Watson W-8681 Hygrometer %1

[ea5xq]

Hi

After two years I have to change the battery of my WATSON W-8681. I also was watching that outside hygrometer was measuring %1 so I believed that it was the reason of run out of battery however, after changing it the value persists, how could I verify that it is working ?

The rest of values (Temp, Wind speed ) seem to be correct.

Thanks

[De Hout]

Perhaps an odd answer, but you can try this simple test:
Place the station in a damp room, like the bathroom.
While/after taking a hot shower it should show a reading of 90+ %, if not it's defective.

[AllyCat]

Hi,

You haven't said where you are located, but 1% Relative Humidity is an exceptionally low value, so is very probably in error.

The User Manual for that family of FO Stations (WH108x is easier to find) indicates that if Temperature, Rain or Wind are "Out of Range" the Console will display "OFL" (Overflow?), but the display range for Humidity is simply 1% to 99%. Therefore, if the sensor produces a "Stupid" value, the Console will still display either 1% or 99%.

A "traditional" way to measure RH is with a "Wet and Dry Bulb Thermometer" and conversion calculators/tables are easily available on the web. Assuming an ambient temperature of 30 degrees C, then for a 1% RH, one calculator refuses to even make a calculation. Another gives a "Wet Bulb" value around 10 degrees C (i.e. wrapping a damp cloth around the dry thermometer bulb would make its temperature fall by 20 degrees C), but the value for 5% is only 0.2 degrees different (i.e. it's a very imprecise calculation). Therefore, I respectfully suggest that the 1% value is probably nonsense.

Cheers, Alan.

[ea5xq]

Thanks for all your comments,

I am located in the Spanish East coast where humidity is around 70-80% so I guess that the sensor is not working properly or the console is not either.

I have written a request to Ecowitt (as they bought Fine Offfset) to get an answer about how to proceed, whether I need to replace the full station or just the sensor.

Thanks

[ea5xq]

I contacted with FineOffset and they have proposed me two options


https://shop.ecowitt.com/collections/ac ... -ws69-ws80
https://shop.ecowitt.com/collections/ac ... /temp-hygr

but I do not know which one is the correct one. I should go up to the ceiling and dismount the unit to look at it. Due to the difficulties to do it (putting in danger my life for a potential fall down) I was wondering whether any of you have had this model or similar (Watson W-8681) and had had to change the hygrometer in order to determine which one is the correct one.

Once ordered I will change it but I did not want to go up twice.

Thanks

[Super-T]

Have you tried bringing the outside sensor inside and place it next to your Display to see if they compare humidity?

[ea5xq]

To be honest I did not, as I have to climb to the ceiling to unmount it, do you mean that the problem could be Wireless tranmission? but I am able to get temperature, wind and rain fall correctly.

[AllyCat]

Hi,

I think we ascertained above that the external RH sensor is faulty; You could try swapping the internal and external RH sensors, but I think you must solder a sensor (even if faulty) into the Console or it will hang.

To be honest, I don't believe that either of the offerings from Ecowitt above, are the type that I have seen in the Fine Offset stations. Does the plastic moulding of the second look at all familiar? Note that it appears to have a 4-pin connector, whilst most that I've seen in the FO stations have 2 or 3 pins. The (Sensirion) SHT3x sensors of the first link are well-known and respected (they also have 4 pins as they use an I2C data bus) and the price seems reasonable, but I think they post-date most of the "Fine Offset"stations.

However, I thought that the "Touch Screen Fine Offset" stations were obsolete many years ago, but a Google suggests that they are being sold again, at least under the Guise of "Mark 2" or "Pro" vesions. Also, I did see quite recently that Ecowitt had introduced a "special" version of their current Sensors array, to help "Clear the Shelves" of some of the Touchscreen Consoles.

So it all looks rather like a "can of worms" and I would be tempted to start again with an Ecowitt (on which there is now a vast amount of literature available) or a "Fine Offset" station.

Cheers, Alan.

[Super-T]

It may well be worth taking down the external transmitter. I have had problems with water getting into the transmitter which is why I always seal them up, around the battery compartment, when a battery change has been done. Your W-8682 may be a different case than my Transmitter. Water on the PCB around the Humidity Sensor can cause corrosion and therefore a possible short on the PCB.

[ea5xq]

Yes, I see that I will have to climb and clean it. What are you using to seal it?
Thanks

[Super-T]

I just use a bit of Vaseline. It gets a bit messy over time but it is easily removable for the next time.

[ea5xq]

Hi,

Just to close the topic.

Finally I received
https://shop.ecowitt.com/collections/ac ... /temp-hygr

and now it works like a charm.