Topic: Atlas lightning detector not working

[weather_man]

I bought the lightning sensor add-on for the atlas. The display  shows it as being there but today is the first day we have some thunder in the area. It keeps giving the "interference" warning on the display, which it has never done before. It won't detect actual lightning strikes but I am guessing this interference message is actually from the lightning that it should be detecting.

Has anyone had any luck contacting acurite? I would get a replacement but I just got it last week and I really don't think a replacement would be any better.

Do these lightning detectors ever work properly?

[worachj]

I have the Atlas’s lightning detector (Model 06075M) and the stand-alone detector (Model 06045M) that’s used with the 5-N-1. Both seem to always have some interference with each storm system that passes though. Its my understanding that the lightning detector tries to identify storm fronts and is not always reporting the closest strike to you. Sometimes I just think it just gets confused if it can’t detect the storm front and reports its error as interference.

I found that both of my lightning detectors worked well and I’m very happy with them. I would be concerned if you only got interference errors and no (zero count) of lightning strikes. Maybe the storm just developed over you and the sensor was unable to detect the storm front. I’d wait for the next storm and see what happens.

Although its a pain in the ass to deal with problems, I've found AcuRite support to be helpful and responsive. I've always contacted them though their website at ...https://support.acurite.com/hc/en-us/requests/new


From my Model 06045M manual

Interference
The sensor features enhanced interference rejection capabilities to prevent false lightning detection. When the detector cannot detect lightning due to
interference from nearby equipment, the sensor's interference indicator will flash.
•    Electric motors (windshield wiper motor or fan motors in cars, hard drive and optical drive motors on your PC and AV equipment, well pumps, sump pumps)
•    CRT monitors (PC monitors, TV's)
•    Fluorescent light fixtures (turned off or on)
•    Microwave ovens (while in use)
•    PC's and mobile phones

How Does the Lightning Detector Work?
https://support.acurite.com/hc/en-us/articles/360010936494-How-Does-the-Lightning-Detector-Work-


The 6045M Lightning Detector is based on the AS3935 lightning sensor. For additional information, refer to https://eu.mouser.com/pdfdocs/AMS_AS3935_Datasheet_v4.pdf

8 Detailed Description
The AS3935 can detect the presence of an approaching storm with lightning activities and provide an estimation of the distance to the leading
edge of the storm, where the leading edge of the storm is defined as the minimum distance from the sensor to the closest edge of the storm. The
embedded hardwired distance estimation algorithm of the AS3935 issues an interrupt on the IRQ pin (see Interrupt Management on page 22)
every time a lightning is detected. The estimated distance which is displayed in the distance estimation register does not represent the distance
to the single lightning but the estimated distance to the leading edge of the storm. A graphical representation is shown in the Figure 9.

[weather_man]

No sooner did I post this, I looked in my accurite app and it was reporting strikes. Once the interference messages went away, it would properly show the strikes. But my suspicions were correct in that it was picking up the strikes themselves as interference.

[DoctorKnow]

Both of my detectors from Acurite show interference... They claim in the manual to move the sensors, but I have tried with no success. I just ignore the interference messages.

[aspexin91]

I also have the 6075M lightning sensor/detector in our Atlas since May 2019 and never once, in two different locations (we moved), have I seen interference reported.

[DoctorKnow]

I also have the 6075M lightning sensor/detector in our Atlas since May 2019 and never once, in two different locations (we moved), have I seen interference reported.

So what's the secret to your installation?

[DanInNC]

Mine detects interference whenever it is lightning out...and none when there is no lightning 

[aspexin91]

I also have the 6075M lightning sensor/detector in our Atlas since May 2019 and never once, in two different locations (we moved), have I seen interference reported.

So what's the secret to your installation?

I have no idea.

In the first location (downtown Indianapolis dense population area) it was on a metal pole lashed to the wood fence post about 6' AGL with the wind sensor at 10'.

At the new location (central Illinois country living in small subdivision living next door to a corn field) I have the Atlas on a fiberglass mast at about 15' AGL and the wind sensor close to 30'. The fiberglass mast is on a 2' offset from the Rohn Tower.

[weather_man]

Mine isn't triggered by actual interference. It's just that the lightning itself triggers the interference message is what I've noticed. If I open the "my acurite" app while the message is there, it shows lightning strikes. Also once the message clears, it shows lightning strikes on the display. It's very odd.

[aspexin91]

I have to admit I don't use the app because it is awful on my tablet. I use the dashboard on the website https://www.myacurite.com/ which has a way better layout and more information crammed into less space than the app.

[DanInNC]

Mine isn't triggered by actual interference. It's just that the lightning itself triggers the interference message is what I've noticed.

Same here.

[AlanD96]

I spoke a few years ago to AcuRite support about the lightning detector's constant,  "Interference, Please relocate" message appearing during every lightning event.
I also have an AcuRite 2020 portable pocket lightning detector which gives off the same message.

They mentioned that it's just a message that the chip inside, the AS3095,  throws off erroneously sometimes when lightning is detected, and to just ignore it.   

They're right, but I can't imagine why this is not discussed in the manual.   Looking at reviews of the AS2020 portable on Amazon,  LOTS of people said they returned the unit because of that message.  I realize that AcuRite does not manufacture the AS3095 chip inside, but you'd think, if only to stop all the returns,  that they'd mention the erroneous error message and that the unit will still detect lightning successfully. 

(I realize the irony of an erroneous error message).