Davis RJ-15 wire insulated?

[HantaYo]

Hi everyone,

The wind speed on my VP Vantage Pro is not reporting.  Davis recommended removing/putting back the wind cups as well as checking the cabling.  Took down the mast and to my surprise found numerous instances of the plastic cable conduit being compromised.  In places you can see metal (not copper but silver color).  I am wondering if the Davis RJ-15 cable is shielded?  Likely a moot point; the cable needs replaced.

Thanks!

[elagache]

Dear Jeff and WeatherCat station caregivers,

The wind speed on my VP Vantage Pro is not reporting.  Davis recommended removing/putting back the wind cups as well as checking the cabling.  Took down the mast and to my surprise found numerous instances of the plastic cable conduit being compromised.  In places you can see metal (not copper but silver color).  I am wondering if the Davis RJ-15 cable is shielded?  Likely a moot point; the cable needs replaced.

I had to splice my anemometer cable when I moved my station transmitter about 30 feet.  I didn't take any pictures apparently but at least on the VP-2 there is no metal shielding.  It is a standard 4-conductor telephone cable.  If you need to splice the cable, scotchlok connectors work very well.  Davis supplies them in their cable splicing kits but you can get them in any telephone or electronics supply house.  Here is a video on how to use them:

https://youtu.be/vV16ahOr6po

Good luck getting your anemometer back into operation! 

Cheers, Edouard

[LesCimes]

Might be a good time to upgrade the wire with a custom type. Not sure what that would be, but surely there is something out there that would be more durable than standard telephone cable.

[HantaYo]

I had to splice my anemometer cable when I moved my station transmitter about 30 feet.  I didn't take any pictures apparently but at least on the VP-2 there is no metal shielding.  It is a standard 4-conductor telephone cable.  If you need to splice the cable, scotchlok connectors work very well.  Davis supplies them in their cable splicing kits but you can get them in any telephone or electronics supply house.  Here is a video on how to use them:

https://youtu.be/vV16ahOr6po

I'll check out the scotchlok connectors.  Looks like I can continue to use the Davis weather proof box with them.  The exposed cable I am seeing though it is silver.  I'll check out the wire when I splice everything.  Hopefully the hardware store has some connectors.  Radio Shack closed several years ago.  Other than that, it is the internet 

Might be a good time to upgrade the wire with a custom type. Not sure what that would be, but surely there is something out there that would be more durable than standard telephone cable.

 

Likely insulated CAT 5?  I'll hold off on a wire upgrade and hope Davis upgrades the Vantage Pro line soon.  I would like a wireless anemometer.  The wire from the mast to the weather station is buried in PVC pipe so it is pretty protected.

[Bull Winkus]

Just a couple of thoughts, which may or may not be useful since I don't know all the details.

If any of the wire is loose from the sensor head to the entry of the conduit pipe, flapping in the breeze will over time wear the insulation away. If the wire is still carrying the signal, while not touching anything to ground, then you can just wrap it with a good quality electrical tape, then secure the wire to the mast at several places to prevent further damage.

Cat 5 and other Ethernet cables are heavier, but are twisted. Phone cable is not. Rule of thumb when replacing cable. Replace twisted with twisted, and straight with straight.

Hopefully you can continue to use the existing cable for several more years.

 

[elagache]

Dear Jeff, Herb, and WeatherCat station cabling experts,

I'll check out the scotchlok connectors.  Looks like I can continue to use the Davis weather proof box with them.  The exposed cable I am seeing though it is silver.  I'll check out the wire when I splice everything.  Hopefully the hardware store has some connectors.  Radio Shack closed several years ago.  Other than that, it is the internet 

Likely insulated CAT 5?  I'll hold off on a wire upgrade and hope Davis upgrades the Vantage Pro line soon.  I would like a wireless anemometer.  The wire from the mast to the weather station is buried in PVC pipe so it is pretty protected.

If you simply want to splice in a section of newer cable, I just checked and Davis cable kits are the same for the Vantage Pro and Vantage Pro-2:

http://www.davisnet.com/weather/products/install_cables.asp

Davis sells a splicing kit with the scotchlok connectors and weather-proof box.  That's what I used to extend the cables of all my instruments.  So you could replace that cable for a very moderate cost and allow yourself plenty of time to wait for the VP-3 or whatever Davis has on their R&D workbench right now.

Cheers, Edouard 

P.S. if you go Internet for the Davis wiring kits definitely go with one of the discount dealers.  This thread lists "da' usual suspects" . . . .

http://athena.trixology.com/index.php?topic=1880.0;topicseen

[HantaYo]

Dear Jeff, Herb, and WeatherCat station cabling experts,

I'll check out the scotchlok connectors.  Looks like I can continue to use the Davis weather proof box with them.  The exposed cable I am seeing though it is silver.  I'll check out the wire when I splice everything.  Hopefully the hardware store has some connectors.  Radio Shack closed several years ago.  Other than that, it is the internet 

Likely insulated CAT 5?  I'll hold off on a wire upgrade and hope Davis upgrades the Vantage Pro line soon.  I would like a wireless anemometer.  The wire from the mast to the weather station is buried in PVC pipe so it is pretty protected.

If you simply want to splice in a section of newer cable, I just checked and Davis cable kits are the same for the Vantage Pro and Vantage Pro-2:

http://www.davisnet.com/weather/products/install_cables.asp

Davis sells a splicing kit with the scotchlok connectors and weather-proof box.  That's what I used to extend the cables of all my instruments.  So you could replace that cable for a very moderate cost and allow yourself plenty of time to wait for the VP-3 or whatever Davis has on their R&D workbench right now.

Cheers, Edouard 

P.S. if you go Internet for the Davis wiring kits definitely go with one of the discount dealers.  This thread lists "da' usual suspects" . . . .

http://athena.trixology.com/index.php?topic=1880.0;topicseen

Just a couple of thoughts, which may or may not be useful since I don't know all the details.

If any of the wire is loose from the sensor head to the entry of the conduit pipe, flapping in the breeze will over time wear the insulation away. If the wire is still carrying the signal, while not touching anything to ground, then you can just wrap it with a good quality electrical tape, then secure the wire to the mast at several places to prevent further damage.

Cat 5 and other Ethernet cables are heavier, but are twisted. Phone cable is not. Rule of thumb when replacing cable. Replace twisted with twisted, and straight with straight.

Hopefully you can continue to use the existing cable for several more years.

 

When I put up the mast in 2009 I bought the 100' Davis extension wire kit.  However I only needed 50'.  I did not cut off the left over as I was thinking about extending the mast to 32 ft (at that time and currently it is 24 ft).  The remainder I wound up and tied to the base of the mast with cable ties- this is where the abrasions occurred (see picture).  I believe I have enough wire to to cut out the bad wire and splice back together.  This time I might connect a PVC pipe to the bottom of the mast and run the wire through it to eliminate the abrasion point.  Open to any ideas of securing the splice box to the mast.  The splice box is about 1" x 4" round cylinder if memory serves me.

The locale hardware store ordered the scotchlok cable splicers.  Had to order 100 of them so a lifetime supply.

[xairbusdriver]

Hard to tell from that image, but it appears to be a lot of cable very near ground level. First, if it can move, something will move it; where it rubs against anything, the insulation can eventually wear away. Second, if it is as near the ground as it appears, are there any 'critters' free to roam around it? Those 'critters' have a bad habit of 'test tasting' all sorts of stuff and could be part of the problem, even if they chose not to consume any more morsels. Lastly, if this is a shot of the lowered pole, I think a splice is the best immediate fix, but you may also want to consider more protection from wind as well as 'critters'. Keeping it from moving and from being a temptation to two (or more) footed animals!

BTW, that looks like pretty remote territory! But good access to all the weather!

[Blicj11]

I used outdoor-rated Cat-6 cable and just used the wires I needed. Checked with Davis first and they said this would work fine. Whatever cable was exposed I ran through plastic conduit and sealed the ends of the conduit as best I could. I think the outdoor rated Cat cables beat the heck out of the Davis stuff for weatherproofing and endurance.

[Randall75]

Hi Hanta Yo
 I use to install all kinds of wiring from TV cable coaxial cable Cat 5 and 6 and learned from some of the best
And learned that you should never wrap it round anything kept it flat and straight and secure it every 12" wrapping it around can cause magnetic impulses which can cause bad signal running through the wiring


Just some advice


cheers


 

[elagache]

Dear Jeff, X-Air, Randall, and WeatherCat station caregivers,

Open to any ideas of securing the splice box to the mast.  The splice box is about 1" x 4" round cylinder if memory serves me.

I've used tie wraps (cable ties) for that sort of duty and it works fine.  You might try gorilla tape.  That stuff is plenty tough and it won't move.  When I've closed a splice box I usually put a bead of silicone sealant, but that might be overkill.

I use to install all kinds of wiring from TV cable coaxial cable Cat 5 and 6 and learned from some of the best
And learned that you should never wrap it round anything kept it flat and straight and secure it every 12" wrapping it around can cause magnetic impulses which can cause bad signal running through the wiring

I know that is what we should be doing.  But I also coiled up the excess anemometer cable on my setup and have never had any trouble.  So long as you don't have the cable disturbed such that it might rub, I don't think we need to worry about that.  Davis must have a beefy enough signal that it can cope with bad wiring storage practices.

Cheers, Edouard

[xairbusdriver]

Actually, it is recommended to have several feet (~5) coiled at most points where the cable exits an interior location for the last area where that cable connects to devices that use it. Unless you strap Cat cable onto high voltage wiring or your microwave(!), the twisted wire structure will protect the signal integrity. OTOH, the 'cable' Davis supplies is not any form of Cat? cable. As far as I can tell, there is no signal protection, it's just untwisted, flat, four wire phone line. Note that I'm not a qualified, much less trained engineer, except the third seat, aircraft type! 8-P

[HantaYo]

Bad move on my part to leave all that wire coiled    I am sure it was flapping in the wind; thus the abrasions.  I guess I was always dreaming I could raise the mast into the stratosphere.  Alas, 24 ft is reality.  And the wire length was likely close to the limitations of the cable conductivity. 

I will stay with the RJ-15 wire.  It is amazing, but the wire seems very weather resistance especially at 8,400'; some of it has been outside for 11 years.  I am thinking it is an exterior quality.  However, the twist ties broke like straw when I removed the mast.  Too much high altitude UV.  I believe some more PVC conduit is in order especially for the splice box (more for protection from by 1 year old and 5 month old puppies who like chewing on anything).

[Bull Winkus]

Yep. When sun exposure is a factor, only Ty-Rap that will do is Ultraviolet Resistant Black Nylon.



A little expensive at $19.90, but light and roomy at 6x6x4. PVC Junction Box

[Blicj11]

Herb, I knew if someone was posting at this time it was you. You and I seem to maintain the same sleep patterns, which is weird as we are a time zone apart. Anyway, I always enjoy reading your posts. Thanks for sharing.