Topic: Ambient Weather any lightning sensor weather stations planned?

[beamd]

Title pretty much sums it up. I have tried acurites atlas 2 times and they both had lightning detecting issues. That was last November and I still see reports of same problems. Does anyone now if ambient weather has any plans on a weather station with a lightning detector?

[galfert]

Yes they are working on possibly bringing a lightning detection sensor to the WS-2000 and possibly also the WS-1550-IP which is basically a WS-2000 without a display and instead uses an ObserverIP device as a console.

There is no time frame for this. There are also other sensors planned and due out sooner like PM2.5.

[beamd]

Thanks for the info galfert, where did you find it out and what do you mean by PM2.5?
EDIT
Never mind did a search and see that the PM2.5 is an air quality sensor and saw some of your info on the ecowitt. Really like what I see on the ecowitt with the sensors being independent. If either one is probably going to develop a lightning sensor that will work with their existing systems I'll probably get one.

[galfert]

My source for the lightning detector is rather a bit complicated to explain unless you understand what these Ambient Weather stations hardware are and where they come from. The WS-2000 from Ambient is a weather station that they sell that is manufactured by Fine Offset. Ambient is like a reseller but they are a value added reseller because they are in tight partnership with Fine Offset and they help develop and and offer some input on new product design and features and they offer excellent customer service and support. But there are many other Fine Offset resellers. Not many in the US but a few. But Ambient is by far the most known and the largest reseller at least in the US. In other parts of the world there are other sellers. Notice the name and description of this subforum for other resellers.

You may have already known that but just wanted to cover it just in case. So my premise is this... If Fine Offset makes it then it is potentially available for any reseller to also get it. I've not heard from Ambient directly regarding the availability of the lighting sensor, but I've read the product description from the latest console from Ecowitt and they do mention the lightning sensor as a future add-on sensor. You can see this for yourself in the product description for the GW1000 where is says, "and more sensors will be available soon: water leakage sensor, lightning detector etc."
https://www.amazon.com/ECOWITT-Gateway-Temperature-Humidity-Pressure/dp/B07JLRFG24

So if Ecowitt is talking about a lightning sensor then it is coming from Fine Offset. If Fine Offset has it then Ambient could have it at some future time also. But Ambient doesn't have every model part from Fine Offset. So it could be that if Ambient finds the lightning sensor problematic that they choose to not sell it. So there is no guarantee....but it is a possibility. 

I'm also testing out the GW1000 and I have had some communications with Ecowitt and Fine Offset. I can't divulge much but there are some exciting things planed for the GW1000. If a new sensor comes out for the GW1000 it can also easily be available for the WS-2000.

Now if you ask Ambient point blank about a future lightning sensor they have a grim answer to that:
https://www.amazon.com/ask/questions/Tx2T836DFCYL0T3/
"Could you make a lightning sensor add-on?"
Ambient's answer January 2019:
"No, sorry. These consumer based lighting detectors rarely work and are set off easily by electronic equipment, such as motors, generators, compressors, and AC units. "

It is not uncommon for Ambient to say something and then something else happen. I asked months ago if I could use a WH32B instead of WS-1000-BTH with the ObserverIP before it was sold this way and I was told no. But it worked before they officially supported it...rather before they knew that the latest ObserverIP firmware already supported it. I also asked about compatibility with a 915 MHz Ecowitt HP3500B display with my WS-2902A outdoor sensor and I was told no....I asked Ecowitt the same question and I was told yes. I think to Ambient's defense if they haven't seen it yet then the answer is no. So no doesn't mean never....it just means that they officially don't support it ...yet.

That is why I said that "they" are "possibly" working on a lightning sensor. Because when I'm talking about Ambient and I say "they" I'm actually referring to not just Ambient but to Fine Offset.

PM2.5 is a Particulate Matter sensor with capability to detect particles as small as 2.5 micrometers. It is basically an air quality sensor.

[beamd]

I didn't know any of that and found it all very helpful/interesting  . I messaged ecowitt on Amazon about the lightning sensor. After being stuck on acurite  atlas for the lighting but never trusting it to work I am excited to see the possibility of another company offering it. I really like how all the sensors are separate on the ecowitt. I believe the problem with the acurite atlas lighting sensor is the fact it is inches or less from all the other sensors, a fan, and a solar panel.

If ecowitt gets back to me and there seems to be a reasonable chance of them offering a compatible lighting sensor in the near future I probably will get one. My acurite station went down around October last year and I have really missed having a weather station, especially with the insane amount of rain we have been getting here in NC.

[Mandrake]

Hi I checked in with Ecowitt and they confirmed they are still working on it and that its in development with Fine Offset but its amongst other projects at this time with no projected availability or timeline.

So probably not what you wanted to hear, other than it is still planned and hopefully will arrive at some point at a good price!

[kbellis]

Title pretty much sums it up. I have tried acurites atlas 2 times and they both had lightning detecting issues. That was last November and I still see reports of same problems. Does anyone now if ambient weather has any plans on a weather station with a lightning detector?

Just to add to what's already been said; http://astrogenic.com/ and moreover, Relko Vazic, is somebody to reach out to with further inquiry. Lightning detection devices, their development and support is his primary job, but he is also a Fine Offset dealer located in Spain. I've been working with him for the past 4 months beta testing his Atmocom device - more on that here: https://atmocom.com/

[beamd]

Thanks Mandrake. I still want to get in to the system to have a ws now (really miss having one) so long as it will work with the lighting detector when it comes out. I just don't want to have to buy an entirely new system when the lightning module comes out. Will email  ecowitt sometime and see what they say about future compatibility. I might check with Relko Vazic too, thanks kbellis.