Topic: Humidity sensor failing - Vantage pro 2

[stroopy]

Hi all,
I bought a vantage pro 2 in April 2006 and as of about 8 hours ago, the humidity sensor has stopped reporting to the console everything else is still reporting fine..
I can't visibly see anything wrong with the station but i was just wondering if anyone might have knowledge of anything to look out for/fix on the station or what might be wrong?
Thanks

[dalecoy]

Unplug the sensor connector.  Clean that connection (both sides) and plug it back in.  Let us know if that works.

(Perhaps that's what you meant by "visually", of course).

[stroopy]

Ok, i had the station down just there and tried cleaning the connection, but no luck. I then took it apart right down to the sensor, cleaned it and moved it around a bit but it looked to be in perfect working order and there wasn't anything obvious apart from just no humidity readings being received by the console
The temp sensor is definately still working, does this mean that it's not the temp/humidity sensor dying or is that still the most likely culprit?

[johnd]

Assuming that nothing has inadvertently changed in the station configuration then it's very likely to be the humidity sensing element that's developed a fault. Does the Mfg Code (see label on back of console for instance) start A5 (bad news) or A6 (better news)?

[stroopy]

A5...
Does that mean the parts for this are no longer being manufactured?

[johnd]

A5...
Does that mean the parts for this are no longer being manufactured?

That's the rumour that's been around the net for the past day or two. I can't check with Davis for sure until Monday/Tuesday.

Edit: Clarification: I'm not sure that any .029 T/H boards have been manufactured since 2005. What may have just happened is that the stockpile of .029 spares finally ran out - there were only a finite number made. But this needs checking - the rumour may not be 100% accurate.

[stroopy]

That's the rumour that's been around the net for the past day or two. I can't check with Davis for sure until Monday/Tuesday.

Edit: Clarification: I'm not sure that any .029 T/H boards have been manufactured since 2005. What may have just happened is that the stockpile of .029 spares finally ran out - there were only a finite number made. But this needs checking - the rumour may not be 100% accurate.

Thanks for that info, i guess i'll have to wait and see then!

Stroopy: Where are you? Your options will be different U.S. vs. non-U.S.

I'm in Ireland and the station was bought from the UK.

[stroopy]

I'm in Ireland and the station was bought from the UK.

That's not good news either 

Oh dear..if they are not being manufactured/stockpile is gone does that mean that the only way to have working humidity readings again would be to buy a new station?

[johnd]

No it wouldn't mean a new station, but would mean either a new ISS or getting both the newer 'digital' type of T/H sensor and a new SIM board that's compatible with it.

Another option if you were happy with its limitations would be to get a Vue ISS.

[stroopy]

The sensor has just begun reporting again after being down for more than 24 hours!!
I think there must be some problem though that will cause it to drop out again..

No it wouldn't mean a new station, but would mean either a new ISS or getting both the newer 'digital' type of T/H sensor and a new SIM board that's compatible with it.

Another option if you were happy with its limitations would be to get a Vue ISS.

Ok, thanks for that info:-) if it stops reporting again i'll have to consider going down one of these routes i suppose

[stroopy]

The sensor has just begun reporting again after being down for more than 24 hours!!
I think there must be some problem though that will cause it to drop out again..

Spoke too soon appearantly, was reporting for about an hour but has stopped again now

[stroopy]

Yet another update
Been in touch with ukweathershop, they say they have the part in stock and are offering a 20% discount because i bought the station from them. With the 20% off, it comes to £125 + £7.50 postage. Does this sound like a reasonable price? I know i saw the newer digital one somewhere online for something like $110 but should the older one cost a bit more?

[dalecoy]

Can you return the part and get your money back, if it doesn't fix the problem?

[stroopy]

Can you return the part and get your money back, if it doesn't fix the problem?

I'm not sure, she said said to ring tomorrow morning to sort out the order so i'll ask then.

[mlail]

Are the little screens clogged? When I had mine apart last week I noticed mine were pretty clogged. A little caned air and a soft brush helped. Be careful not to blow the screen in. This is probably not it but worth a try.

[johnd]

That's the rumour that's been around the net for the past day or two. I can't check with Davis for sure until Monday/Tuesday.

Sadly it seems that I have to confirm this rumour. The stockpile of 7346.029 'analogue' VP1/early VP2 temp/hum sensor boards now seems totally exhausted - no more are available. The Davis line is that they undertake to keep spares available for a current model for at least 5 years but, for the VP stations in question here, this period has now more than elapsed.

So VP1 stations cannot now replace this board and VP2 stations will need both the newer .166 T/H board _and_ a new compatible SIM board.

If I hear anything further I'll pass it on.

[Bushman]

What would the cutoff date for the old board be?  Surely (I hope) not mine from last year??

[johnd]

What would the cutoff date for the old board be?  Surely (I hope) not mine from last year??

No there's no problem whatsoever with more recent VP2 stations. It's only those manufactured in 2004 and 2005 (Mfg Codes starting A4 or A5) that will have been fitted with the old-style 'analogue' .029 T/H boards. But it does apply to all VP1 stations, although some of these will be around 10 years old now of course.

[stroopy]

Thanks for the info JohnD, just as another update here.
It's was raining heavily when my sensor stopped reporting and has been dull everyday since until today. I decided to hold off on buying the new sensor from ukweathershop (they confirmed that they have the part for older vp2) as i am very busy with exams at the moment but wanted to have another look at the station before i bought a new part. Today, the sun was out and the sensor has been reporting since 8 in the morning and is still reporting now (6 in the evening). I'm not sure whether it's fixed or what happened exactly, or maybe it will cut out in darkness or the next dull weather again..anyone any ideas?

[Mark / Ohio]

....No there's no problem whatsoever with more recent VP2 stations. It's only those manufactured in 2004 and 2005 (Mfg Codes starting A4 or A5) that will have been fitted with the old-style 'analogue' .029 T/H boards. But it does apply to all VP1 stations, although some of these will be around 10 years old now of course.

I have a original VP 1 (2002) that I put an upgrade kit, (SIM board along with upgraded radiation shield, separate temp and humidity sensor) in about 3 years ago.  Sounds like if anything goes bad other then the anemometer I'm now looking at buying a new weather station to get back in operation, correct?

[stroopy]

Thanks for the info JohnD, just as another update here.
It's was raining heavily when my sensor stopped reporting and has been dull everyday since until today. I decided to hold off on buying the new sensor from ukweathershop (they confirmed that they have the part for older vp2) as i am very busy with exams at the moment but wanted to have another look at the station before i bought a new part. Today, the sun was out and the sensor has been reporting since 8 in the morning and is still reporting now (6 in the evening). I'm not sure whether it's fixed or what happened exactly, or maybe it will cut out in darkness or the next dull weather again..anyone any ideas?

Sensor continued to report faultlessly until just now, we're in the middle of a heavy rain shower and it has cut out again.

[dalecoy]

I still suspect that it's a connection problem.  (Water getting into a connector, or a cable, or the sensor assembly connections, etc.).

If that's the case, you can either find and fix the problem - or replace the entire sensor assembly, and hope it fixes the problem.

[Bushman]

It might not be relevant here, but one thing folks often forget is to install outdoor wires with a "drip loop".

[slink]

Hi guys, I guess it's getting to the time when the A5 VP2s fail   It seems that there are no more .029 boards anywhere (Prodata no longer have them in stock), so I thought I'd take mine to bits and see if I could source the humidity sensor only (someone mentioned it's a Sensirion sensor).  Well, the bad news is that it is not a Sensirion sensor, at least not in my VP2, and I cannot identify it!  I've included a few pics below of the board and the sensor...if anyone can indeed confirm this is the 029 board, that would be a great help, and if anyone has seen a humidity sensor like the one pictured, please let us all know!  For info, there is NO sealing on the sensor, just a push on cap, and it just plugs into the sensor board using a standard SIP socket...


Sensor board (7346.029?)


Another view of the sensor board


The sensor itself (at least twice real size!).

The sensor measures approx 6mm x 15mm without the pins - the pins are another 4mm long.
Steve