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PERSONAL WEATHER STATIONS: Queries and Advice

  • 28-12-2012 2:37pm
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 29,476 ✭✭✭✭Our man in Havana


    I am looking to get a weather station soon and I am looking for suggestions please. Would like to do wind and pressure readings.

    Thanks in advance.


«13456722

Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 845 ✭✭✭tylercollins


    I bought one this time last year from Maplin. Was like £60 but it does the job. Wind speed, temperature, pressure.


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,718 ✭✭✭Matt Simis


    This is one of the Maplin ones (the "PC USB one" based on the Fine Offset) running Cumulus, a free weather station App and Web uploader:
    weather.netcessible.com


    Its ok, but I rigged it up to run from an old DC poweradapter instead of the batteries as it was eating batteries and I have it mounted 5m in the air on a big pole which was getting super annoying to take down every 6weeks. I get better (consistant) readings running from DC power too.


  • Registered Users Posts: 13,462 ✭✭✭✭joujoujou
    Unregistered Users


    Exactly the same as above.

    http://www.ebay.ie/itm/190717691315 (auction ended, but it's just for reference what I'm talking about).

    The one from maplin is quite good, but hungry on batteries. So (if you decide to buy one) make AC adapter, or at least think about lithium batteries.

    Another option is to spend a bit more and buy the same, but with solar panel - one German fellow sold one for me. 2 years now on one set of rechargeables. :D

    Here's mine: http://www.ebay.ie/itm/390511461231

    Cheaper alternative: http://www.ebay.ie/itm/170923849016


  • Registered Users Posts: 219 ✭✭Penname


    I got the Davis Venture Vue from Santa. ;)

    It has a barometer, rain fall indicator, wind direction/speed, temp, forecast, etc. It also gives you data trends in the form of graphs. I think my ISS is in a bad position though. The wind was fierce last night and the anemometer was only reading max gusts of 32 kms/hr. I haven't a huge garden so am limited to where it can go.

    Best of luck with your choice but I definitely recommend the Venture Vue.


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,095 ✭✭✭pad199207


    Penname wrote: »
    I got the Davis Venture Vue from Santa. ;)

    It has a barometer, rain fall indicator, wind direction/speed, temp, forecast, etc. It also gives you data trends in the form of graphs. I think my ISS is in a bad position though. The wind was fierce last night and the anemometer was only reading max gusts of 32 kms/hr. I haven't a huge garden so am limited to where it can go.

    Best of luck with your choice but I definitely recommend the Venture Vue.


    Vantage Vue :D


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,388 ✭✭✭gbee


    Penname wrote: »
    Best of luck with your choice but I definitely recommend the Venture Vue.

    Is it not the Vantage Vue?

    IMO, this is the minimum piece of kit for anyone serious about weather, it's about €400 for the basic unit and can be the same again for the data logger and specialist cables.

    Location is important, the cheap weather stations are fun and challenging and are not consistent so one is constantly adding adjustments as it gets warmer or colder, high wind, high barro and low barro etc. They do have sweet spots, right when everything is medium. :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 219 ✭✭Penname


    gbee wrote: »
    Is it not the Vantage Vue?

    IMO, this is the minimum piece of kit for anyone serious about weather, it's about €400 for the basic unit and can be the same again for the data logger and specialist cables.

    Location is important, the cheap weather stations are fun and challenging and are not consistent so one is constantly adding adjustments as it gets warmer or colder, high wind, high barro and low barro etc. They do have sweet spots, right when everything is medium. :)

    Yes, Vantage - apologies. Can't seem to get that right. :rolleyes:

    It's a little too close to the house so it will be trial and error as to where it goes. I've a couple of options.


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,095 ✭✭✭pad199207


    Its a great station, but a horror to get it in the right position especially if you live in a suburban garden like mine! Its great on batteries too, my ISS ran for two years without changing batteries, albeit with a little help with the solar charging!

    for a weather station it looks great too!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,745 ✭✭✭whitebriar


    I've both a vantage vue and a vantage pro 2 now.

    The vue is much smaller but every bit as good.I've mounted it on a Davis tripod which is secured very well but in an exposed area which became a problem yesterday.
    The slight swaying in the gusts last night was enough to tip its rain spoon wildly,so rain totals were skewed wildly upwards.
    Slight half inch movement's were enough to do this.

    The pro 2 didn't have this problem.

    I'm not sure how to cure this,other than bolt the vue to something more sturdy than its own purpose built tripod.

    The vue console is smaller and neat but rounds temperatures on its display.Is there a way out of that? Its a nuisance especially for dew point.
    The vantage pro 2 console will read the vue signal and display the exact temp to the decimal point.
    Neither are currently connected to a PC/weather link as I am waiting on a USB adapter for my data loggers.Presumably the software shows decimals with the vue?

    I've had the pro 2 with a good few years now.
    I like the mobility of the vue on the tripod.
    Obviously make sure its level and facing south so your wind directions are OK.
    The unit has a spirit level built into it and by the way is simple to set up.

    Data wise so far( running for a week) its mirroring temp wise etc the pro2 data,except for last nights wind/rain spoon issue.


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,095 ✭✭✭pad199207


    Im not sure what year you got your vue in or if they have changed the console, but my Vue console does have decimal values for temps,, you can change it to be rounded or decimal or Fahrenheit.

    Although you are right about the DP values being rounded!


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,745 ✭✭✭whitebriar


    Thanks Pad,fixing the temp was too easy..doh!

    Does the Dp appear in decimals on your weather software? Its rounded on the pro 2 console too so no difference there.


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,095 ✭✭✭pad199207


    No Problem lol!

    Yeah on the software it does appear in decimal form


  • Registered Users Posts: 414 ✭✭Fuh Q


    Mrs Fuh Q asked me earlier, what would you like for your birthday ?
    After realizing a hotel room full of Escorts and Viagra was not an option Im considering a weather station instead.

    I have some questions first,
    Ive been reading other threads about weather stations and their ability to show information on websites, would I be able to set something like that up with very little experience ?
    Does it require a pc to be running 24/7 or can it transmit info via wifi to the site ?
    Can anyone recommend a cheap weather station, or reliable make, or where is safe to buy from ?

    Thanks..


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,671 ✭✭✭Rougies


    Fuh Q wrote: »
    Mrs Fuh Q asked me earlier, what would you like for your birthday ?
    After realizing a hotel room full of Escorts and Viagra was not an option Im considering a weather station instead.

    I have some questions first,
    Ive been reading other threads about weather stations and their ability to show information on websites, would I be able to set something like that up with very little experience ?
    Does it require a pc to be running 24/7 or can it transmit info via wifi to the site ?
    Can anyone recommend a cheap weather station, or reliable make, or where is safe to buy from ?

    Thanks..

    Any consumer level weather station would require a PC running 24/7 to relay data to a website from the station.

    As for experience to set it up, you'd need a fairly good level of knowing your way around a computer but it depends on the weather station and the software/web interface it uses.

    As for a cheap weather station, I couldn't recommend one because they are exactly that, cheap ;)
    As for reliable, Davis are the stations of choice for amateur weather stations. http://www.barryelectronics.ie/7_davis-weather-instruments
    You can see by the prices why we all don't have one!


  • Registered Users Posts: 29 CDSM101


    Rougies wrote: »
    Any consumer level weather station would require a PC running 24/7 to relay data to a website from the station.

    As for experience to set it up, you'd need a fairly good level of knowing your way around a computer but it depends on the weather station and the software/web interface it uses.

    As for a cheap weather station, I couldn't recommend one because they are exactly that, cheap ;)
    As for reliable, Davis are the stations of choice for amateur weather stations. http://www.barryelectronics.ie/7_davis-weather-instruments
    You can see by the prices why we all don't have one!

    Aha that's where your wrong! I got mine from these guys http://www.vantage-vue.com/epages/62168832.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/62168832/Products/6152EU

    Saved a fortune so I did :D


  • Registered Users Posts: 13,462 ✭✭✭✭joujoujou
    Unregistered Users


    Fuh Q wrote: »
    [...]
    Can anyone recommend a cheap weather station, or reliable make, or where is safe to buy from ?

    Thanks..

    What price range you're thinking about?


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,542 ✭✭✭Tactical


    A little of an "old fashioned" approach, but have you considered manual collection of data with individual instruments?

    You could collate and present the data using something like the spreadsheet application on Open Office or MS Excel.

    The data could be presented to many websites.

    I guess it depends on what you're looking to achieve as a manual station requires a lot of effort and the automatic stations really only require a bit of theought in their set up and commissioning, thereafter a little bit of regular maintenance.

    Like all things in life, you generally get what you pay for. Weather stations are no exception.


  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 6,521 Mod ✭✭✭✭Irish Steve


    Yes, the Davis range are great stations, but they are NOT cheap.

    A fair number of people on here are using the stations from Maplin, and when they are on special offer, they are around the €60 mark, and the offers come round several times a year. They are made by a company called Fine Offset, and can be run without being connected to a PC 24/7, and will store readings for upload to a PC. The Sandaysoft forum has software that is more capable than the standard software that comes with the station, and for amateur home type use, where nothing absolutely depends on the results, the combination of the 2 is not bad.

    No, they're not as reliable as the Davis, and they can have problems with reliability, but the spares are cheap, and the end result is pretty close to the results that the Davis will give, with a bit of DIY care with the set up and a few tweaks, the results are very similar, its all part of the learning curve.

    You will get several Maplin stations for the price of 1 Davis, the end result may well be that you've not saved much, and there are some specialised sensors that are only available on the Davis, they are not essential to weather watching, depending on your success and how long you stay weather watching, the initial outlay will be a lot less, which may make it more attractive.

    Shore, if it was easy, everybody would be doin it.😁



  • Registered Users Posts: 695 ✭✭✭talkabout


    Yes, the Davis range are great stations, but they are NOT cheap.

    A fair number of people on here are using the stations from Maplin, and when they are on special offer, they are around the €60 mark, and the offers come round several times a year. They are made by a company called Fine Offset, and can be run without being connected to a PC 24/7, and will store readings for upload to a PC. The Sandaysoft forum has software that is more capable than the standard software that comes with the station, and for amateur home type use, where nothing absolutely depends on the results, the combination of the 2 is not bad.

    No, they're not as reliable as the Davis, and they can have problems with reliability, but the spares are cheap, and the end result is pretty close to the results that the Davis will give, with a bit of DIY care with the set up and a few tweaks, the results are very similar, its all part of the learning curve.

    You will get several Maplin stations for the price of 1 Davis, the end result may well be that you've not saved much, and there are some specialised sensors that are only available on the Davis, they are not essential to weather watching, depending on your success and how long you stay weather watching, the initial outlay will be a lot less, which may make it more attractive.


    I have the above station and its great value, my first station lasted about two years and i just replaced it in November, but for €60 you can't go wrong. Long term i would like to get a Davis but the Fine Offset is a good start and spare parts are easy to come by.


  • Registered Users Posts: 845 ✭✭✭tylercollins


    Another person using the Maplin station here. Have it connected to the computer to upload data to my website (http://www.derryweather.co.uk/weather - currently in early development stages) But I haven't had a days bother in the year that I have owned it and I haven't had to change the batteries on the station yet either!

    I'd recommend the Maplin one for starting out, but as talkabout as said above, long term I want a Davis


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  • Registered Users Posts: 414 ✭✭Fuh Q


    joujoujou wrote: »
    What price range you're thinking about?
    As cheap as possible without being a complete wast of money.


  • Registered Users Posts: 414 ✭✭Fuh Q


    Thanks guys, Ive had a look at the Maplins website and there are a couple of weather stations, can someone post a link to the station you are using please ?


  • Registered Users Posts: 845 ✭✭✭tylercollins




  • Registered Users Posts: 414 ✭✭Fuh Q



    Think Ill have to go to Maplins during the week.


  • Registered Users Posts: 695 ✭✭✭talkabout


    Fuh Q wrote: »
    Think Ill have to go to Maplins during the week.

    They usually offer it on special for around £60 , may be best to hold off for a few weeks as this normally happens 4 or 5 times a year.


  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 6,521 Mod ✭✭✭✭Irish Steve


    There are some B grade units on the web site at the moment,

    http://www.maplin.co.uk/b-grade-usb-wireless-weather-forecaster-683950

    Under £50, which is good, still have 12 months guarantee. Not sure what the Euro price will be, or if they have them in the Irish Stores

    A tip for delivery, depending on where you live, I've used them a lot recently, Parcel Motel, as they are a UK delivery address that bring things to the Republic (lots of locations) for €3.50.

    http://www.maplin.co.uk/b-grade-usb-touchscreen-wireless-weather-forecaster-682792

    Similar item

    http://www.maplin.co.uk/usb-touchscreen-wireless-weather-forecaster-228825 is a full price one, but the offers come round pretty often, so unless you are desperate for one, this is too much to pay.

    The important aspects are USB, as that's how it connects to a PC, without that, there's no data capture facility.

    Shore, if it was easy, everybody would be doin it.😁



  • Registered Users Posts: 13,462 ✭✭✭✭joujoujou
    Unregistered Users


    There is another option - not to go to maplins. ;)

    http://www.pjboner.com/products-page/signatrol/wh3080-low-cost-weather-station-with-solar-panel/

    Above one is also a fine offset device, no price mentioned, but presumably price would be even better than maplins.

    Already bought some stuff from pjboner, can recommend them.

    Otherwise - ebay.

    http://www.ebay.ie/itm/170923849016


  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 6,521 Mod ✭✭✭✭Irish Steve


    joujoujou wrote: »
    There is another option - not to go to maplins. ;)

    http://www.pjboner.com/products-page/signatrol/wh3080-low-cost-weather-station-with-solar-panel/

    Above one is also a fine offset device, no price mentioned, but presumably price would be even better than maplins.

    They may well be advertising it on their site, but if you try to find it in their on line shop, it's not listed, which makes me wonder if they've given up selling them.

    Shore, if it was easy, everybody would be doin it.😁



  • Registered Users Posts: 414 ✭✭Fuh Q


    Thanks, Im thinking Maplins maybe the better option as they stock replacement parts.

    What does "B Grade" mean ?


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  • Registered Users Posts: 845 ✭✭✭tylercollins


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