Cumulus Support

I know you're not meant to expose the temperature sensor to sunlight but is it not designed in such a way as to overcome this, a la below?



I've been getting some erratic temps for the last 2 days, we're having a lovely settled spell in Ireland but I don't think it's quite up to 18°, more like 14/15. Also the rise seems to be too steep, and mostly in late afternoon strangely enough. I'm concerned an aluminium shield might interfere with the signal as I don't really have much choice in where I locate the station.

Thanks. (it's the WH1081 by the way).

You have put the radiation shield on incorrectly. Look in the shield and you will see the slots cut to accommodate the wireless sender, you have used to wrong ones.

Sorry for the misunderstanding, that's just a picture I took from the website...

Hi,

No, the supplied "Solar Shield" is not adequate for use in direct sunlight. I've measured (intentionally) a 5 degrees C rise in direct sunlight.

There are many threads with suggestions on the forum (particularly in the "Fine Offset" and "Homebuilt" sections), but any metal cover will probably "kill" the wireless link.

A better solution is to locate the sensor out of direct sunlight, but painting the shield "brilliant white" may help. Others have constructed a "Stevenson Screen" and/or added a (solar powered) fan.

Cheers, Alan.

Thanks Alan, it's just that most of the places out of direct sunlight are also shielded from the base station Anyway I'll check out those other suggestions, thanks.

Here's what you can do with a set of plastic picnic plates!

This now varies by about 1 degree in the sunniest part of the day when compared to a thermometer I have mounted under a tree over grass, so I'm happy with that.

I've bought some solar powered fans (sitting on my desk whirling away at the moment) but still trying to decide on the picnic plate stack or drain pipe method of radiation shielding.
I've been looking for 90 mm pipe with (at least) a 100mm cap for it. So far no luck at the local hardware store.

In the morning, my temperatures can be 5 degrees or more above Tony's South Franklin site which only a few kms up the road.