Home weather station suggestions

[OzarkChris]

I haven't had "connection" issues at all with the indoor unit - ever. My problem is/was keeping it connected to the net / my phone. I had it connected a couple of times on the internet, but then it stopped working. Admit to being challenged on turning off 5G part of the router, if that was an issue or not, dont know. I am on Wifi internet which may also be the issue ? Otherwise, No problems.

It may very well be a 5G issue, not sure because of the way I've hooked up. I have the unit talking to one of our 2G only repeater units I have out in the front porch & around the property so I can get signal when I'm out working. No cell signal from any carrier available.

 

[gsganzer]

I just bought an Ambient Weather WS-2000 off the Ambient Weather website. They're running a special today for $239, seems like a quality unit at a price point I could warrant. Merry Christmas to me!

 

[ponytug]

Congratulations! I hope that you have fun with your new Christmas present.

All the best,

Peter

 

[Blue Mule]

As a meteorologist and general weather nut, the truth is that there are 3 categories of weather station.

You have ALL of the box store type stations grouped into one category. Ambient, Oregon Scientific, Accurite, all of them. Doesn't matter if they're $50 or $250. They all use the same grade of sensors, communications, and power type. Your temp readings will be inaccurate on sunny days or if you mount it too close to the house. Your wind readings will be too low because you can't mount the anemometer separately. You'll likely need to change batteries often. Transmission range will be weak. And you will be very lucky to get 5 years of service out of the unit.

Then you have Davis Instruments. Their Vantage Pro 2 system is a huge upgrade. Typically $500 and up depending on options but WELL worth it. High quality temp/hum sensors. Fan aspiration to keep readings spot on even in summer heat. Very long transmission range. Batteries last years. Tons of upgrades and options (soil moisture, UV sensors, radio repeaters, mesh systems together, etc.). These stations will also last 20+ years. The performance will be very very close to official mesonet sites.

Then you've got scientific grade/official stations. These are the ones universities use, as well as government agencies like NWS, etc. You're talking way out of budget for a home owner. Not to mention station maintenance costs.

I personally rock the Davis VP2 with 24 hour FARS and LOVE it.

 

[Spike56]

As a meteorologist and general weather nut, the truth is that there are 3 categories of weather station.

You have ALL of the box store type stations grouped into one category. Ambient, Oregon Scientific, Accurite, all of them. Doesn't matter if they're $50 or $250. They all use the same grade of sensors, communications, and power type. Your temp readings will be inaccurate on sunny days or if you mount it too close to the house. Your wind readings will be too low because you can't mount the anemometer separately. You'll likely need to change batteries often. Transmission range will be weak. And you will be very lucky to get 5 years of service out of the unit.

Then you have Davis Instruments. Their Vantage Pro 2 system is a huge upgrade. Typically $500 and up depending on options but WELL worth it. High quality temp/hum sensors. Fan aspiration to keep readings spot on even in summer heat. Very long transmission range. Batteries last years. Tons of upgrades and options (soil moisture, UV sensors, radio repeaters, mesh systems together, etc.). These stations will also last 20+ years. The performance will be very very close to official mesonet sites.

Then you've got scientific grade/official stations. These are the ones universities use, as well as government agencies like NWS, etc. You're talking way out of budget for a home owner. Not to mention station maintenance costs.

I personally rock the Davis VP2 with 24 hour FARS and LOVE it.

Been considering a Davis to replace my Ambient. Can you comment on how easy it is to connect to the web / computer / iphone ? I have not been able to get a manual to determine the steps and would like to know more about it. Also, I have an existing pole, do you know what the size/s can be to mount the unit ?

I am slightly confused about the mounting. Why would the rain gauge be so close to the pole? Seems if the rain was falling from the opposite side, it might block some/interfere?

 

[ponytug]

Try the following search phrase;
"Davis Vantage Pro 2" filetype: pdf
(Ideally, no space after the colon...)

e.g. https://www.weatherview32.com/pdf/vantagepro_qsg.pdf

https://www.equipcoservices.com/pdf/manuals/davis_vantage_pro2.pdf

All the best,

Peter

 

[bdhsfz6]

I also have a Davis Vantage Pro2 wireless station. It's been in continuous operation for over 15 years with little maintenance. One of the reasons I chose the Davis station was it's ability to use repeaters to transmit data over considerable distances. I have the sensor array mounted on a pedestal on top of a hill 1/4 mile from the house.

The anemometer can be located separately from the other sensors but I have both mounted on the same pole. I compare rain data with a NOAA approved analog rain gauge and have not noted any significant difference in readings.

 

[Elembytes]

My home weather station has quit working and I'm looking to replace it. My original was just a cheap-ish Accurite. Without going all out with a professional model, does anyone have a recommendation for a decent one?

I don't mind spending some money (up to maybe $300) if it will last a while.

I love my Davis Vantage Vue Weather station and console. I also have it connected to the Internet so I can always check the weather even if I wam away from the house!

 

[newbury]

I also have a Davis Vantage Pro2 wireless station. It's been in continuous operation for over 15 years with little maintenance. One of the reasons I chose the Davis station was it's ability to use repeaters to transmit data over considerable distances. I have the sensor array mounted on a pedestal on top of a hill 1/4 mile from the house.

View attachment 774577

The anemometer can be located separately from the other sensors but I have both mounted on the same pole. I compare rain data with a NOAA approved analog rain gauge and have not noted any significant difference in readings.

Which brings up a point -
For those of you who have stations "remotely" what is the mortality rate from hunters?
For example in my Mississippi area we've had troubles with lot's of fiber taps being shot.
Do the hunters do the same in your area?

I'd like to put a station up on top of a hill I own. Out of sight from my residence but not from hunters, but I figure 1 round would destroy it.
/edit but it would be within wifi range.

 

[ponytug]

Which brings up a point -
For those of you who have stations "remotely" what is the mortality rate from hunters?
For example in my Mississippi area we've had troubles with lot's of fiber taps being shot.
Do the hunters do the same in your area?

I'd like to put a station up on top of a hill I own. Out of sight from my residence but not from hunters, but I figure 1 round would destroy it.
/edit but it would be within wifi range.

So far, so good here, but I would observe that over the years vandalism seems to go in waves of popularity, both in frequency, and for certain targets, such as mailboxes, certain signs... My Davis Vantage is out of sight, about 600' away, but visible from many locations.

My neighbor has a number of cellular game cams on his property, and he has picked up photos of all sorts of poachers. My favorite photo being the guy standing in the driveway, next to a car with the license plate visible, with a pistol with an obvious silencer on it. (Yes, that photo got turned over to the deputies.) They had a SWAT team out for one group, including a helicopter hazing them and keeping them lit up for over an hour.

So, YMMV...

All the best,

Peter

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

Years ago out phone rings at 4:30 a.m. Some guy said he wanted to know the weather since he was going hunting (our phone number was one digit off from weather report number).
4:30 a.m. and I'm mad as can be..."do you have a window?" I ask. "Yes" he replies. "Well open it and stick your head out. Pull it back in. If it's wet it's raining, white snowing, hair messed up windy, warm or cold tells temperature, hat blown off don't hunt". He was laughing as I slammed the phone.

 

[Complete Turf Care]

I have the Tempest. I set it up in March 2021. It quit working about 6-8 months ago, and I have not tried to get it back going. I assume the battery on the outside unit quit working. It is supposed to be charged by a small solar panel. I was getting 'low battery' notifications before it quit.

I felt the rainfall measurements were not very accurate.

One thing about the Tempest is that the day after I set it up, and connected it to the internet, someone hacked into my computer and caused nightmares. I don't know if setting it up and the hacking are related, but the hack occurred about a day after the setup. Here is a link to the thread I started about the hack.

Identity theft. What a nightmare

Saturday while quail hunting with family, I got a text saying someone wanted to 'port' my cell number to another carrier. About 30 minutes later, when I got back to the truck, I called the number in the text message and was told that the 'port' had already been done, and then my phone went...

www.tractorbynet.com

 

[bdhsfz6]

Which brings up a point -
For those of you who have stations "remotely" what is the mortality rate from hunters?
For example in my Mississippi area we've had troubles with lot's of fiber taps being shot.
Do the hunters do the same in your area?

I'd like to put a station up on top of a hill I own. Out of sight from my residence but not from hunters, but I figure 1 round would destroy it.
/edit but it would be within wifi range.

My remote station is on posted land. I don't usually have a problem with hunters. If I did, I'd let the game warden handle it.

If you live in an area prone to vandalism by hunters where law enforcement can't control it, a weather station would be the least of your worries.

 

[beenthere]

My home weather station has quit working and I'm looking to replace it. My original was just a cheap-ish Accurite. Without going all out with a professional model, does anyone have a recommendation for a decent one?

I don't mind spending some money (up to maybe $300) if it will last a while.

My Accurite has worked well for several years. Accurate and with no problems in southern Wisconsin. Works year in and year out. If it failed, I'd replace it with another one.

 

[Blue Mule]

Been considering a Davis to replace my Ambient. Can you comment on how easy it is to connect to the web / computer / iphone ? I have not been able to get a manual to determine the steps and would like to know more about it. Also, I have an existing pole, do you know what the size/s can be to mount the unit ?

View attachment 774548 I am slightly confused about the mounting. Why would the rain gauge be so close to the pole? Seems if the rain was falling from the opposite side, it might block some/interfere?

The Davis WeatherLink software is pretty cool. I don't remember it being difficult to set up. They sent me a small unit that plugs into my router via a short ethernet cable. It then automatically sends data to Wunderground and also Davis' online WeatherLink site. I've had it up and running for 18 months or so now and it's been flawless. I can check the conditions reported from my station anywhere I go. I have the app on my phone too.

Don't quote me, but I think you need a 1 to 2" pole for mounting, OR you can mount directly to a 6x6 post or wall. I prefer pole mounting. I have mine on a section of TV antenna tower that I erected specifically for my weather station. My anemometer is at the top of the tower, my Davis ISS is at 6' AGL which is standard in the meteorology biz. The rain gauge could have interference from the pole, but typically it's only an issue in very heavy driving rain and it's not generally enough to cause readings to be off by much. The bird spikes are a great addition on later models of this station. I do highly recommend the FARS for accurate summer temp readings. The capacitor/battery system onboard has gone 3 years or more without needing a change for me. I love it.

 

[Grumpycat]

When the AcuRite Iris I gave him fell apart a friend purchased a Logia 5-in-1 which seems to be as good or better but $120.

5-in-1 Wireless Weather Station with WiFi®

5-in-1 Wireless Weather Station with Wi-Fi® (LOWSC510WB) Connect with your inner meteorologist with this handy at-home weather station. The Logia™ Wireless Weather Station provides you with customized weather readings directly from the comfort of your back yard. View all your current weather...

logiaweatherstations.com

I am impressed with how much control Logia gives the user. How they are not ashamed to tell you how to telnet into it to play with knobs.

We'll see how the Logia's plastic holds to UV.

 

[cqaigy2]

When the AcuRite Iris I gave him fell apart a friend purchased a Logia 5-in-1 which seems to be as good or better but $120.

5-in-1 Wireless Weather Station with WiFi®

5-in-1 Wireless Weather Station with Wi-Fi® (LOWSC510WB) Connect with your inner meteorologist with this handy at-home weather station. The Logia™ Wireless Weather Station provides you with customized weather readings directly from the comfort of your back yard. View all your current weather...

logiaweatherstations.com

I am impressed with how much control Logia gives the user. How they are not ashamed to tell you how to telnet into it to play with knobs.

We'll see how the Logia's plastic holds to UV.

Oh man, you can play with the knobs on that? I'm pretty good a jacking things up and needing to do a factory reset.

 

[Popgadget]

My Tempest reports about 2 1/2 times the actual rainfall. I have a Davis Vantage Vue that had been outstanding up until about 2 years ago when it started having certain wind events affect the rain tipper. The Davis is 15+ years old. I bought the Tempest as a double check of the rain fall. That was a big fail.

I have replaced parts in the Davis tipping buckets, and most recently replaced the whole assembly with their upgraded design.

I communicated with Weatherflow about the rain inaccuracies, and they were quite responsive, I gave them the link to my Davis, and they used that info, verified by surrounding stations and were able to somehow get the Tempest pretty close.

 

[KWentling]

I have replaced parts in the Davis tipping buckets, and most recently replaced the whole assembly with their upgraded design.

I communicated with Weatherflow about the rain inaccuracies, and they were quite responsive, I gave them the link to my Davis, and they used that info, verified by surrounding stations and were able to somehow get the Tempest pretty close.

I just received the "tune up kit" from Davis for the Vantage Vue. Currently -18F with a -46 wind chill so installation is going to wait awhile! It has a new tipping unit in the kit so that hopefully fixes it. If that cures the Davis then I might see if I can figure out how to link it to Weatherflow.

 

[copytmpmzl]

Well, actually...

That is the whole reason that I bought a weather station and put it online. We live in one of the few locations in the county that gets snow and black ice. So, the home ranch is often just below freezing and the rest of the area is 40F. We are on one of the highest points in the area, and the rest of the county can have a nice drizzle and we will get snow.

With an online weather station, we can check from the valley, and hightail it home if the conditions are deteriorating, so we can be tucked in safely with our livestock. On occasion, we have had to hike two miles or so downhill to get to drivable snow levels. (Just for the record, I grew up in snow country, and there is a slight difference between sliding off a road in the the flats into a ditch, and sliding off a road here and dropping two to six hundred feet. Well, OK, big difference if you value your life. The county roads are often cambered to shed rain, but serve to drop cars over the edge in the case of slippery conditions. Guardrails aren't a big thing. I know of one woman whose car dropped fifteen feet or so down a ravine, and she wasn't found for a week. She lived. Another fellow who dropped his car off another edge wasn't so lucky. A few years back, I saw one vehicle recovered that needed four tow trucks, with the cables added together to make a line long enough to retrieve the vehicle hardwood floor atlanta. 600'? We had seen the vehicle from miles away on a trail, and called it in; it wasn't visible from the road.)

@oosik I am glad a few degrees doesn't make a difference for you. We may yet someday move someplace where that is the case for us. At the moment, however...

All the best,

Peter

Looking to get a home weather station. Willing to spend around $200-$250. Id like it to have wind direction/speed, humidity, dew point and pressure with trending pressure direction. I dont care about indoor conditions.

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