Author Topic: several temperature/humidity sensors, but no wind, rain, or light sensors  (Read 505 times)

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Offline witrunk

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1. I'm looking for an Ecowitt/FO solution for monitoring temperature, humidity, and pressure. I'll need 4 to 6 temperature/humidity sensors, but at least for now will not have rainfall, wind, solar, or UV sensors. At some point in the future I will likely want some sort of local open source server integration, but for now I need a display console. My problem is that all the display console screen captures I've found show a lot of screen real estate dedicated to data not available without all those other sensors. Documentation is lousy. Is there a display console that lets me optimize the screen for data I do have and remove most/all of the elements that lack sensor data? I still want the display to be nice to look at and easily readable from across a small room, so columns of data in tiny fonts is not great. What are my options and does anyone have screen captures showing suitable display consoles with such configurations, if they exist?

2. Which, if any, of the online cloud providers allow the above configuration to not only upload all of its real-time sensor data but present all of it to web browsers? I would like for I and others to be able to view that data remotely, preferably again without clutter associated with missing sensors.

3. For both 1 and 2 above I would like the option of viewing the data in graph format as well.

FWIW, I'd love the full suite of sensors, but placement is too far away from a source of AC power and our winters are wet, dark, and dreary, with occasional snow and ice (coastal PNW and tall cedars). As I can't keep simple low wattage solar-powered garden lights working in winter, I can't imagine a sensor array working either.

Offline Gyvate

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Re: several temperature/humidity sensors, but no wind, rain, or light sensors
« Reply #1 on: December 04, 2022, 03:52:41 AM »
1. Ecowitt sensor arrays are all solar powered and have battery backup; their inbuilt solar panels are quite efficient  - see https://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=40730.0 for an overview of available and compatible sensors (and a lot of other related information) - for sensor details, look up www.ecowitt.com - for extreme locations without sufficient sunlight exposure (e.g. Alpine valleys, polar regions) the batteries of the sensor arrays should hold 3-6 months

2. all other sensors are battery powered and battery life is usually between 1-2 years.

3. customizable consoles as you want them to be do not exist in the Ecowitt ecosystem,
however
- the webpage of your console shows only installed sensors (account at ecowitt.net needed) - as tiles, tables and graphs.
- to some extent the display of an Android app based console (on a tablet --> https://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=39453.0) can be customized - all consoles can send their data to PWT via their custom server functionality

3. there are custmizable templates (webpages, you'll need a website for this, be in web hosted, be it on a personal NAS server) which can display your data on e.g. a tablet via the customized server functionality. (e.g. PWS Dashboard, Weather34)

4. if you want to start with temperature/humidity only, you could get yourself a GW1100 or GW2000 displayless console/gateway, a WH32 outdoor T/H sensor and 1-3 (up to 8) WH31 extra temperature sensors. Indoor T/H and air pressure will be provided by the consoles. The choice of these consoles will keep you open to a maximal extension of all available Ecowitt sensors, should you change your mind and want more in the future.

5. You can also at any time add e.g. a WN1980 or HP2551 console with display. The same sensors can be received, processed, displayed by many consoles in parallel. (Like a radio station and radio receivers).
WS2350 1.6.7, GW1000(3) 1.7.7,WH2650 WiFi (2) 1.7.7 (test/backup), GW1100 2.3.1, GW2000(3) 3.1.1, HP2551 1.9.5,5.1.5;HP3500 1.7.2,WS3800 1.2.8, WN1910 1.2.3,WN1980 1.2.3;
Ecowitt WS90(2)1.3.5/1.4.0, WS80(2)1.2.5, WS68, WS69, WH40, WH31, WH31-EP, WN30, WN34L, WN35, WH32, WH32-EP, WH32B, WH57 [Lightning], WH41 [PM2.5], WH51, WH45, WH55
MeteobridgePro(2)[test,prod] 5.8 Mar 01 2024, 15185 - Blake-Larsen Sun Recorder - RPi4/weewx 4.8.0/4.10.2/CumulusMX 3283/Meteobridge RPi4B-2GB(3169)
Barani Meteoshield Pro, MetSpec Rad02 - Ecowitt 5763,34418;WU ISAARB3(WH4000SE),ISAARB22(HP2553), http://meshka.eu

Offline MatsJ

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Re: several temperature/humidity sensors, but no wind, rain, or light sensors
« Reply #2 on: December 05, 2022, 12:42:32 AM »
In europe (868 MHz) at www.dnt.de they have one TFT console which shows exactly what you are after with large temperature and humidity plus graph for a number of FO/Ecowitt WH31 sensors. Raumklimastation RoomLogg Pro (dnt000004). Did not see pressure there though, but an added GW1000 or GW1100 would provide that - and send the data anywhere you wanted. I bought a couple of WH31 sensors from them (amazon.se) and converted one into a WH32 for outdoor use in a home-made Gill radiation shield. The sensors need at least water protection and, if in the sun, a large radiation shield. The WH31 sensors are rated for -40 to +60 Centigrade so should function in most normal locations.

Offline witrunk

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Re: several temperature/humidity sensors, but no wind, rain, or light sensors
« Reply #3 on: December 05, 2022, 03:42:10 AM »
Has anyone got some hands-on experience they can share in terms of operating solar-powered Ecowitt sensors in gloomy locations like the Pacific Northwest? For instance, weeks without a break in overcast and rainy skies. Are you able to somehow query for time spent using the backup batteries?

Assuming the solar power issue is not a significant problem, what about operating these sensor arrays without heater power in snow and ice conditions? Obviously some of the sensor data is temporarily rubbish, but is there risk of physical damage (e.g. water freezing where expansion causes cracking)?

The DNT weather station cited by @MatsJ looks like the Ambient Weather WS-3000 (https://ambientweather.com/amws3000x3.html), which I can get here. But we're warned that Ambient consoles don't work with the Ecowitt ecosystem, don't implement the Ecowitt protocol, and don't work with Weewx (https://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=40730.0), which makes it seem a dead end.

Offline olicat

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Re: several temperature/humidity sensors, but no wind, rain, or light sensors
« Reply #4 on: December 05, 2022, 03:54:58 AM »
Hi!

Quote
Ambient consoles don't work with the Ecowitt ecosystem, don't implement the Ecowitt protocol, and don't work with Weewx
At least with FOSHKplugin which is able to convert Ambient protocol to Ecowitt protocol (vice versa) you should be able to run any EW protocol related software like weewx.

Oliver

Offline MatsJ

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Re: several temperature/humidity sensors, but no wind, rain, or light sensors
« Reply #5 on: December 05, 2022, 06:34:22 AM »
But, the RoomLogg Pro/WS-3000 is a 'dumb' screen without transmit ability so the Ambient crippling does not come into play, or... From what I understand, you have to buy all the WH31 sensors you want to see on the WS-3000 from Ambient, but they can also be received from standard FO/Ecowitt hardware, like the GW1100 gateway and transmitted out on the internet (with Pressure data from the gateway). Then, if you want to expand with other sensors you buy into whatever path you desire, more crippled with Ambient, more open with FO clones. The WS-3000 can not connect with anything other than the temp/hum sensors, so dum but with a really nice layout.

Offline Gyvate

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Re: several temperature/humidity sensors, but no wind, rain, or light sensors
« Reply #6 on: December 05, 2022, 08:34:38 AM »
there is an option though.
While Ecowitt don't have a HP3000 in their official portfolio, FineOffset, the Manifacturer and Mother Company does.
https://www.foshk.com/weather_station/HP3000.html
https://www.foshk.com/upload/manual/HP3000%20USER%20MANUAL.pdf
It's available at 868 and 915 MHz - and a GW1100 or GW2000 can still be used for air pressure or a WN1980 console (which can also show 8 WH31 cycling). The HP3000 gives all WH31 T/H at one glance.
The GWyx00 or the WN1980 will post the sensors to ecowitt.net

So how to do if this looks like a solution ?
Contact FineOffset via sales@foshk.com and tell them that you want to purchase a HP3000 915 MHz model along with (1-8) WH31 and ask them for advice. Usually they will then handle that request via Ecowitt.
WS2350 1.6.7, GW1000(3) 1.7.7,WH2650 WiFi (2) 1.7.7 (test/backup), GW1100 2.3.1, GW2000(3) 3.1.1, HP2551 1.9.5,5.1.5;HP3500 1.7.2,WS3800 1.2.8, WN1910 1.2.3,WN1980 1.2.3;
Ecowitt WS90(2)1.3.5/1.4.0, WS80(2)1.2.5, WS68, WS69, WH40, WH31, WH31-EP, WN30, WN34L, WN35, WH32, WH32-EP, WH32B, WH57 [Lightning], WH41 [PM2.5], WH51, WH45, WH55
MeteobridgePro(2)[test,prod] 5.8 Mar 01 2024, 15185 - Blake-Larsen Sun Recorder - RPi4/weewx 4.8.0/4.10.2/CumulusMX 3283/Meteobridge RPi4B-2GB(3169)
Barani Meteoshield Pro, MetSpec Rad02 - Ecowitt 5763,34418;WU ISAARB3(WH4000SE),ISAARB22(HP2553), http://meshka.eu

Offline kheller2

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Re: several temperature/humidity sensors, but no wind, rain, or light sensors
« Reply #7 on: December 05, 2022, 09:54:29 AM »
Keep in mind the 3000 display is small, and not easily readable from across the room.
Ambient Consoles: WS-2000, WS-1900, WS-1200, WS-2902C, WS-3000-X3, WS-0900-IP(observerIP), WS-1001-WIFI
Ambient Arrays: WH65B
Ambient Sensors: WH31E(3), WH31B(2), WH32B, WH31SM(2), WH31PGW, AQIN, WH31LA(3)
Ambient Spares: WH24B(2), WH25B.
Ecowitt: HP2551BU, GW1000B(dead), GW1100B(2), GW2000B
Ecowitt Sensors: WH51, WN34BL, WN34(2), WH31, WH41, WH40

Offline MatsJ

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Re: several temperature/humidity sensors, but no wind, rain, or light sensors
« Reply #8 on: December 05, 2022, 11:08:27 AM »
Yeah, reading the specs the screen is not large. Promo pictures fool the eye.

As for gloom and solar-powered Ecowitt hardware; I live at 13.602892 east and 56.161342 north 5 metres above ground (second floor/top floor) in an apartment with a large tree just outside the balcony where I've mounted the PWS. Other apartment houses shield westerly winds and my own everything from the east. UV and Watts only begin to register correctly about noon. But temperature, humidity and rainfall are better than the data from official sources and that's why I set it up in the first place.

At 11 March 2021 I loaded a WH65 (Osprey) Y-shaped 7-in-1 sensor array with 2 Lithium 1.5V AA batteries. In December the Y became a mountain of snow which I had to brush off at regular points. In January 2022 I replaced the Y with a WH40 rain sensor (which took 1 of the old AA batteries) and a solar powered WS68 wind/UV/light sensor (which took the other AA). Two fresh Lithium AAs went into a WH31 converted into a WH32. Everything communicates with a HP2550 display console.

Today we write December 2022 and I'm waiting for the snow. There are no warnings about low batteries. And believe you me, southern Sweden is the very definition of 'gloomy skies'.

Offline witrunk

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Re: several temperature/humidity sensors, but no wind, rain, or light sensors
« Reply #9 on: December 07, 2022, 02:39:55 AM »
The FO HP3000 looks to be exactly the same as the AW WS-3000, but presumably retains support for Ecowitt sensors? The two manuals are essentially the same content, except that FO leaves out everything on SD Card data logging, firmware updating, PC software, and troubleshooting. And FO apparently provides no HP3000 firmware downloads. Indeed, these displays really are very small :-(

What are the pros and cons of the more mechanical sensors like @MatsJ has (WH40/WS68) as compared with the WS90 or WS80, functionally and with regard to snow/ice (again, w/o heater power).