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Wind and rain not registering on WH1080

Discussion specific to Fine Offset and similar rebadged weather stations
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DavidinArdeche
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue 11 Apr 2017 6:35 am
Weather Station: Fine Offset WH 1080
Operating System: Windows 10

Wind and rain not registering on WH1080

Post by DavidinArdeche »

I was away from home in France for 4 months over winter and have come back to find there have been no readings for wind direction, wind speed or rain, since December.
The anemometer and wind direction indicator are moving normally, the wiring seems ok; changing all the batteries has made no difference.

Help!
Or do I just need to buy a new station?!
Thanks
AllyCat
Posts: 1124
Joined: Sat 26 Feb 2011 1:58 pm
Weather Station: Fine Offset 1080/1 & 3080
Operating System: Windows XP SP3
Location: SE London

Re: Wind and rain not registering on WH1080

Post by AllyCat »

Hi,

Welcome to the forum. But is it receiving and recording (sensible) External Temperature and Humidity values?

What is the Console (LCD) showing: Only dashes and no direction for the Wind, zero for Rain and everything else is alright? That would normally be due to disconnected cables or corroded contacts, etc. If you have a multimeter, or similar, then I could outline a few tests to try.

Cheers, Alan.
DavidinArdeche
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue 11 Apr 2017 6:35 am
Weather Station: Fine Offset WH 1080
Operating System: Windows 10

Re: Wind and rain not registering on WH1080

Post by DavidinArdeche »

Hi- and thanks for replying.
It's showing sensible inside and out temperatures, humidity and air pressure.
It shows 0.0 for both rain and wind speed and nothing in the wind 'compass@
I do have a multimeter...
Cheers
David
AllyCat
Posts: 1124
Joined: Sat 26 Feb 2011 1:58 pm
Weather Station: Fine Offset 1080/1 & 3080
Operating System: Windows XP SP3
Location: SE London

Re: Wind and rain not registering on WH1080

Post by AllyCat »

Hi David,

That does sound very like a cable/sensors issue (but I have occasionally experienced a "too weak" pullup current output from a Transmitter). I should also have asked if you have "easy" access to the wind/rain sensors, or if they're "up on the roof" and/or a mast?

There's some information on the sensors in the "..insides of.." sticky threads at the top of this FO section of the forum. Basically, the windspeed and rain cables/connectors have a magnetic reed switch between the middle two connections. Therefore, an Ohms/Continuity measurement across those two wires should go low impedance when the anemometer rotates or if the rain sensor tips. Of course you need to pour water into the rain sensor to test it, but a quick test of the Transmitter input is to plug a (functioning) Wind cable into the Rain socket. This should indicate lots of rain, but note that you may need to wait up to 48 seconds for the next transmission before the Console LCD updates (and a little longer to get through to Cumulus).

The Wind Vane presents one of a range of resistance values across the two outer pins of the cable/connector. The resistance values range from 660 ohms up to 120 kohms (as documented in the thread linked above) with lower or higher values (and a few bands in between) causing no direction arrow to be displayed on the LCD.

As an alternative (or additional) test; connect the multimeter (on a low current range such as 2mA) across the middle pins (wires) of the sockets in the transmitter. As above, you may need to make fine "probes" from stiff wire to make the connection, if you don't have any spare connectors/cables. The meter should indicate very aproximately 25 uA, or 3 volts (battery voltage) on a voltage range. Each time the (mA) meter is connected, it should "kick" the windspeed (particularly the "gust") or accumulate 0.3 mm of "rain".

Note that the transmitter makes an "instantaneous" measurement of the vane resistance once every 48 seconds; most of the time there should be 3 volts (battery) on both of the pins (so no multimeter reading). Only attempt a voltage reading between either outer pin (~3v) and an inner pin (0v); one of the four permutations may/should give 3v.

Cheers, Alan.
DavidinArdeche
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue 11 Apr 2017 6:35 am
Weather Station: Fine Offset WH 1080
Operating System: Windows 10

Re: Wind and rain not registering on WH1080

Post by DavidinArdeche »

As you rightly guessed- they're on the roof- in fact on an old chimney, 3 eloors up.
When I go up onto the roof in early summer, I'll bring the sensors down & have a play - I'll follow your suggestions, but I'm not getting my hopes up just yet!!
I'll let you know how I get on.
Thanks for the help so far

David
gmbuska
Posts: 8
Joined: Wed 17 Sep 2014 12:22 pm
Weather Station: WS2090
Operating System: Windows 9 64 bit
Location: Jacksonville,Florida

Re: Wind and rain not registering on WH1080

Post by gmbuska »

I had a problem with my rain gauge not working and it was raining like crazy so I knew something was wrong. When it finally stopped raining I went out and took down the unit and discovered that the small hole at the bottom of the rain gauge was plugged by bird droppings. I have a mocking bird that loves to sit on mu rain gauge. so I put a piece of screen over the entire rain gauge opening that is being hel in place by a 3 inch round piece of wood that I use as a splash guard. I did that because the rain gauge is not very deep and is steep and noticed that during a hard or driving rain water was splashing out. I am hoping that this solves the bird dropping problem and do not think that the screen will effect the rain reading that much due to what the screen holds. I plan on checking it out in a few weeks to see and may have to use something not quite as fine mesh as the screen
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