Topic: WS85 - a new 3-1 sensor

[Gyvate]

one more piece of information:
the GW1000 and WH2650 will not support the WS85.
Their firmware 1.7.7 will be frozen and no longer updated for new sensors.
For them it's now definitely end-of-life at the manufacturer's end.

As a console/gateway itself, I think, the GW1000s will still run for a long time.
I has been a solid piece of work and success story which in a way revolutionized the Weather Station area and made it accessible for a low price for many people who couldn't afford a more expensive display console.
In addition, many users don't care about IoT-devices and a WS85 is probably not on their wishlist.

This no-solar sensor path which started with the WN1900/WN1910 station (WN1900/1910 console + battery-run WN67 without solar sensors) and now continues with the WS3802 (with a solar panel though) has always been enigmatic for me. Cost-wise an additional light sensor as in the WS69, WS68, WS80, WS90 arrays shouldn't have made a big difference.

At a time where people become more UVI conscious and photovoltaic enters more and more households, especially in Europe, a station with a sensor array without a solar sensor looks rather antique if not antiquarian to me.
A stand-alone solar sensor is said to be on the Ecowitt R&D list though ...

[Gyvate]

the firmware upgrade of a WS85 will be done by a new program - the USB port connection will remain - OTA upgrade is postponed
see WiKi "sensor firmware (WS80/WS90/WS85)"

[vinceskahan]

one more piece of information:
the GW1000 and WH2650 will not support the WS85.
Their firmware 1.7.7 will be frozen and no longer updated for new sensors.
For them it's now definitely end-of-life at the manufacturer's end..

One of the things folks like about the GW1000 is weewx integration.  How will the new WS85 connect to a computer and will there be an equivalent API for access by third party apps like weewx ?

The 'Essence3' page is interesting when you compare it to some of the known flaws in the much more expensive WeatherFlow gear.   Wonder what the committed accuracy will be...

And of course - any ideas on price for the sensor itself and the sensor+console kit ?

[Gyvate]

one more piece of information:
the GW1000 and WH2650 will not support the WS85.
Their firmware 1.7.7 will be frozen and no longer updated for new sensors.
For them it's now definitely end-of-life at the manufacturer's end..

One of the things folks like about the GW1000 is weewx integration.  How will the new WS85 connect to a computer and will there be an equivalent API for access by third party apps like weewx ?

The 'Essence3' page is interesting when you compare it to some of the known flaws in the much more expensive WeatherFlow gear.   Wonder what the committed accuracy will be...

And of course - any ideas on price for the sensor itself and the sensor+console kit ?

for which consoles/gateways support the WS85, see the matrices in http://meshka.eu/Ecowitt/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=start#consoles_and_sensor_compatibility_matrix
- the GW1000 won't - its successors GW1100 and GW1200 will/do
- price is/will be (depending on where you buy) between ~90 - 120 USD (WS85 alone)
if you add a WH32 outdoor (~20 USD) and a WH3800 console  (~ 70 USD) (even though I'd prefer the WS3900/WS3910  [~80/100 USD}console which can you add instead  ), it will be ~ 180/200/220 USD [WS3802/WS3900 self-assmbled kit/WS3910 self-assembled kit)
- if Gary will have to extend his GW1000 driver or not clear yet, it is still to be tested - as it doesn't provide anything else but a WS90 (will test that once I hold one in hand) - he may have  to extend the driver via the http API (see WiKi)
- specifications: http://meshka.eu/Ecowitt/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=start#sensor_arrays

I plan to write a review and put it in the WiKi in about a week or two

[broadstairs]

I cant help but notice that the GW2000 has not yet had a f/w update to support the WS85 so I'm wondering why?

Stuart

[jbroome]

- if Gary will have to extend his GW1000 driver or not clear yet, it is still to be tested - as it doesn't provide anything else but a WS90 (will test that once I hold one in hand) - he may have  to extend the driver via the http API (see WiKi)
- specifications: http://meshka.eu/Ecowitt/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=start#sensor_arrays

I plan to write a review and put it in the WiKi in about a week or two

So we do know that the newer firmware for the gw1100 and gw1200 *do* appear to support the WH85 using the binary "telnet" API - CMD_READ_SENSOR_ID_NEW includes a new entry with code 0x31 for the WH85.  (You helped me troubleshoot this issue with the GW1200 1.3.0 firmware.)

Not actually having a WH85 yet, I would *assume* that its data would be included in the response to  CMD_GW1000_LIVEDATA in the same manner as the WS90, for the data elements that the hardware provides.  Of course, actual hands-on will eventually confirm or deny that guess...

   ---Jonathan

[Gyvate]

I cant help but notice that the GW2000 has not yet had a f/w update to support the WS85 so I'm wondering why?

Stuart

maybe lack of infinite development and QA resources ... and resulting priorities ...
as the target group is obviously low-cost (Essence3 = "pocket-Wittboy") and beginner level, the low cost consoles (WN1980/WN182x, GW1100, GW1200) were started with and now the HP25x0 consoles have followed. GW2000 and WS6006 (if at all) will come last.

[Gyvate]

a little review of the Essence3 / WS85 sensor array has been added to the WiKi
http://meshka.eu/Ecowitt/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=start#reviews

[Gyvate]

the review was updated with first wind and rain reading data

[neilferguson]

I have a GW1100A_V2.3.2 and have just got a WS85. The only thing thats not working is the outside temp and humidity. I have a outside temp and humidity sensor in the shade how do I get the GW1100A to get the information.

[Gyvate]

it depends on what model that other sensor is:
If it is a WH32 outdoor sensor, you have to register it under T&H (Temp & Humidity) on the sensors ID page (WS View Plus or WebUI).
If it is a WH31 extra T&H sensor (you can choose 8 channels), you will find it as extra T&H farther down that page.
see http://meshka.eu/Ecowitt/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=start#a_the_ecowitt_console_gateway_webui_webpage

[Gyvate]

Not actually having a WH85 yet, I would *assume* that its data would be included in the response to  CMD_GW1000_LIVEDATA in the same manner as the WS90, for the data elements that the hardware provides.  Of course, actual hands-on will eventually confirm or deny that guess...

   ---Jonathan

the CMD_GW1000_LIVEDATA response just contains the wind data - doesn't matter where they originate (--> sensor hierarchy) - but it doesn't contain the piezo rain data, only traditional rain if a traditional rain gauge is also connected to the console.

the CMD_READ_RAIN response contains the piezo rain data from the WS85, howevr for the API response it doesn't matter which piezo sensor provides - WS85 or WS90 - the response will contain the data from the sensor following the sensory hierarchy
(updated in the WiKi - WS85 is now #1 for wind and piezo rain)

[Gyvate]

by the way: WS View Plus and the Ecowitt app have been upgraded to process the WS85 (WSV+:2.0.49; EW: 1.1.34)

[giusCB]

a little review of the Essence3 / WS85 sensor array has been added to the WiKi
http://meshka.eu/Ecowitt/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=start#reviews

bitdefender block your website

[Gyvate]

a little review of the Essence3 / WS85 sensor array has been added to the WiKi
http://meshka.eu/Ecowitt/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=start#reviews

bitdefender block your website

maybe Bitdefender is just not smart enough - put the website as trusted in your Bitdefender settings ...
no malware etc. hosted there 
it's all read-only - no data to be sent by the user ...
or keep on praying to over-smart algorithms used by Bitdefender ...
for a couple of thousand other visitors it's not an issue

[neilferguson]

it depends on what model that other sensor is:
If it is a WH32 outdoor sensor, you have to register it under T&H (Temp & Humidity) on the sensors ID page (WS View Plus or WebUI).
If it is a WH31 extra T&H sensor (you can choose 8 channels), you will find it as extra T&H farther down that page.
see http://meshka.eu/Ecowitt/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=start#a_the_ecowitt_console_gateway_webui_webpage

I didn’t get any of my WH31 sensors to work. I’m now using the WS90 to get T&H and Solar

Neil

[Gyvate]

I didn’t get any of my WH31 sensors to work. I’m now using the WS90 to get T&H and Solar

Neil

what does this mean ? what do you want to say with this sentence ?
you could not register any of your WH31 to the GW1100 ?
Or you didn't get any of your WH31 sensors to work as outdoor T/RH ?
if the first, you didn't follow the instructions as per the WH31 manual;
if the latter, this is normal as it is not possible.
If you get yourself a WH32 outdoor sensor, it will show as outdoor T/RH (once registered as T&H: Temperatur&Humidity sensor) and the T/RH readings from the WS90 will be ignored.