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Weather Station Hardware => Weather Web Cams => Bloomsky Sky Camera+sensors => Topic started by: Aardvark on August 13, 2016, 10:59:16 AM

Title: I think I figured it out what is wrong with my Bloomsky
Post by: Aardvark on August 13, 2016, 10:59:16 AM
A friend of mine had his go dead while on the solar panel.  That got me to wonder as to why it worked fine plugged in the the wall wart and not when outside.

First I thought it was rain, but the rain corresponded with the same number of days he had his unit.   I went to the portal and ran  the data for the voltage of the battery.   

The far end of the graph is when it was on the charger in the house. Notice how it degrades. Yesterday it was bright and sunny and still a steady decline.  His quit about 2100mv.   

So  I am thinking it is either the solar panel or it is the Bloomsky.   Anyone else have similar experience?
Title: Re: I think I figured it out what is wrong with my Bloomsky
Post by: SpringHillWeather on August 13, 2016, 11:13:09 AM
I think you're on the right track.  The good news its working again so it does sound like it was a low battery condition that caused the shutdown the other day.

Take a look at this post.  There is a threshold before the battery will actually start to charge.  May help determine what is going on.

http://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=29224.msg286985#msg286985

Title: Re: I think I figured it out what is wrong with my Bloomsky
Post by: Aardvark on August 13, 2016, 12:06:56 PM
I think you're on the right track.  The good news its working again so it does sound like it was a low battery condition that caused the shutdown the other day.

Take a look at this post.  There is a threshold before the battery will actually start to charge.  May help determine what is going on.

http://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=29224.msg286985#msg286985

Just one more thing.. I looked at the plug end of the solar panel there is like a very small o ring like thing in the mould.  It meshes with a similar item on the Bloomsky.  Now with the A/C charger,  that ring isn't there.

I am wondering if the plug has to really be jammed into the unit for it to make contact.  If after I get back and if it doesn't work, then I will pare down that ring and see what happens.  If that doesn't work, then I'll send the whole taco to Bloomsky for repair.   
Title: Re: I think I figured it out what is wrong with my Bloomsky
Post by: W3DRM on August 13, 2016, 12:13:50 PM
I would suggest that you contact Bloomsky support and let them decide the best route to go rather than your "paring down" anything on your unit.
Title: Re: I think I figured it out what is wrong with my Bloomsky
Post by: Aardvark on August 13, 2016, 12:17:50 PM
I would suggest that you contact Bloomsky support and let them decide the best route to go rather than your "paring down" anything on your unit.

I have contacted them.  I am going to see how the week works out, then if it still has a problem, send the unit to them.    I am still not convinced I am right on this.

Just an observation. Then again, maybe I didn't really push the plug in deep enough to make contact or that I loosened it up some how.  I guess we wait and see.

I was just curious if me and Scott were the only people on the planet that had a similar experience.   I did order it from Amazon because Bloomsky said they had none in their warehouse and directed me to Amazon.

Now Amazon gets theirs from RoyalMeds  for some bizzare reasone.   Yet they are able to send it out overnight.   Maybe a bad lot?
Title: Re: I think I figured it out what is wrong with my Bloomsky
Post by: Aardvark on August 21, 2016, 11:41:35 AM
I went out of town for a week, leaving the Bloomsky on its own.   This Morning I was about 90 miles from home and saw that I couldn't get any image of my camera but could get one of a person a bit away.  I am guessing the battery dropped in charge. I got home, got on the portal and have attached the graph. The high voltage to the far left is when it was just on the charger and you can see how it is going. It is on a solar panel and of course it isn't charging sufficiently to where it should be.
For those with their cameras, how is the voltage going for you?

I did email Bloomsky and asking them to do something and I am guessing they might.
Title: Re: I think I figured it out what is wrong with my Bloomsky
Post by: PaulMy on August 21, 2016, 12:23:10 PM
Here is mine... https://map.bloomsky.com/weather-stations/gqBxp6apnJSnoJim

It is in the shade of a large tree during both the early part of the day and late afternoon but has not had any power issue since installing in February.

Paul
Title: Re: I think I figured it out what is wrong with my Bloomsky
Post by: ocala on August 21, 2016, 12:40:33 PM
Aardvark it looks like yours is charging just fine.
From your battery graph you are between 2570 and 2580mv.
Pauls graph is from 2600 to 2620 mv.
Just checked mine and I'm between 2590 and 2610mv.
I haven't had any issues with charging since it was installed a couple months back.
 You may have to start looking at the wifi connection, or possibly the whole unit is failing. :-(
Title: Re: I think I figured it out what is wrong with my Bloomsky
Post by: SpringHillWeather on August 21, 2016, 01:03:42 PM

For those with their cameras, how is the voltage going for you?



Your station does look like its charging but its seems it starts charging at a slightly lower voltage than the rest of us.
Mine starts to charge at around 2600mv.   Your station is starting to charge at 2570mv, not sure if that is the issue.   

Curious how far away is the BloomSky to your router?

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Title: Re: I think I figured it out what is wrong with my Bloomsky
Post by: Aardvark on August 21, 2016, 01:10:17 PM
The wifi was one of my initial thoughts.. So I went out and bought a Linksys 1900ACS  router.  The Bloomsky is only 45 feet from the router.  The Router is a direct connect into the modem.   The Bloomsky is the only thing that router connects to.  I did some preliminary and post testing of the range, strength and interference of the router and it appears to be fine.

What could be happening, is that for some reason the IOS wasn't picking up the feed, although, I had temperature and the rest .  Right now it is working and I do get  time lapse photos (http://www.desmoinesweather.org/weather28/index.php?p=my%20_bloomsky_page&lang=en#data-area (http://www.desmoinesweather.org/weather28/index.php?p=my%20_bloomsky_page&lang=en#data-area))  (https://map.bloomsky.com/weather-stations/gqBxp6apnJSnn6mz (https://map.bloomsky.com/weather-stations/gqBxp6apnJSnn6mz)).   

I checked the image about 623 am and got nothing, I got the guy on Polk Blvd.  and then about 2 hours later, I am getting the feed.     I don't know  what to think. 
Title: Re: I think I figured it out what is wrong with my Bloomsky
Post by: ocala on August 21, 2016, 01:24:37 PM
Just throwing this out there as a possibility.
When I had my router connected to my modem the signal was always spotty. Sometimes it worked sometimes it didn't. My modem from Comcast also doubled as a router. It wasn't until I got rid of the router did I find out that on the modem you have to enable an option called "Bridge Mode" which enables you to use a separate router in conjunction with the modem. I guess with that option disabled the competing routers tend to cancel each other out.
Comcast has a web page for their modems where you can change the settings like that. Depending on who your ISP is you could probably access this info and make some changes to see if it would work.
Just a suggestion.
Title: Re: I think I figured it out what is wrong with my Bloomsky
Post by: hankster on August 21, 2016, 09:20:15 PM
If it was a WiFi problem you wouldn't be getting the other readings. Thinking it's something else.... not sure what.
Title: Re: I think I figured it out what is wrong with my Bloomsky
Post by: Aardvark on August 21, 2016, 11:26:31 PM
I just played back today's time-lapse. It started at about 10 am.  each preceeding time-lapse started at 6:30 am.
Title: Re: I think I figured it out what is wrong with my Bloomsky
Post by: hankster on August 22, 2016, 07:47:10 AM
Since you have no control over the making of the time lapse it could be something wrong on Bloomsky's end. Maybe contact them and see if they have any suggestions.
Title: Re: I think I figured it out what is wrong with my Bloomsky
Post by: Aardvark on August 22, 2016, 07:51:17 AM
Since you have no control over the making of the time lapse it could be something wrong on Bloomsky's end. Maybe contact them and see if they have any suggestions.

I do have a dialogue going on another item, I will do as you suggest.
Title: Re: I think I figured it out what is wrong with my Bloomsky
Post by: Aardvark on August 24, 2016, 06:48:34 PM
I received a RMA  and notice that Bloomsky wants my camera and solar panel back. they are exchanging it . So it looks like i have a bunch of changes to make with a new URL and all next week.

They do stand by their product.   They insisited on me returning the item directly to them rather than Amazon.  Hmmm
Title: Re: I think I figured it out what is wrong with my Bloomsky
Post by: SpringHillWeather on August 24, 2016, 09:20:07 PM
Thanks for the update and good to hear they are issuing a replacement. 

I thought your unit was gonna make it since they either work or don't  :lol:

Let us know when you get the replacement up and running and I'll update the BloomSky list with the new link.
Title: Re: I think I figured it out what is wrong with my Bloomsky
Post by: Aardvark on August 25, 2016, 12:03:07 AM
thank you, i will.  then I have to go to my website, find the file necessary and put  in the url.  Sheesh..

I did ask them that if the Sky2  is revised, to consider getting it able to broadcast of 5G.
Title: Re: I think I figured it out what is wrong with my Bloomsky
Post by: nincehelser on August 25, 2016, 12:17:21 AM
thank you, i will.  then I have to go to my website, find the file necessary and put  in the url.  Sheesh..

I did ask them that if the Sky2  is revised, to consider getting it able to broadcast of 5G.

I kind of doubt they would move to 5 Ghz as it limits the range. 

Also, the term "5G" is getting confusing.  I always wonder if people are thinking 5th Generation network or 5 GHz frequency.