Topic: Do The Ambient Weather Stations Ever Go On Sale

[Invader21]

It seems the only place to purchase the Ambient Weather hardware is via their website, or via Amazon - which really is just a front door for Ambient, as it costs exactly the same down to the shipping. 

Do they ever put these units on sale, and/or at least provide free/discounted shipping?  I would like to get a WS-1200-IP, but at $295 to begin with, and then having to spend $15 on shipping....well, maybe I'm just being too cheap.

[txweather.org]

well, maybe I'm just being too cheap.

This ^^

[DoctorKnow]

It seems the only place to purchase the Ambient Weather hardware is via their website, or via Amazon - which really is just a front door for Ambient, as it costs exactly the same down to the shipping. 

Do they ever put these units on sale, and/or at least provide free/discounted shipping?  I would like to get a WS-1200-IP, but at $295 to begin with, and then having to spend $15 on shipping....well, maybe I'm just being too cheap.

I would rather put that money on an Ultimeter wx station than put it on one of these all in ones that have poor shields and anemometers, so I agree that seems expensive for this type of station and the accuracy of them.

[gfmucci]

Two observations about prices of Ambient products vs. products on the Ambient website.

1.  I saved a few bucks on a replacement Davis VantageVue ISS on the Ambient website compared to the price on Amazon, including shipping.  On Amazon, this unit is $202.50 with free Prime shipping.  At Ambient, $158  plus $17.57 shipping - $175.57 total.  Yeah, I like saving $25.
2.  You will save a few bucks on some Ambient products on Amazon compared to the Ambient site.  For example, the WS-1001 is $316 with postage at Ambient Weather; $304.79 with postage on Amazon. This product is not included in Amazon Prime.

As for "sales", I haven't followed Ambient products or their site long enough to know - only a couple of months.

As for the other comments, they obviously ignored your question and snarked instead.

And no, you are not cheap.  Prudent and frugal are better words. Others ignore the fact that not everyone wants to pay Davis prices, even if they occasionally last a few more years.  I had to spend over $190 on replacement parts for my Davis over the past year.  I ended up getting a new Davis ISS because I have so much invested in data loggers and software rather than continue replacing parts in my old unit.

UPDATE:  Just this evening January 6, I notice the WS-1001 was reduced to $299.99 on Amazon, including Prime postage, down $5 from earlier today plus it is now Prime, saving postage.

UPDATE 2:  I notice on January 8 the WS-1001 is back up to $289.99 plus $14.80 for shipping (no "Prime" price). But searching Amazon for this product with "Prime" added to the seach still shows $299.99 including postage:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PSV10UK/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3B04RKX85L5W0&coliid=I2LC8V11XLQ0EN

[Invader21]

gfmucci,

My apologies for not responding sooner - looks like my 'notification' setting was askew and I just noticed your response.

Anyway, you are correct on the Amazon 'tweaks' to the pricing.  Seems like it went up to $299.99 on the WS-1001 with Prime (free shipping), or could be ordered for $289.99 previously with $10+ shipping.  So,  slight break, but not material.

Anyway, I really wanted the WS-1200-IP, and just decided some shipping wasn't horrible, and so I ordered it.  It is now up and running (KKYCREST10).  So far I am very pleased, and think that it is definitely a step up from my prior Acurite equipment.  Longevity we shall learn about.  The Acurite failed that test (at least on the outside sensor array), and perhaps the Ambient Weather will, too. But overall, the Ambient is clearly a better product with more features and capabilities.  My only negative is the display lacking battery backup - that makes little sense to me. 

Anyway, thanks for the feedback.

[gfmucci]

I'm glad the WS-1200-IP is working out.  Is that the "hard-wired-to-the-router" version of the WS-1001?

I don't know if you have any use for an uninterruptable power supply (UPS) APC-type battery backup in the vicinity of where your console is, but even a base level unit would provide a few hours of power backup if the console is all you have plugged into it.  This is one example from Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/APC-BGE70-Back-UPS-3-outlet-Uninterruptible/dp/B00KH07WRC/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1453050847&sr=8-14&keywords=battery+backup   Of coarse there are other units that have higher capacities for a few bucks more than the $32 for this unit.

One guy that owns one says:  "I tested mine with 22 Watts (36VA) plugged-in and I got about 1.5 hours run-time on the battery before it started beeping low-battery alarm."   If the Ambient console consumes 7.5 watts, you would get 3 to 4 hours of battery back up.

[Invader21]

First of all....STUPID WU Sticker!  Was working fine an hour ago...now, no data.

Anyway on to your response. The WS-1200-IP is indeed wired to the router, but from an independent Observer IP receiving unit....so it eliminates the chance of failure by virtue of the actual 1200 display console having a problem/not connecting.  Six in one, half dozen in the other in my point of view.  Sort.  I like this approach better, that's why I went 1200-IP.

I'll bet I can find, to your point, some sort of low power, inline power scenario.  My home is on whole house generator - so really I wouldn't lose it for long, but it wipes the 72-hour history on the display, out, forces reconnect with the sensors, and all that jazz.  All I need is something to keep it alive for a few minutes while the generator takes over.  Some sort of inline battery, if it exists.  The display is on the kitchen counter, so having a UPS of any size probably would be vetoed by the Kitchen Manager....

[gfmucci]

All I need is something to keep it alive for a few minutes while the generator takes over.  Some sort of inline battery, if it exists.  The display is on the kitchen counter, so having a UPS of any size probably would be vetoed by the Kitchen Manager....

Kitchen managers can be brutal.

[drsprite]

...but it wipes the 72-hour history on the display...

If you're looking to archive more than 72 hours of data, you could use the weewx weather logging software. There's a lot of details in this forum post here: http://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=28262.0 - but you can skip to page 3 for a summary. Admittedly, my final implementation is a bit advanced, but I tried to capture all the steps necessary. The end result is I'm logging data every 10 seconds directly from ObserverIP and sending it directly into the weewx archive.

Also, another upside if you go weewx - you don't need to have the display on for it to log data. No need to bother the kitchen manager! You could put your home router and ObserverIP on UPS, and it'll keep logging data to weewx.

If you're married to the screen though, then this won't help you. For me, I found it more important to log the data in weewx for all time, than to keep my WS-1200-IP screen logging it for only 72 hours.

[Invader21]

Drspite,

Okay, I gave that thread a read and, --- wow ---, that may be a smidge beyond where I am right now. But I definitely like the notion of not requiring the display in the implementation of capturing logging detail.  So I may yet try to implement something similar.  Picking data up off the ObserverIP is just logical, in my mind.  Execution is another thing, however!

[drsprite]

Drspite,

Okay, I gave that thread a read and, --- wow ---, that may be a smidge beyond where I am right now. But I definitely like the notion of not requiring the display in the implementation of capturing logging detail.  So I may yet try to implement something similar.  Picking data up off the ObserverIP is just logical, in my mind.  Execution is another thing, however!

Yeah it's a total DIY hack! 

I had gotten frustrated with the lack of remote-logging options on the ObserverIP built-in. There is some third party stuff, but they were north of my $0 budget. So I sat down and started putting things together until that stuck! Then I figured I'd document it in the hopes it helps someone along the way 

[Invader21]

Well it's impressive. And some day I may give it a whirl.