Weather Station Discussion

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dazhann

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#273384 19-Aug-2020 18:30

Looking to buy a weather station for my lifestyle block. Budget would probably be at the lower end so $200 to $400. Main requirements, rain and inside and outside temp and also the ability to check when away by phone app or web site. There seems to be quite a few in that price range available either locally or off shore, so what are you using that you would recommend. Also the outside unit seems to need batteries even if solar powered assisted, so how often do you need to change batteries, as unit will be up a ladder access?

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#2544678 19-Aug-2020 18:48

Recommend to keep your eye on 1-day, they have these on every now and then: https://www.1-day.co.nz/products/professional-weather-station-w-wi-fi

The same units are on Trademe for around $250 under a different brand name - theyre the same and all made by Fine Offset in China.

I got one last July and its worked like a dream since, outside unit is up high on top of a pergola and not needed a battery change since. It needs to be reasonably close to your wi-fi router so the signal doesnt drop out is the only limitation Ive come across.

It uploads to Weather Underground, Weathercloud and a couple of other online sites.

Tradepub

Free professional, reference and technical white papers (affiliate link).

corksta

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#2544685 19-Aug-2020 18:54

I use the Netatmo system with an additional indoor module, rain gauge and anemometer. Combined though it might be a bit more than you’re looking to spend, but it’s a good system and works well and does everything you’re wanting to do. I’ve had it for over a year and batteries are still showing as full.

msukiwi

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#2544703 19-Aug-2020 20:00

Tradetested also have one.

https://www.tradetested.co.nz/home-outdoor-living/weather-stations.html

Waiting on my Tempest to arrive from a Kickstarter campaign last year.

(USA / Canada have been shipped, late this month hopefully the rest of the world - Covid related production / shipping delays)

Best one was an Original WIRED DSE one. Wireless is fickle. Many units from 1 Day have failed in some way for me and others.

ANglEAUT

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#2544777 19-Aug-2020 22:19

Please let us know when you make your choice & then how it works out for you.

Please keep this GZ community vibrant by contributing in a constructive & respectful manner.

neb

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#2544835 20-Aug-2020 00:01

msukiwi:
Waiting on my Tempest to arrive from a Kickstarter campaign last year.

I saw that on Indigogo, would be interested to hear your experience with it when it arrives, it looked like shipping to non-US/Canadian backers was very late even by Covid19-mail standards.

msukiwi

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#2544839 20-Aug-2020 00:19

The Tempest promises amazing performance with no moving parts - I'm looking forward to it arriving.

Love the counting the rain drops and how hard etc!. Have to get a wind vane to see the wind direction as it doesn't have one!

Very interesting.

I've gotten over the "can't wait for it to arrive" syndrome now.

neb

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#2544844 20-Aug-2020 00:32

It looked pretty impressive as a technology demonstrator, but that also made it a bit high-risk for me, which is why I sat back to see how it'd pan out, a combination of whether they would be able to ship and still be around to sort of potential problems, and how well things like the haptic rain sensor would work in practice since you require a lot of algorithmic processing to deal with wind/rain combinations. The "no moving parts" is more to make it cheaper than for accuracy, something like a tipping-bucket rain gauge already reads to 0.1mm so making it all silicon-based is to save costs/complexity rather than for accuracy.

Not trying to put it down, just going into my reasoning for taking a wait-and-see attitude.

msukiwi

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#2544848 20-Aug-2020 00:44

I thought long and hard, used my "xmas piggy bank" which I use each year to fund non-essential projects.

I've had a weather station running since 1990. Had 4 different models, and as I said, the early DSE wired one was the best.

(Had a stroke, so no longer allowed onto the roof to fix it!)

One time the rain gauge wouldn't work.

Found about a hundred baby translucent spiders in it that couldn't get out. How they survived I'll never know.

neb

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#2544851 20-Aug-2020 00:57

Yeah, it certainly looks like a neat system. For those wondering what we're talking about, it's this.

sbiddle

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#2544873 20-Aug-2020 07:29

I have one of the same weather stations as the Trade Tested models listed above, and Jaycar sell exactly the same unit as well. A number of other companies also sell the same OEM product with their own branding.

Mine is an Ambient Weather than I got from the US, and overall it's not a bad unit. Ambient Weather have their own app and allow uploading data to various services, I believe the other OEM brands use a generic app.

There is only one glaring issue with the device that also affects the Trade Tested and Jaycar models according to a couple of discussions I have had with people. The unit supports US DST settings in the firmware and only supports DST on or off.

That seems fine for a NZ user except the clock setting does not allow GMT+13 and the weather station connects to time.windows.com to synchronise the time so unless you manually set the time and block access to time.windows.com in your router you'll end up with the time an hour out for the duration of NZDT. Obviously lots of other devices incl Windows machines will also connect to this so you really only want to be blocking access to time.windows.com from the weather station itself.

This seems a pretty glaring omission for the device not supporting GMT+13 and Ambient Weather didn't care when I contacted them as they don't sell their product outside the US. You'd think Jaycar or Trade Tested would have picked it up or asked for changes to be made.

SATTV

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#2544875 20-Aug-2020 07:32

I want one, but I would prefer a wired than wireless system, that solar panel in not big and a decent bird droping would cover a good amount.

I just want an indication on wind speed and direction & rain, living on a ridge has its disavantages some times and would be nice to know more.

John

I know enough to be dangerous

rogercruse

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#2544893 20-Aug-2020 08:06

corksta:... I use the Netatmo system with an additional indoor module, rain gauge and anemometer. Combined though it might be a bit more than you’re looking to spend, but it’s a good system and works well and does everything you’re wanting to do. I’ve had it for over a year and batteries are still showing as full. ...

Me too, since 2017. Indoor modules are surprisingly useful in understanding how warm / cool your home gets.

dazhann

465 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2544911 20-Aug-2020 08:53

[url]https://www.ebay.com/itm/PanTech-Weather-Station-Wifi-Wireless-Professional-Solar-Power-UV-WH-WH2900/252762207220?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l9372[/url]

At this early stage of looking at the above, looks ok for the money. Only concern, not NZ based supplier and not a known brand. But as has been mentioned probably made at same factory as similar looking models. Will have to ask about the DST issue mentioned by sbiddle.

The tempest looks very nice

GGJohnstone

86 posts

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#2544939 20-Aug-2020 09:43

I Endorse this eBay. Compare with another recommended here it is three for the price of two. When the other retailer is reminded that their advertising is not correct they add to me that they are talking about New Zealand supply but still do not change the advertising. The eBay is also supplying New Zealand with considerable buyer protections.

It is your choice.

Dingbatt

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#2544999 20-Aug-2020 10:06

corksta:

I use the Netatmo system with an additional indoor module, rain gauge and anemometer. Combined though it might be a bit more than you’re looking to spend, but it’s a good system and works well and does everything you’re wanting to do. I’ve had it for over a year and batteries are still showing as full.

This kind of peaked my interest in a weather station again. I note from searching online that it can be integrated with Google Assistant and Alexa (and IFTTT) as well as Smartthings, HomeKit, Openhab and HomeAssistant. Have you explored any of these integrations?

“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. Carl Sagan 1996

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