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Sunshine Recorder

For discussion of DIY weather equipment - sensors, accessories, improvements to existing kit etc
Olejul
Posts: 68
Joined: Fri 25 Sep 2009 7:55 pm
Weather Station: WS2350

Re: Sunshine Recorder

Post by Olejul »

Not yet - we might be close to equator soon but still in the northern.

And actually all the functions of the sunrecorder is independent of either northern or southern hemisphere (maybe a software bug or two might be present).

Best regards
Ole
RayProudfoot
Posts: 3372
Joined: Wed 06 May 2009 6:29 pm
Weather Station: Davis VP2 with Daytime FARS
Operating System: Windows XP SP3
Location: Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire, England
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Re: Sunshine Recorder

Post by RayProudfoot »

Very impressive Ole. I can see that at your site there was a lot of broken sunshine today.

One question to all the testers. Have you had any problems with bird poo on the sensor? We all know birds are very stupid creatures that will perch on the most unlikely of platforms. If / when I get one I'm considering how to mount the sensor to avoid making it a landing platform. Placing it several inches below the top of the pole looks favourite with the pole to the north so it doesn't cast a shadow on the sensor. Placed right on top of one would make it very attractive to birds I think.
Cheers,
Ray, Cheshire.

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apenwith
Posts: 418
Joined: Sun 26 Apr 2009 7:30 pm
Weather Station: w8681 BlakeLarsen Sun Recorder
Operating System: Windows 7 SP1
Location: West Cornwall UK
Contact:

Re: Sunshine Recorder

Post by apenwith »

Hi
Oddly I've never seen a bird perching although they do on an adjacent TV aerial. A lot of people here gull-proof their chimneys and roof ridgeswith vertical wires - a couple of wires with loops at one end would be easy to clamp behind the U-bolts nuts and would do the job.

And yes - we would like some southern hemisphere testers.

Regards
Alan
RayProudfoot
Posts: 3372
Joined: Wed 06 May 2009 6:29 pm
Weather Station: Davis VP2 with Daytime FARS
Operating System: Windows XP SP3
Location: Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire, England
Contact:

Re: Sunshine Recorder

Post by RayProudfoot »

Alan,

Depending on feeedback during the testing phase would you consider, if required, making some form of anti-bird contraption that would discourage birds from perching on the sensor? Many of us are useless at DIY. ;)

I've seen pigeons perched on my anemometer arm so where there's the slightest chance of landing on something high up it seems to attract them.

I am still working out if a telescopic pole attached to the side wall of my house would be sufficient to hold the sensor without excessive swaying. As it weighs so little I can't see it being a problem. It has to be telescopic so I can clean the sensor when required.
Cheers,
Ray, Cheshire.

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PaulMy
Posts: 3775
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 »

I have the test unit on a pole fastened to chimney about 6ft above the top. It has been there for 5 days and no signs of birds going on it. But I don't have any problem with birds on my Davis anenometer either, which is in the other corner of our lot. There are several large trees about and near the property.

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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broadstairs
Posts: 745
Joined: Thu 14 Aug 2008 7:17 am
Weather Station: Ecowitt GW1003/GW1103/GW2000
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Location: Broadstairs, Kent, UK
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Re: Sunshine Recorder

Post by broadstairs »

This discussion about birds is interesting because I have a problem with a blackbird this year perching on my Davis solar sensor often. It is mounted separately from the ISS on my TV aerial pole but above the aerial, and birds (especially blackbirds) like to sing from the highest point locally to announce their territory. So for me some way to discourage birds would be a good idea, moving my sensor away from the aerial is not practical as we have no chimneys so the aerial pole is the only way to do it, I dont have a problem with the anemometer as that is below the aerial.

Stuart
apenwith
Posts: 418
Joined: Sun 26 Apr 2009 7:30 pm
Weather Station: w8681 BlakeLarsen Sun Recorder
Operating System: Windows 7 SP1
Location: West Cornwall UK
Contact:

Re: Sunshine Recorder

Post by apenwith »

Hi
In answer to Ray's query about a flexy pole - although mine is braced with four wires about 1/3 of the way up the top end does move about in the wind but it does not seem to make much difference. I suggest a bracing wire at least in the prevailing wind direction if possible. As for birds the vertical wires seem to work well on buildings around here where gulls are a big problem (If you come to Cornwall NEVER feed the gulls - they get so bold they'll steal your chips out of the bag.)
And yes I'm sure we can provide some bird proofing with the kit if needed.

For Broadstairs solar sensor - could you make a plywood (waterproof) disc just wider than the sensor base and mount vertical wires around the edge.
Regards
Alan
RayProudfoot
Posts: 3372
Joined: Wed 06 May 2009 6:29 pm
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Re: Sunshine Recorder

Post by RayProudfoot »

Thanks for your answer Alan. Bracing with a wire might be tricky as the wall I'm hoping to mount one on faces SW and that happens to be the prevailing wind direction. But as you say it doesn't appear to make much difference to readings so I'm hopeful I can get away without one.

A bird-proofing kit would be a welcome addition especially as keeping the sensor clean is pretty important.
Cheers,
Ray, Cheshire.

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beteljuice
Posts: 3292
Joined: Tue 09 Dec 2008 1:37 pm
Weather Station: None !
Operating System: W10 - Threadripper 16core, etc
Location: Dudley, West Midlands, UK

Re: Sunshine Recorder

Post by beteljuice »

Re. birds ..

BTW What is the orientation of the mount, is the flat base plate North facing ?

A simple "Crown Of Thorns" whether plastic or metal on the top cap should suffice, or perhaps a short piece of "Hedgehog" (looks like a fat bottle brush) ... Hmmm ... what about a bit of an old hair brush (Didn't think of that first because my memories of same are rather dim)
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......................Imagine, what you will KNOW tomorrow !
apenwith
Posts: 418
Joined: Sun 26 Apr 2009 7:30 pm
Weather Station: w8681 BlakeLarsen Sun Recorder
Operating System: Windows 7 SP1
Location: West Cornwall UK
Contact:

Re: Sunshine Recorder

Post by apenwith »

Hi

Couldn't reply earlier as my satellite broadband system was down while we changed the hardware for a greatly improved system.

The flat base plate faces north (in the northern hemisphere).

www.sunrecorder.net is now running with the sun charts for our first five locations with two more in the pipeline. We have covered latitudes 40°N 50°N and 60°N and should have 10°N coming soon but something around the tropic line (N or S) would be useful as would higher latitudes.
The test set-ups are still at the discounted deposit rate so now is the time to apply.

Regards
Alan
User avatar
PaulMy
Posts: 3775
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 have now got the B-L sun shine recorder fully mounted, calibrated and recording. You can see it at http://www.komokaweather.com/weather/su ... _10013.png or from the links at http://www.komokaweather.com. Alan and Ole have done a tremendous job on this unit and the software - bright and inquisitive minds.

I have it installed on a 10 ft pole mounted on an unused chimney but it is still a compromise, like mounting weather stations, when one is surrounded by houses and mature trees. Some pics attached:
P1000557a.jpg
P1000563a.jpg
P1000565a.jpg
Paul
Edit new link to Today_10013.png
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Last edited by PaulMy on Thu 16 Jun 2011 3:56 am, edited 1 time in total.
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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apenwith
Posts: 418
Joined: Sun 26 Apr 2009 7:30 pm
Weather Station: w8681 BlakeLarsen Sun Recorder
Operating System: Windows 7 SP1
Location: West Cornwall UK
Contact:

Re: Sunshine Recorder

Post by apenwith »

Hi
I am now arranging with the Met Office to install a recorder at one of their sites near me.

Previously the price they wanted to charge was prohibitive but by using hourly sunshine data (rather than detailed radiation figures) for a period of a month the price has come down to something relatively affordable (still nearly £500). It looks as though I will be able to install our recorder within a few feet of their Kipp and Zonen device so the comparisons should not suffer from any distance related differences and both will have the same horizon to horizon view.
It's not the most perfect solution but will go some way to validating our method.

Regards
Alan
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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 »

:clap: The sooner (both) your hard efforts can validated hopefully you can reap some rewards before 'big boys' nick all your ideas and set up production lines :?

I don't know how far your technology is 'original' or what protection you may have taken so far .... but they will come. If you are lucky, with a chequebook, but mostly they publish and be damned because they know you can't afford a lengthy court case. Dyson still has an army of lawyers protecting even its earlier patents :|
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......................Imagine, what you will KNOW tomorrow !
apenwith
Posts: 418
Joined: Sun 26 Apr 2009 7:30 pm
Weather Station: w8681 BlakeLarsen Sun Recorder
Operating System: Windows 7 SP1
Location: West Cornwall UK
Contact:

Re: Sunshine Recorder

Post by apenwith »

Hi
I came across a site that gives daily totals for our local Met Office station about 10 miles away so not entirely comparable but it does show quite a similarity to our data.
(Acknowledgments to 'Weatheronline')
Regards
Alan
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RayProudfoot
Posts: 3372
Joined: Wed 06 May 2009 6:29 pm
Weather Station: Davis VP2 with Daytime FARS
Operating System: Windows XP SP3
Location: Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire, England
Contact:

Re: Sunshine Recorder

Post by RayProudfoot »

Alan,

One thing that occured to me the other day is what happens when it snows? Will users have to wipe the snow off the instrument before it will start recording sunshine again?
Cheers,
Ray, Cheshire.

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