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Weather Station Hardware => What Weather Station Should I Buy? => Topic started by: Ed-UK on January 29, 2021, 08:41:26 AM

Title: New weather station under ~£200
Post by: Ed-UK on January 29, 2021, 08:41:26 AM
Hi all, I've been skulking about reading posts for a few days and have now signed up and would like to pick the collective brains please.

I'm looking to upgrade from just having an outside thermometer to having an online weather station and am looking to pay up to about £200.  Having read various posts I'm inclined towards an Ecowitt/Fine Offset Clone, with the HP2551 console, possibly the Watson W8686 from Nevada Radio, but I'm also contacting Ecowitt direct to compare prices.

Ideally I'd like separate wind and rainfall sensors, possibly going ultrasonic for the wind and the ability to have a second external thermometer would be handy, but this might be a bit pricey for me to start with.

I've had a price from the all knowing Lucy of $309 (approx £226) delivered to the UK for the HP2551 (HP2551 console, WH65 (I) 7-in-1 sensor array, WH32B   indoor T&H&P 3-in-1 sensor) and $393 (approx £288) for the HP2553 (HP2551 console, WS80 6-in-1 sensor array, WH32B indoor T&H&P 3-in-1 sensor, WH40 rain gauge), Nevada have the W8686 for £195 inc delivery.

What I'd like to know is:I look forward to some suggestions and thanks for all the information that's here, it's been very useful so far!

Ed
Title: Re: New weather station under ~£200
Post by: galfert on January 29, 2021, 09:43:30 AM
Ideally I'd like separate wind and rainfall sensors, possibly going ultrasonic for the wind and the ability to have a second external thermometer would be handy, but this might be a bit pricey for me to start with.

It is perfectly sensible to start with the all-in-one sensor array and later upgrade to separate components. Then the all-in-one can serve as a backup if you ever have a sensor go out. This gives you time to get replacement parts and not have down time.

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What I'd like to know is:
  • Would I be right in saying that the Watson W8686 is equivalent to the HP2551, bar the fact the Watson has the tri-wing sensor array and the 2551 has the bi-wing sensors?


Yes, they are the same. The only notable difference is that the bi-wing fairs better with less snow accumulation and the anemometer therefore may operate longer when it snows. But a very strong snow storm will still block the bi-wing. The bi-wing is just a design change, but the sensors are identical.

Quote
  • If I bought an Ecowitt GW1000/DP1500/Misol GW1000 (are they all compatible as long as everything's 433MHz?), that would connect to the Watson's sensors and give me a) another thermometer and b)more options for uploading to different online locations?


Yes, all would be compatible if the frequency matches. Froggit DP1500 only comes with 868 MHz, and Misol is only 433 MHz. Therefore only the Froggit would work to match 868 MHz of the Watson. Then or course you can also get the Ecowitt in any frequency you need.

A GW1000 does not give you another temperature / humidity sensor. That is that console device's indoor sensor, so you'll need to use it for that, because the WH32B (indoor sensor) is not received by the GW1000. The GW1000 doesn't need the WH32B as it would be redundant.

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  • Does anyone know if the temperature/humidity sensors on the end of the wire of the GW1000 are weatherproof? I'm thinking baout having the small unit inside, but with the sensor located outside - I know that won't give me an 'accurate' outside temperature, but it would give me a second thermometer where I want it.

I look forward to some suggestions and thanks for all the information that's here, it's been very useful so far!
It is not weather proof. Even still do not attempt to use this as an outdoor sensor because it only will report as an indoor sensor. Most online services only let you upload outdoor temperature. Even if they let you upload indoor temperature it would be mapped wrong if you attempted to put it outdoors.

If you want an extra outdoor temperature / humidity sensor then you should get the WH31. If you want a better primary outdoor temperature /humidity sensor then you should get the WH32 (non-B) or the WH32-EP and put it in a good radiation shield.
Title: Re: New weather station under ~£200
Post by: Ed-UK on January 29, 2021, 10:39:30 AM
Thanks very much for the answers and the quick reply Galfert.

According to the Nevada Radio page about the Watson https://www.nevadaradio.co.uk/product/watson-w-8686/ (https://www.nevadaradio.co.uk/product/watson-w-8686/) they helpfully (?!) say in the attached info sheet that it's "433/868 MHz depending on location" so I guess I'd have to wait until I got one to double check, but I'd assume 433MHz being in the UK.

If I did go for it then a MISOL WH31 should still work with it ok? It seems to be available for under £15 here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/MISOL-multiple-Wireless-temperature-humidity/dp/B0819L1MWF (https://www.amazon.co.uk/MISOL-multiple-Wireless-temperature-humidity/dp/B0819L1MWF)

I don't completely follow what you mean about the GW1000, but what I think I understand from what you say is that the temperature/humidity is hard coded to be reported by the device as an indoor temperature, so it wouldn't give me a second outdoor temperature, if i was to try and use it that way.  In that case I don't think for the moment I'd add the GW1000, but probably another WH31 as you suggest.

Thanks again for the help  [tup]
Title: Re: New weather station under ~£200
Post by: broadstairs on January 29, 2021, 11:37:12 AM
Just to be clear 868mhz is legal here in the UK. Just make sure everything you buy is the same frequency.

Stuart
Title: Re: New weather station under ~£200
Post by: galfert on January 29, 2021, 11:59:39 AM
Oh okay, I was not aware that Watson shipped both version 433 and 868 based on location. Thanks for that tip. I believe that in the UK you can use both 433 and 868. I think Misol only does 433 and I Froggit only 868.

You explained back the GW1000 and how its internal temperature / humidity sensor works, so yes, indoor use only because it only reports it as indoor. Expansion needs to be done with additional sensors.
Title: Re: New weather station under ~£200
Post by: Ed-UK on March 12, 2021, 12:05:58 PM
Afternoon all,
In the end I did go for a Watson W8686 from Nevada Radio.  It's all up and running now, just waiting for an extra outdoor temp/humidity sensor to arrive from China imminently.

Link to my station on Ecowitt and Wunderground below and here on WOW: https://wow.metoffice.gov.uk/observations/details?site_id=ff775fca-c670-eb11-8ced-0003ff59a33f (https://wow.metoffice.gov.uk/observations/details?site_id=ff775fca-c670-eb11-8ced-0003ff59a33f)

Random question, does anybody know if it's possible to delete an observation from the Ecowitt and Wunderground data?  I managed to briefly set it transmitting before it was installed outside, so there's a 20°C temperature reading, which was a bit optimistic for the UK in February!  The Met Office got rid of the offending ob for me from the WOW site.

Thanks for the advice all  [tup]
Title: Re: New weather station under ~£200
Post by: galfert on March 19, 2021, 11:09:53 AM
Random question, does anybody know if it's possible to delete an observation from the Ecowitt and Wunderground data?

Not possible to remove data from those services. Since you just started and you could create a new ID for WU. But I believe that for Ecowitt.net it is not possible even if you delete the device as I think the history remains tied to the MAC address.
Title: Re: New weather station under ~£200
Post by: Ed-UK on March 19, 2021, 01:17:03 PM
Thanks Galfert.  I thought that was the case, as I coudln't find anything elsewhere that suggested it was possible.

Next noddy question Having looked around the forums a bit, would I be right in saying it's not possible to upload directly to the CWOP without using a PC/Raspberry Pi and something like Meteobridge/WeeWx or similar?

I've read your post https://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=34922.msg378032#msg378032 (https://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=34922.msg378032#msg378032) and that's what I understand from it, despite it being 18 months old or so now.

Thanks in advance, Ed. 
Title: Re: New weather station under ~£200
Post by: galfert on March 19, 2021, 05:23:03 PM
There are ways to upload to CWOP without adding a PC/Raspberry Pi, but not for the station that you've gone with. But there might be some cloud based solution that I don't know about that could make it work whereby that service is then designed to pull data from say WU and then upload it to CWOP. And if it doesn't exist today someone could create it tomorrow. Therefore, technically I don't see why a solution like that could not exist and then you don't have to invest nor maintain any additional hardware/software. But I don't think such solutions are the best option because they are indirect and they then rely on the uptime and the connectivity of all the cogs in the complex system, and if anyone of them fails then you have no upload to the final CWOP destination. I wouldn't want to rely on WU for CWOP uploads, because it isn't just then WU that you need to rely on but also that other service that is just also acting yet as another middleman.

Some Davis systems upload to CWOP indirectly. They upload to Weatherlink.com and then Weatherlink.com uploads to CWOP...but you lose control and that upload only happens every 15 minutes. Davis stations that upload direct with their own other optional software can better upload every 5 minutes...and being direct means that any potential uptime problems with Weatherlink.com do not affect your CWOP upload.

Ambient Weather has the Ambientweather.net network and any station that uploads there can make use the free Ambientcwop.com service (3rd party not owned by Ambient and not operated by CWOP). That again is a way to do it without any extra hardware software, but it is limited to those stations that upload to Ambientweather.net (which is not just Ambient hardware if you buy the license, and if you have the means to upload there). Again, not the best solution in terms of reliability.

What I'm saying is that I can envision someone creating a system that pulls data from somewhere and then uploads it to CWOP. They may even build a service that accepts your "Customized" upload and then uploads it to CWOP for you. But I would still prefer to do it directly. There is much more to gain than just CWOP uploads from having a Raspberry Pi and running one of the available software options.