WS-5000 vs WS-2000 Ambient Weather StationsI apologize in advance for my errors, this is my first post on wxform which I'm exited to do in hopes of being helpful. I often find comparisons between different weather stations super helpful. Much the same to a website I love called "userbenchmark" for making tons of info publicly available info (they use direct data) which serves the interest of people interested in buying products. It clears up confusion, and provides clarity on products, helping buyers to chose the best option and thus causes better products to excel in sales, increasing competition between companies to speed up development of higher quality products.
This is a comparison of the two models based on what I've read. I was quite excited to see it has been released, as I really like the Ambient Weather Station range (I have not done much research into other key Weather Station such as Davis, AcuRite, LaCrosse, Ecowitt etc. In words of Ambient "the [WS-5000 is] the most sophisticated home and light industrial weather station we have ever created". It originally said on the WS-5000 page, "ETA Winter 2020" (which I took it as late 2020, but turns out it was released in Jan 2020). The WS-5000 has just been released publicly (no longer as beta) and has come back in stock as at the 1 Jan 2020 (people who had notifications for it where sent an email).
The WS-5000 & WS-2000 are both very high quality top of the range Ambient Weather Stations.
Things that are the
same between WS-2000 & WS-5000:
They both measure wind speed, direction, rainfall, temperature, humidity, UV and Solar Radiation from the outdoor sensor array, and barometric pressure, humidity and temperature from the indoor sensor.
They both support up to 8 Thermo-Hygrometer Sensors (WH31)
They both use the same Console/Tablet to display the info.
Wunderground.com Features
AmbientWeather.net Features
Weather Station Features (except those that are listed in differences)
Specifications (except those that are listed in differences)
Power Specifications (except the rain gauge difference)
Dimensions
Other Features
WiFi Specifications
Subtle (to me at least)
differences:
WS-2000 costs
$252.99 USDWireless all-in-one integrated sensor array measures wind speed, wind direction, temperature, humidity, wind speed, wind direction, rainfall, UV and solar radiation.
915 MHz RF wireless transmission with
300' line of sight range (100' under most conditions, with the exception of metal barriers)
16 second real-time updates on the display tablet
60 second updates on AmbientWeather.net. 16 second updates on Wunderground.com (including Wind Speed & Wind Gust calculation)
Rain Range:
0 to 394 in.Rain Accuracy:
± 10%Wind Direction Accuracy:
± 1ºWind Speed Range:
0 to 100 mph (operational)
Wind Speed Accuracy:
± 2.2 mph or 10% (whichever is greater)
You can buy a Rainspike bird kit for $14.49 USD with it
WS-5000 costs
$299.99 USDWireless integrated ultrasonic sensor array measures wind speed, wind direction, temperature, humidity, wind speed, wind direction, UV and solar radiation
Wireless rain gauge (1 x AA battery (Ultimate Lithium Energizer recommended, alkaline OK)
915 MHz RF wireless transmission with
1,000' line of sight range (300' under most conditions, with the exception of metal barriers)
4.9 second real-time updates on the display tablet real-time updates on the display tablet
60 second updates on AmbientWeather.net.
4.9 second updates on Wunderground.com (including Wind Speed & Wind Gust calculation)
Rain Range:
0 to 236 in.Rain Accuracy:
± 5%Wind Direction Accuracy:
± 5ºWind Speed Range:
0 to 89 mph (operational)
Wind Speed Accuracy:
< 22 mph, +/- 1 mph, ≥ 22 mph, +/-5%Pros of WS-5000:
Bigger rain cup, so has better accuracy (within
5% rather than within 10% with the WS-2000)
No moving wind parts to wear out
The integrated thermo-hygrometer sensor includes a passive radiation shield design that results in accurate temperature and humidity (which the WS-2000 doesn't have)
Increased range of
300 feet vs 100 feet with the WS-2000
Updates every
4.9 seconds vs 16 seconds with the WS-2000
Better Wind Speed Accuracy (see differences for more detail)
Sensors under development and available in 2020 are lightning, indoor PM2.5 and VOC air quality, soil temperature and moisture, and more. (The pro is that lots of sensors are coming, the con is that lots of those sensors aren't yet available. But depending on when you read this article, they may all be now available)
Is only
$46.01 USD more expensive than the WS-2000
Summery: Range, No Moving Wind Parts, Extra Sensors, 4.9 Second Updates, & being the Most Recent Model (perhaps longer support) are the biggest Pros.
Pros of WS-2000Better rain range
0 to 394 in. vs 0 to 236 in. for the WS-5000
Has better wind direction accuracy
1% vs 5% for the WS-5000
Better Wind Speed Range of
0 to 100 mph vs 0 to 89 mph for the WS-5000
Is
$46.01 USD cheaper than the WS-5000
Unknowns: The WS-5000 will be getting a lighting monitor, this has not yet (as at 3 Jan 2020) been announced if the WS-2000 will be getting this also.
Sensors under development and available in 2020 for the WS-5000... soil temperature and moisture, and
more.
When the optional heater (only affects wind speed if temperature is under 32 °F / 0 °C) for the WS-5000 will be released, currently is not available as at Q1 2020.
Unknown
For full product specifications:
WS-2000
https://www.ambientweather.com/amws2000.htmlWS-5000
https://www.ambientweather.com/amws5000.htmlI will update this post as I find more information or am corrected on mistakes that I will have made. (As at 3 Jan 2020)