I purchased an AcuRite 5 in 1 in Oct of 2019. Worked for 6 months continuously without dropping connections. Decided to move that to another location and replace it with an Atlas to get the UV sensor that it is fitted with, and did so in April of 2020. I purchased the Atlas system directly from AcuRite. At the same time as I purchased the Atlas, I purchased the Atlas display, the optional lightening sensor, the AC power adapter, an additional indoor Temp/RH sensor, and a new Access unit. I would have purchased the remote battery pack but they were out of stock when I placed my order for the Atlas.
Once I received the new order (Atlas, indoor temp/RH, Access, etc) in April, I set it up at ground level just to check everything out. Good thing, because my atlas temp sensor was reading between -20 and -50. Indoor display temp was consistent with the indoor Temp/RH unit and the Access and the 5-in-1 unit I had operating concurrently, and both sensors consistently showed a signal strength of 4 both for the Atlas and for the indoor T/RH sensor. Only the Atlas temp sensor appeared to be dysfunctional. After several back and forth discussions with AcuRite, the replacement Atlas arrived and I had purchased a remote battery pack(which was back in stock at the time) and it arrived along with the replacement atlas. I set it up at ground level and let it run about 4 days on Remote Battery Pack, as my goal was to install the remote battery pack because the location of my Atlas is not easily accessible. After 4 days, I decided that all was good, and so I place the Atlas in its permanent position (see photo).
From April 27, 2020 thru May 17, 2020 or so, I experienced several different problems with signal loss from the Atlas. Such signal loss was exhibited by a '0' signal strength reading on the Access, and the numbers on the display unit being frozen while the signal was not being sent from the Atlas. All the while, my indoor T/RH sensor showing signal strength of 4.
The first power failure occurred about two days after I mounted the Atlas in its permanent position. I first tried reinstalling the batteries into the remote battery pack, but that did not restore the signal. i again removed the atlas from its mounted perch and brought it back to ground level. From the point on, the problems of loss of Atlas system signal occurred regardless of how I was powering the Atlas: when fresh batteries were placed directly in the Atlas, when the AC adapter was plugged into the Atlas in place of the batteries, and when the remote battery pack was used. Signal loss would occur within 4 hours to 5 days of powering the unit up. I had one signal loss event occur about 2 am under calm and dry conditions, another during early afternoon during normal and mild afternoon conditions. There was no events (no weather pattern of rain, high wind, blustery wind, time of day, or anything else) that seem related to signal loss events.
My thoughts at this point: the next time the Atlas loses signal, it is going back to AcuRite for a swap out. They can troubleshoot it to their heart's content. I think the problem actually exists in the Atlas' power supply electronics/components as the plug on the end of the battery pack or AC adapter appear identical. I think the receptacle for the power supply in the Atlas is part of the problem, the other part may be the power supply onboard. For some reason, the Atlas is unable to keep the power flowing, hence, it loses signal. Since I have the remote battery pack for the 5-in-1 and the Atlas, I can compare them. The 5-in-1 essentially replicates batteries as if they were loaded into the system. I think the Atlas remote battery pack should probably follow that design. AcuRite says that they can swap the unit out if the next signal loss is also accompanied by a loss of the red flashing led visible from the bottom of the unit. I presume that flashing led means that it is transmitting.
I was really disappointed to run into such problems (and they are not yet over, in my estimation) with the Atlas. I guess my experience with the 5-in-1 led me to believe that the Atlas would be at least as stable and durable. Perhaps it is, but so far my experience says otherwise.