Topic: Roof Mount w/ Davis Tripod #7717

[DeputyDawg]

Hey there,

Probably a very stupid question but…

So I have had my Davis VP2 installed for some 7 years. WHen I first got it, I got the David Tripod kit (part # 7717) but never used it. I had an old satellite dish in which I shoved a piece of pac down it and attached the anemometer to that.  It works but not the best location (side of the house on the roof - it extends but still).

So now I'm having my roof re-done.  The anemometer and current Sat dish have to come down for a few hours.  So I'm thinking now is a good time to put the tripod kit up on the roof for the anemometer only. Who knows maybe one day ill put the station up there (but for now it works fine where it is). 

My DUMB question - the tripod legs only have 2 of them with "foot pads" attached. The third is just a leg.  The bag of screws etc contains the 3rd pad.

Why the HELL would Davis do this (I called them they don't even know). 

I want to assemble this as much as I can ahead of time for the roofers to put on (if they put the tripod on the roof it will be included in their 10 year NO leak warranty)

I live in a VERY small single story house (1100 square foot).  There is an apex with 4 sides (google view of my house attached)

Any and all thoughts would be appreciated and welcomed...

[Bushman]

Personally I would avoid drilling thru a new roof. Your roofers probably could get something like this:  http://www.amazon.com/Ambient-Weather-EZ-46-3-Tripod-Installation/dp/B003EB3C4S

[PatrioticRick]

That's a good question with a four sided roof line, but ask the roofers if they have been doing many roofs, I'd think they would know?

[miraculon]

Deputy,

My DUMB question - the tripod legs only have 2 of them with "foot pads" attached. The third is just a leg.  The bag of screws etc contains the 3rd pad.

I have a tripod (Radio Shack if I remember correctly) that has two attached pads that are on rivets. The third pad was separate. I hinge the tripod/mast down on the riveted legs. When it is upright, I bolt the third (formally loose) pad to the remaining leg.

Is this what you have?

The Davis instructions at http://www.davisnet.com/product_documents/weather/manuals/07395-299_IM_07716.pdf seems that it is the same as mine. The third leg having the bolt is very handy for maintenance.

Greg

[DeputyDawg]

WOW thanks for all the quick replies….

@PatriotRick - If the roofers install the tripod, they stated it will then be part of their 10 year no leak warranty vs. If I do it, it will not

@ Bushman - cool, thanks for sharing.  Interesting product.  Is that what you used

@ Miraculon - that is exactly what I have.  So should I mount as is or get the pads Bushman recommended

Btw why did Davis ship with only 2 of the tripod legs with mounting pads?????

[dalecoy]

Btw why did Davis ship with only 2 of the tripod legs with mounting pads?????

So that you can attach the 3rd one with removable hardware.  That allows you to unbolt that leg from the pad, and tilt the whole thing over.

[LFWX]

Btw why did Davis ship with only 2 of the tripod legs with mounting pads?????

So that you can attach the 3rd one with removable hardware.  That allows you to unbolt that leg from the pad, and tilt the whole thing over.

See the photos of mine here http://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=21238.msg204327#msg204327

[PatrioticRick]

Btw why did Davis ship with only 2 of the tripod legs with mounting pads?????

So that you can attach the 3rd one with removable hardware.  That allows you to unbolt that leg from the pad, and tilt the whole thing over.

Well that makes sense. 

[DeputyDawg]

@ Dalecoy - makes sense

@ LFWX - WOW, what the assortment of HW you got

@ anyone do I need to order those pitch pads that bushman suggested?

[DeputyDawg]

Btw, how do you guys get the weather underground logo on the bottom of your posts

[dalecoy]

@ anyone do I need to order those pitch pads that bushman suggested?

Ask your roofing folks.

[SlowModem]

Btw, how do you guys get the weather underground logo on the bottom of your posts

In the signature portion of your profile, you can put a WU sticker for your site or your area.

WxForum doesn't use html, it uses Bulletin Board Code (BBC).  Here is a list in the help file.

http://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/Basic_Bulletin_Board_Codes

You can browse around in the help file to find more instructions for posting.

Good luck! 

[PatrioticRick]

Btw, how do you guys get the weather underground logo on the bottom of your posts

In the signature portion of your profile, you can put a WU sticker for your site or your area.

WxForum doesn't use html, it uses Bulletin Board Code (BBC).  Here is a list in the help file.

http://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/Basic_Bulletin_Board_Codes

You can browse around in the help file to find more instructions for posting.

Good luck! 

Here is a converter  http://www.seabreezecomputers.com/html2bbcode/  converts html to bbc

[DeputyDawg]

Btw I have another stupid question on the roof mount

I was only planning on putting the Annemometer on the roof mount (current location shields it by trees and Base station works fine).

However, if I was to put the base station on the roof too, wouldn't the heat from the shingles affect the temp recorded by the station?

[dalecoy]

However, if I was to put the base station on the roof too, wouldn't the heat from the shingles affect the temp recorded by the station?

Simple answer: yes.

More accurate answer:  The measured temperature and humidity will be accurate for the location of the station. 

[DeputyDawg]

Thanks but not sure I understand the answer..

WIth the tripod pole mount, it would be approx 5-is feet from the roof, so would that allow air to flow and not
affect temp reading from the shingles.  Any increase I would assume would be slight.

[johnd]

Incidentally, I know it's just a typo, but to avoid confusion for anyone referencing this thread in the future:

The tripod is Davis part 7716. Part 7717 is the 1m mounting pole.

[ValentineWeather]

Mounting rain bucket high would be an issue. Any wind will cause rain gauge to be inaccurate. I don't even trust a rain bucket 6' up. I have a separate Davis 7852 Rain Collector II for Wizard and Monitor mounted 2' off the ground. I think this is the way the pro stations should come anyway.
My experience mounting the Temp/Hum sensors 7' above the roof with light colored asphalt shingles daytime temps were matching, sometimes even slightly cooler than 6' mounted instruments over desert sand. I say sand because this is the natural terrain for my area. If you live where grass is natural you are going to most likely get higher temps. Also roof mounted instruments will most likely read higher at night. I experienced differences of 3-4 degrees on some nights. I have since moved my rooftop station down to the ground level.

[DeputyDawg]

Mounting rain bucket high would be an issue. Any wind will cause rain gauge to be inaccurate. I don't even trust a rain bucket 6' up. I have a separate Davis 7852 Rain Collector II for Wizard and Monitor mounted 2' off the ground. I think this is the way the pro stations should come anyway.
My experience mounting the Temp/Hum sensors 7' above the roof with light colored asphalt shingles daytime temps were matching, sometimes even slightly cooler than 6' mounted instruments over desert sand. I say sand because this is the natural terrain for my area. If you live where grass is natural you are going to most likely get higher temps. Also roof mounted instruments will most likely read higher at night. I experienced differences of 3-4 degrees on some nights. I have since moved my rooftop station down to the ground level.

Interesting about the rain gauge.   As mentioned I doubt I'm putting the station up there. The station is mounted on my deck and has been functional since 2005.  I just figured now would be a good time to think this.

So for now I'm just going to put the Anemometer on the tripod mount on the roof.  The distance to the station will be approx 30 feet, so running a cable will be easy.

Thanks for all your help
Oh and thanks for the banner help - you can see mine shows now

[dalecoy]

Thanks but not sure I understand the answer..

WIth the tripod pole mount, it would be approx 5-is feet from the roof, so would that allow air to flow and not
affect temp reading from the shingles.  Any increase I would assume would be slight.

I'm not sure why you didn't understand the "Yes" (the heat from the shingles would affect the temperature measurement). 

If you aren't concerned with "slight", and are counting on the wind to always blow, then perhaps you wouldn't care, of course.  Depending on your definition of "slight". 

Now, is the temperature ~~20 feet in the air the same as the temperature 4 feet above the grass in your yard?  Where do you want to measure (and report) the temperature?  How about the humidity?

" The measured temperature and humidity will be accurate for the location of the station"