Topic: Best weather station for a different sailing club

[RussellT]

By a bizarre coincidence I'm asking a very similar question to the previous topic, but I think my questions are sufficiently different to justify a new thread.

Our sailing club is in the Peak District in Derbyshire, UK.  We have had a weather station (a Technoline WS1600) on site for about 10 years.  All the sensors have been mounted at the top of a 16 foot pole at the edge of the reservoir which communicates wirelessly with a console in the clubhouse.  Because of the wired connections between the modules it has all been linked together using an old plastic paint can to contain wires etc.  This year the paint can has disintegrated because of UV damage and so we need to do something.  Our members have asked whether we could make weather information available on the website in real time.  We would still like a console in the clubhouse.

Obviously wind sensing is a priority, but absolute accuracy is probably less important than repeatability.  We are on a tight budget for this as it is only a small sailing club.  The difficult bit is connection to the internet.  We have no WiFi within range and we are considering doing this using an old mobile/cell phone but we don't want to bust the budget with data charges.  I have been looking at this weather station https://www.bresseruk.com/bresser-wifi-colour-weather-center-with-5-in-1-profi-sensor.html and I've emailed Bresser to ask how much data it would use but they don't know.  I can get a 20MB per month SIM for 80 pence per month.

I am also unclear from the descriptions of that weather station whether I'm restricted to uploading to Weather Underground or whether I could upload direct to our website.

I'd be grateful for any advice or suggestions.

Russell

[galfert]

I don't recommend that station at all. It only uploads to Weather Underground and its not favored by weather enthusiasts around this forum for several reasons. You could add widget or link to your website from Weather Underground. There are other things you can do if you expand and add some other smarts (via Raspberry Pi or computer or other logger device). No sense in discussing these additional aspects until you narrow down your station choice. If you get the right station it can be expanded easy. An Ecowitt station would be way better if you are on such a restricted budget that you are considering a £128.00 station.

An Ecowitt station would upload to Weather Underground and consume about 9 MB per day (YMMV).
See this link for reference:
http://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=34905.msg356149#msg356149

A Davis Vantage Pro 2 would serve you better but that would require a larger budget than what you have proposed.
Here are some Ecowitt stations to consider: They get online easy (with WiFi).
http://www.ecowitt.com/weather_station/

[RussellT]

Thank you, Galfert, for that really helpful reply.

I've read the thread on data use and I've read the thread on UK weather station recommendations to which you also contributed so I've been looking at the Ecowitt website and the Froggit website.  I would prefer to buy in Europe as I know there won't be any extra taxes to pay.

I've been looking at the Froggit WH3000 SE (https://www.froggit.de/product_info.php?info=p287_froggit-wh3000-se-wifi-internet-app-weather-station.html)and WH4000SE (https://www.froggit.de/product_info.php?info=p356_wh4000se-wifi-internet-radio-weather-station.html).  These seem very similar in specification although but the 4000 appears to be newer and the sensor array looks different with the anemometer potentially screened by the pole in one direction.

The equivalent Ecowitt models appear to be the WH2910C and WH2320E.  These appear to have another different sensor array - possibly there is a different array for the US market?

The two Froggit models are the same price so I'm leaning towards the 4000SE.  I've looked at the manual and it seems to do everything that I want and more.  Connection to the internet using a mobile phone as an access point looks doable and I can get a SIM with data at 1 penny per MB giving a yearly cost of maybe £30 or £40.  Presumably this would vary depending on frequency of upload and the number of sites we upload to.

Am I on the right track? Is there anything I might have missed?

Thanks again.

Russell

[Kraliv]

Am I on the right track? Is there anything I might have missed?

Thanks again.

Russell

In addition to connection to Wunderground; Weathercloud; WOW and also Ecowitt.net, the Froggit WH400SE allows you to connect (via Wifi) to a computer with WeatherSmartIP software… something you can't do with the Froggit WH3000!
With the Froggit WH4000SE, you can access graphics and data logging on your computer!


Cons:The monitor in WH400SE is not colored is a B/W LCD

[galfert]

Yep, I'd say you are on the right track.

The different sensor arrays may look different, tri-wing vs. bi-wing, but the internal sensors and performance are exactly the same. it is just a design difference. I believe the bi-wing design is newer and may fair better in snow as there is less chance of snow build up and stopping the anemometer.

[Kraliv]

I don't know if I'm allowed (sorry), but here on this site there is a review of both Froggit 3000SE & 4000SE models (Equivalent Ecowitt WH2910C and WH2320E models)

https://techtest.org/die-froggit-wh3000se-wetterstation-im-test-guenstig-gut-genau-mit-weather-underground/
and
https://techtest.org/die-froggit-wh4000se-wetterstation-mit-wlan-und-wunderground-im-test/

Sorry also for my english..Google translator! 

[RussellT]

Thanks.

I've ordered the WH4000SE.

Russell

[Mandrake]

I think for your requirement you have made a sound choice.
The console is pretty basic and limited but does everything that you really need in a sailing club display.

The important thing is the sensor array which is the current standard Fine Offset model.
This means should you want to improve the display in the future you could acquire a HP2551 console and use that display with the same outside sensor data. Though at this time Froggit does not yet carry that Console.
Froggit does however carry the GW-1000 which would allow you to add other sensors such as air quality which you could upload to the Internet.

One final tip especially important for the Peak District is that I recomend that you install Lithium AA batteries in the external sensor array  as these will cope better with the extremes of cold you may get during winter.

So you get ahead of the game the support manual can be found here:
http://www.ecowitt.com/upfile/201903/WH2320E%20Manual%20PDF.pdf

[RussellT]

Thanks Mandrake

I agree the console should meet our needs.  I had a good look at the details before I ordered.

I'm intrigued by the battery question.  The WH4000SE manual refers just to "cold climates" a couple of times but says below 0 degC on page 6 and on page 36 says that alkaline batteries should be OK down to -20deg C. 

Froggit's website says of the WH4000SE "No expensive special batteries anymore. Operation via 2 x AA 1.5V batteries".

I think I'll try with alkaline batteries first.  There's nothing to lose and a little to gain.  I'm still grateful for the advice.

Russell

Russell

[Mandrake]

I concur that Alkaline will operate down to -20C but not as efficiently or so I understand
Its just for the sake of Faff its easier to install Lithium and not have to change them for 2 years. a set of Lithium AA cells (4 batteries) is only about £4 so not a massive premium over good alkalines.
Horses for course I guess. After all you need to clean the sensor array at least every 6 months to get rid of nesting bugs and so on anyway!

I have an experiment running where I have a WH31 in my Garage Freezer and so far its lasted 8 months without an issue so I guess it proves the point on Alkaline cells at extremes of temps.
So, no worries!