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A mysterious lapse into constant zero readings on temperature

Discussion and questions about Cumulus weather station software version 1. This section is the main place to get help with Cumulus 1 software developed by Steve Loft that ceased development in November 2014.
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cohort
Posts: 19
Joined: Tue 24 Dec 2013 1:23 pm
Weather Station: Fine Offset WH1080
Operating System: Windows 7
Location: York
Contact:

A mysterious lapse into constant zero readings on temperature

Post by cohort »

I am running Cumulus 1.9.4 on a Fine Offset station. Over the winter I had a mechanical problem when the anonemeter gave up the ghost after long service but I was able to get a replacement part from China at a VERY reasonable cost. One problem sorted. That was then replaced by a total lack of any temperature readings very soon after. Cumulus now gives a relentless error message of having lost sensor contact. I did the usual changing of all batteries but then noticed that not only was the error message persisting but also the temperature was at zero all the the time but all other readings appeared normal. Is this a failure of another part of the Fine Offset? It IS about 12 years old after all. Or can I do something within Cumulus that will "wake up the sensor" so to speak. Perhaps something in the Cumulus ini maybe? I have scoured the forum for a similar problem but after several searches I decided to do this post as others have had inaccurate/erratic readings but not, as far as I can tell, from an ice planet out on the fringes of the Solar System :lol: Any thoughts would be much appreciated as I am boggled enough by Covid 19 to spare much thought as to what might be wrong with a weather station

Steve
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Super-T
Posts: 890
Joined: Tue 09 Sep 2008 3:37 am
Weather Station: wh-1081
Operating System: Weather Laptop - Windows 10 Pro
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
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Re: A mysterious lapse into constant zero readings on temperature

Post by Super-T »

Maybe Dismantle the outdoor sensor and check for moisture across the temperature sensor and if so dry it all out.
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beteljuice
Posts: 3292
Joined: Tue 09 Dec 2008 1:37 pm
Weather Station: None !
Operating System: W10 - Threadripper 16core, etc
Location: Dudley, West Midlands, UK

Re: A mysterious lapse into constant zero readings on temperature

Post by beteljuice »

Cumulus, along with some other softwares, assumes lack of outside temp as a catastrophic failure.

That being said ...
Does the station console show outdoor readings ?

The anemometer connection may well be a little bit awry causing a short, or perhaps your original problem was corroded contacts :shock:
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......................Imagine, what you will KNOW tomorrow !
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: A mysterious lapse into constant zero readings on temperature

Post by AllyCat »

Hi,

Do you mean zero degrees (0 deg.C) or "no reading" ("---") ?

The "old" versions of the WH-1080 use a thermistor in their external transmitter, read by an ADC "shared" with the Wind VANE. If there is any "leakage" (water or maybe worse) between the Vane core and the Anemometer Ground core in the cable /connector, then the temperature may be reported incorrectly (or not all if out of the expected range). So, check the temperature with the Wind cable unplugged (and the socket cleaned and dry).

Cheers, Alan.
cohort
Posts: 19
Joined: Tue 24 Dec 2013 1:23 pm
Weather Station: Fine Offset WH1080
Operating System: Windows 7
Location: York
Contact:

Re: A mysterious lapse into constant zero readings on temperature

Post by cohort »

Thanks for the replies, much appreciated. It has convinced me, at the moment, that Cumulus itself can't be corrected so it looks like a "mechanical" fault with the Fine Offset is the cause of the problem. Yes, I am getting a (---) reading on the console for the outside temperature so that, combined with the constant alert about Lost Sensor Contact means I have a problem outdoors. But now it is cold and raining! So...no immediate checking will be done but I will take the mast down asap and go through all the connections. I have a hot air blower in the shed so might just use it to applying some drying therapy.
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bookeyuk
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun 09 Aug 2020 4:04 pm
Weather Station: Fine Offset
Operating System: PI

Re: A mysterious lapse into constant zero readings on temperature

Post by bookeyuk »

Hi,

I have recently started with the same issue, before I scale the side of my house. Did drying out the sensors resolve your issue?

Thanks
Paul
cohort
Posts: 19
Joined: Tue 24 Dec 2013 1:23 pm
Weather Station: Fine Offset WH1080
Operating System: Windows 7
Location: York
Contact:

Re: A mysterious lapse into constant zero readings on temperature

Post by cohort »

Hi Paul, jst noticed your hopeful reply from August. So sorry about that but what with the Coronavirus meltdown and other troubles I simply gave up on the idea of fixing it and now just limp along as best I can. Have you fixed YOUR problem. LOL :P . Just taken delivery of a Davis Vantage Pro but hardly dare set it up just in case THAT malfunctions as well

regards Steve
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