Cumulus Support

Hello. My first post here as I had the above for my birthday a few weeks ago.
I'm on my 2nd station as the first failed to display the Lux and UV displays on the screen. That is OK now but the memory icon on the new screen does not display how much memory has been used so a new screen is in the post

Why I am writing is I wonder if anyone with one of these, has modified the solar panel so that it can turn independently of the transmitter housing it is connected to?
The Radio Clock, is in Germany which is due East of my location. The solar panel has to point due South which means the aerial for the radio is 'end on' to the East and so does not pick up a strong enough signal to get a lock. The antenna needs turning through 90 degrees but then the solar panel would be facing East as well. The whole caboodle is designed to lock in just one way so I'm thinking of using a short piece of tube to enable independence of the solar panel to the antenna. Any thoughts/ideas please.
Thanks John

Your saying that the radio clock antenna is in the the transmitter housing outside? news to me, i always thought it was inside the display unit?

Yeah, it's in the transmitter Rob.

I thought it was, because i always have trouble with it setting (140 year old house with 3ft thick granite walls), so I take it outside in the clear to set it

Wrong end stick grabbed I think I meant the outdoor unit.

Hello all
The transmitter is housed inside the Thermo-hygro sensor which is out of doors of course. The ferrite antenna for radio reception lies flat against the long side of the transmitter housing. That housing HAS to be orientated so that it always faces the same direction as the solar panel above it. With the solar panel facing South, the antenna is then facing at 90 degrees to the clock transmitter in Germany, so most times there is no lock to the radio as the signal is too weak. Facing the antenna to the East means the Solar Panel also faces East, which is not much use. Which is why I wonder if anyone has got around this?
John

Hi,

The slope of the PV cell is so low that I think that the orientation of the solar unit (for light collection purposes) is generally irrelevant (despite what FO say in the manual). Note that the PV cell is only for charging the battery (hopefully), the Lux sensor is under the hemispherical diffuser beside it (and the UV sensor is equally independent of orientation). However, I can't understand why FO haven't designed the attachment with (for example) at least 6 possible rotational positions, but they only seem to do some things intelligently.

For me, the major issue is that the solar sensor needs to be in direct sunlight, but the transmitter in the shade to give acceptable temperature readings. In due course (e.g. when the warranty expires) I plan to look at removing the solar unit a significant distance away from the transmitter module. That then implies (probably) making some cable adaptors so that the rain sensor connects directly to the transmitter again and a 4 wire extension cable down from the solar unit.

Cheers, Alan.

Hi Alan
Many thanks for your informative reply. If the orientation of the solar panel is not as critical as I'd thought I may try turning the housing to face East.
However, the Solar panel 'plugs into' the top of the sensor with two locating lugs. So there is a possibility that if those could be drilled/filed off the panel's tube it should be possible to rotate the two parts independently of each other. Failing that, I thought of using a short piece of tube to join the two together with the same result. Any thoughts on those ideas?
Cheers
John

Hi John,

Personally, I've tried to avoid making "irreversible" modifications to my kit, in case I want/need to return it under warranty, so I'd prefer the "tube" modification. I think plastic water pipe might be about the correct diameter.

Of course the (433 MHz) transmitter antenna might also be somewhat directional, but the time clock antenna definitely is directional, so IMHO that is the best citerion to aim for.

Cheers, Alan.

Hi Alan
Yes, I also do not want to make irreversible mods to the units so the pipe solution, perhaps with hose clips to hold each end in place, may be the way to go.
http://www.timetec.freeserve.co.uk/DCF/dcf.htm told me how the ferrite antenna is mounted.
The connecting pipe will need to be different diameters at each end. I have a solid piece of plastic tube which I may be able to drill out to make the two tubes fit. We'll see.
Cheers
John

Alan for your info. I have used some ductape to hold the solar panel at right angles to the antenna. The spigot of the solar panel fits into the socket with just enough overlap to hold it in place in that position Now I have a signal in daylight which I did not have before so the idea works.
Cheers
John

Now that the receiving antenna is correctly orientated to the German clock the receiver has shown a lock 24/7.
I lost the Lux/UV reading on the screen but a change of batteries cured that.
Regards
John

Hi John,

Thanks for the information.

JohnF wrote:I lost the Lux/UV reading on the screen but a change of batteries cured that.

Which batteries were those, in the transmitter unit? If so, were they "rechargeable alkaline" supplied with the station? Did you try "resynchronising" the receiver first (press the <down arrow> button on the console for 4 seconds)? Or the reset button on the solar unit?

I ask because the batteries in a similar model which I installed were "low" (LCD icon on and measured low voltage) within three months, yet with solar charging I would expect at least 3 years. I'm wondering if there is a design or manufacturing defect with these units (or the batteries).

Cheers, Alan.

Hi Alan
The batteries that were in the transmitter unit were not the rechargeables that came with the unit but some others I had.
I had given the original batteries a long charge, checked them with a meter and they were fully charged. So those are what I am using now. The ones I removed from the transmitter were quite flat. We have had grey skies here for some days so I don't know if that is why the batteries went flat?
After I replaced the batteries I pressed the down arrow on the console and all readings came alive - and still are
We'll see how long the supplied batteries last now.
Regards
John