Topic: Weather station at $400-500 w/heated rain gauge

[physicistgrows]

Hi!

I am a bit afraid of asking question that has been asked before, but I do it anyway 

We're looking into buying our father a weather station for his 80th birthday. He has long wanted a weather station, but have only gotten some cheap sensors with indoor units (approx. $100). These fail, are unreliable etc.

One important thing is, we live in central Norway, and we can expect snow/frost from october to may (yeah, I know - humans settle in the strangest places). So I would really like a unit which included heated rain gauge. I've been searching for a couple of days - and no reasonably priced units offer heated rain gauge. I see the rain gauges come at around $500-1500 when heated, and that is a standalone unit probably requiring being connected to some awfully expensive ws. 

So, my question - is there a possibility of converting a reasonably priced unit into a unit with heated rain gauge? I was specifically thinking of the Ambient Weather WS-5000 unit. I am planning on laying an electric cable in the ground, so the weather station would have a power outlet. I'm also able to do some ok soldering and I can find my way around microcontrollers.

Thanks! 

[davidefa]

Here a couple of links for a wh40 heater ( you can find others in the forum, but the concept is quite similar ):
- https://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=44532.msg453490#msg453490
- https://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=43129.0

Note:
Ambient Weather are for the USA market ( 915MHz ), you can find the same station ( which is manufactured by Fine Offset ) for the european market ( 868MHz ) under several brands.
See this must read post which contains also the the console/gateway/sensors compatibility matrix and lots of useful informations.

[physicistgrows]

Thanks!

Absolutely the info I wanted - and the post have a lot of links and images that work 

Also, your advice on the frequency is important, so I'll certainly choose a version at European standard! 

[physicistgrows]

Do anyone know if it's ok to assemble/deploy only the WS80 unit from the Ecowitt hp2553 until spring?

We still have snow and frost, so we'll be unable to register precipitation until late april/early may. But we wanted to deploy the WS 80 unit now. Is it no problem to deploy the rain unit and connect it later? Thanks!

[physicistgrows]

Hi!

I juset wanted to update and end this thread.

To summarize, I went with the Ecowitt HP2553. I chose the European version (868 Mhz radio comm.). This station consists of the sensor arrays WS80 (environmental data) and WH40 tipping rain gauge.

I have only mounted the WS80. As we are still having frost around -12°C at nights, I've postponed mounting the tipping rain gauge.

In the autumn, I'll bury a mains cable, so I'll be able to get electricity right up to the sensors. This will allow me to heat the WS80, AND to provide electricity to a planned heating solution inside the tipping rain gauge. I'll probably assemble a smart DIY-solution myself, which heats the rain gauge within temperature interval, as well as provide insulation where needed.

Our experience with the Ecowitt thus far, that is - only the WS80, is that it works well. It operates staple, and uploads data reliably to both ecowitt.net and wunderground.

Thanks for advice and help!

[davidefa]

Ok, regarding additional sensors ( ex: wh40 ) you can add them in any moment and your console will receive them immediately.
You can also disable this 'automatic binding' of sensors ( to avoid receiving 'ghost sensors' )