Author Topic: Vantage Pro2 + battery life  (Read 1060 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline g4mhj

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 39
    • WDL from Erith, Kent, UK
Vantage Pro2 + battery life
« on: May 15, 2022, 11:25:12 AM »
My back-up battery in the wireless ISS has lasted 5 months but now the Console is showing zero readings.  A new battery fixes the problem probably for another 5 months.  The Issue is quite old but I cannot afford to replace the whole unit.  The solar panel gives no output to a meter so this is most likely the issue. The existing panel in the cover has a pair of brown wires to the PCB with a connector and one of the black wires has dashes along it's length.  Presumably this is the negative side?? I am wondering if I could bypass the cover and add a new cheap solar panel until finances improve.  What I would need though is to know what voltage and wattage would the panel need to be. Davis do supply new solar covers but I cannot seem to define if what they offer would still fit my 15 years device.

Offline johnd

  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 4827
    • www.weatherstations.co.uk
Re: Vantage Pro2 + battery life
« Reply #1 on: May 15, 2022, 12:32:33 PM »
Sounds very much like the supercap is on its way out. More info at:

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

If you have some simple soldering skills then you can change just the supercap, with a fair chance that it might fix the issue, at least for a while. Otherwise replacement circuit boards are available - still quite pricey I'm afraid but cheaper than a complete new ISS.
« Last Edit: May 15, 2022, 12:57:22 PM by johnd »
Prodata Weather Systems
Prodata's FAQ/support site for Davis stations
Includes many details on 6313 Weatherlink console.
UK Davis Premier Dealer - All Davis stations, accessories and spares
Cambridge UK

Sorry, but I don't usually have time to help with individual issues by email unless you are a Prodata customer. Please post your issue in the relevant forum section here & I will comment there if I have anything useful to add.

Offline bchwdlks

  • Senior Contributor
  • ****
  • Posts: 196
Re: Vantage Pro2 + battery life
« Reply #2 on: May 15, 2022, 01:38:23 PM »
 I do not know if it will help you but I have a spare Solar Panel Front Cover for my 6152 – Wireless Vantage Pro2. The back side of the solar panel shows as 2.17v.


 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]

Offline g4mhj

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 39
    • WDL from Erith, Kent, UK
Re: Vantage Pro2 + battery life
« Reply #3 on: May 15, 2022, 01:55:52 PM »
Thanks for the info.  At least I now know the solar panel is 2.17v which I didn't know before.  I am not sure of my ISS model number so I will need to establish that first.  Hopefully opening the cover will reveal that info.

Offline johnd

  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 4827
    • www.weatherstations.co.uk
Re: Vantage Pro2 + battery life
« Reply #4 on: May 15, 2022, 02:02:38 PM »
As long as it's a VP2 station (ie and not a still older VP1) then a new solar cover will fit. But that's unlikely to be of much help. The panels do deteriorate cosmetically, but rarely to the point of seriously impacting battery life and anyway can usually be cleaned up with a mild abrasive like Brasso.
Prodata Weather Systems
Prodata's FAQ/support site for Davis stations
Includes many details on 6313 Weatherlink console.
UK Davis Premier Dealer - All Davis stations, accessories and spares
Cambridge UK

Sorry, but I don't usually have time to help with individual issues by email unless you are a Prodata customer. Please post your issue in the relevant forum section here & I will comment there if I have anything useful to add.

Offline g4mhj

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 39
    • WDL from Erith, Kent, UK
Re: Vantage Pro2 + battery life
« Reply #5 on: May 15, 2022, 02:30:51 PM »
Using a DC voltmeter on the solar panel in sunlight gives no reading - this is without the psb connection. i.e contact at the solder terminal.  My assumption is I need at least a new cover and perhaps a new supercap while I am about it.

Offline johnd

  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 4827
    • www.weatherstations.co.uk
Re: Vantage Pro2 + battery life
« Reply #6 on: May 15, 2022, 04:28:53 PM »
OK, well if you're sure that it's a reliable measurement with a good voltmeter in bright sunlight then maybe yours is one of the rare ones with this sort of issue where it is actually the solar panel at fault. We have one here:

https://shop.weatherstations.co.uk/7345-114-front-cover-for-iss-shelter-housing-with-solar-panel-1716-p.asp
Prodata Weather Systems
Prodata's FAQ/support site for Davis stations
Includes many details on 6313 Weatherlink console.
UK Davis Premier Dealer - All Davis stations, accessories and spares
Cambridge UK

Sorry, but I don't usually have time to help with individual issues by email unless you are a Prodata customer. Please post your issue in the relevant forum section here & I will comment there if I have anything useful to add.

Offline Mattk

  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 2136
Re: Vantage Pro2 + battery life
« Reply #7 on: May 15, 2022, 05:10:07 PM »
There is really no need to replace the unit because of a capacitor failure, the other option is to use the 5V input jack on the ISS board and rig either a small 6v solar panel/battery or a small 12v solar/battery and 12/5 or 6 volt converter. This only needs to be a 1.2ah battery system.

And if your ISS just happened to be close to mains power then a 5v power pack (same as the console uses) solves the problem, backup battery then lasts for a very long time.   

Offline g4mhj

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 39
    • WDL from Erith, Kent, UK
Re: Vantage Pro2 + battery life
« Reply #8 on: May 16, 2022, 05:15:44 AM »
It looks like I have some corrosion on the super-cap so I will be ordering a replacement together with a front panel for the faulty solar panel.  Thanks for everybody's help.  The idea of a main/PSU unit sounded good but I think the local squirrels would enjoy the wires!

Offline g4mhj

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 39
    • WDL from Erith, Kent, UK
Re: Vantage Pro2 + battery life [RESOLVED]
« Reply #9 on: May 18, 2022, 03:36:00 AM »
I just thought I would advise that my power issues were in fact the faulty solar panel.  A replacement ISS cover/solar panel has been fitted and I no longer see 'Low Battery' messages on my Console.  I also purchased a spare Super-cap for any future replacement.  Hopefully breaks in data should now be eliminated.

Offline njc68

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 22
Re: Vantage Pro2 + battery life
« Reply #10 on: July 21, 2022, 12:45:45 PM »
I too recently had a faulty solar panel.  After receiving the new one and measuring ~2VDC or so, I messed around with the old one.  If I pressed fairly hard on the middle of the panel I would read a nominal DCV.  Visually it looked like there could be a gap between the metal strips. I got this system in 2010 so not a bad run.