Coincidence? Two errors, same time.

[xairbusdriver]

Yesterday, I found an Admin Alert message reporting:

Sensor failure at sample time.
Failed sensors are:
External temperature
External humidity

WeatherCat TimeStamp: 11:13:03 19-Sep-21

24 hours later, I get this:

Sensor failure at sample time.
Failed sensors are:
External temperature
External humidity

WeatherCat TimeStamp: 11:13:03 20-Sep-21

Really? Exactly the same time (down to the second)!
Does WC actually do this sampling at exactly the same time every day or is this simply a coincidence and an indication of impending permanent failure?

I am already getting continuous, erroneous U.V. radiation reports. I have no U.V. sensors.

[elagache]

Dear X-Air and WeatherCat troubleshooters,

Yesterday, I found an Admin Alert message reporting:

. . . . .

Really? Exactly the same time (down to the second)!

If you have set your sampling interval that will repeat over time (say 5-10 minutes) then it is possible that WeatherCat would generate error messages right down to the second.  Computers have enormous processing capacity, so that ultimately the CPU is actually idle a large fraction of the time.  If the processing time to determine the error is the same - it should be down to the same second.

The more interesting question is whether or not the errors are real.  What does the Live Data view tell you?  If you are seeing errors then Davis is reporting some sort of sensor issues.  The external temperature and humidity errors would appear to be the temperature/humidity sensor, but perhaps not.  You will get the same errors if there are problems with the ISS communicating with your console.  Have you replaced the ISS battery recently?  I thought you have already changed your transmitter ID, but another possibility is that there is a conflict with another Davis station in the area.

Let us know what you discover.  Sounds like you have at least a bit of station troubleshooting to engage in.

Cheers, Edouard 

[xairbusdriver]

"If you have set your sampling interval that will repeat over time"... I was thinking "Adaptive Sampling" might take care of that interval. We'll see how that goes the next few days... However, since the "sampling rate can be set to between 1 and 30 minutes" it seems near impossible to not normally repeat over time. Except for hours longer/shorter than 60 minutes.

I see four possible places to set a "sampling rate":
WC Prefs/Misc->Sampling Rate
WC Prefs/Simple Web/Update Web Pages Every
WC Prefs/Custom Web/Main/Update Web Pages Every
WC Prefs/Custom Web/Additional Files

The first three allow only whole minutes or hours. The last instance allows .1 to 10,000 (although I suspect that is actually 9,999) minute intervals. Mine are set to 2, 5, 10 or 30 minutes, so none would show a hh:03 time, unless the "Adaptive Sampling" caused an odd number minutes delay at some point in a day. Two or more days in a row?!

That may help explain whether the sensor "failures" are real or not. I would be more 'convinced', however, if they were reported more than once each 24 hours.

There are many instances of "sampling" in The Manual. I'll not have time tomorrow to investigate, read and hopefully understand all of that tomorrow (out of town and state but hopefully not mind ).

[elagache]

Dear X-Air and WeatherCat troubleshooters,

"If you have set your sampling interval that will repeat over time"... I was thinking "Adaptive Sampling" might take care of that interval.

That is normally a safe assumption, but if the weather has been very calm, Adaptive Sampling wouldn't ever occur.

That may help explain whether the sensor "failures" are real or not. I would be more 'convinced', however, if they were reported more than once each 24 hours.

It is all speculation until you can get in front of your computer and check, but perhaps there is a periodic phenomenon that does happen around 11 am.  Nothing comes to my head at the moment though.

There are many instances of "sampling" in The Manual. I'll not have time tomorrow to investigate, read and hopefully understand all of that tomorrow (out of town and state but hopefully not mind ).

We too will have to wait to see what you discover when you are back in your own proper digs!

Cheers, Edouard 

[xairbusdriver]

Another email Alert today: WeatherCat TimeStamp: 11:16:44 21-Sep-21
24 hours, 3 minutes and 41 seconds after yesterdays.

"Live Data" shows that the Ext. Temperature while "Valid", has 49,435 errors. Not sure when it that count started. Had a reboot last week for the Security Update. I'll keep that window open and see when/if those errors increase.

Live Data:

Code: [Select]

local time   errors     reading
5:16:01 - 49,699 73.7
5:19:00 - 49,746   "
5:22:00 - 49,828   "
5:25:00 - 49,903   "
5:31:00 - 50,056   "
5:52:00 - 50,606   "
6:13:00 - 51,153   "

All the following sensors are marked "Invalid": Ext. Temp, Ext. Humidity, Dew Point, Wind Chill, Solar Rad, My Cloud Base.
Most of those are used to compute the Cloud Base, I think. The data on the Console agrees that these sensors are not reporting correctly (shows only blank/underlines on its screen). I note that the Temperature and Humidity use the same connection in the ISS. I've attached the Temp/Dew Point and Humidity/Heat Index graphs and you can see the horizontal lines indicating when those values did not change for hours at a time. I also note that the errors seem to start around 11am!

The best news would be that another station is corrupting my transmitter. We just happen to have new neighbors just next door... I'll try changing the transmitters Station # tomorrow. Right now, I have my iPhone 6S sitting on a heating pad with its battery disconnected; I took my work clothes from today out of the washer and discovered a very clean iPhone....

[xairbusdriver]

Mac mini
Found the Mac mini had restarted because of a "problem" about ~2am. WC was not running, of course. I don't know what the cause of the "problem" was since I can't make any sense of the reports in the new Console app. There is nothing in the "Crash Reports" section for today. There is a "DrainMessageOnCrash" item in the "system.log" at 8:26am, about the time I sent the reported "problem" to Apple. There is also a "Weather Cat Kicker launched" at that 8:36am time.

WeatherCat
Changed Station number on ISS. Matched the new number on Console. Rebooted WC.

No change in Live Data sensor status: Temperature, Humidity, Dew Point, Wind Chill still invalid.

Looks like real sensor (circuit board?) problems. Will try some contact cleaner... again.

[xairbusdriver]

Looks like I'll order the Davis 7346.070 - Pro2 Digital Temperature Humidity Sensor (Sensiron SHT31) 45 bucks from Scaled Instruments. I'm sure I have the pre-2016 Vantage Pro since I still have the invoice for a replacement solar panel for the damaged one I bought in 2015. I'll know for sure when I disassemble the ISS. If the one I'm ordering is the newer model, there is a small calibration needed.

If anyone has another solution, please let me know. Meanwhile, I'll search the archives for the images Edouard post some years back on his mods to the ISS.

[elagache]

Dear X-Air and WeatherCat troubleshooters,

"Live Data" shows that the Ext. Temperature while "Valid", has 49,435 errors.

Well that shows there is something out of whack between the ISS and the console.

The best news would be that another station is corrupting my transmitter. We just happen to have new neighbors just next door... I'll try changing the transmitters Station

This is certainly possible.  It has happened to me.  Do let us know if the cure was as simple as changing the transmitter ID.

Cheers, Edouard 

[xairbusdriver]

Changing the Station number did not help. Console was used to accept the new station number.

Live data has not changed since the lat reboot of WC, 13,453 ererz (and counting)! All the outputs that use the Temperature/Humidity sensor are not working (calculated sky, dew point, wind chill, etc.). That’s why I’ve ordered the new sensor. According to a recent email, “It’s in the Mail!”!  Hopefully collecting data by this time next week. :fingers crossed:

[xairbusdriver]

Wouldn't you know...

Live Data now says most normal, basic sensors are now valid, including the "Leaf Wetness 4" sensor which I don't even have! All I had to do was order some parts!

At least one thing is a constant! Something is happening around 11am local. Previously, that's when things stopped being valid and the errors started. Today, everything was invalid until ~11am and then things changed to valid and data started to be collected again.

So, the question is: What the heck is happening and why??!! All I know is that it occurs around 11am!

[elagache]

Dear X-Air and WeatherCat troubleshooters,

Live Data now says most normal, basic sensors are now valid, including the "Leaf Wetness 4" sensor which I don't even have! All I had to do was order some parts!

That is a bad sign.  What sort of values are you getting on those so-called "valid" sensors?  Are the numbers perhaps the same as other sensors?

At least one thing is a constant! Something is happening around 11am local.
. . . .

That is a further indication that the problem is with the bottleneck between the ISS and the console.  It is a single device failing.

So, the question is: What the heck is happening and why??!! All I know is that it occurs around 11am!

I think it is time for you to go back to your Davis manual and see what sort of information you can ferret out from the console alone.  Once you have gotten for yourself as much evidence as you can come up with, I think it is time to give Davis technical support a call.  At the very least, they might be able go give you some additional tests to perform in order to isolate the source of the problem.

Sorry your station seems to be going on the fritz.

Edouard

[xairbusdriver]

That is a bad sign.

I sort of agree. But only because I never discovered what the problem was.

What sort of values are you getting on those so-called "valid" sensors?

Normal.

Are the numbers perhaps the same as other sensors?

Not sure I understand, but by "valid" I mean they are as close to the correct figures as I can see. They are not all the same numbers, if that's what you are asking.

I'm not sure I can expect Davis to be of much help unless I can describe the problem while it is happening. Since ~11am on the 24th, the whole setup has been operating correctly. Of course, that's just a bit over 52 hours, but I don't think I will call Davis until things 'break' (if/when they do). The new Temp/Humidity sensor is supposed to arrive tomorrow, so I can always try swapping that. I suspect that will probably be less painful than trying to get a Davis rep on the phone!

[elagache]

Dear X-Air and WeatherCat troubleshooters,

I'm not sure I can expect Davis to be of much help unless I can describe the problem while it is happening. Since ~11am on the 24th, the whole setup has been operating correctly.

Well, in case like this the old saying applies:  "If it ain't broke - don't fix it!"

That is a bad sign.

I sort of agree. But only because I never discovered what the problem was.

True, but these days there are so many problems and so few solutions that it best to leave the problems you don't understand behind! 

What sort of values are you getting on those so-called "valid" sensors?

Normal.

I was wondering about the sensors that were reported as producing valid data but you don't own.  Here is a quote from your posting on the 25th.

Live Data now says most normal, basic sensors are now valid, including the "Leaf Wetness 4" sensor which I don't even have!

I just double-checked, the Leaf Wetness sensor #4 reporting that it is valid when it doesn't exist is a known Davis bug.  So you can safely ignore that one.

Keep your fingers crossed and hopefully it will turn out to be nothing more than some playful gremlins messin' with your mind and weather station!

Cheers, Edouard 

[xairbusdriver]

Lost the Temp/humidity sensors again late on Sep 30, 2021. Swapped that sensor with a new one without any improvements. Barometer and Rain sensors both work. Changed ISS Station (1 or 3 or 5) and separate Anemometer (2 or 7) IDs several times but now only "sees" the ID for the Wind Station (7). Replaced batteries in Console after running it totally disconnected to AC adaptor (and USB Logger).

I am considering replacing the ISS: Davis 6322W, Wireless Vantage Pro2 Integrated Sensor Suite with Aerocone (w/o anemometer) $297.80 from Scaled Instruments.

[elagache]

Dear X-Air and WeatherCat troubleshooters,

Lost the Temp/humidity sensors again late on Sep 30, 2021. Swapped that sensor with a new one without any improvements. Barometer and Rain sensors both work. Changed ISS Station (1 or 3 or 5) and separate Anemometer (2 or 7) IDs several times but now only "sees" the ID for the Wind Station (7). Replaced batteries in Console after running it totally disconnected to AC adaptor (and USB Logger).

Sorry to hear that.  I'm puzzled.  I've never seen a situation where the ISS apparently could not transmit some of the sensor data, but still manages to transmit other data.  Does it look like the plug for the Temperature/Humidity sensor is damaged at all?

I've forgotten, do you have a separate transmitter for your anemometer?  If so, then the issues with the changing the transmitter ID strongly suggest that the ISS electronics has started to malfunction. 

I am considering replacing the ISS: Davis 6322W, Wireless Vantage Pro2 Integrated Sensor Suite with Aerocone (w/o anemometer) $297.80 from Scaled Instruments.

Obviously, the more you replace, the more likely you'll solve your problem.  If you don't mind spending some time on hold, you might give Davis technical support a call.  They might have seen this sort of failure before and could tell you exactly what to replace.

Another possibility is to assume that the ISS circuit board is at fault and only replace that.  Ryan at Scaled Instruments has those as well (of course!  )

https://www.scaledinstruments.com/shop/davis-instruments/parts/vantage-pro2-parts/transmitter-parts/davis-7345-951-2016-pcba-for-pro2-wireless-iss-or-iss-plus-us/

That would reduce your capital costs by about 1/2, but has the downside that you would have to go through the pain of getting the circuit board in and out of your ISS housing and there is always the risk the problem is elsewhere.

  . . . On the other hand, you can always count on the WeatherCat forum for some sort of advice!  . . . .   Of course, when it comes to the quality of that advice . . . . . Caveat Emptor! 

 

Cheers, Edouard