Author Topic: Davis Vantage Pro2 - Super Capacitor Replacement - DIY  (Read 9128 times)

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Offline nonnih

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Davis Vantage Pro2 - Super Capacitor Replacement - DIY
« on: March 02, 2018, 05:55:43 PM »
(Ed. note: some images are missing since the server the images were posted on no longer exists.  Only the last image (uploaded to WXforum.net) still shows.

For instructions try https://www.scaledinstruments.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Pro2%20Supercap%20Replacment%20v1.pdf instead.
)

Hi all,

After 10 years of flawless service, my ISS stopped sending signal, and every time i replaced the battery it was exhausted within days.

As i am living in Iceland, we get not much sun from august to march and therefor i have had to replace the CR123 battery twice a year... until now maybe.

My super capacitor died and when i start working on replacing the capacitor i read on some articles that the standard capacitor is 2.7 v 10F, and it is possible to put an 50F capacitor, and more. As i have a European model, i can have 2 capacitors.  So i ordered 2x 2.7 50F capacitors and began to upgrade. It was an quite easy job, just a little bit soldering and my weather-station has working very nice after the upgrade.

I have here attached photos from my ISS, with the blown capacitor and the steps until it was ready.

Hope this will help out others in upgrading their ISS and fixing them.

Here is my ISS


After i remove the cover


Here is the blown Super Capacitor


Cleaning the hole for new capacitors, and opening new hole


New capacitors in place and ready for soldering


And this is how ISS with 2x 50F capacitors looks like.

« Last Edit: March 10, 2024, 04:26:37 PM by saratogaWX »

Offline Bushman

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Re: Davis Vantage Pro2 - Super Capacitor Replacement - DIY
« Reply #1 on: March 02, 2018, 06:36:54 PM »
Great pictures!  thanks.  There was a thread about multiple supercaps before so I will be curious to know how yours works out.  And I notice you did not hot  glue them or anything?
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Offline W3DRM

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Re: Davis Vantage Pro2 - Super Capacitor Replacement - DIY
« Reply #2 on: March 02, 2018, 10:57:38 PM »
Yes, great job! However, I hope you used some needle-nose pliers to hold the capacitor end of the wires so they were not stressed while bending the leads to fit the ISS board. Most capacitor failures occur from not stabilizing the leads on the capacitor end before bending them. Not doing this results in micro fractures at the capacitor end which will eventually fail. That is one of the reasons for securing the capacitor with hot glue or some other means of preventing the cap from moving around.
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Offline GeoAir.pt

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Re: Davis Vantage Pro2 - Super Capacitor Replacement - DIY
« Reply #3 on: May 04, 2018, 11:24:36 AM »
Hi,
Sorry to hijack this topic.
Would this be a suitable replacement https://www.tme.eu/gb/details/ds5u506m18040bb/supercapacitors/samwha/ ?
Thank you

Offline doubleohwhatever

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Re: Davis Vantage Pro2 - Super Capacitor Replacement - DIY
« Reply #4 on: May 04, 2018, 01:57:27 PM »
Is there a reason two capacitors are not installed at the factory?

Offline johnd

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Re: Davis Vantage Pro2 - Super Capacitor Replacement - DIY
« Reply #5 on: May 04, 2018, 04:17:01 PM »
Not really necessary in lower latitudes where daylight hours are both brighter and longer.

And not at higher latitudes either I think - in the winter half of the year (ie when you might need extra charge in the supercap) there's not enough sunlight to charge one supercap, let alone two.
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Offline doubleohwhatever

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Re: Davis Vantage Pro2 - Super Capacitor Replacement - DIY
« Reply #6 on: May 04, 2018, 08:26:58 PM »
That makes sense.

Offline miraculon

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Re: Davis Vantage Pro2 - Super Capacitor Replacement - DIY
« Reply #7 on: May 05, 2018, 08:27:02 AM »
Perhaps when the boards were initially designed, the available capacitance range wasn't as high as it is now. In general, cap technology trends to more µF (or F in this case), for the same package. For cost purposes, they probably found that they could get the same capacitance in a single package, eliminating the need for two.

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Offline archae86

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Re: Davis Vantage Pro2 - Super Capacitor Replacement - DIY
« Reply #8 on: May 09, 2018, 08:22:09 AM »
As user reports here suggest that the super capacitor is one of the highest failure rate items in the system, I think not installing two where one is sufficient lowers costs and raises reliability.

Offline johnd

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Re: Davis Vantage Pro2 - Super Capacitor Replacement - DIY
« Reply #9 on: May 09, 2018, 08:53:41 AM »
As user reports here suggest that the super capacitor is one of the highest failure rate items in the system, I think not installing two where one is sufficient lowers costs and raises reliability.

Doesn't it double the failure rate and so lower reliability?
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Offline SnowHiker

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Re: Davis Vantage Pro2 - Super Capacitor Replacement - DIY
« Reply #10 on: May 10, 2018, 03:47:54 AM »
As user reports here suggest that the super capacitor is one of the highest failure rate items in the system, I think not installing two where one is sufficient lowers costs and raises reliability.

Doesn't it double the failure rate and so lower reliability?
No.

Offline johnd

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Re: Davis Vantage Pro2 - Super Capacitor Replacement - DIY
« Reply #11 on: May 10, 2018, 04:08:13 AM »
As user reports here suggest that the super capacitor is one of the highest failure rate items in the system, I think not installing two where one is sufficient lowers costs and raises reliability.

Doesn't it double the failure rate and so lower reliability?
No.

Well, if they're mounted in parallel (which I'm guessing they are) and a low resistance fault develops in either then you have a a problem. Hence reliability is lower.
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 SnowHiker

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Re: Davis Vantage Pro2 - Super Capacitor Replacement - DIY
« Reply #12 on: May 10, 2018, 04:17:16 AM »
As user reports here suggest that the super capacitor is one of the highest failure rate items in the system, I think not installing two where one is sufficient lowers costs and raises reliability.

Doesn't it double the failure rate and so lower reliability?
No.

Well, if they're mounted in parallel (which I'm guessing they are) and a low resistance fault develops in either then you have a a problem. Hence reliability is lower.
That's why he's saying it's more reliable to not use two instead of one.

Offline johnd

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Re: Davis Vantage Pro2 - Super Capacitor Replacement - DIY
« Reply #13 on: May 10, 2018, 04:25:33 AM »
That's why he's saying it's more reliable to not use two instead of one.

Ah, maybe I misread/misinterpreted the (sort of) double negative.  :? Apologies! So we all agree I think?
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 SnowHiker

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Re: Davis Vantage Pro2 - Super Capacitor Replacement - DIY
« Reply #14 on: May 10, 2018, 04:40:00 AM »

Ah, maybe I misread/misinterpreted the (sort of) double negative.  :? Apologies! So we all agree I think?
No apologies aren't not necessary, on my part anyway.

 :-)

Offline WheatonRon

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Re: Davis Vantage Pro2 - Super Capacitor Replacement - DIY
« Reply #15 on: May 11, 2018, 03:06:04 PM »
Interesting topic. One of my wishes for enhancements in the next version of a VP2 (maybe a VP3), is an easy, replaceable super cap—plug in maybe? Oh well, Davis doesn’t seem interested, and decent competition doesn’t appear imminent. Maybe if iPhone sales dwindle Apple will start making PWS!
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Offline Bushman

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Re: Davis Vantage Pro2 - Super Capacitor Replacement - DIY
« Reply #16 on: May 11, 2018, 05:02:11 PM »
Here's a thought:  rechargeable batteries.  Who needs an SC?
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Offline WiFiLogger

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Re: Davis Vantage Pro2 - Super Capacitor Replacement - DIY
« Reply #17 on: May 11, 2018, 05:55:30 PM »
Here's a thought:  rechargeable batteries.  Who needs an SC?

Useless in low temperature.

Offline dalecoy

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Re: Davis Vantage Pro2 - Super Capacitor Replacement - DIY
« Reply #18 on: May 11, 2018, 08:22:26 PM »
Here's a thought:  rechargeable batteries.  Who needs an SC?

Useless in low temperature.

And the SuperCapacitor is, in effect, a rechargeable battery - that works just fine in low temperatures, etc.

Offline Bushman

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Re: Davis Vantage Pro2 - Super Capacitor Replacement - DIY
« Reply #19 on: May 11, 2018, 08:25:30 PM »
Here's a thought:  rechargeable batteries.  Who needs an SC?

Useless in low temperature.

Tell that to my inReach sat phone; my Garmin GPS, my GoPros, my Suunto watch (all of which I use to -35C in the mountains for tens of hours at a stretch) ...  Rechargables are pretty decent these days.  At least the right ones are.
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Offline Bushman

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Re: Davis Vantage Pro2 - Super Capacitor Replacement - DIY
« Reply #20 on: May 11, 2018, 08:26:38 PM »
Here's a thought:  rechargeable batteries.  Who needs an SC?

Useless in low temperature.

And the SuperCapacitor is, in effect, a rechargeable battery - that works just fine in low temperatures, etc.

When it works.  Until it doesn't then you have to resolder, taking care about leads etc. after you pull the thing apart. The Davis implementation is craptastic.
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Offline dalecoy

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Re: Davis Vantage Pro2 - Super Capacitor Replacement - DIY
« Reply #21 on: May 11, 2018, 09:34:44 PM »
The Davis implementation is craptastic.

What would your design for reliable solar power be?

Offline WheatonRon

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Re: Davis Vantage Pro2 - Super Capacitor Replacement - DIY
« Reply #22 on: May 11, 2018, 09:35:50 PM »
The Davis implementation is craptastic.

What would your design for reliable solar power be?

Natural gas? Sorry, I couldn’t resist.
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Offline johnd

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Re: Davis Vantage Pro2 - Super Capacitor Replacement - DIY
« Reply #23 on: May 12, 2018, 03:40:29 AM »
Here's a thought:  rechargeable batteries.  Who needs an SC?

See Davis EM.
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 johnd

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Re: Davis Vantage Pro2 - Super Capacitor Replacement - DIY
« Reply #24 on: May 12, 2018, 04:25:50 AM »
Here's a thought:  rechargeable batteries.  Who needs an SC?

See Davis EM nodes.
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.