Adding Temp Sensor

[wurzelmac]

Hello Folks,

now it is up to me, I need your help/advice:
I buyed an extra temp sensor (part# 6477 Temperature Probe with RJ Connector) and I *thought* I had only to plug it into the anemometer/sensor transmitter kit (part# 6332) into the corresponding jack and - magic - the reading from this new sensor was hopefully present. But - can't find it, neither in WC nor in Console.  And yes, an anemometer is already plugged in into the anemometer/sensor transmitter kit and I can read the wind-readings.

Any hints?

Thanks,
Reinhard

[wvdkuil]

Hello Folks,

now it is up to me, I need your help/advice:
I buyed an extra temp sensor (part# 6477 Temperature Probe with RJ Connector) and I *thought* I had only to plug it into the anemometer/sensor transmitter kit (part# 6332) into the corresponding jack and - magic - the reading from this new sensor was hopefully present. But - can't find it, neither in WC nor in Console.  And yes, an anemometer is already plugged in into the anemometer/sensor transmitter kit and I can read the wind-readings.

Any hints?

Thanks,
Reinhard

No hints, as it is impossible to do it that way.
Davis documentation:

With Vantage Pro2, this solar-powered kit allows you to mount the anemometer in a different location than the integrated sensor suite (up to 1,000 ft. (300m) from your wireless console/receiver).
With Envoy8X, you can use this kit with any of our sensors including solar radiation, UV, temperature, anemometer, rain and third-party sensors that report in a range of 0-3 volts.

This device seems to be a real ISS so the other sensors will not be recognized by a console or envoy.
Only by an Envoy8x which is almost incompatible with everything.
The only solution is a temp station which has no solar panel, so you need to have a spare battery always at hand.

Wim

[elagache]

Dear Reinhard, Wim, and WeatherCat Davis station fans,

I buyed an extra temp sensor (part# 6477 Temperature Probe with RJ Connector) and I *thought* I had only to plug it into the anemometer/sensor transmitter kit (part# 6332) into the corresponding jack and - magic - the reading from this new sensor was hopefully present. But - can't find it, neither in WC nor in Console.  And yes, an anemometer is already plugged in into the anemometer/sensor transmitter kit and I can read the wind-readings.

Alas, Wim is correct.  You would need to plug that sensor into a Temperature/Humidity station, not the Anemometer transmitter.  This is the complete package:

http://www.davisnet.com/weather/products/weather_product.asp?pnum=06382

You can buy the transmitter alone from places like Scaled Instruments.  However, if you can still return the temperature sensor, that might be easier. 

There is one other place you could plug that temperature sensor into.  The Weather Envoy can use a temperature sensor as a replacement for the internal temperature probe.  You can read about it here:

http://www.davisnet.com/product_documents/weather/manuals/07395-281_IM_06316.pdf

Scroll to page 6 for more info.

It is an interesting curiosity.

Cheers, Edouard 

[Bull Winkus]

Reinhard, if you go to the Tools Menu and choose Live Data at the bottom of the menu, you'll see a list of the preconfigured channels supported by Davis' Vantage Pro 2. I think, without actually having tried it, that when you plug the sensor into the anemometer transmitter, the signal will replace the inside temperature of the console.

Here's Davis' manual on the probe.

 

[wurzelmac]

Thank you all for your input, much appreciated!

It seems that you are right: adding a temperature sensor needs another temp station or a second anemometer/sensor transmitter kit (to avoid spare batteries, Wim  ).

I just tried to configure the present transmitter kit from <wind> to <temp> and that works. The Console now reads the the temp from station no. 2, but no wind readings any more. So it seems one kit can only pick up and receive one sort of data. What a waste of resources... 

Bull: Tried it but I can't confirm.

Edouard: The temp/hum station you directed me has the two sensors (temp and hum) build in - what I want is an external probe.

So I am thinking about buying another anemometer/sensor transmitter kit or the simple temp station. Thanks again for your input, folks! 

Cheers,
Reinhard

[WCDev]

I have a temperature station up in the attic - it needs a new battery approximately once every 4 months however, so I buy them in bulk from Amazon

[wurzelmac]

Stu,

is there an alert saying weak battery or something like that? Thanks in advance.

Reinhard

[WCDev]

Yes, it looks like:

Code: [Select]

WeatherCat Vantage Driver: Station Power Alert. Transmitter battery failure.
ISS battery - Good.
Transmitter 2 - Fail.
Transmitter 3 - Good.
Transmitter 4 - Good.
Transmitter 5 - Good.
Transmitter 6 - Good.
Transmitter 7 - Good.
Transmitter 8 - Good.


WeatherCat TimeStamp: 18:55:50 15-Mar-15

Transmitter 2 is the temperature station in this case (transmitter ID's not in use are always shown as good).

You'll get this alert daily for about two weeks before it finally dies and stops transmitting giving you plenty of time to get it changed after you first get the alert.

The one I'm using up there is a 6372 - here's the manual for it:
http://www.davisnet.com/product_documents/weather/manuals/07395-239_IM_06372.pdf

[elagache]

Dear Reinhard, Stu, Herb, and WeatherCat Davis "experts,"

Edouard: The temp/hum station you directed me has the two sensors (temp and hum) build in - what I want is an external probe.

So I am thinking about buying another anemometer/sensor transmitter kit or the simple temp station. Thanks again for your input, folks!

  . . . Your problem is that you haven't been fighting sensor errors for 6 months . .  then you'd know all these things! . . . 

It turns out in one of those many calls to Davis tech support I think I found out why you can't using anything but the temperature/humidity station even if you only want a temperature probe.  It turns out that all the other transmitters are nothing more than the ISS circuit board in another housing.  The only transmitter board that is really different is the one in the anemometer transmitter kit (I believe.)

I just checked Scaled Instruments and the closest Ryan has to what you need is a complete temperature kit:

https://www.scaledinstruments.com/product/davis-6372-wireless-temperature-station/

He doesn't sell just the transmitter board and housing.  I don't know who you buy your Davis hardware from, but you might just give them a call and ask.  The other thing you might look into is trying to pick up something used on a service like eBay.  I don't know how easy that would be for you, but that's probably the best way to get a bargain. Since Davis equipment is plenty rugged, perhaps a second-hand unit isn't such a risky investment.

Sorry, best I can offer you.

Edouard

[Bull Winkus]

I'm using 2 of the temperature transmitter kits. My only complaint is that the resolution is in steps of 1? F, which may be fine for reading in ?C. The ISS temperature and the indoor temperature are both in steps of 0.1? resolution.

 

[wurzelmac]

Ok, discussion going on... 

I am undecided between 6332 and 6372.
6332 (anemometer/sensor transmitter kit) uses solar energy and can transmit data from an external temp sensor (tested).
6372 (temperature transmitter kit) does the same but without solar energy, only batteries.

Same price for both devices?!?

So my favorite is the 6332, the benefit of this one is that I can use all ports for future needs (wind, temp, hum, ...) and it is powered by solar.

Cheers,
Reinhard

[elagache]

Dear Reinhard, Herb, and WeatherCat expansionists . . . . 

My only complaint is that the resolution is in steps of 1? F, which may be fine for reading in ?C. The ISS temperature and the indoor temperature are both in steps of 0.1? resolution.

Ditto . . .    This is a really a weak design feature on the part of Davis.  To use 1-byte for this value is - so - 1980 . . . 

Ok, discussion going on... 

. . . . .

So my favorite is the 6332, the benefit of this one is that I can use all ports for future needs (wind, temp, hum, ...) and it is powered by solar.

Okay, I confess I'm confused.  Is there a photo of the 6332 circuit board to be found somewhere on the web?  I have a suspicion that even this unit is nothing more than an ISS circuit board in another housing.  I would be interested to see if that hunch is correct.

Cheers, Edouard 

[Steve]

Don't pick up a cheap, used second Soil transmitter station thinking it will work as an additional temperature station. It doesn't...

[wurzelmac]

Maybe I am the one that brings the confusion to you, Edouard. When I wrote that I can use all ports for a future use I meant that all ports available on the 6332 are available to be used - but only one of them per kit. That is what I meant in another post "What a waste of resources...". So if I would take advantage of all available ports on 6332 I would have to buy as many transmitter kits as they have ports.

Ok, confusion gets bigger. 

Cheers,
Reinhard

PS: I ordered a temperature transmitter kit (6372) from my local dealer today - stay tuned.

[elagache]

Dear Steve, Reinhard, and WeatherCat tinkerers, . . .

Maybe I am the one that brings the confusion to you, Edouard.

Don't count on it, I'm really good at getting myself confused - all by myself!   

PS: I ordered a temperature transmitter kit (6372) from my local dealer today - stay tuned.

Well I took a look at the installation manual for that Davis product:

http://www.davisnet.com/product_documents/weather/manuals/07395-239_IM_06372.pdf

If you scroll over to page 3, low and behold you should immediately recognize an ISS circuit board in a different housing.  As far as I understand the situation, this should work just fine for you Reinhard.

Such is the necessity to put up with Davis's style of witchcraft. . . 

Cheers, Edouard