Author Topic: Improving my WS1080 location  (Read 2603 times)

idunn

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  • Station Details: WS1080, iMac 10.9.5, Canon Powershot A510 zoomed with gphoto2, located at 950m in Gross Switzerland, Webcam view SE to Alps on magpie-hill.com on WeatherCloud (MagpieHill) and Wunderground (ID icantono2)
Improving my WS1080 location
« on: August 24, 2016, 12:44:14 PM »
Greetings,

I would like to improve my lowly WS1080. Cost only 100 but is working quite well. Since all is exposed on a post I expect problems when the ice and snow comes. Luckily I can separate and relocate the wind and rain sensors from the other sensors for P, T and H. Maybe some of you can answer the following questions:
1. Can I extend the wiring by using a normal telephone wire, RJ11 and coupling connectors?
2. Can I remove the solar unit from the main section so that it is out of the shade? Or will it function to load the batteries without a clear sight of the sky?
3. Can I make a sun shield out of aluminium foil or will this block the wireless reception? Maybe nonmetallic material would be best. 
Thanks for any help? 
Irving

Blicj11

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Re: Improving my WS1080 location
« Reply #1 on: August 24, 2016, 02:05:10 PM »
Irving:

I don't know anything about WS1080 specifically, but a few years ago I separated out the anemometer from the rest of my hardware on my Davis. I ran exterior grade Category 6 ethernet cable and just used two of the wires to connect through a splice on each end to a telephone cable plug. I used ethernet cable because I figured it would stand up longer in the exterior weather than telephone cable.
Blick


elagache

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Manufacturer or WXForum? (Re: Improving my WS1080 location)
« Reply #2 on: August 25, 2016, 11:07:00 PM »
Dear Irving, Blick, and WeatherCat fans of station "mods" . . . . .

I would like to improve my lowly WS1080. Cost only 100 but is working quite well.
. . . .

1. Can I extend the wiring by using a normal telephone wire, RJ11 and coupling connectors?

. . . .

Unfortunately every station is different and what a station can take will depend on the design.  As an example, you can extend the data cable of every Davis station instrument - except - the temperature/humidity probe.  Alas, when first set up my station I didn't know that and ended up having a horrible set of problems 5 year afterward.  So I suggest you don't just charge in and start doing "mods" unless either you know it is okay or don't mind having to replace the station if something goes wrong.

I don't know if you could get hold any sort of technical support from the manufacturer.  That would be a good first step; however, you might find such support basically nonexistent.  A backup plan might be to ask your questions on a larger weather related forum like WXForum:

http://www.wxforum.net/

It has a much larger group of participants and might have guys who have tried the modifications you contemplate and can report on their success or failure.  One caveat though.  WXforum is a very busy forum with some competitive folks on it.  Don't be surprised if they are a bit curt and perhaps even rude.

Best of luck, . . . . . Edouard

idunn

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  • Station Details: WS1080, iMac 10.9.5, Canon Powershot A510 zoomed with gphoto2, located at 950m in Gross Switzerland, Webcam view SE to Alps on magpie-hill.com on WeatherCloud (MagpieHill) and Wunderground (ID icantono2)
Re: Improving my WS1080 location
« Reply #3 on: August 28, 2016, 02:34:40 PM »
Thanks Edouard I got some useful info on wxforum regarding the coupling of the RJ11 wires. It seems that 40 ft is no problem and from what Ambient sells maybe longer is possible. Also sometimes the couplers switch the wires from input to output, strange but apparently true.

My controlled Canon camera is doing fine taking every 10min. See attached from this afternoon.

Irving

elagache

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Sounds great! (Re: Improving my WS1080 location)
« Reply #4 on: August 28, 2016, 10:47:56 PM »
Dear Irving and WeatherCat station caregivers,

Thanks Edouard I got some useful info on wxforum regarding the coupling of the RJ11 wires. It seems that 40 ft is no problem and from what Ambient sells maybe longer is possible.

Glad to hear it!  My station in its present (alas undocumented) configuration has every instrument but the temperature/humidity probe 20 to 30 feet away from the transmitter.  That allowed me to indeed put the instruments where I could collect the best data.  It also allowed me to power my station transmitter using household current.  So no more problems with fickle solar panels or batteries.

My controlled Canon camera is doing fine taking every 10min. See attached from this afternoon.

You definitely have scenery that is absolutely lovely!  :)

Thanks for sharing!

Cheers, Edouard