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Davis Vantage Pro 2 - Barometric Pressure - 1100 hPA - Impossible

Discussion specific to Davis weather stations
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Watts Bridge
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri 10 Mar 2017 8:23 pm
Weather Station: Davis Pro2
Operating System: Windows 7 Professional
Location: Brisbane, Australia

Davis Vantage Pro 2 - Barometric Pressure - 1100 hPA - Impossible

Post by Watts Bridge »

Hello Everyone,

I have a Davis Vantage Pro 2 which is less than 2 months old.
It worked well for the first 4 weeks or so and then reported a Barometric Pressure of 1100 hPa, which is impossible.
Checked that station elevation etc were all set correctly.

On the advice of the supplier returned the console to Davis Instruments for attention.
Removed the batteries and data interface and off it went. Davis could not fault the unit and after a few days returned it.
The general feeling is that the most likely explanation was that the microprocessor in the console 'glitched' and that removing and reinstalling the batteries forced a reset / reboot..

When the console was returned, I fired it up, and reset everything.
Worked fine for 36 Hours or so, and then failed again - 1100 hPa Barometric Pressure.
All other weather measurements appear normal.

The console is located in a normal domestic environment, which includes a WIFI router and an assortment of laptops, Iphones and iPads. I don't see how these could create sufficient interference to upset the console, but Davis did ask the first time round if I was near any transmitters.

Running Cumulus MX, Steel series Gauges.
Needless to say I will be talking to the supplier again.

Has anyone else had a similar fault with a Davis, and if so how was the problem resolved?

:groan:


dvp2ss.jpg
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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: Davis Vantage Pro 2 - Barometric Pressure - 1100 hPA - Impossible

Post by RayProudfoot »

Can you move the console to a different room? Start simple and go from there. Also, can you run it from mains power?

I'm guessing you're in the U.K. by the units on the console. Always helpful to have it in your personal details.

Where did you buy the Davis from?
Cheers,
Ray, Cheshire.

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Watts Bridge
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri 10 Mar 2017 8:23 pm
Weather Station: Davis Pro2
Operating System: Windows 7 Professional
Location: Brisbane, Australia

Re: Davis Vantage Pro 2 - Barometric Pressure - 1100 hPA - Impossible

Post by Watts Bridge »

Hi Ray,

Thanks for your comments.

Sorry about the lack of location - Brisbane Australia.
This equipment will ultimately be installed at our local airfield - Watts Bridge Memorial Airfield.
The system is currently in prototype stage, the failing console making it a rather drawn out process.
If the system is up the weather pages can be seen at http://www.wattsbridge.com.au/weatherstation/gauges.php

The console is running on mains power as suggested in the Davis Manual.
The console is located well away from other equipment. I have tried two different rooms.
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: Davis Vantage Pro 2 - Barometric Pressure - 1100 hPA - Impossible

Post by RayProudfoot »

HivWatts,

Ah, down under. Still doesn't explain the weird pressure reading. Out of interest what altitude have you entered?

It's a bizarre problem which I have never come across before. If it's only 2 months old and presumably bought new you would appear to have a reasonable claim for a swap? Have you approached your dealer about that?

If he's not far you could take the console to them. That could also be a good test if it was still misbehaving and if it wasn't might prove local conditions are causing the problem.
Cheers,
Ray, Cheshire.

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Watts Bridge
Posts: 8
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Weather Station: Davis Pro2
Operating System: Windows 7 Professional
Location: Brisbane, Australia

Re: Davis Vantage Pro 2 - Barometric Pressure - 1100 hPA - Impossible

Post by Watts Bridge »

Hi Ray,

Elevation has been set to QFE which is 320'

Yes: I will be speaking with the supplier, and seeking a replacement unit, but thought I would also tap the resources of the forum and see if anyone else has had a similar problem.
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: Davis Vantage Pro 2 - Barometric Pressure - 1100 hPA - Impossible

Post by RayProudfoot »

Another thing you could check is if the firmware is up to date.

Also, try unplugging from mains and take batteries out. When you power it up again and connect it to a PC run through the WeatherLink setup procedure and see what happens then.

Sorry, can't think of anything else.
Cheers,
Ray, Cheshire.

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mcrossley
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Weather Station: Davis VP2/WLL
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Re: Davis Vantage Pro 2 - Barometric Pressure - 1100 hPA - Impossible

Post by mcrossley »

Sounds like a faulty sensor/connection to me, 1100 hPa is the max scale value, so if the sensor has gone kaput I'd expect that sort of reading (either high or low).
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Watts Bridge
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri 10 Mar 2017 8:23 pm
Weather Station: Davis Pro2
Operating System: Windows 7 Professional
Location: Brisbane, Australia

Re: Davis Vantage Pro 2 - Barometric Pressure - 1100 hPA - Impossible

Post by Watts Bridge »

Thank you for your input Mark and Ray.

After speaking with Davis, they are sending me a new console PCB, which will go a long way to helping pin the problem down.
They also suggested trying to clearing the barometer. After doing so the console it is now showing ---.- & Cumulus is reporting 990hPa.
This is after several hours.

The Davis rep was really keen on electrical interference such as a nearby transmitter of some kind being the problem.
Though I know no better, hard to see how interference could upset the barometric pressure, with the sensor inside the console when all the ISS instruments which have their data transmitted to the console are reporting correctly. It is a wireless station. Normal home environment, WIFI, some iPhones and iPads and that's about it for transmitters.

Prior to the Davis I had a Fine Offset station in the same location and it worked faultlessly for several years until a hail storm demolished it.

Will advise how the replacement PCB goes.
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: Davis Vantage Pro 2 - Barometric Pressure - 1100 hPA - Impossible

Post by RayProudfoot »

Where's a Faraday Cage when you need one! :D

Look forward to hearing how you get on.
Cheers,
Ray, Cheshire.

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Watts Bridge
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri 10 Mar 2017 8:23 pm
Weather Station: Davis Pro2
Operating System: Windows 7 Professional
Location: Brisbane, Australia

Re: Davis Vantage Pro 2 - Barometric Pressure - 1100 hPA - Impossible

Post by Watts Bridge »

Hello Everyone, Followup post.

The Davis Vantage Pro 2 has now been running for almost 2 months with the replacement Main PCb.
There has been no re-occurrence of the Barometric Pressure error - so it seems fair to assume that the pressure sensor had failed.

The station is now installed at the airfield and has been working faultlessly, viewable at.....http://www.wattsbridge.com.au/weatherstation/gauges.php

For additional photo's and kinda blog of the install see.....
http://www.wattsbridge.com.au/phpBB3/vi ... 5&start=10

All in all - a good outcome.
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: Davis Vantage Pro 2 - Barometric Pressure - 1100 hPA - Impossible

Post by RayProudfoot »

That's good to hear. :)
Cheers,
Ray, Cheshire.

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mcrossley
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Re: Davis Vantage Pro 2 - Barometric Pressure - 1100 hPA - Impossible

Post by mcrossley »

Have you seen the (old) thread about creating a page for an airfield in NZ?

The final page is here: http://wairoa.net/weather/airport.htm
jon_iz
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Re: Davis Vantage Pro 2 - Barometric Pressure - 1100 hPA - Impossible

Post by jon_iz »

While not seeing the high pressure element, over the last few weeks i started seeing the barometric pressure starting to flat-line periodically on my secondhand VP2 console, a good example being this:
Pressure.png
the posts above proved helpful, together with this blog:
http://madscientistlabs.blogspot.com/20 ... -this.html

From that I worked out that my barometric pressure sensor was starting to fail, as the pressure trend was not matching my additional console (a Vantage Vue) and Mark Crossley's pressure trends ash'e not too far away from here in reality.
So, I moved CMX over to the Vue temporarily while I sourced a new sensor.
My VP2 console uses a 5540CM, U85 here:
20200906_195451.jpg
The 5540CM is readily available from China for under £10 delivered and took about a week to arrive, image for scale:
20200903_191103.jpg
While I'm no stranger to a conventional soldering station and discreet components, I've generally dismissed SMD as being too small for the tired old eyes.
However, hot air rework stations are also cheap enough so i procured one and spent an hour or two last weekend, perfecting technique by removing and reflowing components on old PCBS, with the aid of an angle poise illuminated magnifier. I was happy enough with the results to remove and replace U85 with a new one (the liquid on the board is IPA to remove flux deposits:
20200906_195529.jpg
20200906_200141.jpg
20200906_202528.jpg
It's now been installed since Sunday and has tracked the Vue's pressure perfectly, so I have reinstated the VP2
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HansR
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Re: Davis Vantage Pro 2 - Barometric Pressure - 1100 hPA - Impossible

Post by HansR »

Nice :clap:
But you could/should have made a new thread iso using an old (but very interesting) one.
Though it is kind of inline wih the refurbishing theme :lol:
Hans

https://meteo-wagenborgen.nl
CMX build 4017+ ● RPi 3B+ ● Raspbian Linux 6.1.21-v7+ armv7l ● dotnet 8.0.3
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beteljuice
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Re: Davis Vantage Pro 2 - Barometric Pressure - 1100 hPA - Impossible

Post by beteljuice »

Still not something the beteljuice would attempt - If it can't be fixed with a spanner and a hammer .....
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......................Imagine, what you will KNOW tomorrow !
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