Topic: Visual representation of fan aspiration

[tandy1000]

My 5N1 has been covered in snow for the last few days. It's finally warming up today. I've always wished the 5N1 collected some info from the fan and solar panels so we could know how many hours it's been running. At least today I think I can guess when the snow melted off the panel and the fan kicked in. 

I compared this with a nearby Davis with FARS, and its temperature is a gradual rise (no rapid drop) and the high matches my latest temperature.

[nincehelser]

You might try spraying the outside lightly with silicone spray to help prevent snow and ice from building up.  It won't always work, but it might help.

As for monitoring the fan operation, there unfortunately isn't a real easy way to do that.  You might suggest it as a feature to Acurite if the design and protocol is ever revised. 

[jimmy1913]

Spray Rain X on it it's the best way.

[Rhino]

Good suggestion- we will see what can be done about logging fan hours and solar data in the future!

As far as spraying something ont he outside to help snow sluff off a bit, the plastics are polished at our factory to aid in this, but of course a good hand waxing or application of a rain-x type product can renew or improve those properties. In my case, I personally use a good quality car wax to help rain and snow run off better. Just be careful NOT to contaminate the ambient air intake port on the bottom of the sensor, that is where the temperature and humidity sensor components are located.

[tandy1000]

Thanks all for the ideas, I do have some good wax I can use. The 5N1 is probably more deserving of the wax than my old car! Rhino, we 'll consume any data the bridge delivers.  I wonder if we can do any calculated metrics (solar radiation) based on the output voltage.

Either way even if each packet sent the current voltage and fan on/off state (is the on/off state known, or does it just power on as long as there's enough voltage?) we could track runtime hours.