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 4017) - 17 March 2024

Legacy Cumulus 1 release v1.9.4 (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

Watson W-8681 Mk2 create remote anemometer

Discussion specific to Fine Offset and similar rebadged weather stations
Post Reply
oldpilot
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu 13 Apr 2017 10:55 am
Weather Station: fineoffset WH1080
Operating System: XP /Linux

Watson W-8681 Mk2 create remote anemometer

Post by oldpilot »

Fine Offset, Watson W8681 MkII v Mk I sensors.
When my Mk I base station died I hoped to use my customised (with extension cables) Vane & anemometer with the mkII console, I couldn't find a replacement mk I. There are problems with this because although console seems very similar & works with Mk I transmitter for its internal sensors, the rain & wind reed switch system has been replaced with Hall sensors in a cunning arrangement of just a magnet on the vane feeding two analogue sensors at 90 degs plus a hall sensor instead of the anemometer reed switch and otherwise just an empty board with output being decoded in the transmitter.
If any one has a similar problem I am using an extension cable between the wind unit & transmitter as I don't want the supplied combination up an 8m pole. The extension lead uses a 15m 6 core screened cable with a pair of 4pin 1.5mm JST connectors each end, from main transmitter board ribbon cables sockets to the wind vane anemometer vane unit terminating in the existing 2 JST sockets on the wind vane board. The centre pins of J1 seem to be unused, so screen (GND) + 5 cores is sufficient.
The vane now reliably reports 16 compass points and the anemometer gives plausible wind speeds away from local turbulence.
The plug connections on the vane PCB are:left to right from the socket side
assuming stripe on ribbons indicates pin 1

J2 1 Anemometer via J3 pin 1
2 Vane Vcc
3 Analogue Vane IC T3 out
4 ditto T4 out
J1 1 GND
2,3 unconnected lands
4 Anemometer via J3 pin 2 (pin3 is common GND)
The wind unit has an obvious bolt to release it from the main body. The windvane has a bayonet style lock and a tiny ST locking screw in the entry spigot.
If anyone is interested I can provide annotated pics.
Post Reply