AlienFirstClass

(professor emeritus)

06/28/09 01:08 AM

Observatories and Weather Stations

For those who have them, how does incorporating a weather station with your observatory work out for you?

What brands and models are preferred?

What type of sensors do you use?

Thanks for any info.

(super member)

06/28/09 02:24 AM

Re: Observatories and Weather Stations *DELETED*

Post deleted by Coromandel

totolesbaloches

(member)

06/28/09 08:48 AM

Re: Observatories and Weather Stations

I use WS2300 with CloudWatcher (AAG)

all are manage by the soft Weather display (put all in direct on my wen site)

http://www.weather-display.com/index.php

Chris Schroeder

(Postmaster)

06/28/09 11:50 AM

Re: Observatories and Weather Stations

I use the Oregon Scientific solar/wireless model with two extra temperature sensors, one for inside the observatory and the other for inside the storage shed.

JAT Observatory

(Got Cookies?)

06/28/09 05:06 PM

Re: Observatories and Weather Stations

I use a Davis Vantage Pro system as my main weather instrument. The external cluster has temp, humidity, rain fall, wind speed, wind direction and barometric pressure sensors.

That data is transfered via a wireless link to both a display console* in the master bedroom and a data logger in the obs. The data logger also has temp and humidity sensors. The data logger then feeds all the data to a PC in the family room. The weather software on that PC displays all the external and obs conditions including dew point in both locations.

*(The console in the master bedroom only displays external and internal (house) conditions. )

I also care about real-time rain, clouds and lightning and even though those inputs come from different devices (darkness meter, skycam, cloud sensor and lightning detector) I still consider them as part of the weather station.

All of these devices data are managed and displayed by the same dedicated PC that reads the main weather station data. That PC also has links to the obs PC and will influence the obs functions if needed when bad weather rolls in.

So far I have been very happy with the setup.

(Post Laureate)

06/28/09 06:07 PM

Re: Observatories and Weather Stations

I have gone through 2 Lacross units, and the replacement Oregon Scientific unit I bought in Feburary just went belly up. I'm going to quit wasting money and get the Davis unit.

(super member)

06/28/09 08:14 PM

Re: Observatories and Weather Stations *DELETED*

Post deleted by Coromandel

(Post Laureate)

06/28/09 09:52 PM

Re: Observatories and Weather Stations

Thanks for the tips. I had not thought about lightning, although, in my case I'm -relatively- sure that was not problem. All of the failures I've had have been the wireless transmitter. Unfortunately, wired is not an otion for me.

(sage)

06/28/09 11:02 PM

Re: Observatories and Weather Stations

Quote:

I have gone through 2 Lacross units, and the replacement Oregon Scientific unit I bought in Feburary just went belly up. I'm going to quit wasting money and get the Davis unit.

Hi,

Have you taken a look on the Rainwise here units ? I have one WS-2000 since about 7-8 years and the only thing I had to change was the battery of the sensor unit. The receiver unit still has the original battery

(Pooh-Bah)

06/29/09 12:22 AM

Re: Observatories and Weather Stations

Quote:

I have one WS-2000 since about 7-8 years and the only thing I had to change was the battery of the sensor unit. The receiver unit still has the original battery

I have and like the Rainwise unit as well. The only thing about it that slightly disappoints me is that it doesn't have extra inputs for sensors. However, it seems very reliable and well made. So what it does, it does quite well.

(Wild Spirit)

06/29/09 01:50 PM

Re: Observatories and Weather Stations

I just went to their website, & you have to contact them for pricing. This bothers me, as I like to look at the products with the prices, without having to give out my information, in order to get a price.

(sage)

06/29/09 04:39 PM

Re: Observatories and Weather Stations

Quote:

I just went to their website, & you have to contact them for pricing. This bothers me, as I like to look at the products with the prices, without having to give out my information, in order to get a price.

Hi Carol,

Which one do you like and I would gladly send them an e-mail and when I get an answer then I would resend it to you.

(Post Laureate)

06/29/09 05:19 PM

Re: Observatories and Weather Stations

Carol, I just visited their website and found prices (?????). Just as example, their MK III RTR sensor unit was listed at $925. The computer interface was listed at $295. Their webpage is not the most user friendly one I have seen out there either.

(Pooh-Bah)

06/29/09 05:40 PM

Re: Observatories and Weather Stations

You can find prices on rainwise (and everybody else) at:
http://www.ambientweather.com/

http://www.weathershack.com/

(Wild Spirit)

06/29/09 05:52 PM

Re: Observatories and Weather Stations

Thanks everyone! Scott, thanks for the links!

Much appreciated

(Pooh-Bah)

06/29/09 07:44 PM

Re: Observatories and Weather Stations

My pleasure Carol, least I can do after all your help!

Hey, I'm researching 1-wire based weather instruments. I am considering using some of the 1-wire based sensors to monitor temp / humidity in my dome. (1-wire is a serial based protocol where data / power all travel over the same wire.) One advantage of this design is that it's *exceedingly* modular.

Want to add extra sensors? Just plug 'em in and configure your software to read them. Want a lightning sensor? Yep, install it, plug in, and go. You could conceivably build an observatory automation out of this stuff - there are quite a lot of sensors that use this bus.

Some links:
Texas Weather Instruments - look at the 1-wire station

Build your own weather station with stuff from hobby boards

Sensors from iButtonLink

(Wild Spirit)

06/29/09 07:56 PM

Re: Observatories and Weather Stations

You guys have got me thinking how nice it would be to have a good weatherstation, that I could have a sensor in the Observatory, & then have everything display on my computer. I would have to have wireless, though.

AlienFirstClass

(professor emeritus)

06/30/09 01:07 AM

Re: Observatories and Weather Stations

How reliable are some of the units?

And please indicate the models of the brands you are discussing...there are more than one.

Thanks

JAT Observatory

(Got Cookies?)

06/30/09 09:15 PM

Re: Observatories and Weather Stations

I guess reliability relative. I have a Davis Vantage Pro which isn't available anymore ,nor are parts for it. I have had 2 issues since I've had my station.

About 2 years after I purchased the system I had an issue with the remote sensors transmitting intermittently during rain and heavy fog. I figured it was the battery not holding a charge from the solar panel. Replacing the battery didn't fix the problem so I called Davis. They sent me a SIM Replacement Kit. The kit replaced the circuit board under the rain bucket and relocated the temp and humidity sensor.

The system worked fine until the data logger which is located in the observatory suffered damaged due to a lightning strike. The data logger has 2 sides; a wireless side and a wired RS232 side that talks to the remote PC. The lightning took out the underground wired RS232 section. That happened about 2 years or so ago and the logger was repaired. Last year another strike took out the RS232 port on the PC but the data logger survived.

AlienFirstClass

(professor emeritus)

06/30/09 11:17 PM

Re: Observatories and Weather Stations

Quote:

I guess reliability relative. I have a Davis Vantage Pro which isn't available anymore ,nor are parts for it. I have had 2 issues since I've had my station.

About 2 years after I purchased the system I had an issue with the remote sensors transmitting intermittently during rain and heavy fog. I figured it was the battery not holding a charge from the solar panel. Replacing the battery didn't fix the problem so I called Davis. They sent me a SIM Replacement Kit. The kit replaced the circuit board under the rain bucket and relocated the temp and humidity sensor.

The system worked fine until the data logger which is located in the observatory suffered damaged due to a lightning strike. The data logger has 2 sides; a wireless side and a wired RS232 side that talks to the remote PC. The lightning took out the underground wired RS232 section. That happened about 2 years or so ago and the logger was repaired. Last year another strike took out the RS232 port on the PC but the data logger survived.

You have a great setup...let me see if I can help.

It sounds like you need either spark gap protection on both ends of the RS232 wired side or put in a fiber optic link.

Is the RS232 run of wires shielded and the shield grounded?

This will give you some info on the subject.

http://www.arcelect.com/lightnin.htm

(Post Laureate)

06/30/09 11:18 PM

Re: Observatories and Weather Stations

Quote:

You guys have got me thinking how nice it would be to have a good weatherstation, that I could have a sensor in the Observatory, & then have everything display on my computer. I would have to have wireless, though.

I have 2 wireless weather stations, Jake and Shadow, if their feet are muddy it's raining, if I can't see them it's foggy and if they refuse to go outside it's either too hot or too cold for me to want to be out there either.

(Wild Spirit)

07/01/09 12:17 AM

Re: Observatories and Weather Stations

(sage)

07/01/09 10:46 AM

Re: Observatories and Weather Stations

Quote:

Quote:

You guys have got me thinking how nice it would be to have a good weatherstation, that I could have a sensor in the Observatory, & then have everything display on my computer. I would have to have wireless, though.

I have 2 wireless weather stations, Jake and Shadow, if their feet are muddy it's raining, if I can't see them it's foggy and if they refuse to go outside it's either too hot or too cold for me to want to be out there either.

Sorta like this one.

(Post Laureate)

07/03/09 10:13 AM

Re: Observatories and Weather Stations

I use a portable sensor, a Kestrel 4500. it's selfcontained and records. If I want to check temp and humidity I just leave it in the dome overnight.

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