WS90 Mounting Pole

[LindaFNM]

Please can anyone with a WS90 advise regarding a mounting pole? I’m contemplating purchasing one of these in the hope that it’s better weather sealed than the WS80. I currently have a 30mm inside diameter pole with a WS80 on it, and luckily discovered that the WS90 mounts differently. It seems that the maximum diameter pole is 1” which doesn’t seem very sturdy, and my current set up will be too big.

Otherwise, does anyone have a really new WS80, if so, is the plug in temperature module better than the wired protruding from the bottom of the older models please? I live on the coast and I can only assume that salt penetration is affecting these things after a year.

Thanks very much.

[broadstairs]

I have a WS80 with a type 2 plugin temp/hum sensor but the last one failed after 8 months, was replaced under warranty. Here's hoping this one last better. I live about 800 yds up from the sea front! Re the WS90 mounting I've seen reports that 1in is too big and 3/4in too small. Probably a metric size so not sure what to suggest.

Stuart

[LindaFNM]

Thanks for responding. I’ll give up on the WS90 I think. I can’t be bothered to mess about with new poles etc.

Not very inspiring news re your WS80!! I’m a mile or so inland, but still get a lot of salt. Was rather hoping they’d cured the unreliability problems. I guess at least the module is only £20 as opposed to the cost of a whole new unit. Looks like an order for a new WS80 and see how long the module lasts I suppose.

[broadstairs]

There are 3 types of temp/hum sensor. The old one wired in, a type 2 and a type 3 these latter two are not interchangeable but both are plugin ones. If you are in the UK and in the future you need a new one I believe Weather Spares usually stock both type 2 and 3.

Stuart

[LindaFNM]

Stuart,

Thanks again for the info, good to know that spares are easy to get, although I assume there’ll be a years warranty. My first WS80 lasted a year and was replaced under warranty, this is the replacement also just had its first birthday. Yes, I’m in the UK on the south coast between Southampton and Bournemouth. The temperature is appearing and then not transmitting intermittently so I’m guessing that there’s damp in there somewhere, especially since we’re thawing after days of frost. The rest of the unit is OK so it isn’t a power issue.

I’ll purchase a new WS80 and hope for the best……

Linda

[broadstairs]

Are you sure your current one is a wired sensor? My WS80 is nearly a year old now (a warranty replacement) and it came with a type 2. When mine fails I lose temp, hum and solar readings until I unplug the sensor

Stuart

[LindaFNM]

Interesting. I’m just losing the temperature, like you, I lost everything except the anemometer when things went wrong before. I think I need to get my husband to get the unit down and unscrew the heat shield to see. I’d assumed as it was January 22 it was pre the plug in units. It’s odd that it is just the temperature playing up. I’m wondering if a careful session with my hairdryer could improve things too I’ll get the whole thing down tomorrow and take a look. Very grateful for your time. It’s been OK for a couple of hours again now so it could be some sort of damp problem. I’m guessing if there was relatively warm sunshine it could cause some sort of internal condensation. I did notice that the gauze over the sonic upper part is starting to go rusty at the edges.

Linda

[Big Daddy]

I had a type 1 in my first WS80 which failed, it was just out of warranty so Ecowitt kindky sent me a WH32 outdoor T&H sensor as an alternative. A few months later the batteries in the WS80 were lasting about 2 months. I complained, and though even further out of warranty than before, Ecowitt sent me a complete replacement WS80. 3 months later, I have no T&H and have reverted back to the WH32. I took the unit down, its on a 10m pole, and it has a type 2 T&H sensor. I emailed Ecowitt and they are sending a replacement sensor free of charge....from China.

Whilst I cant fault Ecowitts customer service, I'm not very impressed with the quality. This seems to be a widespread issue, so much so that they have changed the sensors to be replaceable and sell them as spares.

[LindaFNM]

I too appreciate Ecowitt’s customer service, having has much the same experience as you, they try hard and at least they engage with their customers.

My T/H sensor has had a couple more ‘blips’ but seems to have settled down again now, I’m wary as this is what happened before when the T/H sensor failed. Personally, and I appreciate that this isn’t everyone’s point of view, I think I’d rather pay a little more for better weather sealing etc. I live near the sea, although not in a particularly exposed location and we get gales and salt. I’m still contemplating a WS90 in the hope of better construction….

[Gyvate]

usually people end up in the forums to complain - those who are happy and have no issues rarely comment here.
So even 5-10 people here having issues with Ecowitt hardware doesn't mean that they produce generally low quality. Scientifically it's highly doubtful to draw such consclusions.
Not knowing the number of units sold such conclusions are not representative - although in the personal case the experience may be very inconvenient.

I know of quite a few people, myself included, who haven't had any issues with their Ecowitt weather stations. My WS69, WS80 and WS90 outdoor arrays run flawlessly (WS69 3+ years, WS80 2 1/2+ years, WS90 1+ year) - same with my consoles (GW1000, GW1100, GW2000, HP2551, WS2320E and WN1910).

One Swedish GW1000 clone came with a defective pressure chip - and Ecowitt sent me a replacement chip (even though they are not directly responsible for rebrander models). Meanwhile I know that I can just cut off (or unsolder) the indoor T/H sensor wires and it will read the data from my WH32B (indoor) sensor which came with my HP2551 console.

For me Ecowitt is a success story - price-quality-lifespan ratio very high. Customer service far beyond expection.

There are here and there issues with certain devices - admitted - but the WS80 is a very stable and reliable outdoor array - as is the WS69.
The WS90 shows still accuracy issues with its new haptic rain sensor - even though - over time - running a WS69 rain gauge, a WH40 rain gauge (with heightened rim) and a WS90 in parallel (plus two manual rain gauges), the deviations are not that big and interestingly iron out from a weekly or monthly perspective. The charm with the WS90 is that there are no movable parts and the T/H sensor can be upgraded to a SHT35 model. What I did. Again, the deviations including a console based temperature adjustment are imo quite acceptable.

The diameter of the mounting pole for the WS90 is unusual - I use a 2.5 cm (one inch) aluminium pipe which has been working very well. "Survived" winds up to 100 km/h (62 miles/hour).

[HansR]

I do agree with @Gyvate, I definitely am happy with the Ecowitt ecology.