I just found out that my girlfriend ordered a LaCrosse WS2308 for me for xmas. I mentioned to her a little while ago that a weather station sounded interesting, and that if I ever got one, I would want it to have a PC interface to put a webpage up. She is very thoughtful and did her best to find what she thought I would want, but as she knows, I can be very picky. At least she got one with a serial port, that is as much as I can expect from somebody who doesn’t know a lot about modern technology.
I am new to weather stations, and know that both of these options are cheap versions; neither look “excellent” as far as weather reporting goes. Affordable will have to take that adjective’s place for now. Personally I have looked to the WMR-968 as a good reliable option for a cheap system, although I have not talked to many people about this yet. I found them on costco.com for $200, which is only $30 more than she paid for the LaCrosse. What do you guys think, would you return the WS2308 for a WMR-968? She is understanding about these things, so I am not too worried about upsetting my girl by returning the LaCrosse.
I know that some folks don’t think to much about the OS, and the older ones had some issues that OS seems to have really worked out in the newer models. I have one as a backup station here, OS WMR-968. I have to say that properly calibrated it’s measurements are dead on with the Davis VP2. It does have some undesirables… it only measures wind every 14 seconds or so, so it missed many gusts. It also can only measure rainfall in 0.04 increments. There is a mod that many have done that will take that down to 0.01. As far as reliability goes, it has been excellent, no problems at all. For the money, it has been a great station.
you could add a 1 wire windspeed/dir or a inspeed vortex anenometer to that station with WD and get windspeed reading every 1 second with that combination
All these great gadgets…0.01in rainfall, vortex anenometer, etc. I wonder what it would cost to put the best of the best 1-wire instruments into a kick-butt weather station. Hmmm, is there a 1-wire solar sensor? Maybe a good winter project for me to try…
Could you list the required items for 1-wire? I am not familiar with 1-wire so if someone would provide a list of the required items I will put together a complete list with prices. I am seriously considering putting one of these stations together for a relative of mine who would like a weather station.
I would think the following would be the optimum for a Complete 1-wire system…
External Temperature sensor $18.00
External Humidity sensor $46.00
(the above could be a combined sensor but could also be two separate)
Internal Humidity and Temp sensor (this should be a combined sensor IMHO) $49.50
Wind instrument $80.00
Rain bucket $78.00
Barometer $59.25
Solar sensor $22.00
Power injector $26.00
(If you don’t have the right AC adaptor then an additional $20.00)
USB or Serial 1-wire adaptor (either) $25.00
You could add a Lightning sensor for just a bit more as well… $33.25
That would equal, or exceed, most of any of the main stations on the market I believe…
(Note: All pricing based on Hobby-Boards assembled sensors without cases)
One thought I had when thinking about setting up a 1-wire station is the combination of the hum-temp-solar. The solar would have to be in such a position in order to read accurately which will not give a good temp reading if it is in full sun.
One more point. Even if the boards are treated with a protectant they still can not be exposed to direct rain. So they must be sheltered in some way. The cases from Hobby Boards are very nice however they are not waterproof.
I’m not trying to discourage you in any way just trying to point out what I think you need to consider. There are a lot of people using them so they have to work.
1 x Solar Radiation Detector w/RJ45 (with moisture resistant coating)
1 x Solar Radiation Case
1 x Barometer (with moisture resistant coating)
1 x Barometer Case
1 x Humidity/Temp (with moisture resistant coating)
1 x Humidity/Temp Case
Sub Total $165.50
Inspeed Anenometer $49.00
Rain Bucket $39.90
DS9097U Universal 1-Wire Com. Port Adapter $25
Sub Total $113.90
Instruments Sub Total $279.40
1 x Power Injector
1 x Power Injector Case
1 x Universal AC Adaptor
1 x 6 Channel Hub
1 x 6 Channel Hub Case
Sub Total $113.00
Grand Total $392.40 (Does not include shipping)
Ok, is this the complete list?
So how do you protect the circuits from weather? Could use a stevenson screen shelter to hold everything, but the solar will be a problem.
My idea is to have a plastic obscured white globe shape that will fit over the entire solar sensor and then silicon seal it to a plastic platform with a few small breathing holes drilled through the plastic mounting platform directly under the globe covered area…
Personally I have looked to the WMR-968 as a good reliable option for a cheap system, although I have not talked to many people about this yet. I found them on costco.com for $200, which is only $30 more than she paid for the LaCrosse. What do you guys think, would you return the WS2308 for a WMR-968? She is understanding about these things, so I am not too worried about upsetting my girl by returning the LaCrosse.