Topic: WH40 - dead, or just dead battery?

[Platokidd]

BTW - to all:
Ecowitt has apparently removed the old WSView from the Playstore ...
Was there any indication of this on the part of Ecowitt?

Oliver

Be nice if the wsview plus had a dark version and larger fonts.

[GeeEmm]

BTW - to all:
Ecowitt has apparently removed the old WSView from the Playstore ...
Was there any indication of this on the part of Ecowitt?

Oliver

Be nice if the wsview plus had a dark version and larger fonts.

Let's try and keep this on the WH40 topic as far as possible. 

[clouded]

Since I connected my WH40 to wired power supply recently - it has been reporting normally . I still have not taken a measurement of the current it draws.
I will try to get that one of these days when it warms up some more.

[GeeEmm]

Since I connected my WH40 to wired power supply recently - it has been reporting normally . I still have not taken a measurement of the current it draws.
I will try to get that one of these days when it warms up some more.

Please do, when able/convenient.  Another data point would be good, target numbers from Ecowitt in my post above, 40ma sending, ~.1ma in standby. 

[clouded]

Since I connected my WH40 to wired power supply recently - it has been reporting normally . I still have not taken a measurement of the current it draws.
I will try to get that one of these days when it warms up some more.

Please do, when able/convenient.  Another data point would be good, target numbers from Ecowitt in my post above, 40ma sending, ~.1ma in standby.

I measured a constant 3.3 ma on the WH40 being fed from my 1.55v power supply.  I didn't keep the meter on too long and there could be other pulse current draws not captured by my meter.  Assuming 1000 mah capacity of alkaline battery to 1 v , that would be about 2 weeks lifespan of battery. I know that my batteries didn't last that long recently. I think the original battery went for a couple years before the excessive current draw started . 

[GeeEmm]

Since I connected my WH40 to wired power supply recently - it has been reporting normally . I still have not taken a measurement of the current it draws.
I will try to get that one of these days when it warms up some more.

Please do, when able/convenient.  Another data point would be good, target numbers from Ecowitt in my post above, 40ma sending, ~.1ma in standby.

I measured a constant 3.3 ma on the WH40 being fed from my 1.55v power supply.  I didn't keep the meter on too long and there could be other pulse current draws not captured by my meter.  Assuming 1000 mah capacity of alkaline battery to 1 v , that would be about 2 weeks lifespan of battery. I know that my batteries didn't last that long recently. I think the original battery went for a couple years before the excessive current draw started .

The following is copied from an email from Ecowitt support:

Do you have a chance to measure the battery current? You can use your multimeter in 100mA range, then connect the battery in serial: you should see the current like this: power on, it will have a 40mA current for a few second, then it will enter in standby mode with current of less than 0.1mA.

I hope that clarifies any uncertainty over how they want it tested, and the nominal readings you should get.  But it sounds like yours are not nominal/specified  but not as far outside those specs as mine.  Yet.  What is the current your power supply can provide?

[clouded]

I measured a constant 3.3 ma on the WH40 being fed from my 1.55v power supply.  I didn't keep the meter on too long and there could be other pulse current draws not captured by my meter.  Assuming 1000 mah capacity of alkaline battery to 1 v , that would be about 2 weeks lifespan of battery. I know that my batteries didn't last that long recently. I think the original battery went for a couple years before the excessive current draw started .

The following is copied from an email from Ecowitt support:

Do you have a chance to measure the battery current? You can use your multimeter in 100mA range, then connect the battery in serial: you should see the current like this: power on, it will have a 40mA current for a few second, then it will enter in standby mode with current of less than 0.1mA.

I hope that clarifies any uncertainty over how they want it tested, and the nominal readings you should get.  But it sounds like yours are not nominal/specified  but not as far outside those specs as mine.  Yet.  What is the current your power supply can provide?
[/quote]

If you look up in comments above , I talked about the power supply I am using which specs say can provide up to three amps but even if half that it is more than ample power supply.

[GeeEmm]

Sorry, brain fade.  The question was somewhat rhetorical though.  it was more 'how much current can the device draw before something on the board melts/shorts/otherwise fails?'.

We don't know what triggers the high draw - low current? current interruption? age? totally random component failure?  none of the foregoing, it's something else?

We also don't know (but it may be found by experimentation) if the high draw is static, or if the draw increase is variable and increases with time/events (some of the above for example).  We do know that my continuous draw was 100ma plus, yours 3.3ma (short period? but that number also outside specs), but we don't know why they differ.  Given my unit was still operating, the board and its components can live at the 100-150ma range at least in the short term.

[GeeEmm]

More problems - last day and a half the data is showing a regular 'blip', same size, same interval.  But it wasn't raining (the rain had stopped).


Decided to take it down and have a look, discovered that the birdspikes are less a deterrent than a challenge, and the birds are winning.  Seems like the bird poo was blocking the drain hole, but allowing a small flow enough to trip the bucket.  I am not sure how they can sit there, or whether they are dive-bombing the funnel, or ... who knows!?!  The ring of birdspikes is intact, but clearly insufficient, and I am not sure what my options are.

For the moment I am doing nothing, just monitoring and keeping an eye out the window for what is causing the problem.

[zipzag]

What are the birds landing on? My spikes are 100% effective.

I get two years of battery life. My expectation is to need to replace the unit every five years or so.

[GeeEmm]

I don't have that answer still.  I had the unit down again a few days ago to replace the cable, and all was well - no 'deposits'.  I haven't seen a bird land on the spikes either, but the evidence was pretty convincing.  Maybe it will turn out to be a one-off, I hope so anyway.  I will just keep monitoring it against the physical gauge between battery replacements.

Two years battery life on a WH40 - that sounds pretty good to me.  What batteries are you using?

Still a case of 'so far, so good' on my WH40 #3, but I haven't uncrossed my fingers since it went up.

[clouded]

I am happy to report that since I wired power direct to my wh40 it has been working well.
I don't have to worry about the battery eating problem that some of these older wh40 rain gauges like mine developed.

[zipzag]

I don't have that answer still.  I had the unit down again a few days ago to replace the cable, and all was well - no 'deposits'.  I haven't seen a bird land on the spikes either, but the evidence was pretty convincing.  Maybe it will turn out to be a one-off, I hope so anyway.  I will just keep monitoring it against the physical gauge between battery replacements.

Two years battery life on a WH40 - that sounds pretty good to me.  What batteries are you using?

Still a case of 'so far, so good' on my WH40 #3, but I haven't uncrossed my fingers since it went up.

I'm just using regular alkaline batteries. It sits out all winter with a yearly temperature range that can go from -28C to 38C. The current batteries have gone through two winters. So perhaps some units are defective. WH40 has large batteries and likely transmits less than a temp/humidity unit with AA. Based on my experience would expect a battery life approaching a year in a wet tropical climate and two years in a humid continental climate. My area averages about 38 inches of precipitation per year with a significant upward trend in summer.

I have the Wh40 hooked into home assistant and my system talks to me in various ways about rainfall events. In particular I have a La Metric clock/display next to the main TV that tells me about rain starting, stopping, and rate. Alexa wakes me at night for very significant heavy rain which has caused flooding in the past.

[broadstairs]

I'm just using regular alkaline batteries. It sits out all winter with a yearly temperature range that can go from -28C to 38C. The current batteries have gone through two winters. So perhaps some units are defective. WH40 has large batteries and likely transmits less than a temp/humidity unit with AA. Based on my experience would expect a battery life approaching a year in a wet tropical climate and two years in a humid continental climate. My area averages about 38 inches of precipitation per year with a significant upward trend in summer.

I have the Wh40 hooked into home assistant and my system talks to me in various ways about rainfall events. In particular I have a La Metric clock/display next to the main TV that tells me about rain starting, stopping, and rate. Alexa wakes me at night for very significant heavy rain which has caused flooding in the past.

I don't understand large batteries. My WH40 has a single AA battery!

Stuart

[zipzag]

I'm sure you are right. I haven't changed batteries it in two years. I will change today, as this thread makes me sure I'm on the brink of failure.

This would have been a good device to design for large batteries. No reason it could not have been a big bigger dimensions.

[clouded]

I'm sure you are right. I haven't changed batteries it in two years. I will change today, as this thread makes me sure I'm on the brink of failure.

This would have been a good device to design for large batteries. No reason it could not have been a big bigger dimensions.

My first battery lasted at least a couple years. But there was some kind of hardware failure with some of the older WH40 boards what made them start using a lot more power. That is what happened to mine - suddenly started eating batteries. Instead of getting a new WH40 or replacement board, I  hooked it up to external 3v power supply and that solved my problem.

[GeeEmm]

  I haven't seen a bird land on the spikes either, but the evidence was pretty convincing.  Maybe it will turn out to be a one-off, I hope so anyway.  I will just keep monitoring it against the physical gauge between battery replacements

That changed today.  The magpies were skylarking around, and one of them soared to my raingauge where it delicately found its footing before settling for a few minutes.  Seems that the spikes have a limited effect, at least for the larger birds - some smaller ones were in the area and approached it, but made no attempt to perch seemingly having checked it out and found it unwelcoming.

I am now on the lookout for some improved bird spikes or other deterrent.

Otherwise the WH40 is performing as intended.