Sensor Errors

[Blicj11]

I had to shut down the Cat several times today whilst chasing down an OS X issue. This evening I received this email from the Cat:

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

WeatherCat TimeStamp: 20:12:59 29-Oct-13

When I looked at WeatherCat, it showed the following:

From Weather Station Gauges: Good Data: 3303, Comms Error: 0, Sensor Error: 1320, Quality: 60.02%
From WeatherCat Status: Station Comms: Bad - Check installation (60.02%)
From Live Data: Ext. Temperature Status: Valid, Sensor Errors: 220, Wind Speed Status: Valid, Sensor Errors: 220, All wind channels show valid with no sensor errors
From WeatherLink IP Hardware Options: Transmitter Battery Status: Good, full green bars, Console Voltage: 4.68v

After watching these windows for 30 minutes, the good data comms count increases whilst the sensor errors stay the same.

Any help will be appreciated.

[Blicj11]

Update:

This morning, I have no additional sensor errors, no comms errors and the Quality is 89.14%. After searching the forum, I found a similar issue but there was no final report back so I don't know how that one turned out, but it gave me the idea to check the Station Power Status.

I opened the Station Hardware Options and the Station Power Status was good for both battery and voltage. Then I pressed the Test Power System button and got the following six emails.

WeatherCat Vantage Driver: Station Power Alert. Transmitter battery failure.
ISS battery - Fail.
Transmitter 2 - Good.
Transmitter 3 - Fail.
Transmitter 4 - Good.
Transmitter 5 - Good.
Transmitter 6 - Fail.
Transmitter 7 - Good.
Transmitter 8 - Fail.


WeatherCat TimeStamp: 08:50:01 30-Oct-13

WeatherCat Vantage Driver: ***Station Power Alert*** Station voltage is low - actual value is 4.176 Volts.

WeatherCat TimeStamp: 08:50:06 30-Oct-13

WeatherCat Vantage Driver: Station Power Alert. Transmitter battery failure.
ISS battery - Good.
Transmitter 2 - Fail.
Transmitter 3 - Good.
Transmitter 4 - Fail.
Transmitter 5 - Fail.
Transmitter 6 - Good.
Transmitter 7 - Fail.
Transmitter 8 - Good.


WeatherCat TimeStamp: 08:50:33 30-Oct-13

WeatherCat Vantage Driver: Station Power Alert. Transmitter battery failure.
ISS battery - Fail.
Transmitter 2 - Good.
Transmitter 3 - Fail.
Transmitter 4 - Good.
Transmitter 5 - Good.
Transmitter 6 - Fail.
Transmitter 7 - Good.
Transmitter 8 - Fail.


WeatherCat TimeStamp: 08:51:02 30-Oct-13

WeatherCat Vantage Driver: ***Station Power Advice*** All transmitter batteries are good.

WeatherCat TimeStamp: 08:51:30 30-Oct-13

WeatherCat Vantage Driver: Station Power Advice. Station voltage is now good - actual value is 4.526 Volts.

WeatherCat TimeStamp: 08:51:55 30-Oct-13

I can' tell what is going on. My station is wireless. LIke everything else I own, I can't find the manual. I think I have a solar-powered station. Would it also have a replaceable battery? If so, it hasn't been changed in 6 years. The solar panel had frozen snow on it for 24 hours but it melted off last night.

That's all I have. Any thoughts?

[elagache]

Dear Blick and WeatherCat members of the elite Davis club,

From Weather Station Gauges: Good Data: 3303, Comms Error: 0, Sensor Error: 1320, Quality: 60.02%
From WeatherCat Status: Station Comms: Bad - Check installation (60.02%)
From Live Data: Ext. Temperature Status: Valid, Sensor Errors: 220, Wind Speed Status: Valid, Sensor Errors: 220, All wind channels show valid with no sensor errors
From WeatherLink IP Hardware Options: Transmitter Battery Status: Good, full green bars, Console Voltage: 4.68v

After watching these windows for 30 minutes, the good data comms count increases whilst the sensor errors stay the same.

This definitely looks like some sort of fluke.  It shouldn't do that - but . . . . . . .

If it doesn't happen again, I think you can ignore it.  Otherwise you might have to call Davis technical support on that one.

Then I pressed the Test Power System button

   DON'T EVER press the Test Power System!!!!  That's what starts off da' count-down toward da' END!! 

Just fibbin' 

and got the following six emails.

You'll need to wait for Stu's definitive comments, but I vaguely recall doing the same thing and also getting spammed with spurious emails about station battery errors.  I think it has something to do with how Davis performs the battery tests of remote stations.  Somehow it doesn't handle nonexistent stations very well.

Unless something else happens, you can safely put these spam emails with - all your other spam!! 

Cheers, Edouard 

[Steve]

I remember something like that, too! I poked the button and got an email that told me pretty much the whole system was going to blow up. Well, not that bad, but I manually tested all the batteries, and the test results were way wrong. I've never done it since.

Steve

[WCDev]

From the WeatherCat manual:
'WeatherCat monitors the Vantage power system including that of remote transmitters. By default, it will send you an email when it detects either a problem with the station power supply or a transmitter battery. The ?Test Power System? button causes WeatherCat to simulate various power failures ? the display will update, and power fail and power restore emails will be sent if enabled.'

It's a really good read imho

[elagache]

Howdy Stu and WeatherCat "book club." 

From the WeatherCat manual:

. . . . .

It's a really good read imho

I definitely second the opinion.  I've definitely learned that "when in doubt" - check the manual first!

  . . . However, it may not be the best read if you are into a lot of heavy mellerdrama! . .   

Cheers, Edouard 

[Steve]

It's a really good read imho

Well there's an idea! 

[Blicj11]

It's a really good read imho

Ha ha! I never thought of that! My motto is, "When all else fails, read the manual." I just didn't think all else had failed.

Thanks for the explanation Stu. 24 hours ago I did restart WeatherCat and so far there are no errors. In the meantime, I called Davis tech support and they told me not to worry about replacing the ISS battery until the console showed a battery error. Not wishing to tempt fate as winter approaches (my current  battery is 6 years old), I did pick up a replacement battery and am hoping for some temperate weather for installing it.

Thanks Stu, Edouard and Steve.