Topic: WeatherLink Console 6313 has arrived!

[weatheroz]

1. If you only want to replace the outside sensors then just buy a new VP2 ISS of whichever variant you prefer. This will work with your existing console.

I didn't realise you could still buy them.... maybe I'm not looking hard enough. 

thanks for suggestions.

I was thinking your second option, and I was also thinking of the Envoy, should my main console croak it.

[WheatonRon]

I didn't realise you could still buy them.... maybe I'm not looking hard enough. 

thanks for suggestions.

I was thinking your second option, and I was also thinking of the Envoy, should my main console croak it.

I hope your questions have been answered. A question back to you.—Why do you need or want to replace the entire ISS? One of my ISSs is 10+ years old, and I periodically replace worn parts in the ISS, for example, the temperature sensor and solar panel—but otherwise the system works perfectly. Replacement parts to the Davis product line are readily available (specifically excluding the old VP2 console, Davis part No. 6312) and replacing them is not difficult. A lot cheaper than buying a whole new ISS!

[johnd]

My view is that VP2 stations in general last pretty well and it's not uncommon to hear about stations running for 15-20 years or more, with some sensor maintenance along the way.

But by the time an ISS reaches say 10-12 years old then 3 things are likely to have happened:

1. Depending on climate the whole of the ISS may have started to deteriorate cosmetically and functionally (sensors ageing and potentially drifting out of calibration, increasingly brittle plastics, plus eg discoloured radiation shield affecting its performance - many users simply do not clean the ISS regularly).

2. The ISS specification will now be many years out of date, unless each sensor has been replaced with the new spec.

3. The total cost of replacing sensors piecemeal plus servicing/service kits can well exceed that of a new ISS.

So, personally, I think it is entirely sensible to consider replacing the complete ISS after a long period of use, eg 10-12 years or whatever. But one good thing about the VP2 system is that the user has a choice. If you prefer regular cleaning and piecemeal replacement of individual sensors as necessary then that's fine too. There's no right or wrong here - it's down to a combination of personal preference, climate, budget etc.

[miraculon]

My view is that VP2 stations in general last pretty well and it's not uncommon to hear about stations running for 15-20 years or more, with some sensor maintenance along the way.

But by the time an ISS reaches say 10-12 years old then 3 things are likely to have happened:

1. Depending on climate the whole of the ISS may have started to deteriorate cosmetically and functionally (sensors ageing and potentially drifting out of calibration, increasingly brittle plastics, plus eg discoloured radiation shield affecting its performance - many users simply do not clean the ISS regularly).

2. The ISS specification will now be many years out of date, unless each sensor has been replaced with the new spec.

3. The total cost of replacing sensors piecemeal plus servicing/service kits can well exceed that of a new ISS.

So, personally, I think it is entirely sensible to consider replacing the complete ISS after a long period of use, eg 10-12 years or whatever. But one good thing about the VP2 system is that the user has a choice. If you prefer regular cleaning and piecemeal replacement of individual sensors as necessary then that's fine too. There's no right or wrong here - it's down to a combination of personal preference, climate, budget etc.

Don't forget the dreaded super-cap failures....
I've lost track, but it think it was 3 or 4 replaced over the past dozen years. I have followed the piecemeal approach, makes upgrading a continuous process.

I just wish that there were more robust super-caps available.

Greg H.

[weatheroz]

But by the time an ISS reaches say 10-12 years old then 3 things are likely to have happened:

1. Depending on climate the whole of the ISS may have started to deteriorate cosmetically and functionally (sensors ageing and potentially drifting out of calibration, increasingly brittle plastics, plus eg discoloured radiation shield affecting its performance - many users simply do not clean the ISS regularly).

That's pretty much why I'm now going to replace mine.... harsh UV environment (South East Queensland) has really started to hit mine.... radiation shield is starting to fall apart.

We just missed Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred here overnight, and as my anemometer isn't giving me speeds, I was going to be disappointed I had no record of speeds, luckily right here we didn't get any high winds.

[WheatonRon]

Does anybody have an old VP2 Console (Davis part no. 6212) they want to part with? It has to be a working USA unit—my 15 year old backup I use is doing some really weird stuff—probably correctable with a firmware update but my unit won’t upgrade beyond version 1.9.   I would probably buy a new one, but Davis doesn’t make them any more and I need the data port on the unit. Drop me a PM and what you will sell your unit for. I live in a western Chicago suburb.

[Mattk]

If you just want the data port connection/capability then a Envoy will do that and still available.

PS. VP2 Consoles might even increase in value     

[johnd]

@WheatonRon Can only suggest that you keep an eye on the obvious places like eBay. May also be worth emailing individual dealers (even Davis maybe?). There are still a few around in the supply chain. We recently got a small batch of what I'm guessing were possibly ex-refurb consoles that Davis maybe had sitting around in their service department. So not new or mint, but still perfectly functional. But the ones we have are obviously EU spec and not US or anything else.

[mcrossley]

You can switch EU and USA consoles easily via a terminal command. I bought an old US console and switched it to UK frequencies.

[WheatonRon]

I’ve been looking at eBay for another 6212 console, but the one that looked promising was manufactured nearly 20 years ago, so I think that wouldn’t work. My console was working fine and I just use it to upload to my WeatherLink software—historical data. Lately, if I update the rainfall on the console, those changes aren’t reflected on the WeatherLink bulletin—it used to be almost immediately. For example, the bulletin on WeatherLink, if opened, should mirror exactly what is on the console. If I change monthly rainfall on the console from say 2.5 inches from 2.2, the WeatherLink Bulletin may show 4.6 inches. I have rebooted everything and nothing fixes it. It’s more than the rainfall issue I just explained, the console does other weird things too. I think it may be a firmware issue—I am on 1.9(non upgradeable) , and thinking a newer version my fix it.The eBay unit  I looked at was before Davis apparently started posting firmware versions on the console by pressing done and the +key.

[rodrigocatarino]

H Everyone!

I own a Davis Vantage Pro 2 for more than 15 years now.
Over the years i had to replace the bearings of the wind speed sensor, had to replace the full sensor with the new encapsulated one.
Today i had to replace the Console.
I got the new console, but i am not receiving information from the external sensors, like wind speed/direction, humidity etc.
Am i missing something?
I've updated the console as required, and configured it as a new station, since it was not visible the "old" station.

##Edited##
On the old console i can see all parameters collected by the external sensors"

Any ideas?

Kind regards,
Rodrigo Catarino

[WheatonRon]

Did you follow the instructions to add your ISS looking for the channel the ISS is on? You can’t upload to WU, CWOP, etc., with the new console but you should get the ISS!

[rodrigocatarino]

Did you follow the instructions to add your ISS looking for the channel the ISS is on? You can’t upload to WU, CWOP, etc., with the new console but you should get the ISS!

Hi,

Yes, I've configured the new console to read on the channel my ISS is on.

Well, the problem is solved, as meanwhile the console started reading the outside data...
Thanks anyway for the heads up.

Kind regards,
Rodrigo Catarino

[PaulMy]

Hi,
Good to see all is working.

Just to update on:

You can’t upload to WU, CWOP, etc., with the new console

However, the new console can upload to Weatherlink.com and from Weatherlink.com you can upload to WU, CWOP, WOW.  But only at 15 minute interval unless you get the to-pay-for Pro subscription which allows for 5-minute or 1-minute uploads.

Enjoy,
Paul

[bahuga]

I have installed and configured today a new 6313 console.
All my sensors are received by the console, including my three "Extra temperature"  sensors, and all is transmitted to weatherlink.com.

My problem is that I am not able to configure one tile of the main display to display an extra Temp Value.  If I try to configure a tile to display a temperature value, the only choice I have is to select my ISS and there is no way to select one of my extra temp sensors. 

Did I missed something or is it a limitation of the current version of the console ?

[bahuga]

My issue has been resolved.
Initially, I configured the extraTemp stations as "Temp" sensors. However, when I changed them to "Temp/Hum" sensors (even though there's no humidity sensor and no humidity measurements), I could select any of my extraTemp sensors to be displayed on the console dashboard.

[TomS]

Can anyone with this 6313 unit answer this q:

Years ago I replaced my temp/humidity sensor on my VP2.  The new sensor installed in my old unit produces temps that needed to be offset by 0.5c, which I accomplished in my (current, old) console.  Does the new 6313 have a place for such an offset?

Thanks,

Tom

[WheatonRon]

Can anyone with this 6313 unit answer this q:

Years ago I replaced my temp/humidity sensor on my VP2.  The new sensor installed in my old unit produces temps that needed to be offset by 0.5c, which I accomplished in my (current, old) console.  Does the new 6313 have a place for such an offset?

Thanks,

Tom

Yes you can calibrate (make an offset) your console but I don’t think it will be necessary. The likely reason for the offset adjustment before was your console was so old and it was communicating with a newer transmitter board at the ISS. But I would contact Davis support to verify.

[TomS]

Yes you can calibrate (make an offset) your console but I don’t think it will be necessary. The likely reason for the offset adjustment before was your console was so old and it was communicating with a newer transmitter board at the ISS. But I would contact Davis support to verify.

By this logic, if I still had the old sensor I would have to apply an offset in the new console to make it correct with the old sensor.  Perhaps that is more likely than the opposite and your statement holds true given I've replaced the sensor.  Academic at this point, but interesting (to me) which way it would go.

[johnd]

Just to be clear, it is the pairing of the T/H sensor with the ISS circuit board that it is the key factor. The age of the console is immaterial, The basic rule is:

old ISS SIM board + new T/H sensor (or vice versa) = small T offset needed at the console

old ISS SIM board + old T/H sensor (or new + new) = no offset required.

[TomS]

Just to be clear, it is the pairing of the T/H sensor with the ISS circuit board that it is the key factor. The age of the console is immaterial, The basic rule is:

old ISS SIM board + new T/H sensor (or vice versa) = small T offset needed at the console

old ISS SIM board + old T/H sensor (or new + new) = no offset required.

ah that makes sense.  given i never replaced my sim board (only the sensor) i would need to set the offset at the (new) console, were I to get one. 

thanks for the clarification.

[WheatonRon]

Just to be clear, it is the pairing of the T/H sensor with the ISS circuit board that it is the key factor. The age of the console is immaterial, The basic rule is:

old ISS SIM board + new T/H sensor (or vice versa) = small T offset needed at the console

old ISS SIM board + old T/H sensor (or new + new) = no offset required.

ah that makes sense.  given i never replaced my sim board (only the sensor) i would need to set the offset at the (new) console, were I to get one. 

thanks for the clarification.

I agree with John’s clarification—but are you sure your SIM board is “old”? As I understand the Davis definition of “old”—manufactured after January 2006 but before 2016. All said, the required offset (.9ºF too high) is insignificant in the grand scheme of things—bugs, dirt, cobwebs, etc. around the sensor would likely be more relevant than this offset issue.