Trixology
WeatherCat => WeatherCat General Discussion => Topic started by: bob2k2 on October 01, 2022, 04:37:31 PM
-
I received an email (below) from AWEKAS that my weather station is reporting a UV index like I was in the tropics. Problem is I do not have a UV sensor and UV is unchecked in WeatherCat (3.2 setting . A reading of 16 is displayed on PWS Monitor for my station (see attached picture). I noticed the UV measurement being shown a month or so ago - never had it before. Interestingly enough, when I do check the UV setting in WeatherCat I will see a reading of 16 on my computer’s WeatherCat’s display. which apparently is the reading that's being fwd'd to PWS Monitor for my Weather Station even when not selected.
So, somehow a UV reading is being passed it PWS even though I don't have a sensor and it's unchecked in WeatherCat.
Any ideas on why this is happening or how to resolve it?
TIA
Bob
"Dear AWEKAS Member
Your station is sending invalid values to AWEKAS Weather Network. One of our operators has disabled the following sensor(s):
new deactivation : UV (reported value 16 ) : - no end time
The administrator has added the following note: The UV value of 16 is not achievable in the region, a value of 16 exists only in the tropics."
The system I'm hosting the WeatherCat on is a iMac 24 inch M1 Monterey 12.6 WeatherCat 3.2 Build 224
-
I don't have a UV sensor either. But I'm not having any values reporting anywhere, so no problem reports. ThU32:-)
Do you have a plain text editor such as BBEdit? It is free for personal use, BTW.
If you have that kind of editor, you can view the com.trixology.weathercat.plist file.
Once opened, search for "<key>ShowSolar</key>".
The next line should show"<false/>".
If it shows "<true/>", that is why the invalid value is getting sent.
Solution may be as simple as toggling that value in Settings
- Click the box to "Enable".
- Quit WC
- Restart WC
- UN-Click the box to disable.
- Quit WC
- Restart WC
- Check the .plist file to confirm that "Show Solar" value now shows "<false>" or check a newer report at AEAKAS.
The above steps are an alternative to removing a .plist file. If these steps do not fix the problem, your .plist file is probably corrupt and the normal fix is to Quit WC and remove it (just changing its name will suffice).
You will now have two options;
replace the .plist with a known good version (from TimeMachine?)
or
let WC create a brand new file (this will require setting anew all your previous settings!).
-
Thanks, very much for the quick response. I've already tried the toggling approach. No luck.
I actually did a search in the "hidden" Library for com.trixology.weathercat.plist file. I can find a "com.trixology.weathercat" folder in the hidden ~Library but there's no plist file in the folder - just 3 unrelated files stating with "httpstorages". Searching completely in ~Library for "com.trixology.weathercat.plist" I get zero hits. I'll come back to it later. But again I appreciate your help.
-
Dear bob2k2, X-Air, and WeatherCat troubleshooters,
I received an email (below) from AWEKAS that my weather station is reporting a UV index like I was in the tropics. Problem is I do not have a UV sensor and UV is unchecked in WeatherCat (3.2 setting .
. . .
Any ideas on why this is happening or how to resolve it?
That is definitely curious. Could you let us know what the WeatherCat Live Data window reports with respect to a UV sensor? If you have never used the Live Data feature, it is described on page 85 of the current WeatherCat manual.
Let us know what you discover.
Edouard
-
Edouard
Sent a response but not sure it went out. So here it is again I know see I am getting solar radiation without a sensor on my VantagePro2.
Best
Bob
-
The Path to the com.trixology.weathercat.plist in your Home Library (normally hidden by Apple):
BOOT drive/Users/yourHomeVolume/Library/Preferences/com.trixology.weathercat.plist
WC creates two .plist files there:
com.trixology.weathercat.plist
and
com.trixology.WeatherCatClient.plist
The hard way to access that Library is to use the option-click the "Go" System/Finder menu. That will add a "Library" item just below the "Home" item. That is your Home Library that will contain nearly all the .plist files for your applications. Once you have opened a Finder window showing the Home Library, you can drag the window into another open finder window and drop it into its Sidebar. After that, your Home Library will always be available without having to remember the 'option-click-Go menu' trick!
BTW, another way to see that the <key>ShowSolar</key> is probably set to 'true' is to look at the Weather Station Gauges window (Tools->Gauges). If you see a "UV" gauge at the far right-hand, lower group, WC may be showing that 'bad' "16" value.
-
Previously I had no access trouble accessing the Library. However curiously when I did search for com.trixology.weathercat.plist I never found it. This time when I want to the Preference folder it was there. Could not find a com.trixology.weathercatClient.plist though in the preference folder.
Didn’t know that you can drag the window into another open finder window and drop it into its Sidebar. Thx
So when I went to the Show Solar Radiation it was “false" & SolarRadiationGraphWinOpen was "NO?
<key>ShowSolar</key>
<false/>
And
<key>SolarRadiationGraphWinOpen</key>
<string>NO</string>
This doesn't explain why I am still forwarding UV and Solar Radiation #’s to PWS Monitor. These do not show up on my WeatherCat Gauges on my computer. I tried deleting and reading my Station from PWS abut Solar Radiation and UV #’s are still showing up.
FYI the original message I had from AWEKAS was that that they toggled off UV #'s. But when accessed my Weather Station on their site Solar Radiation was ON - so I toggled it OFF too.
Thanks for your help.
Bob
-
How long has WC been continuously running?
Please provide the Modified date on that plots file.
-
Prior to last week it has been running for for quite a while- maybe even months before I updated to 3.2 to fix another problem last week that turned out to be a WC email issue. A day or two ago I restarted the app several times when I toggled the UV setting in the app. Right now the com.trixology.weathercat.plist file has a modified date of Today @1245 - but I made no changes. That is ~ when I copied the data from the com.trixology.weathercat.plist file that I posted in my last email.
-
Dear Bob, X-Air, and WeatherCat troubleshooters,
Sent a response but not sure it went out. So here it is again I know see I am getting solar radiation without a sensor on my VantagePro2.
Unfortunately, the live data screen explains the problem. Your station is sending data to WeatherCat that doesn't exist. The problem is on your console or weather station side. Here is my Live Data screen:
(https://www.canebas.org/misc/Capto_images/WeatherCat%20Live%20Data%202022-10-02.png)
I do have a solar radiation sensor which is listed as valid. I do not have a UV sensor which is listed as invalid.
To double-check on this, check the values of radiation and UV at the console itself. If the console reports values for these sensors then that settles the matter. Check your console manual for details. If you have trouble finding this information let us know. Unfortunately, my station is so old that I couldn't give you useful page numbers from my manual.
If you can confirm that the station is the problem, you'll need to contact Davis technical support. Here is the contact info:
https://www.davisinstruments.com/pages/contact-us (https://www.davisinstruments.com/pages/contact-us)
Sorry for the bad news. Let us know what you discover.
Edouard
-
Edouard
Well, I can't really find the UV or solar on my Davis device since I don't have the sensor attached to it - Unless Davis support can to me how. I have sent a note to Davis support and I'm awaiting a reply.
I'm just curious. The Davis system is not sending the data to the PWS Monitor - the WeatherCat system interface fwds data it receives. So, it seems even though if on can inhibit what data can be shown on my WeatherCat system - UV and Solar - weatherCat is just sending ANY and ALL data it receives from the Vantage Pro2 to Wunderground PWS, CWOP ? As a result there is an inability for WeatherCat to remove some data that is unelected from that Vantage Pro 2 data stream? I can understand that it might NOT be possible to modify that data stream. Just curious.
Thanks
Bob
Bob
-
I forgot the post that when trying to access a UV reading on my Vantage Pro2 Console (Press BAR and then 2nd) there is no UV reading - The manual Notes "REQUIRES A UV SENSOR" which I not not have. It also does not show a HEAT INDEX or THSW Index which also "REQUIRES A UV SENSOR" according to manual. So this makes sense.
Having not heard back from Davis I called them. No resolution to the issue. The tech was unfamiliar with WeatherCat or Trixology and at the end I now find myself in the middle with fingers being pointed from both directions. The tech basically said it's not showing up on our display - not our problem – not exactly in those words but that was the jist of it.
AWEKAS is already treating this data as erroneous and inhibiting it to other sources - although it is still showing up on PWS Monitor for my station, I'll come back to the issue at a later date. Maybe it will resolve itself just as a created itself.
-
Following my last post I received a response from Davis Support. The tech that I spoke to tto "older" techs there regarding the erroneous UV and SOLAR data being received.
There you have it.
Bob
Glenna Thomas (Davis Instruments)
Oct 4, 2022, 2:26 PM PDT
Hello Bob,
After some discussion with one of our Senior Techs that is one of our logger gurus, unless you have an actual Solar or UV Sensor installed on the Vantage Pro 2 Sensor Suite, the dataloggers pull the data from the console. Sounds like you need to explain that to the folks that own the weather cat.
Verify that the Solar and UV readings on the console are not displayed and reading. That's all we can offer at this time.
regards,
Glenna
-
Dear Bob and WeatherCat troubleshooters,
Well, I can't really find the UV or solar on my Davis device since I don't have the sensor attached to it
My concern is that you have some sort of hardware problem in the console itself that is resulting in a nonexistent UV reading. If the console reports a UV value, WeatherCat will use the value as if you have a sensor. WeatherCat has no way of checking if the console is incorrectly reporting the existence of a sensor.
So, it seems even though if on can inhibit what data can be shown on my WeatherCat system - UV and Solar - weatherCat is just sending ANY and ALL data it receives from the Vantage Pro2 to Wunderground PWS, CWOP ? As a result there is an inability for WeatherCat to remove some data that is unelected from that Vantage Pro 2 data stream? I can understand that it might NOT be possible to modify that data stream.
That is the difference between valid and invalid that you see in the next to last column of the Live Data window. If there isn't a sensor, the console is supposed to report that so WeatherCat doesn't forward that data. That is why I believe the problem is in your console. It is reporting to WeatherCat that there is valid UV data when there isn't a sensor.
I forgot the post that when trying to access a UV reading on my Vantage Pro2 Console (Press BAR and then 2nd) there is no UV reading
At least according to my manual, the sequence to display UV is [2ND] [RAINYR]. When I do this I get a display on the Console that has no numbers displayed. Is that you observed?
It also does not show a HEAT INDEX or THSW Index which also "REQUIRES A UV SENSOR" according to manual. So this makes sense.
It would appear that our manuals are basically the same at least in this section. However, the comment about UV sensor only applies to the paragraph above, not below. The heat index depends only temperature and humidity. You should be able to display this.
I checked my console and it behaves consistently with the WeatherCat Live Data display. I can display on my console the solar radiation for which I have a sensor. My console correctly displays no data for UV.
Please double-check to make sure that indeed your console has no value for UV.
Edouard
-
Verified that I am not showing you UV data on my counsel(see picture). Spoke to Davis support. They indicated the method I was checking for UV readings was correct. They said that they would talk to more senior techs and respond. I later received this email from Davis support.
Glenna Thomas (Davis Instruments)
Oct 4, 2022, 2:26 PM PDT
Hello Bob,
After some discussion with one of our Senior Techs that is one of our logger gurus, unless you have an actual Solar or UV Sensor installed on the Vantage Pro 2 Sensor Suite, the dataloggers pull the data from the console. Sounds like you need to explain that to the folks that own the weathercat.
Verify that the Solar and UV readings on the console are not displayed and reading. That's all we can offer at this time.
regards,
Glenna
Tech Support
Glenna Thomas
Technical Support
Davis Instruments
I feel like I'm in the center of a circular firing squad with everybody pointing in the direction the other party.
I will just live with this as a UV and Solar data is already being disabled and ignored by AWEKAS - although I'm still seeing those same unchanged UV and Solar #'s on my PWS Monitor page for my weather station -KVAARLIN22.
-
Once again, your Live data and Console are showing the Davis hardware problem. The ISS 'thinks' there is a UV sensor attached (Live Data shows: "UV Index 1753 -8 Valid"). Your Console is NOT showing "-.-". WC is simply reporting what the Console is recording.
BTW, I'm sure you have Preview installed. It is a great, easy to use and free app that can make uploading images to forums such as these faster and easier for folks to view. It can make images much smaller so it saves up/down times as well as space used by the forum's web space. But more importantly, making images smaller stops the dreaded and usually disliked horizontal scrolling. Make images "user-friendly" by not showing irrelevant details and not forcing them to scroll (in any direction). Not all folks are using 'full-screen' windows on 27" iMacs. cmu:-) It will even convert ".heic" images to ".jpg" formats. ThU32:-) [cheer] My Console image was originally 4,032 x 3,024 pixels same as yours!
Here are my results:
-
Your position was the the position I took with Davis when called. The data stream cannot be modified and WC is just a pass through. I don't know that for a fact but it seems fairly obvious. They weren't having it. Easy argument for them to make as they have nothing to do with the interface & SW I use. Ignorance is bliss. I'm am engineer and I have experienced the same kind of finger pointing in programs I managed over the years between devices and/or systems that are interfaced/integrated by various mfgs on teams. In this case I am not the PM though so can't cut through the crap and solve the problem. As I said in another post I feel like I am in the middle of a circular firing squad.
It is confusing that BAR/2nd does not bring up the UV window like shown in your picture - but then again my consult is not a Davis Plus -Is yours a Vantage Pro 2 plus or a Vantage Pro 2. If I should be seeing a blank UV box I may forward the picture back to Davis and say WTFO?
As for Preview yes I use it. the pcture I uppaloaded SMALLEST versiion of picture I could make in Jpg. After seeing it I realized I should have used it in TIFF which you can make much smaller file.
-
Apologies for unintentionally being any part of a “firing squad”! Rest in the fact that it was nearly 60 years ago that I achieved an “expert” rating at Air Force Basic training! I was never issued anything bigger than a short barreled 45 after that… even while TDY in Viet Nam! We didn’t even bother loading that thing assuming we could do more damage by throwing it than by firing it. cmu:-)
BTW #2: You can specify exact pixel dimensions in the Export menu of Preview. ThU5:-)
Your experience and training are often of little use when conversing with “support”. You are simply a “user” in the worst meaning of that word! [coffee] [goofy]
Lastly, have you tried removing the ISS battery and light blocking the solar panel? Might as well do the same with the Console. That should put the hardware back into its “factory” state. Be aware that you will probably lose any data during this downtime. [banghead]
-
Thanks for the sizing gouge info. Very helpful. I should have looked more carefully.
I did replace the the console batteries two days a ago when I noticed a low battery msg. PITA and had to reset everything up but luckiiy I had screens shots of then so it wasn't a big deal.
I just bought the Davis improved (hopefully) rain collector (mine always clogs) - when it comes I'll go up on the roof and install it and take the battery out and cycle it. although the solar panel is old and I am fearful it may break from long sun exposure. Last time I took it off it was like welded on from all the sun exposure,
Is your unit a Vantage Pro 2 (or a Plus)? Based on your picture when you press BAR and 2nd you show a blank UV window, right? If it is the same as mine I am not seeing that - my display does not change from BAR. to BAR & 2nd. I may call Davis back based on what you see if we have the same console.
After I posted my last I realized I forgot to add info you highlighted in your post that yep am now just the USER. I am sure back in the day when when a poor NAVY sailor sent a CASREP about my system we initially thought they were the problem.NOT our system. Now I am he/she. Karma is a a bitch.
-
I have a Vantage Pro2 (Model # 6152) with the old style 'hidden' rain funnel. I believe the "Plus" model (#6162) includes the UV and Solar radiation sensors. BTW, this rain collector has an indentation that allows me to use a "sink strainer" as mentioned in this post (https://athena.trixology.com/index.php?topic=3051.msg29748#msg29748). Pictures at 10!
Just another thought on the false sensor data. Inside the ISS (SIM), check the empty jacks for the UV a Solar Radiation sensor cables for "insect construction debris". Also be sure the foam insert hasn't been 'borrowed' for a bird/squirrel nest! If those jack contacts gets connected/corroded they could be providing false 'data'.
Reading through the ISS installation manual also reminded me of something I've probably not done since the ISS was first installed: "Clearing Data Collected During Testing and Installation"
Now that the ISS is mounted outside, any data that was collected in the Vantage Pro2 console during testing and mounting can be cleared.
To clear all the collected data on the console:
1. Press WIND so that graph icon appears adjacent to the wind data on the display.
Confirm that wind speed is displayed on the compass rose.
2. Press 2ND, then press and hold CLEAR for at least six seconds and until you see
“CLEARING NOW” in the console ticker display.
And you won't have to climb onto he roof!
-
The console is the same for either the VP2 or VP2+. Only the contents of the kit differ. I originally bought the VP2 w/24 hour FARS, and later added the solar and UV sensors. So mine is effectively a VP2+ w/24 hour FARS. I don't think that combination was ever offered as a package.
One possible difference in hardware is that many of us are using the old USB logger (10+ years old.) Sometime about 6-8 years ago, there was a newer logger with an updated firmware that caused some compatibility problems. Some of us never applied the firmware update to our older loggers so that they would remain compatible with older consoles. I have no idea if this comes into play in the situation you are seeing, but I thought I'd mention it.
I was sending to AWEKAS before adding the solar/UV sensors and never got errors from them, but again, that was nearly a decade ago. Maybe something has changed since then.
Not really any help; just offering anecdotal comment.
Good luck,
Steve
-
Well, New News. Davis now indicates it is there a problem. I realized that I was trying to access the UV settings incorrectly on the console – RTFM! When I did I did see the maxed out UV and SOLAR Solar readings on the display I called Davis support and eventually was put in touch with more senior technician. The first thought was there might be a weather station within a half mile causing the issue. They have 19 other accounts in my ZIP Code of Arlington Virginia. I said it still did not explain the maxed out SOLAR and UV readings and he agreed, They recommended I change the station ID which I did to a number 6 most likely out of the range that most people would set their WeatherStation. I also ID'd stations within a mile of my house that I saw on PWS monitor – most of them did not have UV and solar and the ones that did their ranges were normal. They just called me back and told me they believe that my ISS board is the issue. So, they're sending me a new board and I have to replace and send the old one back. My solar panel is on its last legs and the plastic is fatigued - don't laugh SOLAR/UV -so I purchased a new solar cover. the cover and the new ISS board $119 with shipping. I have 30 days to reinstall the new ISS. I'll report back in several weeks weather this solves a problem – what else could it be?!
-
Congrats on getting a more helpful and positive reply from Davis! [cheer]
-
NEW UPDATE – VERY HARD TO BELIEVE.
As I mentioned previously resetting the station ID did not resolve the problem while I was on the phone with Davis support. But about 4 hrs later I happened to walk by my console and looked at it and the UV and SOLAR area were BLANK and NOT showing any data. WC Live Data now is now showing ZERO for both UV & SOLAR (it's #'s matched the console's when I was on the phone with Davis) and this erroneous data is no longer being passed to PWS Monitor. I've done nothing since my conversation with the Davis support team - and it took an half hour on the phone with they while they documented the issue and then sold me a replacement ISS took - the numbers didn't change.
I just called support back to tell them I may not have to replace my ISS board and they are stumped as to how this would correct itself. They indicated since the system is so old it might be useful to replace the ISS is weathered and the plastic enclosure i brittle - and besides that they were worried the problem might come back. So I await the replacement ISS which I will install when it arrives.
The only thing I can imagine that corrected this is resetting the station ID - but it still doesn't explain the amount of time it took to resolve the issue after that reset or the unusually high readings on the console that we're getting passed initially to WeatherCat for my station before that.
I will continue to monitor the situation and let you know what I find out. But it appear the problem imight be solved - without an explanation of why.
-
Dear Bob and WeatherCat troubleshooters,
Verified that I am not showing you UV data on my counsel(see picture).
. . .
Unfortunately you have not correctly accessed the UV index. If you had, you would see the word UV display on the console LCD display. The display should look like this:
(https://www.canebas.org/WeatherCat/Forum_support_documents/misc/Davis%20console%20invalid%20UV%20data/Davis%20console%20UV%20thumb.jpg) (https://www.canebas.org/WeatherCat/Forum_support_documents/misc/Davis%20console%20invalid%20UV%20data/Davis%20console%20UV.jpg)
You should see the letters UV and the world index as shown in the photo. Make sure to follow the key sequence for your particular console and keep experimenting with it until you see the UV display.
There are two more things you could check. What does the WeatherCat Live Data report for the other auxiliary sensors such as the secondary temperature sensors, soil or leaf sensors. Is anything besides the UV sensor reported as valid for sensors you don't own?
Finally, it would be prudent to open you your ISS and make sure there isn't any debris in the jack for the UV sensor that might be causing a short or other electrical interference. I recently checked my ISS and was disappointment at how much junk was in that jack. Perhaps a simple cleaning would make your problem go away.
Edouard
-
It appears that with my finagling of my Console yesterday, I managed to leave it in a view/test/paused condition! [banghead] My first clue was a very early email from AWEKAS that most of my sensors seemed to be "stuck"! Being rather busy today I assumed AWEKAS was just seeing the short intervals when I was looking at the Console yesterday, so I didn't take time to check WC or even my own website! [coffee] Sure enough, checking my graphs displayed the infamous "flat line" conditions. [blush] Duh!!! Only valid data for today started around 4pm local. [rolleyes2]
Fortunately, Crew 5 did a better job of monitoring their stuff! They have now started their 6 month tour on that other "ISS"! [cheer]