Noobie Davis hardware question

[xairbusdriver]

Thanks, Stu! That status update timing is good to know. I assume (as dangerous as that always is!) that this is a 'feature' of the transmitter hardware; it only updates the battery info at the end/start of a day and there is no direct way to interrogate it from WC (or anything else). WC actually only interrogates the Console (or whatever has a data logger), if I understand the basics. All communication between the ISS and the Console (and, therefore, WC) is one-way: ISS OUT, Console (WC or other data loggers) IN.

There was never any problem with the Console batteries, the "low battery" warning was simply because I had not  installed any batteries in it for the first few days. In some compute "brains" zero volts is the same as 'low' voltage. As long as I'm assuming, I think that warning will update much sooner than the ISS battery one. Likewise, WC can determine the Console battery voltage in 'real time' with Station Hardware Options tool "Test Power System" button.

Details, details, detail... esoterica that most of us don't need to know and can't do anything with if we did! Just a habit of my career... always asking "Why? How? When?".

Thanks, again for the info and your fine software!

[xairbusdriver]

Station capacitor drained as much as possible, meter reads only in hundredths of a volt, so I have only "0.00" showing. Will install only the battery in a few minutes and see if it starts transmitting. As Stu mentioned (reply #104) the ISS won't actually report the battery as good until around midnight. I will be watching the Console, however, to see that it changes from a "L" (lost comms) to an flashing "X" which would indicate transmissions being received. Of course, sensor data would also confirm that.

Assuming the ISS is working, hopefully in a matter of minutes, I'll reinstall the solar array and press on.

Thanks for all the new info and help!

[xairbusdriver]

"Who let this idiot in?!" "Where are the forum police when you need them!?" 
Maybe we need an IQ test before new members can post!!

I'm positive Stu will agree that you can't make things idiot-proof! What could be simpler than inserting a single batter into a single holder? Apparently, it is not simple enough for me! While I had my "reasons", I managed to initially install the ISS battery BACKWARDS! WHAT?! This discovery may explain a lot of my problems in other areas. :thinking:

Everything is working fine now. BTW, the battery showed 3.10 volts right after I reinstalled it... the other way, still with the drained capacitor. I gotta go plug in the solar array... I just hope I can find my way back into the house. Maybe I should leave some bread crumbs... 

[Bull Winkus]

So, are you going to end up with a spare door, albeit slightly altered from perfect? I was thinking  a little artfully applied RTV and she'll be as good as new; a spare.

Bet you already thought of that.

 

[xairbusdriver]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure they expect me to return the 'plain' door and, more importantly, the solar panel. I seem to remember words to that effect... wonder if that call was recorded... That's the valuable piece, of course. I'd have to make yet another trip out to the station to be sure, but I don't think it is a duplicate for that one. It may have the same output, but it has different physical dimensions... OK, OK, I'll go compare them! Are you happy now?

Well, it actually is the same dimensions! But in the ISS, there is no frame on the array. On the Kit, the array has its own frame which is then glued (RTV, no doubt) to the box.

The Kit also has the cable zip-tied to the box to relieve any strain on the connector should the door somehow try to leave "the room"! I think there is a place in the ISS box for that kind of set up, but it is not used. I discovered that simply removing the lid/door on the ISS could easily disconnect the cable! Might be a good 'mod' to make.

Of course, I could also claim that I can't return the array with the old door because I would "damage" that zip-tie!  OTOH, I can't install the new door and array and leave the old array in the box! I'm thinking they might figure that out, also. Besides, with my lack of technical skills (installed battery backwards! Really?  ), I'd probably set something on fire with that extra array!

[Blicj11]

Everyone of us has experienced a moment of glory such as yours. At least you figured it out. Eventually. And no one has to know. Oh wait, you didn't post that did you? 

Congratulations. You are now an official Weather Catter.

[elagache]

Dear xairbusdriver and WeatherCat Davis know-it-alls . . . .

I have an answer to your question in your post yesterday.

Lastly, is there info from Davis as to what minimum voltage is needed to run the transmitter?

I took the battery out of the old transmitter board while I was doing my transmitter board swap and just left it going with the LED flashing.  I was stunned to measure only about 0.75 Volts between the empty battery connectors and the board was still going.  Somewhere under 0.5 Volt my console no longer saw a device on transmitter ID #4 (where it had been.)  Nonetheless, it doesn't take much power to keep these stations up and running.

Cheers, Edouard 

P.S. That makes the "battery eatin' syndrome" that much more mysterious . . .

[xairbusdriver]

A very long time ago, in a far away house.... I had a book titled something like "The TTL Cookbook". It was mainly a list of the 'new' integrated circuits beginning to be available to hobbiests. They generally used 5volts and much higher averages than what we have today. I built a (kitchen) timer for my wife, which she never used! Probably her best decision, the thing had a power supply that could have made a good arc welder!! It's simply amazing how little energy current transistors use now. There are even whole computers no bigger than half a pack of cigarettes! That timer I built was about as big as a half gallon milk carton!!

It's no surprise these transmitters can work with such a meager voltage!

[xairbusdriver]

Here's a glimpse of my "Station-on-a-Stick". I understand some are concerned about the amount of support the 30+ inches of metal spike in the ground. I'll post here if it proves unstable for any reason.[removed link to the now castly photobucket.com site]
None of the wooden post is below ground level. The (twin bolt) bracket on the top of the 'spike' also has no solid base under the post, just an "X" formed by the two pieces of pointed metal that form the 'spike'. This should prevent water damage to the pressure treated post, even from a small flood! Actually, if water is standing in this location, we probably won't be home since the floor would have a couple of inches of water on it!

Also note the artistic placement of the post to allow the beauty of the knots show at their best. It's the subtle  details like that which makes my projects so attractive to my wife and neighbors!

[Blicj11]

Thanks for sharing the photo. You installation has my OSOA (Official Seal of Approval).

I did learn from CoCoRaHS that you should technically bevel the top of your post, away from the rain collector cup, to minimise the chance of rain bouncing off the top of the post and into your cup, thereby oversampling the amount of rainfall. But you appear to have solved that by mounting your cup high enough above the top of the post to avoid splatter.

Don't Panic and Carry On.

[Bull Winkus]

But you appear to have solved that by mounting your cup high enough above the top of the post to avoid splatter.

I don't know, Blick? Have you ever got up and gone to the loo in your bare legs. It can bounce pretty high!

 

[Felix]

Thanks for sharing the photo. You installation has my OSOA (Official Seal of Approval).

I did learn from CoCoRaHS that you should technically bevel the top of your post, away from the rain collector cup, to minimise the chance of rain bouncing off the top of the post and into your cup, thereby oversampling the amount of rainfall. But you appear to have solved that by mounting your cup high enough above the top of the post to avoid splatter.

Don't Panic and Carry On.

I've historically found that my CoCoRaHS sight gauge usually reads a couple hundredths more than my Davis Station records. I've always figured the Davis instrument loses the first hundredth waiting for the tipping bucket to fill the first time and if the rain stops just before the bucket tips for the last time, it under-records by another hundredth.

[Blicj11]

Herb: Ha ha ha!

Felix: I agree. My CoCoRaHS gauge and my Davis gauge are always very close and sometimes, exactly equal each other, but if I had to choose, I'd say the manual gauge is slightly more accurate.

There have been some amazing advances in the technology involved in measuring weather data, but for measuring snow, the science remains mostly where it has been for hundreds of years: poke a stick in the snow and measure the stick.

[xairbusdriver]

I did think about that angled top, but wanted to put a plastic cap on in to help keep the top dry. I can probably still do that with some careful balancing on my step ladder. Frankly, I didn't consider the splashing problem, thanks for the tip!

The hard part, for me, will be remembering to slant the cut away from the rain collector! The way I do things, I may not know if I did it correctly for a few days... I could always re-mount the ISS on another side, but then the solar panel would not be facing the Sun...  maybe I can just mount an umbrella over the whole thing, that should prevent the splattering... 

for measuring snow, the science remains mostly where it has been for hundreds of years: poke a stick in the snow and measure the stick.

I believe there is one more very important step in that process; be sure not to poke the stick on your foot! That's extremely important down south where I live, since we seldom wear shoes... Frankly, if it's cold enough to snow around here, we just measure the stick while we're inside; no use getting cold while doing that outside. Besides, the stick is almost always the same length, either way. Only difference I've seen is that it gets wet if you poke it in the snow...