Anemometer just broke!

[mcrossley]

I see you are back on-line Ray - new unit arrived, or fixed the old one?

[RayProudfoot]

Hi Mark,

New unit. Alan who runs the station at Flixton played a blinder helping me set it up. Despite a brisk breeze he went up onto the roof and swapped the old for new.

We found the cups stuck in the gutter of next door. Unbroken but the cap under the wind cups had come off some time ago and this had exposed the inside to the elements. The spindle holding the cups in place had then fractured on Wednesday night.

He took it home and has rung and told me he's cleaned and fixed it. The vane was full of rubbish hence why it wasn't moving much. It will now serve as a backup but as I have the new model which doesn't have a reed switch I would hope it would not be needed for many years if at all.

[mikechristelow]

Will you be updating your Station Info page

Seriously, it's good to see you're fixed again, fingers crossed.

[RayProudfoot]

Good point! I'll give it some thought. Not such good quality after all perhaps.

Relieved to be back up running after 54 hours gap. First time I've had such a break. Just in time for more storms in the next few days.

[mikechristelow]

It's a mare when it breaks or stops - mine (a cheapo TechnoLine affair) fell victim to a blasted spider in early September (obviously taking advantage of the long hot summer we'd had ) and it was a week before I could get up to the chimney stack to clean off the tiniest bit of web that had got wrapped on the spindle.

We'll be watching how you get on over the next few days!

[RayProudfoot]

It's a bit of a poor show when a spider's web stops an anemometer working. If it was something out of "The Lost World" I could understand it but it seems designers don't make much of an effort to ensure they're a bit more robust.

I've decided to write to Davis in the New Year and complain about a supposed professional instrument falling apart after 4.5 years. I don't recall other Davis owners having this problem. I don't live near the coast (30 miles inland) and the highest gust was 54mph so it hasn't exactly been battered.

I don't expect any refund or acceptance of liability from them but I just need to let them know I'm not exactly impressed with a piece of their kit.

[steve]

I had to replace my anemometer after three years; I can't remember exactly what the problem was. I've replaced pretty much all of my VP2 since I got it seven years ago, with the exception of the console and the rain gauge.

[jdc]

FWIW my first 'Instromet' anemometer failed after 11 years and was still mechanically OK. Second one is 7.

[RayProudfoot]

I had to replace my anemometer after three years; I can't remember exactly what the problem was. I've replaced pretty much all of my VP2 since I got it seven years ago, with the exception of the console and the rain gauge.

Steve, the conditions in Orkney are brutal compared to Cheshire. Salt air and much windier. And mine lasted just 18 months longer. That doesn't sound right to me especially when something just drops off initiating the eventual breakdown.

Can the temperature / humidity sensor be replaced and for reasonable cost?

John, that sounds more like a lifespan I would expect.

[steve]

Steve, the conditions in Orkney are brutal compared to Cheshire. Salt air and much windier.

I agree, but it's still the UK here, not Antarctica.

Can the temperature / humidity sensor be replaced

Yes, I've replaced mine twice.

and for reasonable cost?

I paid for one myself (around £150, possibly), but when that one failed after a year, I got McMurdo (UK distributor) to agree to send me a replacement for free.

[mcrossley]

Can the temperature / humidity sensor be replaced and for reasonable cost?

very reasonable if you don't mind using a non-Davis part, and I have a spare one lying around. I used a different construction to Davis that is both simplier and could/should be more reliable and responsive.

[steve]

I'll be talking to you, Mark, when mine (inevitably, it seems) fails again!

[RayProudfoot]

I agree, but it's still the UK here, not Antarctica.

I take your point but you could also argue the US has harsher conditions than the UK so the kit should last longer here. Not sure if Davis suggest how long they would reasonably expect their stuff to last.

I paid for one myself (around £150, possibly), but when that one failed after a year, I got McMurdo (UK distributor) to agree to send me a replacement for free.

That sounds expensive but Mark, your offer sounds a much better option. I have a thermometer / barometer in the hall that's older than me. What is it with fancy digital stuff that makes it so flakey?

[steve]

I take your point but you could also argue the US has harsher conditions than the UK so the kit should last longer here.

I agree; I'm not trying to say that you should have expected yours to have failed by now - I don't think you should. I didn't expect to have had to replace as much of mine as I had to, even here.

[mcrossley]

I'll be talking to you, Mark, when mine (inevitably, it seems) fails again!

The mk II version will be better protected for your 'harsh' (salty) location, I'm waiting for some samples to build one. I'll let you know when I have built and tested one.