SpartyOn Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 So I have started my hunt for a quality weather station. Found that La Crosse Technologies makes an abundant amount of wireless weather stations for a home/business. Any thoughts on wireless or solar powered OBS devices. Ive always been under the notion that copper is king. Seems to me that the wireless and battery powered devices spell trouble. This is an example of the weather station I was looking at. Any thoughts? http://lacrossetechn.../2811/index.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tornadojay Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 The Davis Vantage Pro 2 is an excellent weather station. I have had it for years and it is problem free. I think I purchased mine at ambientweather.com. It's pricey, but well worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenixny Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 I totally agree with TornadoJay. I had a Peet Bros. Ultimeter 100 for 9 years and it worked very well(wired). I bought a piece of junk weather station(wireless) from Honeywell for a hundred bucks and threw it out after awhile(anemometer stopped working-major delays in wireless). I bought the Davis Vantaghe Pro2 in December and love it. I bought the wired version for I think around 319.00 or so from ambientweather as well. Buy it; you will not be unhappy. Rain gauge is a beast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpartyOn Posted March 4, 2011 Author Share Posted March 4, 2011 Rock on..Thanks for the suggestions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wxmeddler Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Davis is awesome, if there is a problem they'll fix it to little cost to you.. I had to replace my whole SIM board (because lightning struck about 60 ft away) about 3 years into the station but I sent it to them and they replaced it and sent it back on their expense, minus the sim board. One word of advice, get the largest solar panel possible, the sun angle in the winter with a day of clouds can cause the station to power down. The fan aspirated model isn't a bad idea either for those hot, stale summer days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dale Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Let me just add.......Along with the Vantage Pro 2....the Vantage Vue - also from Davis - is a good deal..... I've had my Vue on-line now for about 6 months......no problems...... Ambientweather, RainmanWeather, or Scientific Sales all offer VERY GOOD prices and service.... Good luck with whatever station you purchase!!! IF you happen to run into any snags with installation.... check here....there's LOTS of folks who can and will help!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CNYWeather Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 Ive also got a VP2. Great station. Been serving me faithfully for 6 years now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestMichigan Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 I am not trying to derail this too much, but I have a VP2 and I would like to mount my console in my house away from my laptop and router. I have the USB version and I was wondering if anyone had tried this remote locating of the console. Is the USB device server from Silex (P/N SX-2000WG) the right way to go, or is there a cheaper way to make this work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaculaWeather Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 I'm assuming it's your laptop that the console is connected to? How far away do you want to move it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestMichigan Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 I'm assuming it's your laptop that the console is connected to? How far away do you want to move it? I would like to have the console in the kitchen and be free to move my laptop around the house and still have Weatherlink and my webpages continue to update. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaculaWeather Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 I would go this route, many people have had great success using this product: http://wiki.meteohub.de/Introduction Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestMichigan Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 I would go this route, many people have had great success using this product: http://wiki.meteohub.de/Introduction Unless I am misreading, this does not work with Weatherlink. Also, the goal is to have my console located somewhere other than with my computer and that somewhere is also not anywhere near the wireless router. These configurations appear to be designed to connect directly via Ethernet to a router. Am I missing something or is this really not what I am looking for? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CranberryWX Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 Davis is awesome, if there is a problem they'll fix it to little cost to you.. I had to replace my whole SIM board (because lightning struck about 60 ft away) about 3 years into the station but I sent it to them and they replaced it and sent it back on their expense, minus the sim board. One word of advice, get the largest solar panel possible, the sun angle in the winter with a day of clouds can cause the station to power down. The fan aspirated model isn't a bad idea either for those hot, stale summer days. If you have the wireless Davis VP 2 I'm not sure why it would power down on cloudy days unless the battery was bad. Mine will give me a warning on the console when the battery is low. I replace it once a year anyway. I agree that Davis is the way to go for weather stations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isopycnic Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 If you have the wireless Davis VP 2 I'm not sure why it would power down on cloudy days unless the battery was bad. Mine will give me a warning on the console when the battery is low. I replace it once a year anyway. I agree that Davis is the way to go for weather stations. After 8 years my station batteries only last 6 months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avdave Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 After 8 years my station batteries only last 6 months. I just changed my batteries after 4 years Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isopycnic Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 I just changed my batteries after 4 years I have a spare ISS housing, i may need to swap out the solar panel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avdave Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 I have a spare ISS housing, i may need to swap out the solar panel. Show Off Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isopycnic Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 Show Off I got a spare housing for free when I got the leaf and soil temp station. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avdave Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 I got a spare housing for free when I got he leaf and soil temp station. Nice!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaculaWeather Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 Unless I am misreading, this does not work with Weatherlink. Also, the goal is to have my console located somewhere other than with my computer and that somewhere is also not anywhere near the wireless router. These configurations appear to be designed to connect directly via Ethernet to a router. Am I missing something or is this really not what I am looking for? No, you are correct, it needs to be able to connect to the router, sorry. I don't know of anything that's wireless that you can connect to the console and have it transmit the data. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaculaWeather Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 Davis is awesome, if there is a problem they'll fix it to little cost to you.. I had to replace my whole SIM board (because lightning struck about 60 ft away) about 3 years into the station but I sent it to them and they replaced it and sent it back on their expense, minus the sim board. One word of advice, get the largest solar panel possible, the sun angle in the winter with a day of clouds can cause the station to power down. The fan aspirated model isn't a bad idea either for those hot, stale summer days. It sounds like the super cap in the ISS might be bad. The ISS works off the solar panel during the day and it also charges the super cap. When the sun goes down, the super cap supplies the power, once the super cap gets below a certain voltage, the battery takes over. The only thing that ever gets charged is the super cap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isopycnic Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 It sounds like the super cap in the ISS might be bad. The ISS works off the solar panel during the day and it also charges the super cap. When the sun goes down, the super cap supplies the power, once the super cap gets below a certain voltage, the battery takes over. The only thing that ever gets charged is the super cap. Interesting... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaculaWeather Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 That is very possibly one reason your batteries go out so quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CNYWeather Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 I have a spare ISS housing, i may need to swap out the solar panel. I remember reading on a weather forum I frequent that some were having issues with the coating peeling on the solar panel, plus they were getting cloudy. That would definitely produce charging issues. I'm only on my 2nd battery after 6 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CranberryWX Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 After 8 years my station batteries only last 6 months. Yep, mine usually last 9-12 months now. Initially it lasted about two years as stated in the manual. I think it's a combination of age ( 5 years) on the panel and probably the capacitor condition. I checked the solar panel and it still puts out the voltage though. I just deal with it. Mine is within easy reach and I can swap the battery in a couple of minutes. My solar powered FARS still whirls away too even though they recommend changing out the fan every year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaculaWeather Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 Normally the panel is not fully charging the cap because the cap is weak and leaking. Usually, the panels are the last thing to go though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jntkwx Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 Unless I am misreading, this does not work with Weatherlink. Also, the goal is to have my console located somewhere other than with my computer and that somewhere is also not anywhere near the wireless router. These configurations appear to be designed to connect directly via Ethernet to a router. Am I missing something or is this really not what I am looking for? You might be able to accomplish what you want to do with either the Wireless Weather Envoy or (if you plan to add on to your setup with additional Integrated Sensor Suites in the future), the new Wireless Envoy8X. Can't beat the prices at http://www.scientificsales.com/Vantage-Pro2-Accessories-s/2.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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