Cheap weather station with a good barometer

[Jax]

I have a cheap weather station I got from the Discovery Channel store a while back. It has a barometric pressure trend graph built into it, but it does not seem to work all that well. It does not read absolute pressure, only relative pressure (increase/decrease). And the pressure I see does not seem to correlate well with the actual barometric pressure from the nearest station on Weather Underground. I think it just has really poor time/pressure resolution. For example, in the photo I just took, it shows that the pressure has not decreased for the last 2 hours but when I check on wunderground, it has been dropping since then.




Does anybody know if there is a cheap weather station I could buy that has the same features (temp inside and out, plus humidity and a barometer) with decent barometric resolution? The barometer is the most important and interesting to me, but I want it to have a thermometer/hygrometer too. I don't want a wind meter or a rainfall meter or any of that stuff, and I don't want to spend over $150. Also I don't care if it has built in forecasting or not - I could do the forecasting myself in my head if I only had a good barometer!

Any help would be much appreciated!

[Jax]

I just noticed that the pressure graph is cut off on the image because it does not display the graph all at the same time (another feature that annoys me). The graph is basically displayed one bar at a time and then it clears and redraws itself slowly, one bar at a time. Anyways, the graph beyond what you can see is just flat at the same pressure for the last two hours. Also, I'd like to find a weather station where the pressure graph dies bit flash like this one does.

[DanS]

Another option would be to use that $150 toward a nice barometer to work along with your existing station, such as this http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000RI8688/ref=asc_df_B000RI8688994674?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&tag=googlecom09c9-20&linkCode=asn&creative=380341&creativeASIN=B000RI8688

also, when you compare barometer readings, is the source you are comparing with near you? It doesn't take a lot of distance between you to get varied readings.

[Jax]

The station I am comparing it with is about a mile away, or slightly less, but it does happen to be at a higher elevation (30 stories or so up - it's a helipad on top of a hospital).

The analog barometer is a cool idea but I already have one that I inherited from my grandpa. It's pretty nice but I still wanted a decent digital one that could graph pressure changes. I noticed that when the eye of Hurricane Ike passed near my apartment, my digital barometer barely registered the change in pressure while the analog one went off the scale. I guess it's possible that the digital one is defective or something.

I guess alternatively I could just use this image from Wunderground as my digital barometer since it's only a mile or so away:


Although there is something cool about having your own data...

[Jax]

This one looks cool but it's only a barometer with indoor temperature and not outdoor temperature. If I got this I'd have to use it as well as my existing unit rather than replacing the existing unit.

http://www.starpath.com/catalog/accessories/1872.htm

[SlowModem]

You can get a LaCrosse 2317 for around $80.  It comes with wind and rain, but you don't have to use them.  I think it comes with heavy weather so you could have software to record your data and do trends and stuff.  Or, you could use the wind and rain sensors, download WUHU (free software) and upload your data to cwop/wu/pws etc and enjoy this addictive hobby.  For what it's worth, I have a 2315 and the barometer is always right where it should be according to the madis qa.

Good luck!

[DanS]

This one looks cool but it's only a barometer with indoor temperature and not outdoor temperature. If I got this I'd have to use it as well as my existing unit rather than replacing the existing unit.

http://www.starpath.com/catalog/accessories/1872.htm

As Slow Modem indicated you don't have to spend a fortune to have digital barometer accuracy either. http://www.coleparmer.com/catalog/product_view.asp?sku=9008002&pfx=

[Jax]

Thanks for the info, guys.

[Chris H.]

Okay. Cheap? You got it:

Acu-Rite. (aka Chaney Instruments).

You won't find it on their website, rather you'll find it at Walmart and Lowe's. And possibly Home Depot. The worst $75 I've ever spent, with a flimsy anemometer bearing, cheap cup counter (which is a magnetized switch, which okay, I can see it failing after about two years), and the thermo/hygrometer is now displaying --, which to my standards means either the battery needs replacing, or the fact that I took compressed air (lightly and gently) to the sensor after taking the cover apart (I have pictures around here somewhere, posted last July? I can't remember) has totally obliterated it. Which means I'm totally screwed because they don't make this sucker anymore. What you'll find anywhere is really just stock that hasn't been sold yet. It's just stock. Junk. If you want better, go with Davis or Lacrosse. My first two weather stations were Lacrosse (til the anemometer cups were destroyed by something, probably a bird), and they were very decent in quality, and cost $120. Although you can find it for  $80.

Okay I couldn't find my original pictures (they probably weren't posted in the right place, I really don't remember where I put them, I'll be looking): but I did find this:

I'm not so negative about my PWS, but still, I know I can find better. There's a whole interwebs to explores!

http://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=5081.msg45208#msg45208

And here's some of my photos:
http://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=5082.msg45328#msg45328

[Wx4U]

Your requirements might be satisfied by one of the following:
1. Honeywell TE653ELE, on sale at Ambient for $42.95
2. LaCrosse COMBO 11-IT, on sale at Ambient for $71.95
3. LaCrosse WS-8035U-IT-SAL, on sale at Ambient for $69.95
4. LaCrosse WS9037U-IT at LaCrosse for $89.95
5. LaCrosse WS-1611TC-IT at LaCrosse for $95.95

You might better these prices by check on Google.
Good Luck.
Bob

[tomcj2]

If you want an excellent barometer look at :http://www.trintec.com/aviation/barometer.shtml.  You can find it cheaper on EBay.  Nice Bill brought this to our attention just over a year ago, just before he passed away.  I miss Nice Bill.

[Jax]

Does anybody know what the update interval is for any of the barometers listed? Is it every minute or every hour or...?

I am kinda leaning towards this one: http://www.starpath.com/catalog/accessories/1872.htm

It's expensive but it updates every 2 minutes or something like that and has a really nice graph feature. I wish it was a bit cheaper though.

[Mark / Ohio]

If you want an excellent barometer look at :http://www.trintec.com/aviation/barometer.shtml.  You can find it cheaper on EBay.  Nice Bill brought this to our attention just over a year ago, just before he passed away.  I miss Nice Bill.

I just discovered Ed is now carrying them at Ambient.

http://www.ambientweather.com/trtteb14.html

[DanS]

Does anybody know what the update interval is for any of the barometers listed? Is it every minute or every hour or...?

I am kinda leaning towards this one: http://www.starpath.com/catalog/accessories/1872.htm

It's expensive but it updates every 2 minutes or something like that and has a really nice graph feature. I wish it was a bit cheaper though.

For about the same price but can also connect to a PC (all the graphs and charts you want and can print out too) and at least as good accuracy, well known name with good reputation, how about http://www.ambientweather.com/dapeii.html ?

[Jax]

So the Perception II can connect to a PC but it has not on-screen graphing right?
Any idea if it's compatible with a Mac, or only Windows?

[DanS]

So the Perception II can connect to a PC but it has not on-screen graphing right?
Any idea if it's compatible with a Mac, or only Windows?

It does not appear to have on-screen barometric graphs, only the current measurement and it's tendency direction. I saw on the Davis site that there is a Mac software download available for the WeatherLink computer interface.

[Mark / Ohio]

.... I saw on the Davis site that there is a Mac software download available for the WeatherLink computer interface.

True but unfortunately I have never heard that I can recall a positive word spoken about it.  It seems to lack both the features and stability of the Windows version.

[vicky86]

I have a cheap weather station I got from the Discovery Channel store a while back. It has a barometric pressure trend graph built into it, but it does not seem to work all that well. It does not read absolute pressure, only relative pressure (increase/decrease). And the pressure I see does not seem to correlate well with the actual barometric pressure from the nearest station on Weather Underground. I think it just has really poor time/pressure resolution. For example, in the photo I just took, it shows that the pressure has not decreased for the last 2 hours but when I check on wunderground, it has been dropping since then.




Does anybody know if there is a cheap weather station I could buy that has the same features (temp inside and out, plus humidity and a barometer) with decent barometric resolution? The barometer is the most important and interesting to me, but I want it to have a thermometer/hygrometer too. I don't want a wind meter or a rainfall meter or any of that stuff, and I don't want to spend over $150. Also I don't care if it has built in forecasting or not - I could do the forecasting myself in my head if I only had a good barometer!

Any help would be much appreciated!

I think there are many Indoor & Outdoor Thermometers in the market, but an Indoor & Outdoor Thermometers with barometric resolution, I think it's hard to find. Don't know if the Altimeter Barometer with Compass Thermometer is suitable.

[MoradaWx]

I just discovered Ed is now carrying them at Ambient.

http://www.ambientweather.com/trtteb14.html

I got one of these and it tracks great. The only thing I would like is three magnetic pointers instead of one. You could then very cleanly track and have Min/Max showing also. I made do with several small round magnets. We enjoy it and are able to read it from across the room with ease.

Rick