Cumulus Support

RayProudfoot wrote:Knowing the console will exit setup mode after 30 mins means...

That's correct - recent VP2 firmware versions do automatically exit setup. TBH I thought the time was 10 minutes, but it's one of those details that's not documented anywhere prominent, though it may possibly be in the firmware changelog. I've got a vague recollection that it may be different on mains and battery power, but may be mis-remembering. The Vue console has always done this IIRC.

It's one of those issues where Davis can't win either way. The reason for doing it is that otherwise if the users don't put batteries into the console (and many don't) or if the batteries have run down then if/when there's a mains outage the console gets stuck in setup mode and a large amount of data may be lost if the problem isn't noticed for days/weeks (perhaps at remote sites). A secondary reason is that it helps stop the support calls that complain 'my console is completely broken - it's showing no readings at all, just a 'Receiving From' message at the bottom'. Often even the ticker message wasn't noticed - it's just a dead console as far as the user is concerned! And it's actually not uncommon as a support call with older consoles.

Thanks John. That's a side to the reasoning I had never considered. I still have the original C batteries in the console from May 2009 so they're doing well!

Now I know the reasons for this it makes sense and I can work around it.

Another option for service sessions;
Put console into setup mode then remove the power and batteries.
When finished, repower and then exit standby mode. Restarting Cumulus will reset the clock.

I had this same problem the other day when replacing the rain collector reed switch. See: http://www.weather-watch.com/smf/index. ... icseen#new

Having just Google'd the issue I found this thread so have decided to add my bit to it.

I contacted Davis and received this reply:

Dear Sir,
There is no timer or program installed, to return from Setup. For instance, I have a console in Setup for a month, and never touched it. When in Setup Mode it says "Receiving From". That is why I left my console in "Setup", I wanted to see what stations in the area is coming in. You can't do that if it returns to the data screen.
Try it again and let's see what happens.

Regards,
Christopher J Singh
Technical Support Representative
510-732-7814 support@davisnet.com

This morning I sat in front of the console in setup mode and after 30 minutes watched it come out of setup. So I e-mailed Davis again confirming it definitely drops out after a period of time (30 minutes) and I asked what was the revision # of the software in the console that has allegedly been in setup for a month and I received this reply:

I will be out of the Office Forever. I am retiring. For help, contact 510-732-7814 or Email support@davisnet.com

Not particularly helpful so I've resent my email back to Davis.

I have 2 VP2 consoles, 1 with revision 3.15 (EU) (on mains power) which has the problem and 1 with revision 1.90 (EU) (on battery power) which doesn't.

Clearly there is an issue which seems to have only begun at revision 3+. Be interesting to see if Davis acknowledges the problem or just continues to deny it. Why on earth you'd want to put a timeout on setup mode is beyond me especially one as short as 30 minutes and if this is a 'feature' why isn't it documented?

This is a very old thread you have resurrected! But, what John (prodata) says above is correct, the console 'does' automatically exit set up mode. I've had my console for about 6 years and it has done this with all firmware revisions.

duke wrote:This is a very old thread you have resurrected! But, what John (prodata) says above is correct, the console 'does' automatically exit set up mode. I've had my console for about 6 years and it has done this with all firmware revisions.

Duke - I wasn't quite sure what point you were making with regards to my post. Were you saying it's of no value to anyone? I've had my second console for less than a year and I had never experienced this problem before. My other console with revision 1.90 (EU) software has never come out of setup mode until I did it manually and currently it has been in setup mode for more than 30 hours now so I suggest that it doesn't happen with all firmware revisions.

I don't consider a thread which is less than 9 months to be 'very old'.

I've had my second console for less than a year and I had never experienced this problem before.

Just to be clear: Vue consoles have always done this but older VP2 consoles did not. It was introduced in a VP2 firmware update at some point - don't have the F/W changelog in front of me right now and can't remember exactly when.

And I would genuinely describe it as a feature more than a problem in the sense that more users probably benefit from not inadvertently getting the console stuck in setup mode (eg after a mains outage with no batteries installed) and hence potentially losing data for several days than those that dislike the behaviour. If you want to take the console fully offline for an extended period nowadays then power it down completely, remembering of course to reset the time when you power up again.

It's a shame that Davis don't consider this important enough to mention it in the manual. With the exception of powering up, all mention of entering and leaving setup mode refers to the manual method.

Of course this now begs the question, is this a fixed time period or an inactivity one?

From Davis F/W changelog (not sure of the release date)

Firmware version 3.00
1.Console timesout of the "Receiving From" setup screen after 15 min using batteries and 30 min using AC power.
2.Previous versions of firmware allowed a negative ET, now it will clip hourly ET values at 0.
3.Added leading zero to temp readings between -1.0 and 1.0.
4.Improved temp and hum index calculations.
5.Low humidity readings now clipped at 1% and will not show 0%.

It seems that this was slipped in so quietly not even the support guy at Davis who responded to my initial email was aware of it

It would be better if a time period could be selected by the op. 30 minutes is not long if you're trying to service the ISS.

duke wrote:It would be better if a time period could be selected by the op. 30 minutes is not long if you're trying to service the ISS.

Agreed but now that we're aware of the limit I can ensure I don't end up with spurious rainfall readings by starting a stop-watch and keeping track of the elapsed time.

RayProudfoot wrote:

duke wrote:It would be better if a time period could be selected by the op. 30 minutes is not long if you're trying to service the ISS.

Agreed but now that we're aware of the limit I can ensure I don't end up with spurious rainfall readings by starting a stop-watch and keeping track of the elapsed time.

My first assault on the ISS is always to unplug (carefully) the TRB.

duke wrote:My first assault on the ISS is always to unplug (carefully) the TRB.

I did unplug the sensors inside the ISS after putting the console in setup mode then reconnected them once the ISS was back in position after the repair. What I hadn't realised was the console was no longer in setup mode and was getting data from the outdoor sensors that had been indoors for an hour or so the moment they were connected. By the time I returned to the console about half an hour had gone by.

I'm hoping that the next time I have to bring the ISS inside for repair I remember about the timeout period, however, as this doesn't happen very often I'm not too hopeful

FYI - the reason I mentioned the TBR (in case you are not aware), that even in set up mode the TBR tips will be recorded.

duke wrote:FYI - the reason I mentioned the TBR (in case you are not aware), that even in set up mode the TBR tips will be recorded.

No I wasn't aware that TBR tips (I assume you are talking about the rain tipping bucket) are still recorded even in setup mode. That is useful to know. Luckily I always disconnect the sensor cables from the SIM before doing anything that might effect the readings.

CaptJack wrote:.....(I assume you are talking about the rain tipping bucket).....

Yes, fat fingers (TRB)