Topic: WS2810 with FARS installation pix.

[DanS]

Just finishing up my WS2810 installation and now posting a few pictures.

Here, the FARS is being built. I found some bowls made out of a Bakelite type of material. Very dense and rigid material that doesn't flex or glow inside from sun shining on it outside. Properties like ceramic but still workable with a drill and dremel tool. Fan is a standard P.C. 12v fan and panel is a 12v 500ma unit. No battery, just comes on in the late morning and turns off in the late afternoon/evening.
 

The ISS and rain gauge are mounted in a location the best I could find to meet CWOP's siting guidelines. Not the best but for what I have available it's a start anyway. A lot of tree/plant trimming was done after these pictures were taken. Actually the mount is further away from the vegetation than how it appears here. The FARS is about 5 feet above grass. Rain gauge, leveled, on top right above. Pole is a 3" PVC tube filled with cement and about 3 feet in the ground. No ground freezing to worry about here.



Both (2310 and 2810) anemometers are on the same mast approximately 38 feet AGL. No obstructions in any direction. Got lucky with this part. They're both located about 20 feet from the crest off the roof and 5 feet higher.

[SlowModem]

[Axelvold]

Very nice. 

[DanS]

Thanks Greg and Lars. I'll give it a couple of days to see how the ISS does in it's present location and relocate if needed. I like having something like this to do! 

[Anthony]

Where did you find that big huge solar pannel & how much did it set you back?

[DanS]

I mail ordered that panel from J.C. Whitney back in 1993 when was living/working in Bangkok. I would be away on assignment for weeks at a time and didn't want my car's battery back in Bangkok to die while I was away. I used it to keep a charge going on the battery. If I remember it was about $50 plus whatever the shipping was. It has no problem running a P.C. 12v fan for this application. I went out and checked this morning about 9Am, the sun was at about a 45 degree angle to the panel and the fan was running. Around 4:15Pm the sun was low enough for a shadow to cover the area and it stopped. Should be longer run times in the summer when the sun is up higher overhead.

[Anthony]

$50, not a bad price 16 years ago. I wonder what it costs now? And I wonder how the pannel will stand up to the elements, expecially here?

[DanS]

Mine looks like no problem with the elements because it's sealed in some kind of resin wrapping then put in a frame for support. If it held up this long being outside in the brutal sun, monsoons, etc. I guess it's sealed up pretty good. I did see one at J.C. Whitney that has the same specs. and about the same size but the price has kept up with the times ...
http://www.jcwhitney.com/Sunsei_Medium_Duty_Solar_Charger?ID=12;0;1101016450;0;100001;ProductName;8;0;0;0;2012891;0;0

I would imagine that the construction is designed to hold up well out in the elements. All the panels I've seen are usually sealed to a phenolic type circuit board with a clear water proof plastic resin material.

[SlowModem]

Of course, they're available at Wallyworld, too.


http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10339302

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=11062009

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10339301

[Strgazr27]

 

Nicely done Dan. And that solar panel ROCKS!!

[DanS]

Thanks Bobby. That panel is like a roadside billboard but it's size is being put to use as a sun blocker to the shield also. Double duty.  Now I'm doing a lot of comparing and updates with the int'l airport/Metar 1/2 mile west of here to see if this location keeps up with their readings. This morning I put a patio umbrella over the whole ISS mast to keep today's sun off the surrounding ground/grass. I will compare today's temp. graph with theirs this evening. This is just to see the difference between a shaded area and a location wide open in the sun like CWOP recommends. I noticed that even with the umbrella overhead blocking the sun that the FARS fan is still spinning from just the surrounding daylight.

[DanS]

Of course, they're available at Wallyworld, too.


http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10339302

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=11062009

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10339301

I also found some here. I see mine at the top of the page. Looks like the original box from back 16 years ago too.  http://www.ecrater.com/product.php?pid=6450336&keywords=12v%20solar%20panels#

[sam2004gp]

Of course, they're available at Wallyworld, too.


http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10339302

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=11062009

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10339301

I bought one of the Coleman panels from Walmart, and I found that they are NOT weather sealed, for outside use like Dan is using.  They were able to power a decent computer fan.  I returned the panel because of the lack of weather sealing and put my project on hold.  Now perhaps Dan has gave me a new source of panels.
 
Pics of the Coleman when I had it.

[Anthony]

Thanks everyone for the links and the information. I'll bet with a 30 watt pannel I could run my whole station on it. Including the existing solar x-mirrers. All you would need is the guts from the current x-mitters and a few resistors to reduce the voltage from the main solar pannel. I'll bet theres someone here whos smart enough to figure it out. May not even need a 30 watt. Might get by with a 20 watt.

[DanS]

I have difficulties when running my WS2810 nearby the other WS2310 station on the same desk (interference) so I constructed a stand for the WS2810 to separate the two. It's an old steel (brass finish) floor fan base I painted and fabricated a small platform on top to match the station's base. Adjustable height and tilt head mount.  Looks like it belongs in a bank lobby but at least it isn't across the room anymore on a bookshelf. Thought I'd post to maybe help someone else with similar issues with any station console, limited desk space, etc.

[Strgazr27]

 

[SlowModem]

[killwilly]

Sadly Dan, I missed this post when it started, but your whole set-up looks very good, congrats. 

Alan.

[DanS]

Thank you Alan. I'm still going though the learning curve with the 2810 and making adjustments/corrections as I find where they're needed but all in all happy with it.

[Garth Bock]

I have difficulties when running my WS2810 nearby the other WS2310 station on the same desk (interference) so I constructed a stand for the WS2810 to separate the two. It's an old steel (brass finish) floor fan base I painted and fabricated a small platform on top to match the station's base. Adjustable height and tilt head mount.  Looks like it belongs in a bank lobby but at least it isn't across the room anymore on a bookshelf. Thought I'd post to maybe help someone else with similar issues with any station console, limited desk space, etc.

Nice idea.......