Author Topic: The pump don't work, 'cause the vandals took the handle.  (Read 8214 times)

Bull Winkus

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The pump don't work, 'cause the vandals took the handle.
« on: May 16, 2014, 06:46:43 AM »
Alas and alack, I'm out of the weather observation business. Last night (Wed. nite), whilst I was sleeping at 4:20 AM, some unknown miscreant troglodyte destroyed my Vantage Pro 2 by cutting the wires and ripping the transmitter box off the unit, breaking the plastic and then carting it away to parts unknown.

I filed a police report today (Thurs.). Not much chance of catching the guy, though. No information to go on. I did post a notice and picture of the VP 2 on the city's Facebook page. I suppose there's a remote possibility of the perp being careless with his booty and someone with a good heart recognizing it from the FB posted image.

I've got a backup, but I'm hesitant to use it since the rotten bastard is still out there cruising for mischief. I'm thinking about getting a cowbell and mounting it on top of the conduit pipe that the VP 2 is on. It would be just out of reach, and any jostling would make a pretty loud noise.

Anyone with a better idea? The unit is in its best spot to not be in a rain shadow of the many trees on the property. But, that puts it about 10 or 12 feet from the edge of the road. I may have to bite the bullet and try to center it in the clearing a little further back.

At least it's not going to rain for a week, if it don't rain tomorrow.

 [rainyluck]
Herb
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wurzelmac

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Re: The pump don't work, 'cause the vandals took the handle.
« Reply #1 on: May 16, 2014, 11:31:57 AM »
Oh shit, Herb - not good news.  :(

Maybe you get your backup placed very near your house or on the roof?

Good Luck,
Reinhard
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Blicj11

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Re: The pump don't work, 'cause the vandals took the handle.
« Reply #2 on: May 16, 2014, 05:41:48 PM »
So sorry to hear this Herb. What makes it worse is that nobody goes to that kind of trouble just for parts or to join the amateur weather watchers club; they do it just to destroy something. What a waste. Good on ya for retaining your sense of humour in your description of the dastardly deed.
Blick


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Re: The pump don't work, 'cause the vandals took the handle.
« Reply #3 on: May 16, 2014, 06:00:32 PM »
Darn...  >:( I can imagine the frustration and anger Herb.

To reduce the chance vandalism like this (and burglary in general) I installed an outdoor webcam, plus put some stickers on some of my windows warning people that they may be monitored. The webcam has a motion detector with image upload, which can be activated at certain times of the day/night (I have it active between midnight and 6 AM).

I hope it is enough to scare away vandals looking for an easy target. So far so good.

Jos

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Re: The pump don't work, 'cause the vandals took the handle.
« Reply #4 on: May 16, 2014, 06:16:30 PM »
Damn, that's bad news Herb - I hope you manage to get the kit back  [tup]

Doc

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Re: The pump don't work, 'cause the vandals took the handle.
« Reply #5 on: May 16, 2014, 09:14:47 PM »
WOW Bull, I'm sorry to hear that.  We had a problem like that, he never hit my weather station, but did damage my Amateur Radio station.  The neighbors all hoped his tree would fall on him. 

A few months ago, his tree did fall during a high wind event.  It missed him, but it did hit his house, garage and both his vehicles 
[biggrin] [woohoo] [biggrin]

Karma is good!

Hope things work out.

Doc
Take care and have fun!  Slainte Mah!

elagache

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Any hope of relocating out of reach? (Re: The pump don't work)
« Reply #6 on: May 16, 2014, 10:06:16 PM »
Hi Herb and definitely my sympathies,

Alas and alack, I'm out of the weather observation business.

So sorry to hear of your misfortune!  :(

Not that it is of much help, but is there any way you could relocate your ISS so that it would be very difficult to reach?  Mine is on the top of a second story balcony rail.  Also, it is completely invisible from the public locations.  It is hardly a perfect defense, but it does help.

I'm afraid we all need to be careful about the information we provide about our weather station hardware.  We hope that nobody would use that info to acquire a weather station - cheap, but we might be wrong about that.

Again my sympathies, . . . .  :( Edouard

Bull Winkus

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Re: The pump don't work, 'cause the vandals took the handle.
« Reply #7 on: May 17, 2014, 04:34:51 AM »
Thanks for the kind words, everyone! After trying to mow the yard this late afternoon, my lawn maintenance task was interrupted by a fine mist that slowly grew into a sprinkle. The looks of things skyward, and the consistent pattern of ever increasing drizzle drove me to conclude that if I didn't get the spare weather station up now, I was going to miss a rain event. So, putting away the electric grass decapitator, I lunged forward in a race against the diminishing twilight to hoist my symbolic flag of freedom from the tyranny of thieves.

I swapped the units out and am back up and running tonight, except for my precious solar radiation sensor with the cut cable.

Reinhard, I looked around and surmised that any other location would compromise the quality of measurement. Too many too tall trees. Even the 15 ft mast on my roof that holds my anemometer is not tall enough to get an accurate reading on wind speed and direction. It's just the best I can get. Plus, the solar heat gain on the roof would thwart any attempt to measure ambient temperature and humidity. I did place the spare VP 2 near the top of the pole, which makes the bottom of the heat shield just above 6 ft off the ground. I hope that makes it less of a temptation.

Thanks, Blick! You have to keep things in perspective. At least I didn't get hit by a F5 tornado! It was just an F1, dumb as a pit bull, troglodyte.

Jos, I researched getting a webcam back when I first set up the weather station. Couldn't find one that I liked, but then I really didn't know what I was looking for. My location is too far from any power outlet. The system would have to be battery powered and wifi enabled. I'd want high definition, too. I keep thinking that my iPhone 4s with the right software and hooked up to a solar array for recharging would be perfect, provided that it could be concealed. But, there's no place to conceal anything. I keep going back to the cowbell idea.

Thanks Stu! Back in service now. Just have to pay Davis to "refurbish" my kit.

Thanks Doc! I love a good just deserts story! If this cat had nine lives and was up for some capital punishment, I'd volunteer to pull the switch all nine times.

Thanks Edouard! I've got a small balcony on the second floor, but it's shielded from the sun much of the time and it just wouldn't work. After looking around today I decided not to relocate away from the street. I'm thinking I might suspend a series of weights inside the galvanized pole from the inside center of the end cap. If the pole gets a jostle, it will clatter for a bit. I don't know how loud it would be, but it might be enough to put him back in his truck and on the way to his doss.

Herb
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Re: The pump don't work, 'cause the vandals took the handle.
« Reply #8 on: May 17, 2014, 10:52:28 AM »
I have a motion-activated IR TrailCam watching the ISS. It won't prevent station vandalism but at least I'll have a picture of them and they'll have to really work at it to get to the TrailCam. But I do get frequent pics of deer and occasionally a fox or raccoon having a look.

Probably a good chance this was a random act by kids and won't be repeated unless there's a market for damaged Davis equipment. I was a little confused though about your notion of having Davis "refurbish" your kit. Were the parts (kit) subsequently found discarded?


elagache

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Davis VP-2 can function without solar (Re: The pump don't work)
« Reply #9 on: May 17, 2014, 09:27:44 PM »
Hi Herb and Weathercat faithful,

Thanks gang for standing by one of our own!  [tup]

A small thought but it is worth pointing out.

Thanks Edouard! I've got a small balcony on the second floor, but it's shielded from the sun much of the time and it just wouldn't work.

Actually it might work just fine if you are willing to replace the 123 lithium batteries a little more often.  There was a change in design between the Vantage Pro and Vantage Pro-2 lines.  The Vantage Pro actually had a rechargeable battery.  The Vantage Pro-2 doesn't recharge anything.  It simply uses solar power when available and switches to the 123 battery when the sun no longer strikes the sensor.

My setup has a secondary transmitter (Davis 6382) and no solar panel at all.  So I have to replace the 123 battery every 4 months.  If you have Davis ISS with the fan, you might have to replace the battery a little more often - still, maybe it is worth the extra hassle to make sure your ISS is out of reach.

Probably a good chance this was a random act by kids and won't be repeated unless there's a market for damaged Davis equipment.

Well, that may be true, but unfortunately kids like to boast and what one kid does may be repeated again someday by a copycat juvenile delinquent.  So the better strategy would be to prevent such a crime in the future if there is any possible way.

Best of luck Herb in getting your station up, running, and secure!

Cheers, Edouard  [cheers1]

Bull Winkus

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Re: The pump don't work, 'cause the vandals took the handle.
« Reply #10 on: May 18, 2014, 05:38:44 PM »
Felix, I'd love to set up a motion activated trail camera, and may do so eventually. What I really would prefer, however, is a motion activated wifi web camera in a trail camera housing and configuration. I'll be sorting it all out as the days turn into months. They hit me at a bad time. Homeowner's insurance is due soon, and the discretionary part of my income is preoccupied with the daily mundane task of eating. I could take a distribution, but that money is making money, so I'd rather let it be for the time being. In the mean time I may impose the simple solution of a noise maker triggered by the jostling of the pole.

They took the electronics housing with them after breaking it at the mount. Idiot didn't even look at it long enough to see that it slips off by lifting up. What I meant was sending the VP 2 back to have Davis set it right. Since the wires were cut, each sensor will have to be rewired. Davis doesn't show the sensor interfaces & junction boards as an available part.

Edouard, thanks for all the important information. I wish I could use it, but I also collect solar radiation readings, too. Got to have a larger clearing than is available near the back of the property.

Two nights have passed with the weather station back in service, and all is well so far!

Herb
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SeanA

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Re: The pump don't work, 'cause the vandals took the handle.
« Reply #11 on: May 18, 2014, 07:38:38 PM »
Hi sorry to hear that the wee sh!ts have caused you hassle, you may want to try an external alarm system.. like a bike/shed type.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/niceEshop-Motorbike-Security-Bicycle-Bike-Black/dp/B00DTMNRRY/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1400437769&sr=8-4&keywords=bike+lock+with+alarm

Cheers
Sean

elagache

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Oops! (Re: The pump don't work)
« Reply #12 on: May 18, 2014, 10:47:12 PM »
Hi Herb and WeatherCat problem solvers, . . . .

Edouard, thanks for all the important information. I wish I could use it, but I also collect solar radiation readings, too.

Oops!  :-[ I should have thought about that - I collect solar data too!  ::)

Hope that you can indeed come up with a scheme that will keep your instruments safe. 

 ;) . . . . Have you thought about a "bug zapper" - ya' know, a supersized one like the kind you must be able to buy from a place like Costco!! . . . . .

Cheers, Edouard  [cheers1]

Bull Winkus

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Re: The pump don't work, 'cause the vandals took the handle.
« Reply #13 on: May 18, 2014, 10:56:24 PM »
Hmmm? Edouard. I might eventually get a bug zapper to suppress the gnat population in the back yard. Pesky little critters! But, you do give me an idea. I could get a sign to mount a couple of feet away saying, "WARNING! Electrified Fence!"

Without any fences in sight, it might just confuse the dim witted despoiler enough to have him keep his distance.

Herb
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Re: The pump don't work, 'cause the vandals took the handle.
« Reply #14 on: May 19, 2014, 01:48:58 AM »
Hi HERB
 Well you could plastic coat the pipe then run a 110 hot wire out to it and place it on the coated part of the pipe and when they grab the pipe it will then make a ground from the rotten person and he will get shock of his life i had some one stealing gas from my car and I did this to the car since the tires would not ground heard some one yelling in the middle of the nite but by the time I got there they were gone but I never had no more problems


cheers