Trixology

Weather => Weather Hardware/Measurement => Topic started by: senorwx on September 26, 2018, 02:29:00 PM

Title: Vantage Pro 2 Radiation Shield
Post by: senorwx on September 26, 2018, 02:29:00 PM
Greetings!
I've installed a new T/H sensor on my station, but totally did not use care in remembering the correct order of reassembling the five shield plates. With the new sensor by T/H readings are totally wrong, so I've not reassembled properly as the sensor board assembly is attached directly to the plate with the heavy round disc on the opposite side of the plate. Breakout diagram in manual and online is no help. The Maintenance video from Davis doesn't help. And Davis doesn't reply to its message board.

Anyone out there able to help those who can't remember to make notes whilst disassembling?

Thanks.
Title: Hopefully this manual will help you. (Re: Vantage Pro 2 Radiation Shield)
Post by: elagache on September 26, 2018, 10:24:47 PM
Dear senorwx and WeatherCat FYI types,

I've installed a new T/H sensor on my station, but totally did not use care in remembering the correct order of reassembling the five shield plates.

I have done this and made my own fan aspiration setup, but alas I didn't take any photos of reassembling the radiation sensor.  However, I believe this Davis manual covers the order as part of the installation instructions:

https://www.davisinstruments.com/product_documents/weather/manuals/07395-033_IM_07745.pdf (https://www.davisinstruments.com/product_documents/weather/manuals/07395-033_IM_07745.pdf)

Let us know if that solves your problem or not.

Cheers, Edouard
Title: Re: Vantage Pro 2 Radiation Shield
Post by: senorwx on October 01, 2018, 08:06:47 PM
Eduardo,

Thanks as always for your helpful advice. My station is up and running with the new T/H sensor and a somewhat reconfigured shield. I've learned there are several sensor shields, some with five, others with six plates. Your link to the aspirated version is different (my 'standard' version has five plates), the printed manual from Davis only has an arrow pointing to where the sensor goes, and various other variations in their literature.

Botton line is my sensor is now mounted on the original plastic standoffs between the board and the plate, but I had to remove the insulated disc for it to accept that top plate. (That disc was there as were the standoffs when I took it apart. For some reason I simply could not reassemble it that way. Maybe a different phase of the moon.) You can see in the photo how the disc and the sensor cage would collide!

Thanks for your help. Too bad there isn't better documentation of the shield by Davis.
Title: Re: Vantage Pro 2 Radiation Shield
Post by: xairbusdriver on October 01, 2018, 08:18:12 PM
I'm betting the "sixth" shield has a huge hole in it and fits between the top one and the one that holds the sensor. [banghead] It would be nice for Davis to mention that those adding the sensor might want to also purchase that sixth shield?
Amazon: People who bought xyz also purchased "a sixth" shield...
I am always amazed at how little a company ever uses their own site(s) as a customer might/will. [rolleyes2] It's called user-testing and the "users" should never be company employees!
Title: Glad you are back in business! (Re: Vantage Pro 2 Radiation Shield)
Post by: elagache on October 01, 2018, 10:34:04 PM
Dear senorwx, X-Air, and WeatherCat station hardware DIY types,

Thanks as always for your helpful advice. My station is up and running with the new T/H sensor and a somewhat reconfigured shield. I've learned there are several sensor shields, some with five, others with six plates. Your link to the aspirated version is different (my 'standard' version has five plates), the printed manual from Davis only has an arrow pointing to where the sensor goes, and various other variations in their literature.
. . . . .

Glad you were able to figure it out with the available resources on the web.  I had hoped to take my radiation shield to clean it before winter set in, but that will have to wait for the moment.  When I do, I'll try to take some photos of how the pieces fit together on my rig.

Cheers, Edouard  [cheers1]
Title: Re: Vantage Pro 2 Radiation Shield
Post by: JosBaz on October 02, 2018, 06:42:44 PM
I've struggled with this too, and I agree it is poorly documented. However, there is a video on youtube which talks about cleaning your PWS and it shows the correct order (at 0m45s).

https://youtu.be/EcoZ6100Q3c (https://youtu.be/EcoZ6100Q3c)

Surprised to see the plastic standoffs, which are not part of my setup (which is also a standard VP2 shield with 5 discs) and also not in the video.

Hope this helps.

Jos
Title: Re: Vantage Pro 2 Radiation Shield
Post by: senorwx on October 04, 2018, 05:58:12 PM
Greetings!

Problem solved! Tech support had me remove the "insulation disc" from the underside of one of the solid plates and attach the TH sensor there (the sensor hanging down), which is now the top plate. I just used one of the disc screw holes to mount the sensor board.

Then are now the 2 "open" plates below that top plate, then two solid plates...the bottom plate being the one with the threaded screw holes. Davis never mentioned the 6th plate solution that xairbusdriver mentions, which I noticed in some photos.

Oddest of all though is that before I disassembled the shield, the five plates all fit together (including the one with the insulating disc...whatever that does), with the sensor board face up on the one-inch standoff screws.

FYI the TH sensor board was $73 USD from WeatherBuffs via Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/s?marketplaceID=ATVPDKIKX0DER&me=A16021BDEPIY71&merchant=A16021BDEPIY71

Finally, in spite of the paucity of online documentation for the shield, the Davis tech service guy responded quickly and helpfully throughout this adventure.
Title: Re: Vantage Pro 2 Radiation Shield
Post by: Blicj11 on October 05, 2018, 05:36:13 AM
I love it when a solution is discovered. Good work and thanks for posting This will help someone else down the road.