Author Topic: Heathkit ID 5001  (Read 2823 times)

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Offline Mark Williams 38344

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Heathkit ID 5001
« on: January 16, 2022, 10:27:11 PM »
How many users are still using a Heathkit 5001? I know there are some still in service. I have been using this one since 1990 I think.
« Last Edit: January 16, 2022, 10:36:05 PM by Mark Williams 38344 »

Offline WA7FWF

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Re: Heathkit ID 5001
« Reply #1 on: January 17, 2022, 04:42:46 PM »
I still have one running, I keep saying I will convert it to a  LED backlight but it is still  fluorescent. I also had a 4001 at one time and then all the small ones and a 1290?  the wall one.

Offline Stormtracker

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Re: Heathkit ID 5001
« Reply #2 on: January 25, 2022, 12:25:13 PM »
I still think this is the best weather station console ever built.  Even better than the 4001.   Only thing that comes close, today, is the Rainwise series.

Offline Garth Bock

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Re: Heathkit ID 5001
« Reply #3 on: January 25, 2022, 09:07:18 PM »
I have always wanted either a 4001 or 5001. Here is something interesting.

http://www.thunderheadtech.com/id5001.html

I contacted Forecast Technologies was planning to bring out the 5001 last year but nothing is happening.


Offline Kev

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Re: Heathkit ID 5001
« Reply #4 on: January 30, 2022, 10:57:10 AM »
Well as you know Mark, mine is up and running. Best weather station ever made in my opinion. Mine's been operating since 1990, but not by me, it's been running under my watch for about two years now after some much needed maintenance after I got it. I don't have the inside humidity sensor hooked up and I need to recalibrate the outdoor humidity, hopefully this summer I'll have time. [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Heath ID-5001-C Advanced Weather Computer (1990)
Texas Weather Instruments WR-25 (1998)

Offline Kev

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Re: Heathkit ID 5001
« Reply #5 on: January 30, 2022, 11:08:36 AM »
I have always wanted either a 4001 or 5001. Here is something interesting.

http://www.thunderheadtech.com/id5001.html

I contacted Forecast Technologies was planning to bring out the 5001 last year but nothing is happening.

Did Forecast Technologies actually say they would be bringing the 5001 back into production? Their site has been inactive for years. The Heath company bought back all the rights to all of their products and manuals, so this is at odds with that. Heath also has an ID-6001 in early development. Don Peterson who heads their parts division (Data Professionals https://www.d8apro.com) confirmed this.
Heath ID-5001-C Advanced Weather Computer (1990)
Texas Weather Instruments WR-25 (1998)

Offline DaleReid

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Re: Heathkit ID 5001
« Reply #6 on: January 30, 2022, 12:08:50 PM »
Kev:
Beautiful machine, no doubt.
I recall seeing one in the Heathkit catalog and being in love. Then went to Dayton OH to the HamVention and Heath had a big display there, and this thing was light a candle to moths.  The $1200 or whatever was the equivalent of a new car (cheap one, maybe a Yugo) and even though working at a good job and only one kid, it took me awhile to save up to get one. 

I have three (?) now and I don't know if I have one that the display is OK without some separation and whatever.  I know one needs barometer work, and the sensor boom needs to have some diagnostics to figure out which of he diodes or transistors is out, but all doable if I can get time and a clean bench, I guess. 

I have one from an old ham friend who bought one at the same time I did and was off with the wind and the barometer not even close, but he kept it near his TV for a nightlight and clock, he liked it so much.

I hold the candle of hope that I can bring one back on line again before I get too demented.  I even wrote a program in MS QBasic to read the RS232 output and graph the various parameters, ended up looking a lot like WeatherDisplay even though I didn't know that program existed, and mine ran only under MS DOS.  When Windows came out big I had to abandon the thing, but sure learned a lot from it.  All attributable to the good ol' ID-5001. 
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Offline Kev

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Re: Heathkit ID 5001
« Reply #7 on: January 30, 2022, 06:22:55 PM »
Dale, long time no chat, glad to see you're around. I hope all is well with you. I remember you telling me your story of how you first encountered the 5001. It really must have been quite the experience walking up to that display booth. The factory IDW-5001 was $999.00, and the kit was $499.00. $2200 and $1,100 in todays money.

I would be more than happy to do a refurbish on one of the 5001s for you, it really would be great for you to have one working again. The LCD screens occasionally had leaking issues, unfortunately. I've seen several on eBay where the screens had severely or mildly leaked. The barometer issue is easily resolved, it's the D401 zener diode that shorts out. It's what controls the temperature compensation for the barometer circuit. When it goes bad, the barometer will not stay calibrated at all and will fly up or down.

That's really quite remarkable, I'm always impressed by anyone who writes their own programs or code, it isn't something I have the knack for unfortunately. The 5001 can of course still be connected to the internet via Weather Display or WxSolution. I still need to get mine online at some point. [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Heath ID-5001-C Advanced Weather Computer (1990)
Texas Weather Instruments WR-25 (1998)

Offline DaleReid

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Re: Heathkit ID 5001
« Reply #8 on: January 30, 2022, 07:16:05 PM »
I may need to visit with you and it has been awhile.

I think the $1200 was the second one I bought, now that I think about it, and was a constructed one so I could put it in the office.  I used to have all sorts of people come by to stick their heads in to see what the conditions were, especially the bikers and wind.

I had fun building the first one, but felt I didn't have time to get the second one up, with all sorts of projects on my slate at the time.

Whatever, it was a chunk of money.  I did end up pulling the auto dim feature which on my units was a pain, but my friend who got one at the same time as my first never had a problem at all. 
I put in a single brightness EXIT light lamp and ballast, with the instructions that were going around at the time.

I'll PM you in the next few days.  Dale
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Offline khw

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Re: Heathkit ID 5001
« Reply #9 on: February 19, 2022, 01:00:40 AM »
Hi,

I’m new here, but thrilled to see this thread. One of my good friends was the manager of the local Heath Zenith store and I helped him clean it out when they closed down. One of the items I got for my trouble was an ID-5001 that had been partially assembled by a customer. For some reason the person got overwhelmed and returned the kit for his money back.

I was recently cleaning part of the basement and found the kit. I was too busy with work when I got it to work on finishing the assembly. I hope I can find some time now.

One of the other items I got was the Heathkit “Bluebook” for the ID-5001. The Bluebook was the extended service manual that stores had to help complete kits that customers couldn’t get to work. It has additional schematics and service bulletins - a little over an inch thick.

Kevin

Offline DaleReid

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Re: Heathkit ID 5001
« Reply #10 on: February 19, 2022, 11:24:34 AM »
Welcome to the thread and thanks for sharing the experience.

You never know how you'll be repaid for your help at a Heath/Zenith store!  If all the parts are there, you should be able to finish that gem of a wx station.  Just be patient and do a good job.

The only thing I can think of is the electrolytic capacitors may have aged, but they were all standard.  The only weird things were the beautiful blue display, and the custom chips to run the thing.  I don't see how the chips would be bad.

Another Kevin here is also a very accomplished 5001 fan, and may be a source of information in case you get hung up, but a lot of people built these (or at least those who could afford them at the time), so I'm sure another one will be up and running soon.  Note that there are the humidity sensor units available yet, as mentioned here.

As far as the manual is concerned, is it a bound book, or a loose leaf three ring binder?  It wouldn't be too hard (just time consuming) to scan that baby into a pdf, perhaps a chapter at a time.  The mechanics of it would be lessened if it were a loose leaf, since I think many multifunction printers/scanners/faxers have  a very good document feed system that might lessen the hands-on time.  If the book is bound, then each page would have to be turned and placed on the scanning device.  Been there, and it isn't a fun job even with good music and something to drink along side for the experience.

Keep us posted.  Any chance you could scan and attach or photo and attach the table of contents to that Blue Book?
Dale
K9ELD
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Offline khw

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Re: Heathkit ID 5001
« Reply #11 on: February 22, 2022, 04:41:59 PM »
Here are a few quick photos to the Blue Book Service Manual. There are nine chapters of information on the ID-5001. Then there is a section of waveforms for the various circuits, the parts list, the manufacturer data sheets for each of the IC's, The "X-Ray views" of the circuit boards and then the schematics in a separate folder.

The manual is marked for Copyright - so I'm not sure how that stands with all of the subsequent owners of Heathkit. This manual if from 1998.

I can't seem to preview this post - it says "You are not allowed to view attachments". I can (possibly) post them, I just can't see them  :-).


Kevin

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Offline DaleReid

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Re: Heathkit ID 5001
« Reply #12 on: February 22, 2022, 05:31:07 PM »
Thanks for the photos.  I forgot about the comb binding, which means that it can't be fed through a imager without catching on the punch holes and all. 

It looks like the project would be page by page, and take a couple beers and a lot of music to get done in an afternoon!

As far as copyright, I'm not sure.  Being out of print, and I think the company per se is no longer in business, would limited non-profit use (for those who have these units to repair, not to be sold, etc.) may be something that is OK, but I'd have to have one of the attorneys on the forum help with that question. 

Otherwise I assume you know just how valuable of a resource you've got there, and wonder how it could legally be shared with those folks who could use it to keep their devices going rather than just trash them.

Thanks for sharing.  I will try doing a little research as to the best/legal way to do this, if at all possible.  I'm anxious to see more details!   Dale
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Offline cpufrost

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Re: Heathkit ID 5001
« Reply #13 on: March 11, 2022, 08:28:22 AM »
Loved Heathkit stations!
Especially if you couldn't afford the 4001 or 5001 they had the 1890 and 1990 (barometer) which the latter had a more stable oven for its transducer like the more expensive 2090 with chart recorder.  The 1890 used the same exact wind sensor boom as the 4001/5001 as well.

The 2Hz refresh on the wind sensors was very nice as watching during a passing squall was fun.

The 1290 was the cheapest unit (analog) but still showed direction and speed in real time.

I had the 2295 humidity gauge too but its sensors (specifically the outdoor one) didn't last long.

Offline blizzardof78

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Re: Heathkit ID 5001
« Reply #14 on: June 25, 2022, 12:00:40 PM »
I have always wanted either a 4001 or 5001. Here is something interesting.

http://www.thunderheadtech.com/id5001.html

I contacted Forecast Technologies was planning to bring out the 5001 last year but nothing is happening.

Heath also has an ID-6001 in early development. Don Peterson who heads their parts division (Data Professionals https://www.d8apro.com) confirmed this.

Any new information on this? I'd certainly be interested!

 

anything