Hey gang, I’m back. I’ve taken a break from weather data gathering for awhile because my Oregon Scientific WMR300 failed and that royally pissed me off so now I’m in the market for a Davis Vantage. One day after my computer was rebuilt, the base unit kept disconnecting and connecting repeatedly to my computer and making that funny connection sound in Windows when you plug something and take it out again. It actually woke me up during the night one night and I could not figure out what the problem was. I checked all the connections, they seemed fine, and the display on the unit kept zero-ing out and going off and coming back on. I checked the power supply and found it really, really hot, on the verge of catching fire, so I quickly unplugged it and ordered a new universal power supply from Amazon for $20. Although that works as well, the backlight on the base unit won’t turn off. It stays on constantly. The voltage is set to 6V, just like the original power supply, so now I’m at a total loss on what I should do. Oregon Scientific has stopped making and supporting replacement devices for this particular unit and I swear I will never buy another OS product ever. It’ll be a cold day in hell before I ever go back to their website or ask them for help again!
I’m once again in the market for a Davis Data Vantage Pro 2, but since you need the set ($800), plus you need the data logger ($200), plus you need the software which is apparently free, I’m looking at spending $1,000 on getting a whole new system.
For those of you who already have this unit, how long have you had it, are you completely satisfied with it, and would you recommend it to others who are in the market for a new weather station?
The WMR300 outdoor equipment works just great, I just can’t collect any data anymore since the base unit died and I can’t get another one. I hate to throw it out, you know, because of environmental issues, so if anyone needs any WMR300 replacement parts, I have them and we can cut a deal on cheap parts and shipping if you’re interested.
If anyone has any info on the Davis Vantage Vue Pro 2 wireless metric version other than what I read on the Internet, let me know - or if there’s something newer than that I should be looking at or where I can get a good deal on one.
Whilst you set the volts to 6v, what about the ampage, if this is too high, perhaps the console defaulted to lights on as a way to protect it, that’s just a guess, i ain’t got a clue, only thing i could think off, Amp x V = Watts, too many watts could be a problem, worth comparing new for old.
As for Davis, you cannot go wrong, whilst the initial cost is quite high, it is reflected in the quality of the sensors and that’s reflected in the data, i would say go with Weatherlink Live too as opposed to an serial/usb logger.
It would be a strange circuit that reacted to too many amps. Circuits take the amps they need to operate and no more, unless they’re faulty but that usually leads to the release of the magic smoke from the device
I just plugged the old AC adapter in, the original one that came with the unit, and the backlight still stays on. I’m sure it’s not a setting that I can set, so this indicates to me that it’s on the verge of dying. It’s a 6V 100mA adapter. The universal is set at 6V but doesn’t specifically say OUTPUT 100mA like the original does. This doesn’t help the heat issue with the original adapter. I’m afraid to keep this thing plugged in! On the left is the Universal, on the right is the original adapter.
Davis is looking better and better all the time. @Bashy, are you saying that I won’t need a data logger if I just go with the WeatherLink Live?
at a guess, 30w / 12v is 2.5amp even if that PSU halved it for 6v, that’s 1.25amp and even that is way too high and i don’t think it halves it, could be wrong, like i said, its a guess, one thinks ya might have over cooked it. I wouldnt keep the original one plugged in either.
Yes, the WLL is a logger and much more than a normal USB/serial logger
Unless there is a serious fault in the unit then supplying too many amps from the PSU isn’t a problem. You can connect a device requiring 100mA to a 30A PSU and it will only draw 100mA from it. You can damage/cook something by giving it too many volts but that doesn’t appear to be the case here
Hi
reading this would indicate to me a fault on the console drawing too much current causing the power pack to over heat but you would need to measure that current
I had a wmr many years ago and had so many problems with it and batteries I replaced it with a Davis Vantage Pro 2 wired other than the hail store that destroyed the WMR out door sensors but only broke the anemometer on the davis (storm dented up my truck cracked the windsheild and caused major damage aound the city) I have had the Pro at least 15 years. I would highly recommend the Davis
I had a WMR 300 for 7 or 8 years.
The solar panel is too small for Scandinavian conditions, so you have to change batteries from time to time. Recently the outside hydrometer, and now also the temperature sensor, have failed.
Someone called a cheaper Davis copy, which i guess it is. Back then extra sensors to the station from Oregon Scientific was a big thing. It came to nothing.
Looking back I regret I did not go for Davis back then.
Now the big problem is finding a reasonably priced dealer in Sweden. Germany seems to be an option.
I’ve had two VP2’s. One when I lived in Florida from 2005-2015. I had to replace the temp/humidity sensors twice and wind sensors once. I think the salt air and high heat and humidity was a factor. I also had to replace the ISS battery every 8-10 months. I gave that ISS to a colleague at work when I moved to Virginia in 2015. In January 2018, I bought a new VP2 and so far, I haven’t replaced any components, including the battery in the ISS. I’m using the same console that I bought with the first system in 2005.
You can get a wireless VP2 for less than $800 US if you shop around. I just found a wireless VP2 for $537 US that include the ISS and console. The USB Data Logger is $167 US. So, I think you can get everything you need for about $700 US. I don’t want to provide the name of the vendor since it might seem like I was endorsing them, but an Internet search should find them or send me a personal message and I’ll provide the URL.
One thing I really like about the VP2 is that the wind sensors are separate from the rest of the ISS so there is no compromise for the height of the temp/hum/rain or wind measurements like all-in-one weather stations.
There’s still a compromise between temp/hum and rain gauge height with the VP2 ISS. . .
I run an old WMR200 in a small UK suburban garden to the south of the house, surrounded by hedges and trees. I have lusted after a VP2+ because I could put the anemo on a chimney but I could not site the ISS (with UV and solar) anywhere suitable. My current anemo and UV sensor are on a pole at about 5 metres, the rain gauge is as far from houses/trees as possible and the main temp/hum is in shelter to the north of the house. I also have extra temp/hum sensors that I can use wherever I like.
I have concluded that my next station will be Ecowitt. The anemo/solar/UV will go up the existing pole to catch more of the morning sun; the barometer, rain gauge and temp/hum exactly where they are now. And there are other sensors available.
it really comes down to what you want. Do you want a VP2 or VP2+. You can still find a decent price for VP2’s. I have had one for about 6 years now. It has survived some very extreme weather through the past years. Just last week I changed the battery in the ISS for the first time. All things considered, it’s a reliable station.
If you were considering adding the WLL option for the VP2 then you can add an extra transmitter for the anemometer and plug the UV/Solar sensors into that transmitter. I have this working here…my anemometer is at about 30ft with the UV/Solar sensors mounted with it. My ISS with rain/temp/hum is about 40 feet away across the garden in a more suitable location. There is of course additional cost to do this, but it is an option. I would also add that the UV/Solar values won’t display on the VP2 console if you do this, but if you don’t want a console you may be able to buy the rest of the parts without a console and therefore put that saving towards the WLL/transmitter.
My anemometer is mounted about 15 feet above the chimney, the rest of the station is mounted on an old patio satellite dish base, recycled the dish, kept the base. It is about 4 feet high, sits in the middle of the yard about 10 feet form the house and 10 feet from the block fence was the best place I could put it.
I installed a New Davis Vantage Pro+ system in Feb. 2020. I am also using a Davis WLL. I love it. Other than a glitch or 2(usually my fault) I have had NO problems with the Davis system. It is much better than my old Oregon WMR938? The only thing that I kind of regret is getting the Davis Console. Nothing from the console is used by WD, or my web site. It got moved into another room and is only used basically to see that rooms temp. and humidity. I wish that Davis would have given us the option to use the temp/humidity from the console instead of from the WLL. My WLL is located very close to the back of my printer and reads about 2 degrees F. higher than actual room temp. Perhaps someday I will relocate it. But, overall, I am very pleased with it. If I ever quit spending money on my 220 gallon saltwater tank, I will get an Air Quality monitor from Davis as well.
Strange thing I’ve found regarding just the purchase of the sensor package… it costs more than the entire unit with the console (which I don’t really want)… Just ordered a VP2+ off of ebay and the WLL from Amazon.
That was the one thing i missed from the Envoy, you could add and extra temp sensor to that and use it as the rooms temp, im not sure why they didnt follow that over to the WLL, perhaps its would have been too much of a power draw, not sure, just a guess lol
