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Old Cumulus user, new Davis user

Discussion specific to Davis weather stations
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fractonimbus
Posts: 159
Joined: Thu 03 Feb 2011 1:15 am
Weather Station: WH1091
Operating System: Windows 7 on a Dell Vostro
Location: Canberra

Old Cumulus user, new Davis user

Post by fractonimbus »

I've had a Fine Offset weather station running on Cumulus since 2011, with remarkably few problems. The FO device is starting to collapse through old age, so I am planning an upgrade to a Davis Vantage Vue. I have a fairly heavily customised version of Cumulus (many extra gadget data streams uploaded), so I want to keep using Cumulus. My question: is setting up Cumulus for the Davis unit straight forward?
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dazza1223
Posts: 860
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Weather Station: Davis Vantage Pro 2 plus
Operating System: Raspberry pi 4 (4gb)
Location: Worthing
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Re: Old Cumulus user, new Davis user

Post by dazza1223 »

yh it is mate but make sure you get the data logger with it as you will need that to talk to Cumulus
Have fun and keep learning

dazza :D

https://www.davisworthing.co.uk

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fractonimbus
Posts: 159
Joined: Thu 03 Feb 2011 1:15 am
Weather Station: WH1091
Operating System: Windows 7 on a Dell Vostro
Location: Canberra

Re: Old Cumulus user, new Davis user

Post by fractonimbus »

Thanks. I was planning to get the USB software dongle device so that I can plug it into my Cumulus PC.
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dazza1223
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Weather Station: Davis Vantage Pro 2 plus
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Re: Old Cumulus user, new Davis user

Post by dazza1223 »

well then your all set to go .. :D
Have fun and keep learning

dazza :D

https://www.davisworthing.co.uk

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ExperiMentor
Posts: 214
Joined: Tue 24 Nov 2015 11:30 pm
Weather Station: Fine Offset & Davis Vantage Vue
Operating System: Windows 10; Raspbian Buster
Location: Switzerland

Re: Old Cumulus user, new Davis user

Post by ExperiMentor »

Can you guys tell me why the Davis Vantage Vue is worth so much cash?

I too have a Fine Offset and it's been great for years, and the Davis Vantage Vue looks like a toy by comparison. Why does it cost like 10x as much and is it worth it?
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dazza1223
Posts: 860
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Weather Station: Davis Vantage Pro 2 plus
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Re: Old Cumulus user, new Davis user

Post by dazza1223 »

i have a Fine Offset st and i dint like it and as it kept locking up all the time.. and the davis st are the best as thay are so reliable and ive had mine for 4 years now and never had any think go rong with it do u mind me asking why u want to upgrade? and how much are thay going for? and i got mine for £399 with usb data
Have fun and keep learning

dazza :D

https://www.davisworthing.co.uk

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fractonimbus
Posts: 159
Joined: Thu 03 Feb 2011 1:15 am
Weather Station: WH1091
Operating System: Windows 7 on a Dell Vostro
Location: Canberra

Re: Old Cumulus user, new Davis user

Post by fractonimbus »

I'm upgrading because the old (2011) Fine Offset is no longer recording rain. Spiders next in the rain gauge but even when I clean them out, the wig-wag rain sensor is no longer counting rainfall.
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dazza1223
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Weather Station: Davis Vantage Pro 2 plus
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Re: Old Cumulus user, new Davis user

Post by dazza1223 »

so ok good pont how much have you seen them for?
Have fun and keep learning

dazza :D

https://www.davisworthing.co.uk

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PaulMy
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Re: Old Cumulus user, new Davis user

Post by PaulMy »

Davis products are more expensive compared to the AcuRite, FineOffset/Ambient brands because of their quality, and maybe more costly to produce for its engineering, after sales support, non-obsolescence, and optional extras for specific users https://www.davisinstruments.com/usecase/agriculture/

I don't believe however that the Vue costs 10 times as much is any-where's near correct. The Davis Vue is far from a toy, and more would say the other way around. Granted the Davis line does not have the touch screen and colour display that many of the others are sold on!

The Davis is often selected if it is important for the user such as
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBONmp1Z0eQ
https://www.davisinstruments.com/dont-m ... n-chicago/


Enjoy,
Paul
Davis Vantage Pro2+
C1 www.komokaweather.com/komokaweather-ca
MX www.komokaweather.com/cumulusmx/index.htm /index.html /index.php
MX www.komokaweather.com/cumulusmxwll/index.htm /index.html /index.php
MX www. komokaweather.com/cumulusmx4/index.htm

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fractonimbus
Posts: 159
Joined: Thu 03 Feb 2011 1:15 am
Weather Station: WH1091
Operating System: Windows 7 on a Dell Vostro
Location: Canberra

Re: Old Cumulus user, new Davis user

Post by fractonimbus »

>> so ok good point how much have you seen them for?

The Davis Vantage Vues sell for around AU $650 here, plus another 200 for the USB or Ethernet connections.

The Fine Offset was about AU $120, 7 years ago. It lasted pretty well, but the rain gauge has been playing up (even without the spiders) for a year or so.
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PaulMy
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Re: Old Cumulus user, new Davis user

Post by PaulMy »

The Vue can be had for $247US and datalogger at $117. We pay about 25-30% more in our C$ plus shipping.
The Davis VP2 is $428 plus datalogger.
However these models may not be available for AU.

I presume the $120 of a few years ago would be a little different now.

Enjoy,
Paul
Davis Vantage Pro2+
C1 www.komokaweather.com/komokaweather-ca
MX www.komokaweather.com/cumulusmx/index.htm /index.html /index.php
MX www.komokaweather.com/cumulusmxwll/index.htm /index.html /index.php
MX www. komokaweather.com/cumulusmx4/index.htm

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BCJKiwi
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Re: Old Cumulus user, new Davis user

Post by BCJKiwi »

Check out the AUS radio communications regulations.
Most of these frequencies have been rationalised around the world.
Here in NZ we were unable to use the US Davis kit without infringing the frequency range but that all changed a few years ago with the rationalisation and we can now legally use the US kit. It may be the same for you.

If not there is always the cabled option (VP2 Only) if that will work for you. You can daisy chain multiple envoys/consoles off the console cabled to the ISS if required.
ExperiMentor
Posts: 214
Joined: Tue 24 Nov 2015 11:30 pm
Weather Station: Fine Offset & Davis Vantage Vue
Operating System: Windows 10; Raspbian Buster
Location: Switzerland

Re: Old Cumulus user, new Davis user

Post by ExperiMentor »

PaulMy wrote: Mon 10 Dec 2018 10:17 pm I don't believe however that the Vue costs 10 times as much is any-where's near correct.
On Amazon.co.uk, best price for a Davis Vantage Vue is £373.69 plus £176.88 for the USB data logger = £550.57.
The Fine Offset from Maplin was £50 or often even £40 when on offer.
That's more than 10x as much by my arithmetic.

All spares are available for Fine Offset too - eg the rain sensor is under £5 if cleaning it out doesn't work.
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mcrossley
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Re: Old Cumulus user, new Davis user

Post by mcrossley »

The third party data loggers are *much* cheaper!
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