeah, the warranty sucks too. 

Seriously Davis is killing me. The remote wind cup cleaning is working for now. But 48 hours later the rain collector stopped reporting on the VUE ISS, same as it did last year a week or two before the entire ISS sensors started reporting crazy number and then choked. I ordered the $15 replacement rain mechanism on Saturday and Davis STILL HAS NOT SHIPPED IT. The rain collector started working for 24 hours after the usual removal, clean, re-install, but now it is stopped again. There goes my annual rainfall total data integrity.

I realize the VUE ISS replacement can be had for $158, but I last replaced it in February, 2014. It seems the life span is getting shorter and shorter with these products.

Commencing Rainwise product research. There must be a way to do this without all the hassle!

[wthrmn654]

strangly enough, you pay less for the vantague vue, it seems that the quality is also less, compared to a davis pro 2 or w.e... where i work we have a vantague vue, of which it survived hurricane sandy and tropical storm irene and harsh winters, but directly on salty water front... of late, the battery issue seems to be the only big problem... replaced the batter we just got from grainger, and again still says low battery and it stops reporting roughly for 3-4 hours before sun comes up... if i do recall correctly though, once the sunnier months came around it seemed to go away.. now idk if that means its solar/ charging problem or if its simply the station needs some TLC... ideas??

[ValentineWeather]

of late, the battery issue seems to be the only big problem... replaced the batter we just got from grainger, and again still says low battery and it stops reporting roughly for 3-4 hours before sun comes up... if i do recall correctly though, once the sunnier months came around it seemed to go away.. now idk if that means its solar/ charging problem or if its simply the station needs some TLC... ideas??

You are describing a low battery condition. Something is putting a drain on battery when it shouldn't be or battery wasn't good in first place. Battery isn't really used except extended cloudy days and possibly long winter nights during last couple hours before sun light.
Have you verified super cap and solar panel are working? Remove battery,verify everything is working daytime. Then cover solar panel blocking all sun with battery out and verify super cap is charged and signal still working. 

[gwwilk]

of late, the battery issue seems to be the only big problem... replaced the batter we just got from grainger, and again still says low battery and it stops reporting roughly for 3-4 hours before sun comes up... if i do recall correctly though, once the sunnier months came around it seemed to go away.. now idk if that means its solar/ charging problem or if its simply the station needs some TLC... ideas??

You are describing a low battery condition. Something is putting a drain on battery when it shouldn't be or battery wasn't good in first place. Battery isn't really used except extended cloudy days and possibly long winter nights during last couple hours before sun light.
Have you verified super cap and solar panel are working? Remove battery,verify everything is working daytime. Then cover solar panel blocking all sun with battery out and verify super cap is charged and signal still working.

I had a problem like this with my Vantage Pro2+ last Spring.  It turns out that the fault was mostly mine:  I was installing the battery backwards due to my ageing eyes inability to perceive the raised but unpainted outline at the bottom of the compartment in the bright sunlight on my roof!  The Pro2+ was just fine, but the operator wasn't.

[RainAlwaysRain]

Well it's not a power issue in this case. Right after my last post I found my old dead VUE ISS parts bock and swapped out that rain collector mechanism with the faulty one. So far working for two days.

[Brian]

Hello, 'Lately I have been having 3volt battery problems also.  I inserted a new one recently which read 3.12 volts. When I pressed the white button the indicator light failed to show. even before replacing the battery I had problem with LOW BATTERY showing on Console plus nil readings between 5 and 6am just as the sun comes up. sounds like the same trouble !!.

Up 'till 8 days ago the unit/s have been operating A1.

Vue is about 30 months old.

Brian       Geraldton, West Aust.