pwright
Gold Member
I have the Davis Vantage Pro on my place. So far it has been pretty neat being able to look at the data it collects.
Weather Stations? Anyone have one on the farm?
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mikehaugen
Elite Member
I will try not to derail the thread here, but I had a question... I have been considering a weather station, and the best place (I think) to mount it and be open in all directions is the antenna tower attached to my house. Would it be better to attach it closer to the ground, or 30' in the air for accurate wind speed? If I mount it too low, it may be affected by turbulance from the roof, but higher up may not be an accurate ground wind speed right? or is 30' not enough to make a difference?
Coyote machine
Super Member
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- 22 SANY SY 50U, '10 Kioti DK 40se/hst KL-401 FEL, loaded tires, KB-2485 bhoe, Tuffline TB160 BB, Woods QA forks, MIE Hydraulic bhoe thumb & ripper tooth, Igland 4001 winch, & GR-20 Log Grapple. Woods BBX72" Brush Mower. Diamondplate aluminum canopy
You could spray them with silicone spray or Teflon spray and see if that deters the freezing up. Can't say it will work, but it's worth a try...
Coyote machine
Super Member
- Joined
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- Messages
- 7,641
- Location
- Southern VT
- Tractor
- 22 SANY SY 50U, '10 Kioti DK 40se/hst KL-401 FEL, loaded tires, KB-2485 bhoe, Tuffline TB160 BB, Woods QA forks, MIE Hydraulic bhoe thumb & ripper tooth, Igland 4001 winch, & GR-20 Log Grapple. Woods BBX72" Brush Mower. Diamondplate aluminum canopy
The instructions with the weather station will say where to mount or not.
The best would be to mount the wind sensor on the tower and the rain gauge close to the ground you can do this with the Davis VP2 as it has separate pieces
the all in 1 units are a compromise!! I have both..Here is some good info althought it's tough to be exact like they want it gives you some ideas...
http://www.comptus.com/PDF/CWOP_Guide.pdf
pwright
Gold Member
The manual for the Davis units say:
General ISS Siting Guidelines
• Place the ISS away from sources of heat such as chimneys, heaters, air conditioners and exhaust vents.
• Place the ISS at least 100' (30 m) away from any asphalt or concrete roadway that readily absorbs and radiates heat in the sun. Avoid installations near fences or sides of buildings that receive a lot of sun during the day.
• Ideally, place the radiation shield of the ISS 5' (1.5 m) above the ground in the middle of gently sloping or flat, regularly mowed grassy or naturally landscaped area that drains well when it rains. For areas with average maximum yearly snow depths over 3' (0.9 m), mount the ISS 2' (0.6 m) above this depth.
Anemometer Siting Guidelines
• For best results, place the anemometer at least 7' (2.1 m) above surrounding obstructions such as trees or buildings that obstruct wind flow.
• If mounting on a roof, mount the anemometer at least 7' (2.1 m) above the roof apex (when using a Mounting Tripod, install the anemometer at the very top of the pole).
• If mounting the ISS and the anemometer together, such as on a pole or a wooden post, mount the anemometer so it is at least 12'' (0.3 m) above the top of the rain collector cone for best results.
• The standard for meteorological and aviation applications is to place the anemometer 33' (10 m) above the ground. Seek professional help for this type of installation.
• The standard for agricultural applications is to place the anemometer 6' (2 m) above the ground. This is important for evapotranspiration (ET) calculations.
mikehaugen
Elite Member
B7510hst and pwright, thanks for the info.
I use an Ambient WS 2080 and two consoles. One console is hooked up to a netbook computer which transmits to WeatherUnderground 24/7. This station has served me well for 1 1/2 years now. Some day I may buy a Davis, but if cost is a factor you can't go wrong with the Ambient.
By the way, AmbientWeather.com: weather stations, weather station equipment, weather radios, and more is a great place to purchase WS's; very customer friendly.
By the way, AmbientWeather.com: weather stations, weather station equipment, weather radios, and more is a great place to purchase WS's; very customer friendly.
mikim
Veteran Member
After working for the NWS for 18 years as an elect tech .....I now use ....a window. 
Scooby074
Super Member
Davis Vantage Pro2 here. Love it. Two of them in the family. Very durable.
The "pro" stuff like you find on the highway towers is considerably more expensive than the "expensive" Davis.
The RM Young Anemometers are used on many of them here for wind speed. $950 for the base model, and that doesnt even include a display! R M Young Company 05103 WIND MONITOR
Then another $900 or so if you want a dedicated display. R M Young Company 06201 WIND TRACKER Display
You'll still need a barometer, thermometer, Humidity and Rain Gauge all costing about the same as the Anemometer (depending on brand)... Easy to spend a fortune on "pro" grade gear.
Many "pro" commercial sites run Davis VP2 gear. Its very good. id say 90% of the true "Pro" stuff albeit not as overbuilt.
The "pro" stuff like you find on the highway towers is considerably more expensive than the "expensive" Davis.
The RM Young Anemometers are used on many of them here for wind speed. $950 for the base model, and that doesnt even include a display! R M Young Company 05103 WIND MONITOR
Then another $900 or so if you want a dedicated display. R M Young Company 06201 WIND TRACKER Display
You'll still need a barometer, thermometer, Humidity and Rain Gauge all costing about the same as the Anemometer (depending on brand)... Easy to spend a fortune on "pro" grade gear.
Many "pro" commercial sites run Davis VP2 gear. Its very good. id say 90% of the true "Pro" stuff albeit not as overbuilt.