Looking for wireless weather station

[JRobyn]

Just a reminder that many of the comparably priced LaCrosse units come WITH the internet bridge and data logging and remote access on the LaCrossAlerts site. After the first year they charge a nominal annual fee (about $12) to host the site for your data. Look at the C84612. Monitors/Logs rain data at last hour, last 24hrs, last week and last month. The internet interface does charts or tabular for selectable periods for all monitored data. Looks like BassPro has them now for $200.

- Jay

 

[Country Geek]

The Davis VantageVue base station/display "talks" to the remote weather sensors via radio signals (NOT WiFi). My sensors are about 150' from the base station/display unit, and the signals must pass through a stucco outer wall and several sheet rock interior walls. That said, the connection has been rock solid. The WeatherLink is a cable that connects the Davis VantageVue base station/display to a computer, and the computer connects via WiFi over my home LAN, router, and satellite modem to the Internet:

Weather sensors --> base station/display --> WeatherLink --> laptop computer --> LAN --> WiFi router --> satellite modem --> Internet --> WeatherUnderground

I'm using an old MacBook that runs 24/7/365 and WeatherTracker software. The WeatherLink cable has a DB9 serial connector on the laptop end that I plug into a serial to USB converter, and that connects to a USB port on the MacBook. the WeatherLink cable may be available with other interfaces, but you'd have to check with Davis.

Hope this helps...

This is all correct but I do want clarify that the laptop is not needed if you buy the right WeatherLink product. Davis has two products that are both confusingly named WeatherLink, which doesn't make it easy to explain casually.

One of them is what Redneck Geek (apparently my west coast techie cousin has that plugs into a laptop with software running. WeatherLink® for Mac OS X, for Vantage Stations by Davis

The other is what I have, its full name is WeatherLink IP (WeatherLinkIP), it plugs into your Davis Console and connects to your router and uploads data directly without you needing to hook it up to a computer. It can upload directly to weatherunderground as well as to Davis's own hosted site, weatherlink.com, and probably other weather hobbyist sites as well. I have mine uploading to both weatherunderground and weatherlink.com. Davis does not charge to upload to weatherlink.com but weatherunderground keeps better history and stats.

Note that the instructions for weatherlink IP say it has to be plugged into your router. I made mine wireless by plugging it into one of these instead: Amazon.com: IOGEAR Universal Ethernet to Wi-Fi N Adapter for Home or Office GWU627 (Black): Electronics

So my version of Redneck Geek's diagram is:

Weather sensors --> base station/display with WeatherLink IP dongle --> IOgear wireless adapter --> WiFi router --> Internet --> WeatherUnderground

So it's a bit simpler. But buying the weatherlink IP plus the iogear adapter is more expensive than buying and using the Weatherlink computer adapter and software that Redneck Geek uses. But I like because it's 100% automatic, hands off, no babysitting ever needed, no worries about the computer crashing or going off line. Plus, you're already into it for hundreds of dollars if you're using Davis gear, the percentage difference in cost isn't that much.

 

[PandDLong]

I just bought the 5-in-1 with internet bridge and it does logging. If you already have the 5-in-1 you can buy the internet bridge alone for about $75.

Thanks for the tip, I went to the site to find it and also found replacement wind cups for only $5. Looks like I can fix my current unit and upgrade to get data logging. I also noticed that the Acu-Rite internet bridge supports 3 sensors - inspires me to get a couple of extra sensors to move around to understand some of the micro-climates in the yard and track whether my irrigation is running for the right amount of time. No solution for measuring snow though...


A very valuable thread!

 

[B7510HSD]

For those with the Acurite units there is a section on the wxforum just for these..AcuRite Weather Stations

 

[HeLa]

For those with the Acurite units there is a section on the wxforum just for these..AcuRite Weather Stations

thanks!

 

[txdon]

Well, as an update, I decided to go with the AcuRite 01057. For about half the price of the Davis units, I was able to get the outdoor sensor, the internet link, and two displays for in the house (one upstairs, one downstairs). I really like the Davis units, but I was on a bit of a budget and couldn't swing one and get it to do everything I wanted. I will probably look to upgrade to a Davis when our AcuRite has lived it's full life. Hopefully I will have more available for a budget then.

Thanks for all the help everyone!

The 01057, that's the one I just ordered also.
How is yours working out? Was the bridge easy to set up and connect to your router?

 

[HeLa]

The 01057, that's the one I just ordered also.
How is yours working out? Was the bridge easy to set up and connect to your router?

i ordered one a month or so ago too. naturally, the most serious cold spell in years came in pretty much immediately thereafter. ground is frozen solid and covered in snow. PWS is warm and dry in its box in the house. can't wait for spring!

 

[fordmantpw]

The 01057, that's the one I just ordered also.
How is yours working out? Was the bridge easy to set up and connect to your router?

The bridge was super easy to set up. I just followed the directions and I was up and running in 2-3 minutes with the bridge.

Only two very minor complaints so far. Where we have the color display sitting (on the entertainment center next to the TV), we can't read it from the couch. The contrast is off just a little bit, and we just need to stand up to see it. The unit tilts back just enough to make the display wash out. I need to see about mounting it or adjusting the stand a bit (ie, put a piece of cardboard under the back) to make it more readable. I have a second display on my desk in my office and it is perfect, but I'm much closer and at a better angle. The other is that the unit seems to read about 2-3 degrees warmer than it should when it's in direct sunlight. In the shade, it is spot-on with my other thermometer. I can live with both of those minor issues for the cost savings over some of the much more expensive models.

 

[txdon]

The other is that the unit seems to read about 2-3 degrees warmer than it should when it's in direct sunlight. In the shade, it is spot-on with my other thermometer. .

Thanks for the quick response, I'm going to check out the direct sun issue when it arrives and try figure out a way to shade it without affecting the wind and rain measurements - if that's possible - otherwise I'll just factor the few degrees difference like you.

I signed up for their E-mail back in January when I read this thread and they sent me a 10% discount code. They e-mail their specials about every two weeks. Today they were running the 01057 on sale for $129, so with the 10% it was $116 - what a deal!

 

[fordmantpw]

Thanks for the quick response, I'm going to check out the direct sun issue when it arrives and try figure out a way to shade it without affecting the wind and rain measurements - if that's possible - otherwise I'll just factor the few degrees difference like you.

I signed up for their E-mail back in January when I read this thread and they sent me a 10% discount code. They e-mail their specials about every two weeks. Today they were running the 01057 on sale for $129, so with the 10% it was $116 - what a deal!

Yeah, I saw that deal today and thought it was awesome! The sensor has solar panels to run a little fan to keep the temperature accurate in the sun. I'm not sure if mine is maybe not working properly or if this is common for the Acurite. Yours may be accurate. I would be interested in knowing so post back and let us know.

 

[txdon]

I just saw the solar panels that run the fan - so much for my idea of shading it. I'll let you know about the accuracy.

 

[txdon]

I received my Acurite weather station and set it up. The readings seem to be good but it has not had to go to the extremes since it has not been warmer than 47˚ and the wind has not been over 17mph. I'm still waiting for rain.

I have the color display - model 01512 - and the display is BRIGHT. At night it looks like a TV was left on. I called Acurite and they said to just unplug it and the light will go out but it will continue to monitor with the back up batteries. That will work.

The next issue was the flashing blue lights on the internet bridge. Does anyone know how to stop those lights from flashing - it looks like there is an ambulance in the house?

 

[txdon]

I received my Acurite weather station and set it up. The readings seem to be good but it has not had to go to the extremes since it has not been warmer than 47˚ and the wind has not been over 17mph. I'm still waiting for rain.

I have the color display - model 01512 - and the display is BRIGHT. At night it looks like a TV was left on. I called Acurite and they said to just unplug it and the light will go out but it will continue to monitor with the back up batteries. That will work.

The next issue was the flashing blue lights on the internet bridge. Does anyone know how to stop those lights from flashing - it looks like there is an ambulance in the house?

 

[Industrial Toys]

My beef with all the stations I have looked at is that not one had a wind gust reading, and as far as wind goes that is all that matters because it is the gusts that seem to do the most damage.

 

[Scooby074]

My beef with all the stations I have looked at is that not one had a wind gust reading, and as far as wind goes that is all that matters because it is the gusts that seem to do the most damage.

My davis shows gusts when read on my PC. It also updates quite fast so the display usually catches the speed of any gusts if youre looking at it. It will display the 10minute average on the display too, but I agree it would be nice if there was a "10 minute max" as opposed to the daily max that it does.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I would really like to find a weather station, but it seems so difficult. Either they tell you next to nothing or you quickly decend into an IT ****! lol OR having to select the instruments seperate from the electronics.

I have a radio tower site where I would like the instruments. Hard wired into the radio shack. My Internet comes in here, so I wanted some kind of a server at this location and then monitor on my LAN using my computer or a smart phone which I don't yet own. I am not interested in paying any fees beyond the purchase price, and like I said, wind gusts are of major interest to me. That and temperature. And yes, knowing what the max values were in the last day or so would be handy.

Any suggestions or reccomendations would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Cub 7274]

I received my Acurite weather station and set it up. The readings seem to be good but it has not had to go to the extremes since it has not been warmer than 47˚ and the wind has not been over 17mph. I'm still waiting for rain.

I have the color display - model 01512 - and the display is BRIGHT. At night it looks like a TV was left on. I called Acurite and they said to just unplug it and the light will go out but it will continue to monitor with the back up batteries. That will work.

The next issue was the flashing blue lights on the internet bridge. Does anyone know how to stop those lights from flashing - it looks like there is an ambulance in the house?

My screen will shut off I just touch the little "dot" on the top middle front of the screen on-off

 

[Scooby074]

I would really like to find a weather station, but it seems so difficult. Either they tell you next to nothing or you quickly decend into an IT ****! lol OR having to select the instruments seperate from the electronics.

I have a radio tower site where I would like the instruments. Hard wired into the radio shack. My Internet comes in here, so I wanted some kind of a server at this location and then monitor on my LAN using my computer or a smart phone which I don't yet own. I am not interested in paying any fees beyond the purchase price, and like I said, wind gusts are of major interest to me. That and temperature. And yes, knowing what the max values were in the last day or so would be handy.

Any suggestions or reccomendations would be greatly appreciated.

Davis Vantage Pro2 with the internet USB dongle. Then upload to weatherunderground (or create your own website). You can access your weather anywhere there is internet. Either upload via a computer in your shack or you can "hack" a router to function like the Davis WeatherlinkIP if you dont have a PC in the shack or want to leave it on 24/7. The weather forums have details on the router hack, Im not up to speed on it, I use WeatherlinkUSB and Cumulius software on a PC to upload mine.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Thanks, I will look into it. Man, seems you need to be some kind of IT wizzard, and frankly I just don't have much patience with that stuff. One problem leads to another that leads to another and another!Rather just go play in the dirt!

We have one internet connection coming in on the tower, it goes over to my neighbour via an Engenious link, then back to my house, because I can't see my own tower. That system has given us both grey hair. Now I have run coax the 500' from tower to my house with media converters, and that is working for me but not him. Really crappy throughput and we (more him then I) simply can't figure out the problem. So, anyway, what I am trying to say is I am a little leary about getting into something that is just too complex.

 

[farmer2009]

I have an accurite station to install. How far away from trees and buildings does it need to be for them not to effect the station.