Cumulus Support

Hi all, over the years I have had lots of cheap Chinese clone stations from maplin, they all last a year or two, I then tried the more expensive maplin n23dq two died in 18 months
so next came a davis vantage vue, this has now got problems with water ingress and killing batteries every 3 months it's about 16 months old

So the questions are, what is a reliable station? what do I get next ? am I expecting to much from them?

any brand anybody would recommend, any sensors that last and can be put together easily either swapped into a clone station or a pi
I'm at a loss as to what to try next.
Suggestions very welcome please

trebor wrote:so next came a davis vantage vue, this has now got problems with water ingress and killing batteries every 3 months it's about 16 months old

and have you claimed a warranty call on your Davis? they come with 2 year warranty.

Davis Vantage Pro 2. Here's my history...

1) Purchased VP2 with additional wireless anemometer transmitter in April 2009.

2) First failure of anemometer in December 2013 when cups broke in a 52mph gust. Replacements provided FOC but new anemometer purchased for continuity of records. Original kept as backup.

3) Anemometer needed repairing in March 2017 after dirt ingress into cup bearings. Returned for FOC repair with new designed bearings. Original put up for continuity of records.

And that's it. Original ISS still running as is the anemometer transmitter. Continuous records kept since 10 May 2009. The weak element appears to be the anemometer but to Davis's credit they have continued to tweak the design and my UK supplier (ProData) has been very helpful.

Running a station is always going to involve maintenance costs but I would class the VP2 as very reliable with the exception of the anemometer which continues to have its design modified to make it as robust as possible.

Orkney is very hard on weather stations.

I am not in a windy climate like Orkney, and not close to a sea - if you don't include the Great Lakes, but do get temperature from over 35°C to -30°C, and feet of snow and blizzards. My VP2 will be 10 years old in July and has stood there for all that time just working fine with all I've ever done is change the ISS battery twice, just because I thought I should after the last one was in nearly 7 years. Oh, the wind had blow out and I lost that old style rain gauge screen several years ago My experience with Davis station: EXCELLENT!

Enjoy,
Paul

Toxic17 wrote:

trebor wrote:so next came a davis vantage vue, this has now got problems with water ingress and killing batteries every 3 months it's about 16 months old

and have you claimed a warranty call on your Davis? they come with 2 year warranty.

it has been sent back today to be checked. I'm not sure what if anything can be done about water ingress, it's just bad design, but i'll see what is said.


I did think about a vp2 but after the poor experience with the vue i'm not inclined to give davis even more money, which leaves me stuck, I just don't know what to try next, I think it'll be cheap fine offset clones and just consider them disposable, unless someone suggests another make.

FWIW......
I've had an Instromet station since 1995. I'm on my second anemometer, temp sensor and solar sensor. The display (electromechanical) is still fine and only downside is that it is cabled. Logger runs 24/7 for months with no problems.

Davis VP2 with remote anemometer and soil sensors has been flawless since 2011. I only bought it so that I could use Cumulus.
I'm on an exposed site, near the sea.

So there is probably a certain amount of 'you get what you pay for'.

jdc wrote:So there is probably a certain amount of 'you get what you pay for'.

I think the Vue was built for the interested amateur as opposed to the VP2 which is aimed more at the enthusiastic amateur. No water ingress into either of my transmitters and I live near Manchester

My experience with both the Vantage Vue and VP2 hasn't been good. The VP2 has been dire to put it bluntly. I got it on March 1st 2016, I have gone through 3 anemometers, a solar sensor and a rain gauge in that time. If something fails again, i'm not replacing it anymore, i'll let it die.

steve wrote:Orkney is very hard on weather stations.

Certainly is!