Topic: What weather station to serve Opensprinkler Weather Service

[bekesizl]

Hi,

I want to buy a weather station to serve my Opensprinkler irrigation controller with reliable rainfall data, as the Darksky values are totally unreliable for my region (Hungary).
I was considering buying a simple rain gauge and an SDR stick from China and connect it to a Rapsberry to deliver Weewx with the data. I have other temperature and humidity sensors around. I don't really want a console, I can do it over my phone.

Then I found this forum and read about the Ecowitt GW-1000 that would essentially solve many parts of my problem.
I was reading this forum for some time and learned about the compatibility of the various FineOffset clones (especially Ecowitt and Froggit, beware frequencies), the possibilities to get data into Weewx (interceptor), so that part is clear.

I seek advice for the sensor units.
One possibility is to buy an all-in-one WH3000SE from Froggit:
https://www.froggit.de/product_info.php?language=en&info=p420_dp1500-wi-fi-wetterserver-usb-dongle-inkl--1-x-dp50---wh3000se-all-in-one-aussensensor.html
The other I am considering is the Ecowitt GW1002 package or its Froggit counterpart.
http://www.ecowitt.com/weather_station/113.html
https://www.froggit.de/product_info.php?info=p464_dp1500-wi-fi-weather-server-usb-dongle-incl--1-x-dp50-thermo-hygrometer-wireless-sensor-1-x-dp80-self-draining-rain-gauge-sensor-1-x-dp300-solar-powered-aneometer-with-uv-light-sensor.html

For my application wind data is nice to have, sun data would be useful, but temperature and rain are essential.
My question is: is it worth to buy the GW1002 instead of the all-in-one? Is it that much better?
If I understand it right, if I would choose the Froggit "GW1002", then I still would have to buy a shield (Ecowitt RS-00001) for the temperatuer sensor as it is not included in this package?

Thanks,
Zoltán

[galfert]

Deciding between all-in-one and separate components comes down to your willingness to accommodate the separate components in the best possible place and added cost. The separate components will always provide better data because every sensor is at the recommended level. The all-in-one is a compromise. The all-in-one should be mounted at about 4 to 4.5 meters for optimum performance. The separate components always gives you more flexibility in not only getting the sensor level right but also more mounting options. That said many people are okay with the data that their all-in-one provides as they accept that a compromise has been made and there is a cost savings.

Use this guide for best station sensor siting:
https://www.weather.gov/media/epz/mesonet/CWOP-Siting.pdf

Forget the RS-00001 radiation shield. It is not advisable to use it. I recommend instead the Davis 7714. It makes a big difference. The WH32 fits inside perfectly.

As for depending on Darksky, I hope you know that Apple has acquired Darksky and they will be sunsetting the service for their own use. Definitely plan for an alternative to Darksky.

[bekesizl]

Thank you for your advice.

Having read through the sensor placement recommendations and checking prices of the Davis shield I guess I will stay with the all-in-one for the moment.

I have a fairly large place by local standards (1140 square meters), but I don't want to put a 10m tall pole to the middle of our garden.
I only have paved areas, buildings or irrigated grass.

I am goint to mount the sensor array to the fence at the back of my garden. It is a steel grid fence with steel poles. I will fix the pole to a pole.
I can mount it at about 2.5m heigth, so that servicing is possible.
It might not be the best for the wind data, but for the rest as good as possible.
One side grass and small bushes, other side seed with wheat or corn by a local farmer.
But for rain gauge and sun sensors free from obstacles.

I assume that with this placement possibilities I wouldn't gain much from the separate components and the whole set would cost the double.

I guess, that I will have the change to use other sensors if I might find a better place for one or the other later. It should be possible to change which data source is used if I publish values to some sites. The GW-1000 makes many things possible in the future.

I am aware of the state of DarkSky. I am only indirectly in contact with them as the company behind Opensprinkler is buying the weather data from them.
For the temperature values they are correct, but the rain is unreliable to the maximum. That was clear before the day I bought the controller (checking their values on their website), but the plan of an own weather station with at least a rain gauge was also born.