Overheating temperature during sunshine (poor ventilation)

swr03crw · Post by **swr03crw** » Mon 05 Oct 2009 2:34 pm

I have a "La Crosse WS-2350" weather station (very similar to WS-2300). I have seen from internet forums that there is an effect where the temperature sensor overheats by several degrees when in sunshine. I also see this. I don't just want to re-locate the sensor in shade.

I want to know if there is any advice on buying kit, or making modifications, that would properly ventilate the sensor and allow it not to overheat in this way.

Many thanks,
Curtis.

Pat · Post by **Pat** » Tue 06 Oct 2009 10:04 pm

Have seen some kit that has been home made. I would also be interested in buying a form of shield or ventilator

Post by **steve** » Wed 07 Oct 2009 7:21 am

Mike here has built his own FARS - https://cumulus.hosiene.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=1410

akasonny · Post by **akasonny** » Wed 07 Oct 2009 5:57 pm

Curtis,
I mounted the probe in a piece of 3" pvc pipe then mounted a solar-driver fan in the top to pull air past the sensor. The pvc pipe is about 1 ft in length and the sensor is mounted in the center. Solar film (the kind used to reduce solar heating) was wrapped around the 3" white pvc. I've had very good luck with it and I compare it to governmental references regularly.

gemini06720 · Post by **gemini06720** » Thu 08 Oct 2009 12:05 am

akasonny, just curious, why did you feel the need to wrap the white PVC pipe with solar film?

I have the Davis Vantage Pro weather station and the fan aspirated radiation shield is white, probably to reflect as much solar radiation as possible and prevent the shield from getting too hot...

akasonny · Post by **akasonny** » Thu 08 Oct 2009 12:35 am

Ray,

It was just "insurance". Solar window film has up to 78% heat-reduction factor. My pvc pipe is white but I felt that I could squeeze a bit more of heat-rejection with the film. And I did. It wasn't very substantial but it amounted up about .7 egrees farenheit.

Maybe a bit of overkill but the numbers are spot-on and I couldn't be happier with it. Before, I had the standard white radiation shield without fan-aspiration and my numbers were terrible when there was no wind but tolerable when the wind blew. Just not acceptable.

Besides, I have a lot of time on my hands.

gemini06720 · Post by **gemini06720** » Thu 08 Oct 2009 1:34 am

akasonny...

...Besides, I have a lot of time on my hands..

You must be one of those retarded ... err... I mean retired guy...

akasonny · Post by **akasonny** » Thu 08 Oct 2009 1:51 am

Some say both!

gemini06720 · Post by **gemini06720** » Thu 08 Oct 2009 3:42 am

akasonny wrote:Some say both!

Indeed, the more one gets retired the more one seems to get retarded ... or is that alzheimer ... I just cannot remember at this time...

swr03crw · Post by **swr03crw** » Tue 13 Oct 2009 11:16 am

Thanks for the ideas. I also have an old CPU fan ready to use...
Before I noticed the responses, I already made a solution (attached), this works most of the time (but still 0-2°C heating in low-level sun at dusk in my location; alas I still might have to mod. further...)

dbwx · Post by **dbwx** » Tue 20 Oct 2009 1:02 pm

The official weather stations use a Stevenson screen, there is a lot of info about DIY versions too.

Cumulus Support

Overheating temperature during sunshine (poor ventilation)

Overheating temperature during sunshine (poor ventilation)

Re: Overheating temperature during sunshine (poor ventilation)

Re: Overheating temperature during sunshine (poor ventilation)

Re: Overheating temperature during sunshine (poor ventilation)

Re: Overheating temperature during sunshine (poor ventilation)

Re: Overheating temperature during sunshine (poor ventilation)

Re: Overheating temperature during sunshine (poor ventilation)

Re: Overheating temperature during sunshine (poor ventilation)

Re: Overheating temperature during sunshine (poor ventilation)

Re: Overheating temperature during sunshine (poor ventilation)

Re: Overheating temperature during sunshine (poor ventilation)