Topic: 114 mph winds

[scott]

I am continuing to get 114 mph winds error.   Does this mean I am getting rf interference?  This happens when the winds are calm.   As long as the winds are blowing,  the system is working okay,  but as soon as the system gets calm winds, instead of 0.0 wind speed I get - - - .   If I replace the standard bell wire with the cat5 cable modification, why are three white wires and the ground wire spliced together instead of just using the ground wire as the ground?

[DanS]

Hi Scott. Not sure if we already went over this or not and I checked back in previous threads for it. With regard to the 114mph readings, have you verified the wx station p.c. is AC grounded? A 3-prong ac power plug is not a guarantee that it is. A floating or absence of a ground will do exactly what you're seeing. If it does check out with a solid ground, please continue on with the cat. 5/6 modifications and excuse this interruption. 

[scott]

I'll do the cat5 mod.....the bell wire has never been replaced and most likely the problem.  Is it really necessary to splice the 3 wires to the ground wire to provide additional shielding? Or doesn't the metal foil and ground do the shielding job?

[DanS]

The metal foil and the ground wire provide the shielding. You need to also ground any unused wires inside as they can cause interference problems if left unterminated or floating.

[scott]

Thanks Dan, I understand! 

[scott]

    I did the cat5/6 modification and winds are running perfect.....it is a pretty calm day and I have a lot of calm winds being reported, that is 0.00 and I am not getting any 114 mph wind errors!!!!!

The bell wire that came with the original installation was toast; it was in pretty bad shape.

I followed http://www.lavrsen.dk/sources/weather/windmod.htm to the tee except that I soldered directly to the anemometer; I did not want any additional connections.   I also caulked the anemometer over the top screw, on top of the anemometer, and caulked the big hole where the cat 6 wire enters the unit where it is mounted to the pole.  No water should get in the unit now!

As I type this no errors!!!!!    

[DanS]

Congratulations. Quite a job you've accomplished.

[amokfok17]

Afternoon.

Has anyone tried the modification with UTP, I ordered some 'STP' off ebay but received unshielded stuff, do you think this would still improve as the original cable is untwisted and unshielded. Or am I better off waiting to get the STP to avoid having to do the disassembly and soldering twice, if the UTP didn't work.