Author Topic: Bizarre Intermittent Vantage Pro2 Wind Direction Sensor Failure  (Read 1033 times)

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Offline oregonalex

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Bizarre Intermittent Vantage Pro2 Wind Direction Sensor Failure
« on: January 27, 2023, 06:19:09 PM »
I have the newer cartridge style anemometer connected to a wind transmitter.  Most nights the wind direction stops working and points hard North. I know that the sensor indicating North means a signal interruption somewhere, but the pattern of this intermittent failure leaves me baffled.  It has been doing this for a couple of months now. These are the clues I have discovered so far:

1.  It happens on most, but not all nights (95% of the time, I'd say).  It does not stop and start at the same time every day.  Usually it gives up between 9pm and midnight and starts working fine again around sunrise.
2.  It does not appear temperature related.  I have seen it working on days colder than some of the nights it failed.
3.  It happens in both wet and dry weather.
4.  It is not the transmitter. I tried another one.

Any advice?  Just bite the bullet and buy a new anemometer?  It is only a couple of years old, maybe I can at least salvage the wind speed cartridge.
« Last Edit: January 27, 2023, 06:26:21 PM by oregonalex »

Offline Mattk

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Re: Bizarre Intermittent Vantage Pro2 Wind Direction Sensor Failure
« Reply #1 on: January 27, 2023, 06:39:01 PM »
That has all the hallmarks of a failing power/solar supply, failing a few hours after sunset and firing back just after first light with a bit of sun

Offline oregonalex

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Re: Bizarre Intermittent Vantage Pro2 Wind Direction Sensor Failure
« Reply #2 on: January 27, 2023, 06:46:56 PM »
That has all the hallmarks of a failing power/solar supply, failing a few hours after sunset and firing back just after first light with a bit of sun
Yes, I would buy that, except yesterday I put a brand new transmitter up with a brand new battery and the same problem occured.  I put the old transmitter on a different anemometer elsewhere and it ran like a champ all night.

Also, the wind speed always works correctly through the night with 100% sample reception rate.
« Last Edit: January 27, 2023, 07:19:01 PM by oregonalex »

Offline CW2274

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Re: Bizarre Intermittent Vantage Pro2 Wind Direction Sensor Failure
« Reply #3 on: January 27, 2023, 07:11:04 PM »
Perhaps dirty contacts. I use this on every piece of electronic equipment I have, including the anny. Matter of fact, just did it a few months ago. Maybe worth a shot.
 
https://contentinfo.autozone.com/znetcs/product-info/en/US/crc/05703/image/10/

Offline dalecoy

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Re: Bizarre Intermittent Vantage Pro2 Wind Direction Sensor Failure
« Reply #4 on: January 27, 2023, 10:22:18 PM »
Cable?

Offline oregonalex

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Re: Bizarre Intermittent Vantage Pro2 Wind Direction Sensor Failure
« Reply #5 on: January 27, 2023, 11:11:46 PM »
Perhaps dirty contacts. I use this on every piece of electronic equipment I have, including the anny. Matter of fact, just did it a few months ago. Maybe worth a shot.
 
https://contentinfo.autozone.com/znetcs/product-info/en/US/crc/05703/image/10/

Cable?

Yeah, if we eliminate the transmitter, which I feel pretty confident about, the components remaining are the RJ-11 connector, cable and the wind direction potentiometer.  While it is theoretically possible to replace the pot, it involves prying open the anemometer and a high likelihood of breaking it altogether.

The RJ-11 contacts look good visually, but spritzing a bit of cleaner into it could not hurt.  But how do I test the cable? Visually it looks fine. There is no access to the contacts on the anemometer side to test for continuity.

Offline CW2274

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Re: Bizarre Intermittent Vantage Pro2 Wind Direction Sensor Failure
« Reply #6 on: January 27, 2023, 11:44:41 PM »
Perhaps dirty contacts. I use this on every piece of electronic equipment I have, including the anny. Matter of fact, just did it a few months ago. Maybe worth a shot.
 
https://contentinfo.autozone.com/znetcs/product-info/en/US/crc/05703/image/10/

Cable?

  While it is theoretically possible to replace the pot, it involves prying open the anemometer and a high likelihood of breaking it altogether.
That's complete overkill. All I suggest is you get some cleaner like I suggested, take off the vane, which is secured by a tiny hex screw, and then the lock nut, and spray liberally while working it with your fingers. My vane was quite sticky when I pulled it down last, and the cleaning freed it up noticeably. Will this solve your problem? Maybe...maybe not.

Offline Mattk

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Re: Bizarre Intermittent Vantage Pro2 Wind Direction Sensor Failure
« Reply #7 on: January 28, 2023, 01:38:08 AM »
The key factor in all of this is the timing, 9-midnight then back on just after daylight

Offline wsNoordbergum

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Re: Bizarre Intermittent Vantage Pro2 Wind Direction Sensor Failure
« Reply #8 on: January 31, 2023, 04:00:36 AM »
In the past I had strange spikes in windspeed, after troubleshooting changed the channel of the ISS and no problems since.
Guess I had some kind of interference in the signal
Don't know if it will work with direction failure though but simple to try out
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Offline oregonalex

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Re: Bizarre Intermittent Vantage Pro2 Wind Direction Sensor Failure
« Reply #9 on: January 31, 2023, 04:55:49 PM »
In the past I had strange spikes in windspeed, after troubleshooting changed the channel of the ISS and no problems since.
Guess I had some kind of interference in the signal
Don't know if it will work with direction failure though but simple to try out

Thanks for the suggestion. I tried this, but sadly it did not help. I have noticed that the periods of failure have been getting longer in the past couple of days.  Yesterday, it only started working at noon. So I am going to bite the bullet, take the anemometer down off the chimney and put a new one up. I can then clean and test this one to see if I can bring it back to life and keep it as spare.

Thanks everyone for the advice.

Offline Mattk

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Re: Bizarre Intermittent Vantage Pro2 Wind Direction Sensor Failure
« Reply #10 on: January 31, 2023, 05:58:17 PM »
Having eliminated power/battery/capacitor etc then occurring at night one might expect it is related to something relative to conditions, like moisture, dew, humidity etc. Try graphing all the available variables against each other and see if there is something constant happening when the anemometer dies and what is happening when the signal returns   

Offline mongo

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Re: Bizarre Intermittent Vantage Pro2 Wind Direction Sensor Failure
« Reply #11 on: February 13, 2023, 04:19:20 PM »
Had same issue. Never could trace problem with weather condition. I was lucky enough to have a complete spare station. I bought one for my mom years ago back in Ohio. I ended up bringing the station back to Colorado. Switched sensors and it works great. Sensor was the problem. It has worked great since I put it up in July. Ill probably send sensor to Davis and fix it so I still have another working station.
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