Topic: WH40 - dead, or just dead battery?

[broadstairs]

I replaced my WH40 earlier this year and it's one which shows the voltage (old one didn't) and it shows 1.46 volts has done since install with an Energiser which when tested prior to install showed 1.6volts! Still running fine.

Stuart

[GeeEmm]

Interesting, thanks Stuart.

Mine was measured with a multimeter, same one both times in fact all my electrical measurements have been with that multimeter.  Its accuracy is unverified, but hopefully its readings are consistent.

[GeeEmm]

So this one lasted about 6 months,    Stopped reporting, replaced with another lithium.

... and this one is dead in not 6 months but 6 weeks.  Looks like the prior failure mode is on the way back.  The new battery is 1.62v Energiser, old one registered 0.65v.

 

Six mm of rain last night, zero according to the WH40.  Looked it over, funnel clear, bucket tipping ok.  Battery now 1.46v, why am I not surprised?

Still not registering, pulled it down, battery now 1.423v.  Replaced with Energiser Lithium, 1.655v, tested working ok in my kitchen sink.  Time for another email to Ecowitt support methinks ...

[Gyvate]

did you make sure that the battery compartment shows away from the console ?
If it points directly to the console, it has been repeatedly observed that then transmission and resulting reception issues can occur.

[GeeEmm]

did you make sure that the battery compartment shows away from the console ?
If it points directly to the console, it has been repeatedly observed that then transmission and resulting reception issues can occur.

Haven't heard of that before Gyvate!  Where have these observations been made?  Link?  That issue is not referenced in the manual, FWTW (at least I couldn't see it).

It also, by definition, would not (likely) be a factor where transmission occurs, data is transferred over a period, then ceases.

For the record, mine is configured with the collector facing the console, battery door at 180*. 

[Gyvate]

did you make sure that the battery compartment shows away from the console ?
If it points directly to the console, it has been repeatedly observed that then transmission and resulting reception issues can occur.

Haven't heard of that before Gyvate!  Where have these observations been made?  Link?  That issue is not referenced in the manual, FWTW (at least I couldn't see it).

It also, by definition, would not (likely) be a factor where transmission occurs, data is transferred over a period, then ceases.

For the record, mine is configured with the collector facing the console, battery door at 180*.

these observations have been made also in this forum, solved by having the compartment showing away, and are also documented in the WiKi - honestly, I don't have the time to do the search for you, sorry. And, I'm just reporting observations. To what extent they appear directly logical is not part of it (unless known  ).

[GeeEmm]

So this one lasted about 6 months,    Stopped reporting, replaced with another lithium.

... and this one is dead in not 6 months but 6 weeks.  Looks like the prior failure mode is on the way back.  The new battery is 1.62v Energiser, old one registered 0.65v.

 

Six mm of rain last night, zero according to the WH40.  Looked it over, funnel clear, bucket tipping ok.  Battery now 1.46v, why am I not surprised?

Still not registering, pulled it down, battery now 1.423v.  Replaced with Energiser Lithium, 1.655v, tested working ok in my kitchen sink.  Time for another email to Ecowitt support methinks ...

Well that happened fast.  This morning the WH40 is off-line, pulled it down again, battery registering 0.718v.  TWO DAYS!

Email sent to Ecowitt support.  In the meantime I have thrown another battery at it, same Energiser lithium, 1.640v.  It has reconnected with the console, and registered bucket movement, so functions are still operational, but I think I will put it outside where I can regularly check battery condition.   I think I will set up my 'test bench' again and measure current consumption, for the record.

So it is currently sitting in some retaining wall blocks, and since it is in 'trials' mode, I have oriented it with the battery door facing the console, 10-12m away, line of sight through a window to the console, showing two bars and registering bucket movement.

[GeeEmm]

This is getting crazier by the hour.

The above posted 9.30am yesterday, by 2pm it was off-line again, battery about 0.64v.  Being slightly thick, I put another battery in (from the same source, same battery, 1.660v) thinking it would be dead by dinnertime, I would update the thread then.  Today, over 24hrs later still going strong, failing battery indicator (the sometimes precursor) still absent.

I am going away for most of next week, so if it is still operating on Tuesday morning I think I will pull the battery while I am away so that if it is going to fail quickly I can be around when it happens.

In the meantime I am looking closely at junking it, and replacing it with the WS80 or something similar.  I can live with the issues around tipping buckets, but the electronics are becoming a deal-breaker.  The rest of the system seems fine, no issues at all but the WH40 is the weak link.

What would you do?

[Gyvate]

you can read the rain accuracy "discussion" in the WiKi for the WS90 and make up your mind to go for it - or not, or for the WS85.
Still, the WH40H is a very good and usually very reliable rain gage.
I would get me a new WH40H. - The WS8/WS90 option is not ncessarily an either -or thing - it could be and-and. (WH40H+WS85/WS90). 

[GeeEmm]

Thanks Gyvate, yes, probably the 85, that minimises the purchase of sensors that are already present and working.

I think I need a holiday from the 40, getting another (No4  ) seems like throwing good money after bad, though in truth I only paid for the first.  If I could be convinced there is a modified motherboard in there, I might roll the dice.  But it seems that all we have gotten is a new higher funnel. 

The 85/90 is also a less-than-perfect instrument so there is an element of the gamble there too but that seems more acceptable to me, given the alternative is risking more of the same with the 40.  I might be a slow learner, but hit me over the head with failure often enough and eventually I see sense.

I will probably make a decision while I am away, and pull the trigger next weekend.

[GeeEmm]

Decision made!

A WS85 is on the way, together with an LDS01.

The WH40 is still up and running, it recorded rainfall while I was away and is still registering on the console. Exactly what is going on with that I have no idea, given the 26-27 April posts about battery life, but while it lives it will be a backup and will provide input until replaced by the new arrival.

The LDS01 will be used to measure water level in the house water supply, an enclosed 100,000l concrete water tank, the dipper can be pensioned off (I hope).

At this point I am closing the book on the WH40 and have no intention of making any more posts in this thread, so thank you all for your contributions, and good luck with your WH40s