Topic: FARS Fan and Batteries

[Aardvark]

I have the FARS.  I had noticed last fall that the fan was no longer working,  but with winter coming, who cares?   So this week I ordered a new motor and batteries from Scaled Instruments  and it arrived yesterday.  I charged up on the charger the nicad batteries .  I have a unit that will discharge the batteries completely then recharge them. for me  I have found that the batteries do better when they are pre-charged when setting up the FARS.  Sometimes the sun isn't strong enough to charge the batteries and run the fan.

So..  I went out , removed the ISS, brought it inside and did some testing.  took out the old batteries, put in the new charged.  No fan action. replaced the fan and we were off.  Ok  I also cleaned out the chamber with dust-air and so forth.  so it is back on board.   I looked up when the unit was last serviced, and I did it in May 2016.  Seems to me that those batteries should have lasted longer (oh I also played with putting in the new batteries with the old fan -nada)  or the motor should last longer than what it did. However,   it only took 45 minutes for me to do the task.

[Aardvark]

Two...maybe three...years on a fan & battery set is what I'm seeing with my VP2-24FARS since 2006.

That is what I thought.    Fortunately today is a sunny day.  One wouldn't think in Iowa a FARS kit does that much, but it does have value here.  the humidity can be awful in the summer.

[johnd]

Davis used to recommend replacing the fan every year!

[Aardvark]

I figured out the cost of doing that, replacing annually and it is expensive over time.

[johnd]

Before or AFTER the 1-year warranty expired?

The day after 

But I think that suggestion has now disappeared, to be replaced by no suggestion, though AFAIK the actual fan hardware hasn't changed (but difficult to be sure about that).

[azchrisf]

Yeah no way I'm paying $60 for a fan kit EVERY year. Alot of the guys have posted the 3V fans you can get off Jameco or Digikey.
Only trick is centering the fan motor and then hot snoting it in place. Then you have to clean the hot snot out again when it comes time to replace it again...but hey a few minutes is better than $60 IMHO. Then get some sub-c batteries which is what they use if you need them, and you've saved yourself probably $30-40.

[Aardvark]

I purchase all my batteries in bulk.  Cr123A  DEFINITELY, not only for the weather transmitters but I have three 1000 lumen flashlights.  When I head out into the dark, I want to see what might be looking at me. 

What bothers me is the extra effort to pull the wires out of the ISS and all to replace the fan.  I am not a spring chicken anymore,   I know removing the rain cover, and dropping the radiation shield  is pretty easy, 3 screws etc  but I have the thing mounted 5 feet off the ground.  I am 5 ft 7.   even with a ladder it is a pain in the nether regions.

I had considered  pulling the FARS unit out, making it a separate station and running it mounted near by. but then I am not sure if I did that, would the data record properly on my website  making the FARS unit then station 2,  I don't think it works that way.   then also  just letting the battery die off and using it as a passive unit  down the road.   

Sometimes I feel like a mosquito in a nudist colony.   Not knowing where to start.

[azchrisf]

Knowing that mechanical devices DO eventually "wear-out" and fail, I always buy & keep ready a 'spare' set of batteries...and a fan. That way, whenever that inevitable "wear-out" happens, I am ready to swap the good IN and the bad OUT.

And, I always keep the OLD failed motor assembly (housing, motor & fan) so that I can then buy and use better motors, instead of continually buying 'cheap' ones from Davis. There are MUCH better/reliable DC-motors available than what Davis uses/sells.

Got a link to better motors or are you referring to the Jameco ones?

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

[CW2274]

This is what I used until going a/c.
https://www.jameco.com/z/RF-500TB-18280-R-Nichibo-Taiwan-3-Volt-DC-Motor-2104-Rpm-1-3-Volt-Range_2158442.html

[CW2274]

Only trick is centering the fan motor and then hot snoting it in place. Then you have to clean the hot snot out again when it comes time to replace it again...

And this is what I used instead of snot. Much easier than the mess and snugs/centers the motor just fine.
https://www.pacrad.com/3m-double-sided-foam-tape-4008.html

[WheatonRon]

This is what I used until going a/c.
https://www.jameco.com/z/RF-500TB-18280-R-Nichibo-Taiwan-3-Volt-DC-Motor-2104-Rpm-1-3-Volt-Range_2158442.html

Moral of this thread? Use ac whenever possible AND let’s keep pressure on Davis to improve this aspect of its product line features.

[vreihen]

Moral of Real World reality? DAVIS™ will do what Davis manglement decides 'profits' them most...ie: we're peeing into a high wind.

Moral on the Ferengi home world?  One business' problem is another business' profit.  I'm sure that someone here can come up with a third-party kit to fix the FARS problem forever.....

[johnd]

Moral on the Ferengi home world?  One business' problem is another business' profit.  I'm sure that someone here can come up with a third-party kit to fix the FARS problem forever.....

Hmm, they've had pretty much 20 years to do so and nothing obvious on the radar as yet. I think it's the usual problem in this sector - it's just not large or profitable enough for people to see it as a worthwhile money-making proposition.