Topic: Lightning detector

[mark014]

So far PWS-Dashboard seems to be the only solutution to summarize the GW1000/DP1500 Data, including external Sensors at one place (except an non public ecowitt.net account)

As I said, Meteotemplate has plugins to show data from PM2.5 and soil sensor as well as additional temp/humidity sensor. The only missing thing is to present lightnings but I know that this module is being refined soon. Here it is my website on Meteotemplate with extra sensor readings http://pogodaslesin.beep.pl/template/indexDesktop.php

[Mapantz]

Lightning detector doing overtime today! Although I haven't heard any, it's detecting discharges from cells to my North and Northwest. I'd advise anyone with a detector to mount it outside, somewhere high, but not out of reach for maintenance.

[kenthcwx]

Froggit have now put the lightning detector on Amazon UK at a hefty price of £80 in total!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Froggit-Flash-Detector-Radio-Sensor/dp/B08B414F2G/ref=sr_1_6?dchild=1&keywords=Froggit&qid=1592412137&s=outdoors&search-type=ss&sr=1-6

[Laephis]

Agreed that this would be a nice addition, however the feedback I have is at this time Ecowitt prefer not to add sound based alerts back to the Console firmware.
The route that they have taken is to use Ecowitt.net where you can set e-mail alerts for strike counts or distance.
I know its not quite the same thing but that's the decision for now.
They will revisit this in the future.

I just got my Ecowitt lightning sensor and it's showing up on the Ecowitt.net website, but when I try to turn on email alerts, there is no option to select the lightning sensor from the drop down.  I have a long list of temp, humidity, and wind options, but that's it.  Am I looking in the wrong spot?  Using an HP3501.  (Checked the LCD console and there wasn't a lightning option that I could see, either.)

Edit - looks like it had to have some data before the option to set an alert showed up.  Strange, but I'll take it. 

[mdtoro]

My first detector was bad.  Triggering all the time.  I had it set to Outdoor, Long Antenna.  Tried all the sensitivity settings but kept on triggering.

Just got a replacement. Great service from Ecowitt.  Confusing as to why the switches are all set to up when shipped.  The implication is all up is the default, but that contradicts the manual.

Hopefully, this one will work correctly.

[TehWoopig]

I've had mine for a week now and I've had several storms come through, with strikes well within 40k and I'm not picking up a single strike. I've tried indoor and high. Outdoor and high. Inside my house, outside my house. In the attic. Not sure if his unit is just defective.

[Rover1822]

Well, I had a storm come through tonight, rather fierce , and lengthy.

Recorded 429 strikes.

Its actually a believable number for this type of storm and the area.

Now I just wish it actually recorded the "minimum" strike distance

[TehWoopig]

I ordered another one from Amazon. Mine is definitely defective. I had hundreds, if not over 1,000 strikes today inside of 25 miles and I only recorded 3.

[mdtoro]

My new one is working much better.  Storm went through last night and I saw over 2000 strikes.  Weather on our local news was showing tons of strikes so I think this is close.  Today I see 3 false positives so far.  I have it set to indoors and the default sensitivity.  I will reduce the sensitivity.  Anyone know the difference between Indoor default sensitivity and outdoor low sensitivity?  Or the difference between default and high sensitivity?

My first one must have been a very early model.  Had a lightening bolt on the front but still said Temp, Humidity sensor.  New one has the lightening bolt and the writing for lightening.

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[PeterH]

I have my lightning detector places on the attic.
High sensitivity and indoor settings. It picks up strikes that are over 40 kms away.
Although the distance is false most of the time.


Much storms in the area today.
So a lot of lightning picking up bij the detector.

Should i change it to medium sensitivity. So it doesn't pick up strikes that are over 40 km away.

[Mapantz]

I have my lightning detector places on the attic.
High sensitivity and indoor settings. It picks up strikes that are over 40 kms away.
Although the distance is false most of the time.


Much storms in the area today.
So a lot of lightning picking up bij the detector.

Should i change it to medium sensitivity. So it doesn't pick up strikes that are over 40 km away.

I have had the same kind of issue.

Storms were firing across France two days ago and I was picking up strikes around 110KM's away. I know they're not false positives as there was a lot of electrical activity. However, it registers the strikes at around 15 - 20 miles away, which is a tad misleading.

[PeterH]

I have my lightning detector places on the attic.
High sensitivity and indoor settings. It picks up strikes that are over 40 kms away.
Although the distance is false most of the time.


Much storms in the area today.
So a lot of lightning picking up bij the detector.

Should i change it to medium sensitivity. So it doesn't pick up strikes that are over 40 km away.

I have had the same kind of issue.

Storms were firing across France two days ago and I was picking up strikes around 110KM's away. I know they're not false positives as there was a lot of electrical activity. However, it registers the strikes at around 15 - 20 miles away, which is a tad misleading.

Hi Mapantz

Which settings do you have on your lightning sensor?
High sens + indoor?

I think im gonna try medium sensitivity, and see how that works out.

[Lighty269]

Finally arrived, took 79 days, but of course I am out of town.  My wife says she will set it up.  Looking forward to see how it works.

[Mandrake]

I have concluded that the sensors are slightly directional from my tests.
My location is not great for southerly lightning as I have a hillside climbing above my location for another 50-100 metres
To my North is great as I am on the side of the North Downs and means I can see right across London and towards the Chiltern Hills
So for me it all depends on the location of the storms though I have detected strikes to my south so it is possible.

In Mapantz case I know that the location is coastal and so it does not surprise me that the detector 'sees' lighting on the French coast that is fairly normal for medium wave broadcasts that the lightning sensor is tuned for. You can easily double radio range over a stretch of sea especially if high pressure is about.

[casacota]

After several thunderstorms, detector under a wooden roof, default settings, indoor switch, working perfectly and very accurate. Incredible features for that price.

[mdtoro]

My new one is working very well with the indoor setting and default sensitivity. Unit is placed in a second floor bedroom window. When I asked Lucy, AKA Ecowitt, they said default sensitivity is between high and medium.

Still not clear what the outdoors setting does but during my single outdoor test it seemed like the outdoor setting picked up more noise/false positives.  Would need to do more testing to be sure but I'm happy with Indoors/default sensitivity.

[ronald001]

I've had my Lightning Sensor from Ecowitt (Mine was shipped from China, but now available on Amazon (US)), for about two weeks now.  I left the settings as factory default and placed it on a table indoors next to my sliding doors leading onto my balcony (Balcony is approximately 12 feet off the ground and faces East and our storms usually come from the Southwest).  My house is in a valley and so far the sensor looks like it is running perfectly!  Here are my results so far:  Zero false hits; Largest distance has been 37 KM or 23 miles; the closest strike has been 1.6 KM or 1 mile.  Fingers crossed!

Ron

[Lighty269]

Mine has only showed 1 hit, I will be home this weekend to check the settings.  I think I need to move it outside.  I had the house remodeled and I do remember adding insulation to the siding that had a foil, so basically it is a ferridite cage.

[havtrail]

That foil may not be ferrous. Maybe take a magnet to check.

Rich K.

[_John C]

That foil may not be ferrous. Maybe take a magnet to check.

Rich K.

It doesn't have to be ferrous to block / interfere / attenuate radio signals. Aluminium will also do a great job of blocking / interfering / attenuating radio signals.
Once the material is electrically conductive; it will cause all of the above.

[funsutton]

I just got my ambient sensor today and put it outside, hanging under my deck, a little over 3 feet from the ground. It's inside a 2 inch PVC pipe with holes in it for ventilation and a cap on top.

I set it for outdoors and left the sensitivity in the default position.

Is there any guidance that says the sensor needs to be higher in terms of reception? The higher the better?

Also I live in a 2 story house and wonder if it will pose any interference problems, considering my sensor is essentially near the bottom of the back side of the house? I could put it inside on the window or wall upstairs, but I did see they recommend to put it outside.

[Mandrake]

Its a radio receiver in effect and its looking for the burst of static generated by Lightning.
In my experience in testing the higher that you place it the better the range in detection and so on.
I have not suffered from false positives and have my sensor set to maximum sensitivity and outside mode.
I keep mine inside but hanging from the inside roof apex (loft space) of my home, so its as high as I can get it.

[funsutton]

Its a radio receiver in effect and its looking for the burst of static generated by Lightning.
In my experience in testing the higher that you place it the better the range in detection and so on.
I have not suffered from false positives and have my sensor set to maximum sensitivity and outside mode.
I keep mine inside but hanging from the inside roof apex (loft space) of my home, so its as high as I can get it.

So it sounds like if you were me you'd rather have it high in the home, in a window or on an exterior wall rather than near the bottom side of the deck outside.

I do have an attic with access to the bottom side of the roof, but it's not climate controlled so I was a bit worried about the heat affecting the sensor long term.

[Mandrake]

Yes, my loft space can be very cold in winter and ferocious in summer, but I have not seen any issue in my sensor so far!

I would be cautious of placing by a window as many windows will have metal components (even PVC windows have steel frames) and you may have a metal lintel over the window. These would all have some degree of impact on the receiver. Walls if brick will have steel ties in them between the cavity etc

So if you can place it in your roof space which will mostly be wood and perhaps clay tiles (unless you have a metal roof which is not common) this should give you a fairly good chance at detection.

Failing that then on the porch as you suggest will also work but you may find that the house screens you from detections further away in that direction.
No solution is perfect. I have noticed that storms to my South are not so well detected but then I have a chain of downland  rising above my house made of chalk and sandstone/Iron stone.
The perfect solution would be up a mast 100 feet above surroundings and you'd probably be in luck in attracting the lightning in then!

[K7RMK]

I have been getting what I think are false positives with my lightning detector. I have tried placing it in a RS-00001 radiation shield in the middle of my backyard, on the front porch, and inside my house. I have the settings set to Outdoor, Long Antenna, and I have tried Sensitivity Default, Mid, and Low. The results are all the same. I am getting lightning strikes showing up consistently 15-17 miles away throughout the last few days of testing. The weather these last few days has been sunny with humidity well below 80% except at night. Do I have a faulty unit? Or am I picking up something in my area that is setting it off that isn't lightning?
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