Topic: Replacement WS68 basic question

[Transporterman]

I'm replacing my WS68 (the one that recently virtually fell off the roof when the bracket broke!) with the new one Ecowitt kindly replaced despite being out of warranty.  This was due to solar sensor failure. 

My question is- Is it a straight swap and my HP2551C display and my GW1000 gateway should just pick it up?  The manual seems to say this.  I ask this because I have it transmitting (led flashing 16.5 seconds) but the display just shows dashes for wind and solar data.  The data is the same on the Ecowitt site for both the display and the GW1000.

I have removed the battery and taped up the array on the old WS68 but this was only about 18 hours ago.  The display has all the other data (rain, indoor/temp etc as normal.     

[olicat]

Hi!

You will probably have to re-register the sensor once. To do this, go to the Sensors ID settings and select Re-Register for the WS68.

Oliver

[eliteweathernz]

Try re learning the sensor ID, it might with luck pick up the new ID. But if it persists you’ll need to wait for the supercap to run flat on the old ws68.
Then re learn the new ws68 and you should be away.

[Transporterman]

Hi!

You will probably have to re-register the sensor once. To do this, go to the Sensors ID settings and select Re-Register for the WS68.

Oliver

Thanks.    Worked like a charm!  The id was different for the replacement WS68.  I didn't see any mention of that in the manual. 

[Gyvate]

Each sensor usually has a different, unique ID - same applies to a sensor array.
The manual doesn't cover the exchange of the array and the procedure how to do this.
most likely because that's not the normal use case. 

[Transporterman]

The manual did have a few lines reminding you to power down the old one if you were replacing an existing roof array.  They should add re-registering to that perhaps.     All I need is the new bracket and I'm back in business. 

[Transporterman]

I'm wondering if anyone else has come across this-

I have the new bracket/pole now but on temporarily assembling it indoors I noticed one odd thing.  With the U-bolts and everything assembled, the WS68 is pushed slightly out of line with the pole in place.  So it looks like it would end up not fully vertical.

 On looking at the supplied metal plate which carries the U-bolts, the curved part of that which grips the pole is slightly higher than the receiving curved plastic of the array.  You might have to zoom in on this pic to see it.  The discrepancy is about 3-4mm.  I could pack out the top of the cap to push the array straight again but I wouldn't like to put any strain on the plastic.  The odd thing is that when I look at the old one it is the same!  The only thing I can think of is that I allowed for this slight lean out of true by having the J bracket /pole slightly out when I bolted it to the chimney. 

If the supplied metal plate is supposed to dig into the pole slightly, that would fix it but I wouldn't like to put much crushing force since the plastic is sandwiched between the plate and the pole.

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[Transporterman]

It's alive!    I've got it back up on the roof.  It is very slightly out of true but in the other plane!  But for anyone who wants to check theirs, the easiest way to see it is to ignore the pole and U-bolts, just offer the bracket to the array in the correct position.  This should leave a completely flat surface across the two for the pole to sit in.  But it doesn't.  (Not quite anyway).  When the weather improves I'm going to go back up and replace the bolts I used with stainless steel versions and sort out that alignment.  Thanks all! 

[box]

Funnily enough my WS68 just died too!

Not quite so spectacularly!

I had planned to replace it eventually with a WS80 so that's now online and my WS68 is sulking in my shed on a hard reset so it may yet revive

I will check my old bracket but the unit looked vertical when it was on its pole

[Transporterman]

I'm keeping the old one for parts, it is all still working except the solar sensor.  It's been well guanno'ed though, I 'll have to disinfect it before dismantling.   

I'd probably be better with an ultrasonic anemometer like the WS80 since mine gets worked to death but there have been a few tales here about reliability.  Also I want as few things as possible up on the roof in case anything fails.  Plus I like having the temperature sensor nearer the ground, in full shade and away from any possible warmth from the chimney.   

[Gyvate]

Plus I like having the temperature sensor nearer the ground, in full shade and away from any possible warmth from the chimney.

you can keep using the WH32 (outdoor) which came with your  XXnnn2 station, provided you got it as a full kit, even while using a WS80.
Once registered to the console, the console will prefer the WH32 readings.
You can replace the T/H sensor of the new WS80 with the SHT35 version and receive both values by selective sensor registration in case you have two consoles (e.g. a HP2550 and a GW1x00/GW2000)

[Transporterman]

Interesting.    I think I'll stick with just this new station for now though and use the up the spares to keep it going as long as I can.