Another Davis/Datalogger Wind Issue

[dalecoy]

maybe a ground loop problem with the anenometer?
(might be barking up the wrong tree but I thought I would put that out there)

Do you have a suggestion for testing that? 

[Weather Display]

I just know that in the past that has caused spurious wind and rain readings

define testing

[sjg1976]

maybe a ground loop problem with the anenometer?
(might be barking up the wrong tree but I thought I would put that out there)

How could I test this.
The anometer is on top of an old bit of Copper Gas Pipe which is banged into the ground.
Could this be causing the issues then?

[sjg1976]

I just know that in the past that has caused spurious wind and rain readings

define testing

Do you think that would only occur when the Laptop is on AC Power though?

I suppose I could disconnect the Wind Sensor from the SIM, and see what happens?

[dalecoy]

I just know that in the past that has caused spurious wind and rain readings

define testing

Testing, in this case, would be changing some one thing and observing whether that change causes the problem to cease to exist.

Perhaps if you define "a ground loop problem with the anenometer" I would understand how to test, or if you would suggest a test I would understand the possible problem.

The entire system works absolutely correctly until the ungrounded laptop is attached to it's external AC supply "brick".  When that is done, there is interference with the data quality/transmission between the ISS and the console..  The interference is sufficient to cause a large percentage of the data packets to be not-correctly-readable.  But not nearly all of them.

Generally, a problem with ground loops will manifest as something entirely not working correctly, rather than (for example) working correctly on half of the packets.

[dalecoy]

I just know that in the past that has caused spurious wind and rain readings

define testing

Do you think that would only occur when the Laptop is on AC Power though?

I suppose I could disconnect the Wind Sensor from the SIM, and see what happens?

Yes, that would be a good thing to test.  With everything in the mode where you are getting packet losses (laptop connected to AC and to USB), disconnect the anemometer cable.  You should of course see that the wind direction is constant, and the speed is zero.  But the question would be if the packet losses continue. 

[sjg1976]

I'll have to do that test when I'm back at home next week.

I'll let you all know the findings,

Thanks once again for all the suggestions.

[belfryboy]

This looks interesting, USB isolator.

[sjg1976]

Hi back again......

Still seem to have some other issues...

I had my logger set up for 10minute archive intervals, whilst I was away I left the logger connected to the Davis VP console, but not to the computer at all.

Have downloaded the data into the WeatherLink software, but I don't seem to have any data at all showing for the days it was disconnected in the NOAA Monthly Summary.

If I browse records I only seem to have data for the following items.

Date and Time (at 10minute intervals)
--- for outside time hi temp and low temp
Humidity out is constant at 85%
Dew pt is ---
Windspeed is 0.0
Same for wind run and hi speed
--- For Dominant Direction
--- for Wind Chill Heat Index

Infant the only ones that seem to have any real data are the Barometer, and inside Temperatture and Humidity.

ISS Reception Says it's 100.0

Is there something I have failed to setup correctly?
Or is something else wrong?

I thought the logger was just plug and go, and that was it?

Thanks again for any help....

[dalecoy]

ISS Reception Says it's 100.0
...whilst I was away I left the logger connected to the Davis VP console, but not to the computer at all.

OK, that's great!  But wasn't the recption problem originally when the logger was connected to the computer on AC?  

I had my logger set up for 10minute archive intervals, whilst I was away I left the logger connected to the Davis VP console, but not to the computer at all.

That sounds like you are saying that you sometimes disconnect the logger from the console.  Do you?

Hi back again......

Still seem to have some other issues...

Have downloaded the data into the WeatherLink software, but I don't seem to have any data at all showing for the days it was disconnected in the NOAA Monthly Summary.

[...and other data problems]
I thought the logger was just plug and go, and that was it?

Is there something I have failed to setup correctly?

That sounds like the logger is "confused".

The logger is plug and go, if you follow the instructions in the manual for plugging.  However, if you connect or disconnect the logger from the console while the console has power applied (battery and/or AC), then the logger can get damaged or confused.  

That has nothing at all to do with "reception".  

If you aren't sure, the procedure would be to:  Put the console in standby, remove all power (battery and AC) from the console, unplug the logger, wait a few seconds, plug the logger back in, and re-apply power to the console, take the console out of standby.  Then erase the archive data from the logger.  The easiest way to do that (in WeatherLink, with the PC connected) is to set the time on the console (synchronize...).  At the end of that, you will be asked whether to erase the archive.  Say yes.

[sjg1976]

Yes normally I do have it connected to the Laptop, but as I was going to be away I left the logger unplugged from the laptop.

That way I was hoping that all the data that would have been stored whilst I was away would be held on the logger for when I got back.

Hope that makes sense?

[dalecoy]

Yes normally I do have it connected to the Laptop, but as I was going to be away I left the logger unplugged from the laptop.

That way I was hoping that all the data that would have been stored whilst I was away would be held on the logger for when I got back.

Hope that makes sense?

That makes sense, of course.  But it's likely that the logger wasn't working correctly (for the reasons I mentioned).

[sjg1976]

So do it correctly, I need to power down console after removing data, and then powering up console again.


In other words you can't just unplug and plug in the USB whilst the console is on.?

[dalecoy]

So do it correctly, I need to power down console after removing data, and then powering up console again.


In other words you can't just unplug and plug in the USB whilst the console is on.?

No, that's not what I said (about the USB connection).  I was talking about the process of plugging the LOGGER into the CONSOLE. 

That has nothing to do with the USB connection. 

[dalecoy]

the procedure would be to:  Put the console in standby, remove all power (battery and AC) from the console, unplug the logger from the console, wait a few seconds, plug the logger back in to the console, and re-apply power to the console, take the console out of standby.  Then erase the archive data from the logger.  The easiest way to do that (in WeatherLink, with the PC connected) is to set the time on the console (synchronize...).  At the end of that, you will be asked whether to erase the archive.  Say yes.

That is only necessary if the logger has not been initially installed "by the book", or the logger has ever been unplugged from the console while the console had power.

[sjg1976]

the procedure would be to:  Put the console in standby, remove all power (battery and AC) from the console, unplug the logger from the console, wait a few seconds, plug the logger back in to the console, and re-apply power to the console, take the console out of standby.  Then erase the archive data from the logger.  The easiest way to do that (in WeatherLink, with the PC connected) is to set the time on the console (synchronize...).  At the end of that, you will be asked whether to erase the archive.  Say yes.

That is only necessary if the logger has not been initially installed "by the book", or the logger has ever been unplugged from the console while the console had power.

Ok thanks, I'll do that and see what happens.
But I've never removed the logger from the console whilst it's been powered on.

Is it ok to remove the USB from the Laptop or Power Down the laptop with out resetting

[belfryboy]

Yes, that is fine. You just need to make sure the console is powered off if you are inserting or removing the logger from the back of the console.

[sjg1976]

Yes, that is fine. You just need to make sure the console is powered off if you are inserting or removing the logger from the back of the console.

Ok I've never installed or removed the logger with power on the console.

I'll try the whole reset procedure, and then leave the logger unplugged (the USB end) from the laptop.

[dalecoy]

Ok I've never installed or removed the logger with power on the console.

Sometimes the logger gets "wiggled".  You might not notice that.  And you have obviously done a lot of cable-wiggling.

And I want to check what you mean by "power on the console".  It's not just having the console "turned off" (standby) - you should not install/remove the logger if there are batteries in the console, and/or if the console is connected to AC power.

I'll try the whole reset procedure, and then leave the logger unplugged (the USB end) from the laptop.

I'd suggest occasionally disconnecting the AC power from the laptop, connecting the USB to the laptop, and downloading the data from the logger.  That should now have all of the new data - unless there is something really wrong with the logger.

[sjg1976]

Ok I've done all that now again.

Will leave it all connected up to the laptop, withe the Cumulas software running, and see what happens.

Will leave it like this for a day, then unplug laptop from AC Power Remove USB, and leave that for a day.

At the weekend I'll try and get a USB Expansion hub And see where I go from there.

[sjg1976]

For good measure I've also done a clear all command on the console, as I had the spurious 99mph wind as one of the highs.

[sjg1976]

I've been running overnight as follows:-

Laptop on AC Power
Davis Console Running On Batteries
Davis Logger Connected to Console
Davis Logger connected via USB
Cumulas Software Running

I Stopped Cumulas at 15:35
Started Weatherlink and Downloaded all the Data.

Attcahed are the Files, as you can see I still have periods where data is missing.

Any idea's where the error maybe occuring.

Tonight I'm going to as above but with the Logger not connected via USB.
Will also be purchasing a Davis AC Adapter for the console as well this week.

[dalecoy]

I've been running overnight as follows:-

Laptop on AC Power
Davis Logger connected via USB

Attcahed are the Files, as you can see I still have periods where data is missing.

Any idea's where the error maybe occuring.

It's impossible to diagnose "missing data" problems (for certain) if your ISS Reception is not near 100%, which it isn't.  And you know it won't be near 100% with the Laptop on AC Power.  [I also don't understand why you have Cumulus running when you are trying to solve two other problems, but that's probably unrelated]

Tonight I'm going to as above but with the Logger not connected via USB.

Good

[sjg1976]

Is it worth doing all the Clear All commands again before I go back to just the logger?
Or just unplug the USB and run from there?

Thanks for all your patients with this.

[dalecoy]

Is it worth doing all the Clear All commands again before I go back to just the logger?
Or just unplug the USB and run from there?

Thanks for all your patients with this.

It should be OK to just unplug the USB.  I would suggest the following, if you have time:

Unplug the USB cable from the computer.
After an hour or so, check to be sure the reception statistics are 100%
Now unplug the AC from the computer.
Plug the USB cable into the computer.
Now start WeatherLink and download data, and see if it looks reasonable and OK.
Now disconnect the USB cable from the computer.
Plug the computer AC back in.

If the downloaded data looks reasonable, don't bother clearing anything.