Looks like I got a dud weatherstation.
After following the setup procedure, all appears to work except the rain gauge.
When you spin the anemometer gadget, it not only register the wind speed but also an ever increasing amount of rainfall.
I've checked the wiring and it's as it should be.
Make sure everything is plugged in correctly before putting the batteries in the remote, then after you put the batteries in and power up the main unit. I think it does a calibration at power up. My direction vane didn't work at first until I replugged everything and gave it a full 360 degree spin and reset. FWIW the direction is done with 8 magnetic reed switches and resistors so it must read the resistance value and use that to compute the direction. The cover comes off the rain guage quite easily so I'd check that as well to see if anything has been displaced in transit.
Make sure everything is plugged in correctly before putting the batteries in the remote, then after you put the batteries in and power up the main unit. I think it does a calibration at power up. My direction vane didn't work at first until I replugged everything and gave it a full 360 degree spin and reset. FWIW the direction is done with 8 magnetic reed switches and resistors so it must read the resistance value and use that to compute the direction. The cover comes off the rain guage quite easily so I'd check that as well to see if anything has been displaced in transit.
Tried all of this - I even read the manual
The problem still exists even when the rain sensor is not plugged in - you spin the anemometer and the rainfall indication goes up (it shows the wind speed too).
No obvious shorts or bent pins visible.
I've asked the seller so I'll wait to see what he says.
Still trying to get a useful response from the eBay supplier of my weatherstation.
The only answer I got when I reported the problem I was having was to make sure that the
rainfall and wind speed sensors are not too close together as they may affect each other.
As I have the unit assembled as per the instructions, I don;t see how this can be the case.
Besides, I get a rainfall indication from the wind speed even if the rainfall sensor is not connected!
Hi,
The rain reading on my unit also fails to operate correctly. The reed switch makes and breaks the circuit fine as the magnet on the tipping bucket passes, but nothing is registered. The rain fall value shown on the receiver is just some spurious figure and will not reset to zero either. The anemometer does not seem to affect the rain fall reading on the unit I have. I have emailed the seller twice this morning, with no reply as yet.
Mark
Last edited by gts055; 03-04-2008 at 08:37 PM.
Reason: spelling
We've had no rain yet to test it up till now, but everything seems to be working.
I havn't set it up on the computer yet as I am still getting used to all the settings.
Ron
To test the rain sensor, unclip the funnel/cover of the tipping bucket, and manually see/saw the bucket to send signals via the transmitter to the receiver/display. The cover unclips by depressing the tag on each side of the cover adjacent to the screw down lugs on the base.
Regards Mark
or simply dribble some water in to the device. I've been intending to test mine to see how accurate (or inaccurate) it is. My station rainfall update has been consistent, somewhat lower than BOM figures, but given the location of the sensor (at the side of the house in a rain shadow area) I am assuming it's reading correctly.
I played some more with the anemometer and rain sensors, and it seems the unit I have, behaves similarly to the unit that "snowyskiesau" has. The anemometer movement results in readings in both the "rain" and "wind" segments of the display, and that is with the rain sensor disconnected from the transmitter.
Mark
Mine is still working fine, although as I've stated before, there appears to be a bit of a bug with the easyweather software. I found today I had a last hour rainfall of 9.6mm on the easyweather reading, but the correct zero reading on the main unit. I deleted the easyweather.dat file and re-read the station and the figures were then correct in the easyweather app.
Really interesting to get some feedback on weather stations, I've had one on my shopping list for a while. As one of my prime reasons is for it to measure rain without me having to go out and slither down the muddy slope to where my (manual) gauge lives at the moment, I'm waiting to see how the 2 folk with problems get on.
The Andrews site looks a better bet than eBay, does anyone know if they have an email, couldn't find one.
I got this unit about a week ago too (based on this thread), and only got around to setting it up on the bench last night (couldn't sleep!).
After a few minor annoyances getting it set up (instructions are a bit poor - one of the screws is shorter than the others!), all worked OK. I manually toggled the rain gauge and the readings on the unit and the PC are the same.
Have had none of the problems mentioned in earlier posts.
The examples in the manual seem to show 1 minute interval readings are possible, but the software only allows minimum of 5 minute intervals.
ps. I initially installed the files on C:\easyweather, but it appeared not to be writing to the DAT file. I don't know if this is a Vista security thing, but when I moved the program directory on to my desktop, it worked. I am assuming Vista's "moron proofing" was to blame, so head's up to anyone trying to keep their PC logically organised on Vista!
Slightly annoying that the manual mentioned the "web publishing" software, but there is none. I've referred to the other website mentioned in this post, and it looks like the way to go.
Now, just got to find somewhere to hook it up outside!
I'm quickly finding that the outdoor temperature readings are vastly inaccurate with the sensor up on our tile roof. I thought there'd be some influence from the sun and roof but not as much as has been observed. I don't think this is a particular fault of the system, just that it's up on the roof. I plan to split the system up sometime, put the temperature sensor down under the roof. But unfortunately the temp sensor has the others plugging in to it, so not sure exactly yet what I'll do.
I'm quickly finding that the outdoor temperature readings are vastly inaccurate with the sensor up on our tile roof
Roger, that's to be expected, the heat off the tile roof would be significant, I'm going to mount my thermo/hygro sensor component below the eave level on the shady side of the house. I found that even direct sunlight on the sensor cover is enough to raise the reading above ambient.
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, only one problem Butcherbirds keep perching on the thing
