Author Topic: ISS Battery  (Read 5037 times)

Chet

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ISS Battery
« on: November 14, 2017, 12:07:01 PM »
I have just installed a new battery in my Vantage Vue but the console still says low battery transmitter. Last night, the Vue stopped getting transmissions. This morning, with strong sun light the Vue was transmitting. We have had several days of no sun shine. The Vue doesn?t charge the battery does it? Why would a new battery still show low transmission. I put conductivity paste on the battery ends.
Chet
Castle Rock Colorado

Blicj11

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Re: ISS Battery
« Reply #1 on: November 14, 2017, 03:40:30 PM »
Chet:

After changing the battery in the ISS, you may still get a low battery alert until midnight of the day of the battery change, then the ISS and console will reset any alerts.

Just curious, do you remember how long your ISS battery lasted? 
Blick


xairbusdriver

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Re: ISS Battery
« Reply #2 on: November 14, 2017, 03:43:40 PM »
I think Blicj11 has the useful info! ThU5:-)

I just hope you didn't make the same mistake I did when I first installed my equipment. I put the battery in backwards!!! [banghead] [rolleyes2] [blush]

The 50-50-90 rule: Anytime I have a 50-50 chance of getting something right,
there's a 90% probability I'll get it wrong.

Don't have a Vue, but I think the only thing the Solar array charges is the capacitor. But, as I said, I'm oftin rong!

That conductivity paste probably makes it easier to get the battery out, it's very tight in my Pro. It might not hurt to double check that you may have used too much paste and accidentally connected either terminal to the circuitry. After all, that's two 50-50 chances!! cmu:-)
THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF COUNTRIES
Those that use metric = #1 Measurement system
And the United States = The Banana system


elagache

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Check the voltage - preferably under load (Re: ISS Battery )
« Reply #3 on: November 14, 2017, 11:14:23 PM »
Dear Chet, Blick, X-Air, and WeatherCat station electricians,

I have just installed a new battery in my Vantage Vue but the console still says low battery transmitter. Last night, the Vue stopped getting transmissions. This morning, with strong sun light the Vue was transmitting. We have had several days of no sun shine.

It sound like you have a problem with the present battery.  X-Air could be correct, the battery is in backward, or it could be defective battery.  Try checking the voltage of the battery when there is very little sunshine while it is still in your Vantage Vue.  That will test the battery voltage under load.  A new 123 Lithium battery should produce over 3.2 volts.  If it doesn't it is defective.

The Vue doesn?t charge the battery does it? Why would a new battery still show low transmission.

As X-Air points out, Davis changed their designs between the Vantage Pro-1 and Vantage Pro-2.  The solar panel recharges a capacitor instead of a battery.  The battery is used only when there is no sun and the capacitor is discharged.

I put conductivity paste on the battery ends.

I've never done this and I'm not sure this is a good idea for this application.  If you continue to have problems, I suggest you remove the conductivity paste and see if that eliminates your problems.  The Davis hardware are designed to work without additional products like conductivity paste.

Cheers, Edouard

acw342

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Re: ISS Battery
« Reply #4 on: January 15, 2018, 12:49:19 PM »
I too have the same problem as Chet.  I normally pay a local aerial erector ?25 to change the battery as the ISS is on a 20' pole above the roof Ridgeline on the gable end wall. However, this year I decided that I would sort out the problem of battery replacement by installing a fake battery connected  by cable to a CR123 mounted in an enclosure on the lintel above an upstairs window. I suspect that there is a problem with the contacts on the fake battery and I will have my to fork out another ?25 to drop it down and sort things out.

HOWEVER, here's the riddle. This morning I ran the "Test Power System"  before there was enough light to power the system and it reported the ISS transmitter was "Good" Huh? I then removed the CR123 from its mount and re-ran the test. Exactly the same - Tx Battery Stays "Good" How on earth can it be good when it's not even connected? Therefore I have to ask the community, what are these transmitters numbered 2 to 8 and how can a system power test say that all is good. In fact. how can a test of the ISS power system be run if there's no communication between it and the console? The attachments are later in the day but are exact replicas of the earlier tests. I have to admit to being very confused and I don't think that that is down to my advancing years.

Many thanks in anticipation,

A342

xairbusdriver

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Re: ISS Battery
« Reply #5 on: January 15, 2018, 03:04:04 PM »
Here are a couple of threads from a search on this site. I think the important answer to your question is in the first link, post #104:
THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF COUNTRIES
Those that use metric = #1 Measurement system
And the United States = The Banana system


elagache

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What does console report? (Re: ISS Battery )
« Reply #6 on: January 15, 2018, 11:16:19 PM »
Dear ACW342, X-Air, and WeatherCat station caregivers,

I normally pay a local aerial erector ?25 to change the battery as the ISS is on a 20' pole above the roof Ridgeline on the gable end wall. However, this year I decided that I would sort out the problem of battery replacement by installing a fake battery connected  by cable to a CR123 mounted in an enclosure on the lintel above an upstairs window.

That might work, but it probably would be simpler to simply connect your station to the household current as I suggested in your earlier posting:

http://athena.trixology.com/index.php?topic=2663.msg25722#msg25722

HOWEVER, here's the riddle. This morning I ran the "Test Power System"  before there was enough light to power the system and it reported the ISS transmitter was "Good" Huh?

I believe that false positives for the devices that aren't installed is an artifact of how the Davis console reports power.  Did the console report that the battery was missing?  If the console didn't report the fault, WeatherCat would simply rely the report from the console.

Cheers, Edouard

Blicj11

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Re: ISS Battery
« Reply #7 on: January 16, 2018, 04:21:37 AM »
Therefore I have to ask the community, what are these transmitters numbered 2 to 8 and how can a system power test say that all is good.

I believe they are for extra battery powered sensors you can attach, temperature and moisture probes, etc.
Blick


xairbusdriver

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Re: ISS Battery
« Reply #8 on: January 16, 2018, 04:34:56 AM »
To A342;

Did you read the response from the WC developer in my link #14? I think it explicitly answers your guest ion about the WC reporting "good" batteries with no battery installed in the ISS. The way I understand the explanation there, WC does not read the ISS, it only reads the Console. The Console is responsible for reporting station status, including "battery" voltage. That info is, basically, once a day, not real-time.
THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF COUNTRIES
Those that use metric = #1 Measurement system
And the United States = The Banana system


acw342

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Re: ISS Battery
« Reply #9 on: January 16, 2018, 10:48:41 AM »
Thanks to all for the VERY informative replies. Some I had forgotten (either age related or too much going on in life, hopefully the latter) and some I hadn't seen before. Whilst looking at the station profile for Blic11j I notice that in his list of equipment he has, at the bottom of the list, quoted "A supportive wife" Personally I would put this item of equipment at the top of the list. I also have one of these but she has drawn the line at drilling holes in the side of the house to provide a 3v power supply to the ISS. Once sorted, and even if the supercap has blown (which Idon't yet believe), going upstairs to change the battery every 3/6 months is a small price to pay for domestic harmony. Again, thanks to all - What a supportive community
 [WCSmall]
A342

Blicj11

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Re: ISS Battery
« Reply #10 on: January 16, 2018, 12:35:27 PM »
Good man. It always better to withdraw your forces than cross the line at home that should never be crossed. And thanks for the good laugh to start my day.
Blick