Topic: Atlas loses connection at dusk and reconnects in morning

[bubba zanetti]

I have changed the lithium batteries to fresh ones, but the Atlas loses contact at moderate dusk and reconnects in morning daylight.

Thoughts?

[Skid_Mark]

Any outside lights coming on?

[bubba zanetti]

The red flashing light pulses. Is that what you meant?  Mind you, I’ve only looked during day.

[Skid_Mark]

I was thinking about a outside light for your yard.  Perhaps some interference is causing the problem.

[bubba zanetti]

Interesting.
We wrapped a large bush with a string of led lights. They are on a timer that is dusk to dawn. Just might be.... Could it be that simple?

[DoctorKnow]

Loses contact with display or the Access or both?

[bubba zanetti]

Both.

Turning off the outdoor light had no effect.
It reconnected between 9:30 pm and midnight. No connection to display or my AcuRite, at 6:30 am.

[bubba zanetti]

The station behaviour reminds me of my old Davis VP2 when the capacitor failed, the batteries were insufficient to power it through a long winter night. 

Seems like I’m fine getting solar during day, but even new batteries aren’t powering, intermittently powering after sunset. Temps are maybe -2 at night, so not particularly cold this winter. 

[DoctorKnow]

There is a large capacitor inside where the south pointing solar panel is located.

[Skid_Mark]

When the unit comes back on line tomorrow and seems to be working ok you could try covering the solar panels and see if the unit stops operating. If it does then my guess would be the battery voltage is not being used to power the device.

[radioman61]

The solar panels ONLY power the aspiration fan, they have nothing to do with the operation of the rest of the unit.  If this disconnect is happening on a precise regular schedule, you're likely getting interference from an external source.  You can try switching the Atlas and display to a different channel...the A-B-C switch.  I don't think it will make a difference but it's a logical step in troubleshooting the issue.  How far away is the Atlas from the display and the Access?  What is your nominal signal strength? 

[galfert]

Maybe that fan is the one that has gone bad and is causing the interference or short circuit.

[hdtvluvr]

radioman61

According to Victoria, the solar panels power the transmitter during the daytime. See her post here:

https://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=38376.msg402883#msg402883

[DoctorKnow]

The Atlas solar panels DO power the unit! The 5n1 only powers the fan!

[bubba zanetti]

And now operating fine. All night. For four days now.

Thanks everyone for inputs. I’ll continue to ponder and test possibilities. If something becomes clear will report back.

[radioman61]

I stand corrected on the solar panel issue.  The last time I replaced the batteries in the Atlas, I left it mounted and the sun was shining but it still went off line for those few minutes I had the batteries out...thus assumed it was the same arrangement as the 5 in 1