Rain data logger showing extraordinary rainfall when there is none.

[cabut]

I have a solar powered wireless Davis Monitor 2 that is perhaps 15 years old. The rain data is way off sometimes showing as much as 8 inches of rain in a 24 hour period. I live in the Sonoran desert in Arizona and if we are lucky get about 10 inches in a year. I checked the rain bucket and it was clear of debris. The tipping buckets seemed to be operational. What else should I check?

Thanks,
Cabut

[elagache]

Dear Cabut and WeatherCat troubleshooters,

I have a solar powered wireless Davis Monitor 2 that is perhaps 15 years old.

I know that Davis equipment is tough, but 15 years might be approaching the limit of what you can ask a station like that to survive.

The rain data is way off sometimes showing as much as 8 inches of rain in a 24 hour period. I live in the Sonoran desert in Arizona and if we are lucky get about 10 inches in a year. I checked the rain bucket and it was clear of debris. The tipping buckets seemed to be operational. What else should I check?

Does WeatherCat report any sensor or other errors?  That would be an indication of hardware problems.  Did you inspect the cables and connectors?  If the connectors are broken or the cables damaged that might cause ghost signals.  How often to you replace the battery in the station transmitter?  In general, try to inspect all the equipment to see if there is some sort of visible damage.  Electronics can fail without leaving any signs, but that is less common.

Let us know what you discover.

Cheers, Edouard

[cabut]

Hi Edouard,

Tough is an understatement!
I have never replaced the battery that stores the solar power and have never gotten any errors on the console.In fact except for the rain data my data jives with my nearest neighbors station. I will take it down from its 15 foot perch and give it a thorough going over.

Thanks,
Cabut

[xairbusdriver]

I have never replaced the battery

I'm assuming you do check the housing/rain funnel/wiring/etc. at least a couple of times a year, however.

Batteries do corrode. That may well be causing more than bad data... As a matter of fact, the capacitor is probably electrolytic, if so, it too can leak.

[idunn]

Shaking caused by a strong wind causes my lowly WH1080 to give rain signals.

Regards,  Irving

[elagache]

Dear Cabut, X-Air, Irving and WeatherCat station caregivers,

Tough is an understatement!

True, but they aren't indestructible

I will take it down from its 15 foot perch and give it a thorough going over.

So the entire station components including the station transmitter are up 15 feet?  Might I inquire why you put the transmitter that high?  That certainly makes maintaining that component much harder, and at the very least, replacing the lithium batteries is recommended very few years (I replace them every year to reduce the risk of a battery leak.)

Do let us know what you come up with.

Cheers, Edouard

[cabut]

Dear Cabut, X-Air, Irving and WeatherCat station caregivers,

Tough is an understatement!

True, but they aren't indestructible

I will take it down from its 15 foot perch and give it a thorough going over.

So the entire station components including the station transmitter are up 15 feet?  Might I inquire why you put the transmitter that high?  That certainly makes maintaining that component much harder, and at the very least, replacing the lithium batteries is recommended very few years (I replace them every year to reduce the risk of a battery leak.)

Do let us know what you come up with.

Cheers, Edouard

Yes the entire station is mounted on the flat roof of my house. It is the only place with without any obstructive windbreaks.I first purchased the station when I lived in NY, very close to the Atlantic Ocean. Now I am a world away about 15 minutes from Mexico in very southern Arizona. I had planned to ad a circular outdoor staircase for easy roof access but never got around to it. In the next couple of days I will remove it and report my findings.
I am here: https://www.wunderground.com/personal-weather-station/dashboard?ID=KAZTUBAC1

Best,
Cabut

[xairbusdriver]

"Bird debris"! Davis 'fixed' some of that problem by adding about a dozen 'spikes' to the rim of the rain funnel. It 'discourages' the use of the funnel lip/edge as a landing area. Not much help from aerial 'bombs', however!

[elagache]

Dear Cabut, X-Air, and WeatherCat station caregivers,

Yes the entire station is mounted on the flat roof of my house. It is the only place with without any obstructive windbreaks.I first purchased the station when I lived in NY, very close to the Atlantic Ocean. Now I am a world away about 15 minutes from Mexico in very southern Arizona.

Well indeed that was a extreme change of venues!

I had planned to ad a circular outdoor staircase for easy roof access but never got around to it.

If the view is nice perhaps you should try to add the staircase after all.  Certainly, if you want to take on such a project it is best do these things during the winter months!

Thanks for sharing,

Cheers, Edouard 

[cabut]

Dear Cabut, X-Air, and WeatherCat station caregivers,

Yes the entire station is mounted on the flat roof of my house. It is the only place with without any obstructive windbreaks.I first purchased the station when I lived in NY, very close to the Atlantic Ocean. Now I am a world away about 15 minutes from Mexico in very southern Arizona.

Well indeed that was a extreme change of venues!

I had planned to ad a circular outdoor staircase for easy roof access but never got around to it.

If the view is nice perhaps you should try to add the staircase after all.  Certainly, if you want to take on such a project it is best do these things during the winter months!

Thanks for sharing,

Cheers, Edouard 

I think it makes sense to move the WS to another location since the circular stair cost is about 3000 US😳 Will keep you posted...

Regards,
Cabut

[cabut]

Dear Cabut, X-Air, and WeatherCat station caregivers,

Yes the entire station is mounted on the flat roof of my house. It is the only place with without any obstructive windbreaks.I first purchased the station when I lived in NY, very close to the Atlantic Ocean. Now I am a world away about 15 minutes from Mexico in very southern Arizona.

Well indeed that was a extreme change of venues!

I had planned to ad a circular outdoor staircase for easy roof access but never got around to it.

If the view is nice perhaps you should try to add the staircase after all.  Certainly, if you want to take on such a project it is best do these things during the winter months!

Thanks for sharing,

Cheers, Edouard 

I think it makes sense to move the WS to another location since the circular stair cost is about 3000 US😳 Will keep you posted...

Regards,
Cabut

Just a follow up...it had to happen, finally my monitor 2 stopped reporting all together. When I tested the battery it was stone cold dead and would not take a charge. The solar panel had separated so, I ordered these two items and my station is now up and running! No more phantom rain events either.

https://www.amazon.com/Power-Sonic-PS-612-Rechargeable-Sealed-Battery/dp/B0002ILK40

https://www.mightymaxbattery.com/p3512590/6v-solar-panel-charger-with-alligator-clips.html?ref=PLA&gclid=CPm8lOHG79ECFQ9Efgod5sgMvw

Best,
Cabut

[elagache]

Dear Cabut and WeatherCat station caregivers,

Just a follow up...it had to happen, finally my monitor 2 stopped reporting all together. When I tested the battery it was stone cold dead and would not take a charge. The solar panel had separated so, I ordered these two items and my station is now up and running! No more phantom rain events either.

https://www.amazon.com/Power-Sonic-PS-612-Rechargeable-Sealed-Battery/dp/B0002ILK40

https://www.mightymaxbattery.com/p3512590/6v-solar-panel-charger-with-alligator-clips.html?ref=PLA&gclid=CPm8lOHG79ECFQ9Efgod5sgMvw

Glad you were able to put your station back together and get it running again! 

Now you can return to your usual "around the house" chores! . . . . . 

Cheers, Edouard