Topic: Need to update weather station - not much money available!

[Ian]

I manage the village weather station. I used to upload data to village web site but thr need to have a permanently on dedicated PC created some electricity cost issues, especially as number of hits was almost restricted to a handful of hang gliders using sea cliffs by village, so not an economic activity. I am ow looking to see what I can do for the future.
Hardware is a Davis Vantage Pro 2 with data module. Data downloads via Weather Link 5.6.
Recently I have started having a problem with not all the data being displayed for each month and as I wish to change to more up to date display software, there is little point spending time - yours or mine - trying to sort out this display problem. Suffice to say tat I am sure it is a software issue. Hardware all functioning correctly and I see no need to update it.

I would welcome suggestions regarding software which will download data from Vantage Pro, process it and display it on managing PC, and upload it to a web site  a few times a day - not every few minutes as in the past.
As I said finance could be an issue - I would need to persuade local village council to cough up!

Thanks for the help.

[PaulMy]

Hi Ian,
It sounds that you feel the issue is the Weatherlink for PC software and your PC, and not the console or datalogger.  One option is to use a different program so replace Weatherlink for PC with say CumulusMX.  For this you would need to make sure your datalogger is set as serial mode, and I read that that has been discussed in the past.  CumulusMX is modern and fully supported, and can update data to your webserver/website.  No new cost involved.


Another option is to replace the datalogger with a Weatherlink Live device.  This is a WiFi/Internet device and uploads all your Davis station's data to Weatherlink.com which is the Davis "Cloud" platform.  The current data is viewable by anyone through the Weatherlink phone App, as well as from the Weatherlink.com website at no charge.  Weatherlink.com also offers a "paid subscription" option and that gives you, in addition to current data view, access to past data and charts.  The cost is the price of the Weatherlink Live device.


In addition to the "cloud" platform and Weatherlink Live this also allows software like CumulusMX to access the near-live data and CumulusMX can then upload data to your webserver/website.  No additional cost.


Enjoy,
Paul

[johnd]

Cost of electricity is not really a software issue! I can't make out the question you want answering.

If the data is dropping out for some reason then that's probably not a software issue and probably needs addressing first.

If you're still willing to run the PC then Weatherlink v6.0.5 is available for free and could upload current data to weatherlink.com.

If you want to cut electricity costs then perhaps acquiring a Raspberry Pi and running say (free) CumuluxMX software on that could be a solution. Maybe a learning curve if you've never used a Pi before but not too bad.

Another alternative but higher cost would be an enhanced logger like a WiFi Logger that could do away with the PC altogether. But it wouldn't keep long-term records (at least not without a subscription to weatherlink.com)

[Ian]

I mentioned cost not as a software issue but as a reason for the need for changes. The funding body for the weather station is a local council so new hardware and software is not an option. So I am looking, and asking suggestions for alternatives or updates.

Incidentally the hardware and software was originally bought from you, way back in 2006 going by the dates on the wlk files.

I looked for your suggestion re Weatherlink v6.0.5 but couldn't find that.

[johnd]

I looked for your suggestion re Weatherlink v6.0.5 but couldn't find that.

https://www.manula.com/manuals/pws/davis-kb/1/en/topic/download-weatherlink-program

[Ian]

That is the route I tried and failed on. Not the only one to do so from this feedback below it from

Barry Schwartz Wrote:Jul 23, 2022
It is a shame that you guys cannot keep this page up to date. I reloaded windows on my machine and these directions do not work and are out of date. Why do you make it so freaking hard to get the software? Come on man!!!

Thanks John for trying to help.

[johnd]

This is usually because people don't read the instructions correctly. The page is fully up to date unless some new issue has emerged of which I am unaware (though with such frequent updates to Windows then it's always possible that something has recently broken with the old WL software). But if commenters don't specify what issue they are having then it's difficult to guess! What problem are you having?

Ian, TBH as per my previous comments, if the main problem is that you are suffering data outages then this is not an issue that would be cured by different software. You need to troubleshoot why the outages are happening.

Then if you can fix that problem, by all means consider newer software like weatherlink.com or CumulusMX for example.

[Ian]

You are so correct!
I'm embarrassed, contrite, annoyed at myself and apologetic. I'd add more but that requires me to get up and fetch the Thesaurus and I'm to old. Which is probably why I didn't read it properly in the first place.
You are no doubt also correct re the cause of my problem, but I may as well update the app anyway and then look for the data error..

[johnd]

  So that does that mean that you have been able to update Weatherlink for Windows to v6.0.5 successfully???

[Ian]

Yes I have. All I need to do is fid the old password now. Since I set i up initially many years ago, I may have some difficulty finding it. Any way of resetting it? Have a medical appointment tomorrow so can't try and find for a day or two.

[johnd]

https://www.manula.com/manuals/pws/davis-kb/1/en/topic/other-weatherlink-errors

See 'Weatherlink passwords'

[Ian]

Thanks for that. Unfortunately even having set Hidden and System files to show, I cannot see a tsp.utl file anywhere. I even tried a blunderbuss search of the drive Weatherlink was installed on. The alternative method re CRC zapping s probably beyond me. The TRS80 days when I could edit on a byte basis are long gone.

I continue to have data problems. Although I have tried reinstalling V5, updating to V6, installing straight to V6, I still have the problem of in past months missing days, and now total inability to download data to PC. Download log shows ") WeatherLink tried to open a com port that doesn't exist on this system. Please examine your Com Port settings". or
"Device not found. Please plug in the device" and other variations on not finding port.
However Com port USB Test (on V6) shows OK. When I tried using V5 serial port which used to work, I can't get that to connect.

I am beginning to wonder if it is possibly a problem with the module which is about 18 years old. The module is indicating correctly and I have tested cables and ports and it is not them.

[johnd]

Well, like I said, the WL version is unlikely to make any difference to a data comms issue. What is the 'module' you mention? Do you mean a USB logger? Or do you have a serial logger and a separate serial to USB adapter?

If it's a USB logger then there are some troubleshooting notes at: https://www.manula.com/manuals/pws/davis-kb/1/en/topic/understanding-usb-logger-modes

Yes, I know these notes are a bit dense but it's not the simplest of topics. I don't know which USB mode you were using before (native USB or serial/VCP) but it's always worth trying to reset the mode eg as described in the bottom section 'Switching between VCP and USBXpress Modes'.

Also check: https://www.manula.com/manuals/pws/davis-kb/1/en/topic/communications-troubleshooting

[Ian]

Thanks for your reply and ongoing patience. My professional skills lie with biology rather than silicon.

The system we have is a Vantage Pro 2 with a data logger purchased from Prodata around 2006. The output is a short cable with a USB type connector (Mini B I think). In setting up the Communications port with the V5.6 version I used the 19200 baud rate which used to work. Now it won't find any Comm port. Using the V6 version I use the USB option and that recognises the Vantage Pro. When I referred to the module I was referring to the Vantage Pro 2.
I can't change many of the configuration settings as the password is needed for many of them and I can't find the file you refer to which would allow me to address that. I'll have to dig into old paperwork I think and hope I noted it here,

I'll study the links you gave and see if I can sort myself out that way.

Thanks again

[johnd]

If you are still struggling to find the Weatherlink file locations then see the last paragraph on this page:

https://www.manula.com/manuals/pws/davis-kb/1/en/topic/migration

This does depend on whether you accepted the default install location for v5.6 or not, but may help. Remember that hidden files and folders need to be visible.

[Ian]

Thank you for the links which have enabled me to determine that the logger is set USBX mode and therefore setting the communications port to USB is correct, confirmed that when I run Test, it recognises the VP station. I also looked at the trouble shooting link abut didn't find anything more to help there.

I have checked other things and have found a problem using Plesk which fails to connect to the village web site. I don't know how relevant that is except to say that using FTP apps such as Filezilla and Dopus I can access the web site files via FTP. Having checked with my (very helpful) ISP they think FTP is being blocked via a browser. I use Chrome. I assume the difference is that Plesk uses an app via Chrome, while the FTP apps connect direct.

If I am correct, should i go back to Serial/VCP and VP V5.6? That used to work. Your link does describe how to do that. But the Plesk issue may indicate a local problem as suggested by the ISP. Not having my password is probably irrelevant as I assume all other settings are as they were I first started using it.

Thank you for your help but I fear I may be stuck!

[Ian]

I cannot find the password to do the configuration. The data that the logger says is downloading, 500 plus records, does not appear in any folder on the PC.  It does create  a WLK file but only for a couple of days from last month (March). This is even when I try a new install on my laptop. I have tried Cumulus and this does seem to work as far as live data is concerned. FTP works OK (using Filezilla and another FTP app).
Rightly or wrongly I suspect that there may be a problem with the logger.

Can I clean out/reformat the logger so that I can set thing sup as if this was a totally new installation.

[ocala]

Just a suggestion here. Try using a wifi logger instead. The logger automatically makes its own webpage for your data.
Also download the latest version of WL software. 6.0.3 I believe  is the latest version. That's it. Once a week you download the data into weatherlink then shut down the PC. Nothing runs 24/7 except the console. If electricity is an issue you can use batteries in the console. On johnd's website there is a link to the wifi logger along with a picture of the webpage it generates.
Unless I'm missing something regarding your issue this should get you back up and running.   

[Ian]

Thank you for all your replies but I don't seem to be able to fix this despite suggestions here and from Davis. A lot points to the data logger being faulty but there does not seem to be anyway to try what often works with other apps, reformat and start afresh.

Thank you all anyway. I'm  grateful for your time and suggestions.