Cobwebs on my PWS

[Grumpycat]

Have forgotten how many years I have had a PWS (Personal Weather Station) on this fence (this is the 2nd hardware, first was up long enough for the plastic to turn to dust) but this year is the first I have had a spider problem. Don't see cobwebs anywhere else on the fence or the trees but have had this thing apart 4 times this year to clean it out. This morning I only had to dust it off having observed the almost impossible situation of no wind for several days.

The 2nd picture is of the black teeter-totter inside with buckets to measure rainfall. Each tilt counts as 0.01" of rain. Most recent cleaning used WD-40 hoping spiders will not like the smell. Also folded a dryer sheet inside as fabric softener seems to be a good bug repellant.

My PWS posts as KALMADIS73, Personal Weather Station Dashboard | Weather Underground

 

[bunyip]

We had a spider plague this year, seems to be a 10 year event, early in the morning acres of paddocks are just covered in a blanket of cobwebs, our PWS didn't seem to be affected but it is on top of a 10' steel pole mounted on gutter fascias.
Our problem is corrosion on the battery terminals that get damp in their waterproof (???) enclosure.

 

[Grumpycat]

We had a spider plague this year, seems to be a 10 year event, early in the morning acres of paddocks are just covered in a blanket of cobwebs, our PWS didn't seem to be affected but it is on top of a 10' steel pole mounted on gutter fascias.
Our problem is corrosion on the battery terminals that get damp in their waterproof (???) enclosure.

The AcuRite 5-in-1 shown doesn't do anything to waterproof the battery compartment. Has a loose door on the bottom. Batteries are about 1/2" above the door. Humid air freely enters. Haven't had a problem with battery contacts.

 

[Big Barn]

Peppermint oil mixed with water and applied with a spray bottle solved the spider problem in my home gym.

A single undiluted drop in your weather station should do the trick.

 

[bunyip]

The AcuRite 5-in-1 shown doesn't do anything to waterproof the battery compartment. Has a loose door on the bottom. Batteries are about 1/2" above the door. Humid air freely enters. Haven't had a problem with battery contacts.

Ours was a cheaper unit which probably explains a lot, we paid about $130, might look at the Acurite but the missus will baulk at the $350 price tag.
Fence mounting no can do as the horses will break it.

 

[LittleBill21]

we got this about a month ago, the display alone makes it better then the 5 in 1 which i still have

https://amzn.to/3klZF9W

 

[oosik]

I have a Vantage Pro 2 weather station. Mounted on a steel pipe about eight feet above the corner of my porch. No spider problems. However - the rain collection cup will fill with dead, falling pine needles. I climb the ladder and pick them out two or three times a year. It's somewhat of a PITA & I dislike ladders.

 

[Wakey]

Peppermint oil mixed with water and applied with a spray bottle solved the spider problem in my home gym.

View attachment 711158


A single undiluted drop in your weather station should do the trick.

Killer gym!

Yeah, I’d spray the pole too.

I spray the soffit around my hummingbird feeders to keep the ants out.

 

[fried1765]

Killer gym!

Yeah, I’d spray the pole too.

I spray the soffit around my hummingbird feeders to keep the ants o

Peppermint oil mixed with water and applied with a spray bottle solved the spider problem in my home gym.

View attachment 711158


A single undiluted drop in your weather station should do the trick

Never been to a gym in my life!
Ain't about to start now (almost 81).

 

[Wakey]

Never been to a gym in my life!
Ain't about to start now (almost 81).

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!!

Keep going, you’re doing great!

 

[Grumpycat]

Ours was a cheaper unit which probably explains a lot, we paid about $130, might look at the Acurite but the missus will baulk at the $350 price tag.
Fence mounting no can do as the horses will break it.

My AcuRite was about $130 for the outside sensor and inside Access internet link. Went looking and ASIN B074X85BMJ is currently $150 at Amazon. B086WNW3Z8 is $8 more, includes a display which apparently has WiFi internet connection allowing you to view the data anywhere. Mine lacks a display, the Access link requires ethernet. The link between outside sensor and inside internet connection is wireless.

 

[Grumpycat]

we got this about a month ago, the display alone makes it better then the 5 in 1 which i still have

https://amzn.to/3klZF9W

That looks nice. I don't have much use for a display. Used to have an AcuRite display with USB port to connect to computer which could collect the data locally and relay to AcuRite to be viewed anywhere on phone or web browser. But the computer had to be running 24/7. Got tired of it. The dedicated hardware AcuRite Access is much more reliable, lower power consumption, but limited.

Primary concern with my AcuRite Iris 5-in-1 is how the plastic isn't premium UV-resistant.

A secondary concern is how it can only post data to AcuRite and Weather Underground. WU has only gotten worse since purchase by IBM. Lately the WU website has been ultra slow.

And guess what? Spiderman has tied up my wind sensor again.

 

[oosik]

I have a 40# bag of Diazinon. I put a light ring of the granules around the entire outside of the house. Cuts down on spiders and ants. Put something like that around the base of the fence post.

 

[Big Barn]

I have a 40# bag of Diazinon. I put a light ring of the granules around the entire outside of the house. Cuts down on spiders and ants. Put something like that around the base of the fence post.

I had to look it up. I didn’t even know Diazinon was still available.

It was introduced in 1952 as an an alternative to DDT.

I was literally brought up on liquid and granular Diazinon on the farm. Lol.

 

[Alan W.]

I have a 40# bag of Diazinon. I put a light ring of the granules around the entire outside of the house. Cuts down on spiders and ants. Put something like that around the base of the fence post.

Unfortunately Diazinon was banned for homeowner use but there are other insecticides.
I spray around mine which is on a 20’ pole in the chicken run. They help with spiders.

 

[oosik]

I'm sure Diazinon is no longer available/legal. I bought this big 'ol bag some 15 to 20 years ago. I know it's no longer full strength but it still does a job.

There has got to be other pesticides that will do a similar job.

 

[fried1765]

I'm sure Diazinon is no longer available/legal. I bought this big 'ol bag some 15 to 20 years ago. I know it's no longer full strength but it still does a job.

There has got to be other pesticides that will do a similar job.

I still have two 40 lb. bags also.

 

[Big Barn]

I still have two 40 lb. bags also.

I miss those old multi layered bags. I think towards the end they (granular) were available in 5 gallon plastic pails.


The emulsible concentrate used to come in rectangular gallon cans. You had to use a nail to poke an air vent in the corner opposite the cap and even then you got as much on your hands as in the spray tank. Then you wiped your hands on your pants and ate your sandwich. Lol.

 

[Alan W.]

I regret letting the unopened bag of DDT that was in my grandfathers estate go.

 

[Big Barn]

I regret letting the unopened bag of DDT that was in my grandfathers estate go.

We still had old stock DDT when I was little. It was a lot safer when used properly than many of the organophosphates that replaced it.