Cumulus Support

I have two FO weather stations, both mounted atop a barge pole bolted onto a house eave. When the wind blows strongly (as it is at one of the stations right now - F4-F5), the mast wobbles and this triggers fake rainfall readings from the tipper. My thought was to connect two wire guys between the pole and two points on the roof in a sort of isosceles triangle to stop the pole from rocking in the wind.

Has anyone done anything like this?

DN

I have used 3 guy wires, I don't think 2 would do the job unless they flex or tilt the barge pole over to the point it won't move towards the guy wires. Take a look under the "sensors" tab on my website. However that is only to keep the other sensors stable. I have mounted the rain gauge on its own solid mount off to the side. I don't get any false readings at all now.

Thanks, Phil. I had thought to align the rain tipper perpendicular to the "pole flex" left over after the two guys were in place so that wobbling it wouldn't make it tip. A bit of experimenting is called for. I see you also have a home-brew screen for the temperature sensor. What did you use for the discs?

DN

My wife's picnic setting.

Here's how I did it:

Yes, that's the proper way to do it.

The other alternative is to re-site the rain gauge to somewhere firm and steady using a simple telephone extension cable.

I mean't to add the wires are 2.5mm wire rope.
The rope and fittings are available from Bunnings.

geoffw wrote:The other alternative is to re-site the rain gauge to somewhere firm and steady using a simple telephone extension cable.

That's a good idea, but I need to guard against the depredations of possums and Sulphur-crested Cockatoos. The latter can be very destructive, but they seem to ignore my current pole-mounted system. Possibly the anemometer puts them off. Relocating the gauge might invite catastrophe...

fractonimbus wrote:That's a good idea, but I need to guard against the depredations of possums and Sulphur-crested Cockatoos. The latter can be very destructive, but they seem to ignore my current pole-mounted system. Possibly the anemometer puts them off. Relocating the gauge might invite catastrophe...

cockies2.png

Yes, I see what you mean!

We've had flocks of cockatoos "aerating" our front lawn and "de-pine coning" our pine tress, but touch wood they have never gone near the weather station. I have seen what they do to pine cones so you're right, they'd shred a weather station!!

Hi
Bird problems have come up in other threads - could you mount the rain collector lower down the mast where the wobble is less. I have found that wind eddies through the holes in the base can also tip the bucket. So two solutions in one - make a base for the unit just larger than the collector and fix vertical wires maybe 1 foot long around the edge.
Regards
Alan