Welcome to the Cumulus Support forum.

Latest Cumulus MX V3 release 3.28.6 (build 3283) - 21 March 2024

Cumulus MX V4 beta test release 4.0.0 (build 4019) - 03 April 2024

Legacy Cumulus 1 release 1.9.4 (build 1099) - 28 November 2014
(a patch is available for 1.9.4 build 1099 that extends the date range of drop-down menus to 2030)

Download the Software (Cumulus MX / Cumulus 1 and other related items) from the Wiki

Lubricate anemometer?

Discussion specific to Fine Offset and similar rebadged weather stations
Post Reply
User avatar
KarlS
Posts: 137
Joined: Tue 30 Nov 2010 3:01 pm
Weather Station: Ecowitt GW1003 / WH32 / WH41
Operating System: 64bit Bookworm on Pi4
Location: Bridge Lake, BC, Canada
Contact:

Lubricate anemometer?

Post by KarlS »

My anemometer is stuck for nearly a week now. Below zero temperatures and unusually high humidity (together with day-long fog periods) produce this:

Image

This is an older picture of the anemometer; because of the fog it’s barely visible at the moment. It sits on top of a power pole about 10m above ground, so it’s not easy to “give it a push”. I’m sure it will start spinning again as soon as the sun comes through sometime later this week ...

Anyway, has anybody any experience or suggestions with lubricating this thing to prevent the freeze up? I know WD40 is not so good at lower temperatures. How about silicone spray? Or should I just leave it alone?
AllyCat
Posts: 1124
Joined: Sat 26 Feb 2011 1:58 pm
Weather Station: Fine Offset 1080/1 & 3080
Operating System: Windows XP SP3
Location: SE London

Re: Lubricate anemometer?

Post by AllyCat »

Hi Karl,

Note that Fine Offset have now changed the design of the anemometer so that there is a larger gap between the rotating and stationary parts. For example, see the Maplin Spare Part, but sadly they don't export from UK and I've never seen anybody else sell it at such a low price.

But if wonder if any design (or the vane) can resist that degree of frost. Perhaps a "hydrophobic" spray such as WD-40 or "Rain-X" (primarily intended for car windows) could help, but it will presumably need to be applied at least before every winter.

Cheers, Alan.
uncle_bob
Posts: 505
Joined: Wed 17 Aug 2011 2:58 pm
Weather Station: WeatherDuino Pro2
Operating System: 2008
Location: Canberra

Re: Lubricate anemometer?

Post by uncle_bob »

I was thinking that it might be an idea (good or bad, dunno :) ) to get some heating elements retro fitted somehow.
Interested in building your own Weather Station? Maybe check out the WeatherDuino Pro Project Here
Conder, Canberra Weather
Image
AllyCat
Posts: 1124
Joined: Sat 26 Feb 2011 1:58 pm
Weather Station: Fine Offset 1080/1 & 3080
Operating System: Windows XP SP3
Location: SE London

Re: Lubricate anemometer?

Post by AllyCat »

Hi,

Well, the FO wind sensors are easy to dismantle, so you could simply insert a "watty" resistor or perhaps a small car/auto bulb. I don't know the optimum power, but perhaps 2 watts (for each sensor) might be enough.

However, it would be necessry to run a "power" cable, which rather defeats the "wireless" feature of the station. Also, by running a ("grounded") cable up to the wind sensors you would be potentially creating a "lightning conductor", so some caution is required.

But before somebody suggests a solar panel, I've just estimated that you'd probably need around 1 square meter! It happens that the Latitude of Bridge Lake (51 degrees) is almost identical to mine in London, so it was easy to check (in Cumulus) that the peak mid-winter illumination (with a clear sky) is 250 watts/m2 (if the panel is tilted at 50 degrees), say 150 watts for an average of 4 hours a day. With a 15% panel efficiency that would be less than 4 watts continuous, averaged over 24 hours. :(

Of course you'd (also) need a backup/standby battery, but even a car battery would be only good for less than a week (say 600 watt-hours) without charging.

Cheers, Alan.
anabatic
Posts: 10
Joined: Sat 26 Nov 2011 9:29 am
Weather Station: Fineoffset
Operating System: Windows XP Pro 64-bit
Location: Burray, Orkney

Re: Lubricate anemometer?

Post by anabatic »

It would be useful to free it sooner than later. My unit started sticking at low wind speeds so it wouldn't turn but was ok once the wind got up. It eventually seized totally and before I could get to it we had some severe gales which ripped the cup section totally off the sensor and landed in the field next door. The resident cows took a liking to it and chewed two of the cups off.

I have just taken delivery of a replacement unit plus a spare just in case of future problems.

Just need the wind to die down enough to get out and drop the pole, swap the units and get it back up again.
It's only a breeze until the windspeed gets into 3-figures then it's windy.
User avatar
KarlS
Posts: 137
Joined: Tue 30 Nov 2010 3:01 pm
Weather Station: Ecowitt GW1003 / WH32 / WH41
Operating System: 64bit Bookworm on Pi4
Location: Bridge Lake, BC, Canada
Contact:

Re: Lubricate anemometer?

Post by KarlS »

It's working again. A little sunshine, a little wind ... Still heavily covered in icicles, so I don’t know how reliable it is at the moment.
I guess I will check out some method of "heating" like Alan suggested as soon as I can get to it next spring.

Image
(Click to enlarge)
User avatar
jpsc
Posts: 179
Joined: Tue 23 Aug 2011 6:06 pm
Weather Station: Davis Vantage Vue, belfryboy USB
Operating System: Raspbian Bullseye
Location: Wye valley, Herefordshire, UK
Contact:

Re: Lubricate anemometer?

Post by jpsc »

My N96FY anemometer stopped after two months, not ice but a wind gust. I don't know if it snapped or bent something.

Maplin mail order will arrive by the weekend and I'll just replace it and then see if anything can be salvaged for spares.
John Cooper

Cumulus 3 on RPi3 with SSD

http://weather.mountpleasanthouse.uk

Image
User avatar
gluepack
Posts: 460
Joined: Tue 22 Jan 2013 9:20 pm
Weather Station: PCE-FWS 20
Operating System: Win 7 Pro
Location: Zlatina, Bulgaria

Re: Lubricate anemometer?

Post by gluepack »

Mine stuck in mildly freezing conditions almost immediately after it was installed. I used WD40 on it at that time, which resolved the problem, and I have had no problem since. Third winter now and recent temperature was -16C with no negative effect.
Image

PWS links: WundergroundIVARNAPR3CWOP/APRSE(W)2048PWSWeatherZLATINABGAwekas10631Twitter@Zlatina_weather
Station type: PCE-FWS 20…Webcam link: View south to edge of Provadisko plateau
User avatar
mcrossley
Posts: 12766
Joined: Thu 07 Jan 2010 9:44 pm
Weather Station: Davis VP2/WLL
Operating System: Bullseye Lite rPi
Location: Wilmslow, Cheshire, UK
Contact:

Re: Lubricate anemometer?

Post by mcrossley »

KarlS wrote:I guess I will check out some method of "heating" like Alan suggested as soon as I can get to it next spring.
Well, you've got no shortage of 'free' power there! :lol:
User avatar
KarlS
Posts: 137
Joined: Tue 30 Nov 2010 3:01 pm
Weather Station: Ecowitt GW1003 / WH32 / WH41
Operating System: 64bit Bookworm on Pi4
Location: Bridge Lake, BC, Canada
Contact:

Re: Lubricate anemometer?

Post by KarlS »

mcrossley wrote:Well, you've got no shortage of 'free' power there! :lol:
Ahhh Mark, you're right about 'no shortage' (at least most of the time), but I wonder about the 'free' part. I'll have to talk to the local power company about that. :)
User avatar
KD0RII
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed 29 May 2013 5:11 am
Weather Station: WS-1090 Aspirated
Operating System: Win 7
Location: Melvern, KS

Re: Lubricate anemometer?

Post by KD0RII »

I found "PB™ Penetrating Catalyst" to be a superior lubricant for the purpose. Available everywhere.
"...displaces moisture, does not evaporate. It remains on the surface as a lubricant and rust inhibitor."
http://www.blastercorp.com

If you leave a gap when reassembling instead of snapping it all the way back on, you can avoid the frozen surface tension problem.
Image
Post Reply