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Sunshine Recorder

For discussion of DIY weather equipment - sensors, accessories, improvements to existing kit etc
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PaulMy
Posts: 3777
Joined: Sun 28 Sep 2008 11:54 pm
Weather Station: Davis VP2 Plus 24-Hour FARS
Operating System: Windows8 and Windows10
Location: Komoka, ON Canada
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Re: Sunshine Recorder

Post by PaulMy »

Sorry to hear that Paul, how did it die? Maybe Ole can fix it?
I've had Ole look at it and conclusion is permanent failure. Can't complain after more than 7 years. I can get another but with trees keep on growing hard to find a good location that has good open view from sunrise to sunset. However still considering it.

Not a total loss as I upgraded to a VP2 Plus so still have sunshine data from Cumulus. Just need to find how the sunplot script can get the data from DB instead of the SR.

Paul
Davis Vantage Pro2+
C1 www.komokaweather.com/komokaweather-ca
MX www.komokaweather.com/cumulusmx/index.htm /index.html /index.php
MX www.komokaweather.com/cumulusmxwll/index.htm /index.html /index.php
MX www. komokaweather.com/cumulusmx4/index.htm

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droiddk
Posts: 11
Joined: Tue 02 Feb 2016 12:03 pm
Weather Station: Davis Vantage Pro2
Operating System: Windows 7
Location: Denmark

Re: Sunshine Recorder

Post by droiddk »

PaulMy wrote: I've had Ole look at it and conclusion is permanent failure. Can't complain after more than 7 years. I can get another but with trees keep on growing hard to find a good location that has good open view from sunrise to sunset. However still considering it.

Not a total loss as I upgraded to a VP2 Plus so still have sunshine data from Cumulus. Just need to find how the sunplot script can get the data from DB instead of the SR.

Paul
Oki Paul, thanks for update :)

Regards
Mapantz
Posts: 1777
Joined: Sat 17 Dec 2011 11:55 am
Weather Station: Davis Vantage Pro2
Operating System: Windows 11 x64
Location: Dorset - UK
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Re: Sunshine Recorder

Post by Mapantz »

PaulMy wrote:
Mapantz wrote:
mcrossley wrote: it sounds like the time zone tables have not been populated in MySQL
That sounds extremely familiar?! :lol:
Hi Tina, would you have any suggestions how to fix?

Thanks,
Paul
I've replied via PM Paul. Sorry for the delay - too much nice weather to be indoors. :D
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User avatar
PaulMy
Posts: 3777
Joined: Sun 28 Sep 2008 11:54 pm
Weather Station: Davis VP2 Plus 24-Hour FARS
Operating System: Windows8 and Windows10
Location: Komoka, ON Canada
Contact:

Re: Sunshine Recorder

Post by PaulMy »

I want to update that I installed a replacement B-L in early October and all is working well again for me.
Ole will be looking at the old one to determine the cause but the build quality has changed over time.

And I can no longer say when people ask about that thing on the chimney - "that is a B-L Sunrecorder, the only one in North America!" ;)

http://www.komokaweather.com/weather/su ... today.html

Enjoy,
Paul
Davis Vantage Pro2+
C1 www.komokaweather.com/komokaweather-ca
MX www.komokaweather.com/cumulusmx/index.htm /index.html /index.php
MX www.komokaweather.com/cumulusmxwll/index.htm /index.html /index.php
MX www. komokaweather.com/cumulusmx4/index.htm

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PaulMy
Posts: 3777
Joined: Sun 28 Sep 2008 11:54 pm
Weather Station: Davis VP2 Plus 24-Hour FARS
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Location: Komoka, ON Canada
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Re: Sunshine Recorder

Post by PaulMy »

To update...
We moved to a new house in June 2019, still in Komoka, and I have not been able (allowe ;) ) to cut a hole through the walls for the sunrecorder USB cable so my SR is not active. With Ole's approval I'd give it to someone local if they could use it. I had the SR and Davis UV/Solar working at the same time for about a month in 2019.

Enjoy,
Paul
Davis Vantage Pro2+
C1 www.komokaweather.com/komokaweather-ca
MX www.komokaweather.com/cumulusmx/index.htm /index.html /index.php
MX www.komokaweather.com/cumulusmxwll/index.htm /index.html /index.php
MX www. komokaweather.com/cumulusmx4/index.htm

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User avatar
PaulMy
Posts: 3777
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Re: Sunshine Recorder

Post by PaulMy »

After nearly 12 years since Alan's lightbulb brain wave
viewtopic.php?p=7885#p7885
viewtopic.php?p=8505#p8505

Good to see that Alan and Ole's creation has made it...
https://wittich.nl/wp-content/uploads/2 ... EN_web.pdf
https://wittich.nl/en/product/blake-lar ... -recorder/ :clap: :clap: :clap:

and mine will be getting a new home :)

Enjoy,
Paul
Davis Vantage Pro2+
C1 www.komokaweather.com/komokaweather-ca
MX www.komokaweather.com/cumulusmx/index.htm /index.html /index.php
MX www.komokaweather.com/cumulusmxwll/index.htm /index.html /index.php
MX www. komokaweather.com/cumulusmx4/index.htm

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kocher
Posts: 233
Joined: Sat 19 Apr 2014 7:57 pm
Weather Station: Davis Vantage Pro2+
Operating System: Windows 10
Location: San Sebastian - Spain
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Re: Sunshine Recorder

Post by kocher »

Regards Paul

I am looking forward to seeing your logger on the BLSunrecorder user map.

Recently, a good French friend, has provided me with the code to see the hours of sunshine, resembling the strips of paper that burned when passing through, the sunlight, a glass sphere that acted as a magnifying glass (they are still used today the Meteorological Institute of San Sebastián); where, on a daily basis, the manager installs the new band and scrupulously files the used one. All this has happened for more than 100 years. This constitutes an authentic ritual.
In the aforementioned graph, the values are obtained from a database and, after complicated calculations, it determines whether at a given moment the sun is shining, it is cloudy or it is night.

This is the graph (at night you can't see anything, logically): :D


http://kocher.es/BandeHeliographe_Pasca ... graphe.php
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PaulMy
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Joined: Sun 28 Sep 2008 11:54 pm
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Location: Komoka, ON Canada
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Re: Sunshine Recorder

Post by PaulMy »

Hi Javier,
I'll have a look during daytime. I presume that is from a Campbell-Stokes or similar sunshine recorder. They are expensive and need a manual observation and recording. Environment Canada told me they are discontinuing sunshine recording at most of their weather stations due to the high cost of maintaining and replacing the C-S. I tried, but didn't get very far, in telling them about the B-L.

My S-R is now in Eastern Ontario and waiting for good weather so the new owner can mount it properly. Ole is been helpful in getting the unit set up correctly.
And we may soon have another forum user here with a B-L in the UK.

Enjoy,
Paul
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Davis Vantage Pro2+
C1 www.komokaweather.com/komokaweather-ca
MX www.komokaweather.com/cumulusmx/index.htm /index.html /index.php
MX www.komokaweather.com/cumulusmxwll/index.htm /index.html /index.php
MX www. komokaweather.com/cumulusmx4/index.htm

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beteljuice
Posts: 3292
Joined: Tue 09 Dec 2008 1:37 pm
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Operating System: W10 - Threadripper 16core, etc
Location: Dudley, West Midlands, UK

Re: Sunshine Recorder

Post by beteljuice »

Paul wrote:Environment Canada told me they are discontinuing sunshine recording ...
Did you ask them if they'll sell you one (plus charts) ??
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......................Imagine, what you will KNOW tomorrow !
User avatar
PaulMy
Posts: 3777
Joined: Sun 28 Sep 2008 11:54 pm
Weather Station: Davis VP2 Plus 24-Hour FARS
Operating System: Windows8 and Windows10
Location: Komoka, ON Canada
Contact:

Re: Sunshine Recorder

Post by PaulMy »

@beteljuice,
No I didn't ask that, and likely if it is too costly for government to maintain it'll be out of my range :lol:

It was a long time ago when I first got my B-L but this is their response at the time:
From: Env_Canada_Weather-Météo <ECWeather-Meteo@ec.gc.ca>
Date: Fri, June 24, 2011 11:31 am

Hello Paul,
Thank you for sending your request to Environment Canada.
In answer to your question, bright sunshine data is available from our archive. Unfortunately bright sunshine observation is no longer a nationally-supported standard supplementary climate network in Environment Canada. It is still operated at some locations on a best-effort basis, but as the supplies run out, equipment require repair and observing programs change, the bright sunshine observations will be phased out. The reduction in this network has been ongoing since about 1999 as is reflected in the diminishing number of archived observations of this element. I have checked our database and there are only 3 stations in Ontario reporting bright sunshine data, Red Lake, Wiarton and Toronto.
Best regards,
xxxxxx xxxxxxx
Meteorological Inquiry Specialist
MSC National Inquiry Response Team ISO 9001:2000 Environment Canada
Spécialiste en renseignements météorologiques - Équipe nationale de réponses aux demandes du public (ENRDP) ISO 9001:2000
Enjoy,
Paul
Davis Vantage Pro2+
C1 www.komokaweather.com/komokaweather-ca
MX www.komokaweather.com/cumulusmx/index.htm /index.html /index.php
MX www.komokaweather.com/cumulusmxwll/index.htm /index.html /index.php
MX www. komokaweather.com/cumulusmx4/index.htm

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Olejul
Posts: 68
Joined: Fri 25 Sep 2009 7:55 pm
Weather Station: WS2350

Re: Sunshine Recorder

Post by Olejul »

In deep sadness I must inform that Alan passed away last night after some months stubborn struggling against cancer.

As seen in this forum Alan announced his idea 12 years ago and it catched my interest a few months later.

I visited Alan and his wife 11 years ago in Cornwall.

R I P

Ole
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beteljuice
Posts: 3292
Joined: Tue 09 Dec 2008 1:37 pm
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Operating System: W10 - Threadripper 16core, etc
Location: Dudley, West Midlands, UK

Re: Sunshine Recorder

Post by beteljuice »

Very sad to hear.

All the more so as both of you have yet to get the recognition / rewards you richly deserve,

Thanks for the 'heads up' Ole.

R.I.P. Alan :(
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......................Imagine, what you will KNOW tomorrow !
User avatar
PaulMy
Posts: 3777
Joined: Sun 28 Sep 2008 11:54 pm
Weather Station: Davis VP2 Plus 24-Hour FARS
Operating System: Windows8 and Windows10
Location: Komoka, ON Canada
Contact:

Re: Sunshine Recorder

Post by PaulMy »

Hi Ole,
So sorry to hear this. Thanks for letting us know.
I remember when Alan first mentioned his Christmas bulb reflection idea hear on the forum, and seeing his latest testing results... and thinking, this is an Inventor! A sad loss.
I remember Alan giving me his address and finding his home, out in a small English country hamlet, on street view and seeing his FO station and his experimental SR on a pole.

Alan Blake and Ole Larsen, a great team! And the legend lives on https://wittich.nl/product/blake-larsen-sun-recorder/

R I P
Paul
Davis Vantage Pro2+
C1 www.komokaweather.com/komokaweather-ca
MX www.komokaweather.com/cumulusmx/index.htm /index.html /index.php
MX www.komokaweather.com/cumulusmxwll/index.htm /index.html /index.php
MX www. komokaweather.com/cumulusmx4/index.htm

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kocher
Posts: 233
Joined: Sat 19 Apr 2014 7:57 pm
Weather Station: Davis Vantage Pro2+
Operating System: Windows 10
Location: San Sebastian - Spain
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Re: Sunshine Recorder

Post by kocher »

Belatedly, I just heard the news of Alan's passing. :|

I regret the loss of this great character who, with his interest and curiosity and together with Ole's mind, they got a magnificent system for measuring the hours of sunshine.

Rest in peace Alan

http://kocher.es/BandeHeliographe_Pasca ... graphe.php
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burgos_sun
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed 04 Jan 2023 9:12 am
Weather Station: DAVIS VANTAGE PRO 2
Operating System: WINDOWS 7

Re: Sunshine Recorder

Post by burgos_sun »

Hello

I have a Blake-Larsen Sun Recorder, but my computer had a problem and now the program won't start. I can't reinstall it because the web doesn't work anymore. someone help me?
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