Author Topic: Old original run Atlas having issues with lightning detector recently installed.  (Read 773 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Dartman

  • Village Idiot
  • Senior Member
  • **
  • Posts: 54
Been searching and finally read Acurite was fixing the early units by simply twisting the fan wires to solve the interference from the aspiration fan during sunny or bright cloudy days. My unit is long out of warranty and I'm fully capable of tearing it down and twisting the wires or soldering or rerouting anything else that will fix it.
I found a deal on a damaged box lightning sensor from Amazon and added it but of course issues now that it's installed. So I remember a user posted full break down pictures and maybe some updates on exactly what they did but seems to be mainly twisting the fan wires and reassembling it.
If anyone has pictures or actually knows exactly what was done I'd love to hear about it. Don't feel like going back up on the roof unless I'm sure what needs to be done.
I probably eventually have to replace the outdoor sensor anyway as every so often it just completely shuts down for a few days then starts randomly transmitting again and it's completely out of warranty, I already talked to Facebook support about that issue.
Thanks for any help, Terry.

Offline DoctorKnow

  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 1982
There are a bunch of wires inside that go to the different sensors. All I could tell that was done was taping down the fan wires in a position that wasn't too close to the lightning sensor section... When the fan turns on, apparently the wires leak out noise.

There are pics on here of the unit tore down somewhere. It's not very difficult to do.

Offline worachj

  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 475
  • Twin Cities, Minnesota


AcuRite Atlas
KMNSAINT173

Offline Dartman

  • Village Idiot
  • Senior Member
  • **
  • Posts: 54
Thanks, I've completely torn it down before and last time I pulled the fan and lubed the motor as it was getting noisy but wasn't really planning on getting a lightning detector for it so I didn't twist or do anything special with the wires. When George was around pretty sure he said that they twisted the wires to break up the rf interference they were hitting the sensor with. Lately every day I have a spike of hundreds of false hits and I doubt all of them are here or the neighbors running something.

Offline worachj

  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 475
  • Twin Cities, Minnesota
Here's what Victoria a Product Manager at AcuRite posted back in 2018. I can't find the post were someone did the repair themselves.

https://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=35162.msg362098#msg362098

https://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=35162.msg362102#msg362102

Quote
Some interference was coming off the power wire for the fan. Based on small differences on how far the wire was split or resting, it could potentially create the problem. That's why the issue is only seen when the aspirating fan is receiving power and running.


AcuRite Atlas
KMNSAINT173

Offline Dartman

  • Village Idiot
  • Senior Member
  • **
  • Posts: 54
I read that thread and had commented on the teardown pictures thread but the picture thread was a long time ago and couldn't remember if anyone had shown pictures of the wiring updates they did later. I'll have to take it down and try twisting the fan wires and see what happens. Could try sheilding them somehow too as I noticed today as soon as the sun came out I had another block of false lightning strikes.
Right now it has been snowing and it's 31 degrees outside with snow everywhere so it can wait.

Offline Dartman

  • Village Idiot
  • Senior Member
  • **
  • Posts: 54
I twisted the fan wires and taped them farther from the sensor and yesterday it reported one false strike all day so maybe close enough.