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Can't get sensor to pair / connect

Discussion specific to Fine Offset and similar rebadged weather stations
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jamesheath
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon 01 Feb 2016 11:59 am
Weather Station: W1081
Operating System: Win 7
Location: Hove

Can't get sensor to pair / connect

Post by jamesheath »

Hi,

I have a W1081 which worked great for ages.
Then I let the batteries die, and I'm now re-commissioning it a year later!

When I put batteries in to the sender, I get the red LED come on, and it stays on.
I then put the batteries in the base unit, which works fine, but does not show the "radio" icon bottom left, which from reading up it should I think.

I've left them with the batteries in for over an hour, (having previously left the base unit without batteries for long enough for it to lose the programmed time) and they haven't paired, and the red LED is still on on the sender unit.

Has anyone had similar experiences? Is it dead?

Thanks,

James
jamesheath
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon 01 Feb 2016 11:59 am
Weather Station: W1081
Operating System: Win 7
Location: Hove

Re: Can't get sensor to pair / connect

Post by jamesheath »

A bit of an update....

I dried the unit out on a rad, and put brand new batteries in it.

Now the RED LED goes off after 4 secs, and then flashes maybe once a minute.
This is more like how the sender is supposed to behave, however the base unit still doesn't pair, or show the radio icon.

(again, I left the batteries out of the base unit for a fair while, then put them in the sender first, followed by the base unit).

I might get a replacement sender from Maplin...
This one is the right one:
http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/maplin-replac ... 96gy-n80nf
though this one looks identical & is even cheaper....
http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/maplin-replac ... 25fr-n79nf

I'm unsure though whether they'll work, given mine seems to be behaving correctly....

One thought - I'm testing this with the unit down off the roof, without the sensors plugged in, but it really should send the temp & humidity without being plugged in surely....

thanks,

James
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: Can't get sensor to pair / connect

Post by AllyCat »

Hi James,

Welcome to the forum. The second transmitter you list definitely will NOT work with your Console. That station does not have a Wind Vane so the data format is different and the receiver will not "understand" it.

However, it's doubtful if even the more expensive transmitter will "connect" to your "old" Console, because Fine Offset changed the wireless protocol about 3 - 4 years ago. How old is your Console? This has been discussed numerous times on the forum.

The transmitter should briefly flash its red LED exactly once every 48 seconds. If it does, then check if the tiny "receive" icon on the Console flashes in unison (or at all). But note that it's a pure "send and hope" system, the transmitter does not "know" if its signal is being received and the receiver icon indicates that it is expecting a signal, not that it is actually receiving one.

Cheers, Alan.
jamesheath
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon 01 Feb 2016 11:59 am
Weather Station: W1081
Operating System: Win 7
Location: Hove

Re: Can't get sensor to pair / connect

Post by jamesheath »

Thanks Alan,

Duly noted about the protocols. IFI try one I'll ensure Maplins will let me take it back if it fails.

I'm on a train at the mo' so I can't check the 48 sec timing, but I'm fairly sure I'm not seeing the base unit get in sync, or even try to.
I've not seen the radio icon on it at all, and it continues to permanently show - - - - - in place of external data.
Is there a trick to getting them to "pair" in the first place?

I may have to give up & replace the whole thing....

Thanks,

James
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: Can't get sensor to pair / connect

Post by AllyCat »

Hi James,

The only "trick" I'm aware of is that you must unplug the USB cable as well as removing/replacing the Console battery, and after powering the transmitter. If everything is "clean", there's not much more that can be done without a fair bit of electronics equipment and expertise.

Yes, I normally recommend that a complete new station is purchased, but when "on offer". Currently, I believe Clas Ohlson have their slightly superior version (868 MHz, Radio Clock, etc.) at £60. The cabled sensors (Wind and Rain) are all compatible so at least you would have some "spares".

Cheers, Alan.
water01
Posts: 3215
Joined: Sat 13 Aug 2011 9:33 am
Weather Station: Ecowitt HP2551
Operating System: Windows 10 64bit
Location: Burnham-on-Sea
Contact:

Re: Can't get sensor to pair / connect

Post by water01 »

When I put batteries in to the sender, I get the red LED come on, and it stays on.
This the symptom I saw after my Fine Offset gave up transmitting after 4yrs 8mnths of use.
David
Image
jamesheath
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon 01 Feb 2016 11:59 am
Weather Station: W1081
Operating System: Win 7
Location: Hove

Re: Can't get sensor to pair / connect

Post by jamesheath »

Hi all,

Well I'm back at home & I can confirm that the sender LED is doing what it should now - coming on for a few secs on power up, then flashing every 48 secs.

I left the batteries out of both & then powered the sender, and then the base, but they still haven't paired.

This was all done without the wind & rain sensors plugged in to the sender unit - but that can't affect the pairing can it?

I can get a replacement 433Mhz sender PCB from ebay - but how can I tell if it's that end that's actually at fault? (and whether it'll use the same protocol).

James
andrewinpopayan
Posts: 38
Joined: Fri 19 Mar 2010 10:03 pm
Weather Station: N96GY
Operating System: Suse Linux 11.2
Location: Wyke, Bradford BD12, UK

Re: Can't get sensor to pair / connect

Post by andrewinpopayan »

Buy a cheap SDR dongle and you can listen up on 433MHz and see if it's actually transmitting. Mine has died as well, still flashes but nothing is transmitted.
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: Can't get sensor to pair / connect

Post by AllyCat »

Hi James,
jamesheath wrote: without the wind & rain sensors plugged in to the sender unit - but that can't affect the pairing can it?

... but how can I tell if it's that end that's actually at fault? (and whether it'll use the same protocol).
No, the sensors shouldn't need to be connected for the transmitter to work (sending temperature and humidity).

Without (or even with) technical equipment it's hard to identify the hardware version. There are usually no external markings and the boxes are sealed closed (with superglue) and need to be prised open. Your version is probably the one shown by Gina in the fourth photo in this old thread. There are other photos later in the thread and in the adjacent "sticky".

Measuring the current from the transmitter batteries may give an indication (without opening the box), by using a resistor, capacitor and ideally a 'scope. The "old" transmitters take a single pulse of about 20 mA for 50 ms (it's FSK). The newer transmitters take a lower current for a hundred+ ms and sometimes a repeat after another hundred+ ms (it's On/Off Keyed modulation). If the pulses don't occur then the transmitter is obviously faulty (but the converse is not necessarily true).

The Console can be opened (8 screws IIRC) and you could check for a pulse lasting a second or two powering up the receiver module (with the antenna wire). Doing much more, is difficult unless you have a data-bus analyser (SPI and I2C).

Cheers, Alan.
andrewinpopayan
Posts: 38
Joined: Fri 19 Mar 2010 10:03 pm
Weather Station: N96GY
Operating System: Suse Linux 11.2
Location: Wyke, Bradford BD12, UK

Re: Can't get sensor to pair / connect

Post by andrewinpopayan »

Cheap SDR dongle. sit the transmitter on top and wait. set the bandwidth to 100KHz either side of 433.900MHz and watch the screen or turn the speakers up. :lol:
jvmkite
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun 14 Oct 2012 10:58 am
Weather Station: Fine Offset with UV sensor
Operating System: Windows XP
Location: Portugal

Re: Can't get sensor to pair / connect

Post by jvmkite »

My batteries also died on my transmitter.

They say Alkaline rechargeable batteries 1.5V that I cannot fined anywhere. Can someone point me out where to buy those? (that can ship international).

Thanks
Jose Martins
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: Can't get sensor to pair / connect

Post by AllyCat »

Hi Jose,

Welcome to the forum.

Just use "normal" Alkaline cells (of a reasonable quality), they are virtually the same. ;)

If you want to use "real" rechargeable batteries (which the "Rechargeable Alkaline" technology isn't), then use either:

2 x "Low Self Discharge" or "Hybrid" NiMH cells (but their lower 1.2 volts may give reduced radio range and/or a "Low TX" Battery icon on the Console), or

2 x NiZn (1.6v but also hard to find), or

1 x LiFePO4 (3.2 volts) cell, sometimes sold as replacements for Solar Garden Lights, with a "Placeholder" (short circuit) AA cell in the second battery compartment. Both are available from China/HK but shipping of Lithium cells can be a problem. Try Fastech.

Note that "AA" cells are often referred to as "14500", so also try that in your searches.

Cheers, Alan.
Warrandyte
Posts: 41
Joined: Sat 06 Apr 2013 11:46 pm
Weather Station: Fine Offset with Solar
Operating System: Windows XP, 7 8 and 10
Location: TIrrannaville NSW Australia

Re: Can't get sensor to pair / connect

Post by Warrandyte »

The trick is to power up the base first, then the transmitter.
Also if it has solar on top the use the reset button with a paperclip.
Don't try too close, line of sight at a few meters is fine for pairing. I had one I couldn't pair when sat next to the receiver.
I just bought rechargeable from the supermarket that worked fine. And kept spare ones that I charged up fully and swapped out every mid winter, as they hate the cold and dark.
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