Home Weather stations

gkainz

gkainz

Final Approach
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Greg Kainz
Anyone into home weather reporting stations? I'm curious about what's behind this: http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/getForecast?query=zmw:80001.1.99999&MR=1

one row above (Rainbow Ridge) links to this site: http://www.laze-k.com/

and I think this is the home page for it: http://www.wunderground.com/weatherstation/WXDailyHistory.asp?ID=KCOARVAD26

I would like to put up something like this as well ... but with some other twists - would like to have sensors that read my smoker temps (so I can keep an eye on those baby back ribs while I'm in church) and maybe the hot tub temp ...
 
We have something like this at home:
http://www.lacrossetechnology.com/7394it/index.php

This is the brand, but I don't know about the model. It does have an outside sensor that wirelessly transmits the temp/humidity. It can handle up to four remote sensors. They do make them with probes so you can monitor your hot-tub water temp. I don't know what the temp range of the remote probe is, so I don't know if it would work for a smoker.

To get it connected to the web so you can check it on your phone, you might be looking at something like:
http://www.lacrossetechnology.com/2812/index.php

I am sure there are other brands out there. I was even looking into this myself a couple years ago, I think that Weather Underground had a FAQ or something that explained everything that was necessary.
 
Matthew said:
We have something like this at home:
http://www.lacrossetechnology.com/7394it/index.php

This is the brand, but I don't know about the model. It does have an outside sensor that wirelessly transmits the temp/humidity. It can handle up to four remote sensors. They do make them with probes so you can monitor your hot-tub water temp. I don't know what the temp range of the remote probe is, so I don't know if it would work for a smoker.

To get it connected to the web so you can check it on your phone, you might be looking at something like:
http://www.lacrossetechnology.com/2812/index.php

I am sure there are other brands out there. I was even looking into this myself a couple years ago, I think that Weather Underground had a FAQ or something that explained everything that was necessary.
Click to expand...

I have had great luck with these guys.....

http://www.davisnet.com/
 
N801BH said:
I have had great luck with these guys.....

http://www.davisnet.com/
Click to expand...


Neat stuff. I did have to get tech support from La Crosse one time. A simple e-mail got a pretty quick response. So, it should be pretty simple to find out if they make a sensor that could handle the temps on a smoker. Now you have ME thinking about the smoker monitor!!!
 
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Thanks, all ... Matthew - looks like the La Crosse specs would cover the air temps, hot tub temps, but not the smoker ... I have a number of wireless thermometers for the smoker, but I would bet they're not readable by the base station.

As windy as it's been here, I don't know if the range of wind sensor is high enough :)

Rainfall beginning range is all that's needed this spring so far (0") ... :(

# Indoor temperature range : -40°F to +139.8°F
# Outdoor temperature range : -40°F to +139.8°F
# Indoor humidity range: 1% to 99%
# Outdoor humidity range: 1% to 99%
# Wind speed / gust: 0 to 111.8 mph
# Wind chill: -40°F to +139.8°F
# Rainfall: 0" to 393.7"
 
As an alternative, have you considered the web-based weather out there?

While they won't help with the smoker, they are inexpensive and someone else gets to maintain the equipment, and you can check them with almost any web browser, including phones. I wrote my own thing in Excel, reading the historical AWOS until www.jesseweather.com came along. I'm close enough to the airport that it gives the same information as a home weather station.
 
gkainz said:
Thanks, all ... Matthew - looks like the La Crosse specs would cover the air temps, hot tub temps, but not the smoker ... I have a number of wireless thermometers for the smoker, but I would bet they're not readable by the base station.

As windy as it's been here, I don't know if the range of wind sensor is high enough :)

Rainfall beginning range is all that's needed this spring so far (0") ... :(

# Indoor temperature range : -40°F to +139.8°F
# Outdoor temperature range : -40°F to +139.8°F
# Indoor humidity range: 1% to 99%
# Outdoor humidity range: 1% to 99%
# Wind speed / gust: 0 to 111.8 mph
# Wind chill: -40°F to +139.8°F
# Rainfall: 0" to 393.7"
Click to expand...

Heh - my best wireless smoker temp probe is my hand. The range isn't very good, but it's calibrated to 225.
 
I have a La Crosse thermometer system. One of the display units just crapped out, so I have a new one on the way. The remote temp/humidity units work pretty well - one outside, one in the portable greenhouse that I keep plants in over-winter (with heater, of course). The greenhouse sensor is used to make sure heater is working & adjusted properly.

My only real gripe with the La Crosse system is the process of changing batteries.

Looking for a more comprhensive weather system that will allow access via internet & accomodate 2-3 wireless remote temp/humidity sensors as well as winds & rain. But I still haven't found what I'm looking for.
 
gkainz said:
Anyone into home weather reporting stations?
Click to expand...
I have one in my house that has worked for me for years. I especially enjoy the fact that it is not dependent on any external power, batteries or WiFi. It was simple to install and is basically maintenance free. It also has never failed to be 100% accurate.

A picture of it is attached. I am not sure of the brand.
 

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What a coincidence -- my Davis Vantage Pro Plus just arrived by UPS today. I'mo set 'er up this weekend. PIREP to follow.
 
ScottM said:
I have one in my house that has worked for me for years. I especially enjoy the fact that it is not dependent on any external power, batteries or WiFi. It was simple to install and is basically maintenance free. It also has never failed to be 100% accurate.

A picture of it is attached. I am not sure of the brand.
Click to expand...


I suppose that if one is better than 99.5% accurate, then one could claim 100% accurate with 1, 2, or 3 significant digits implied.

These weather stations seem to avoid some important specifications, such as accuracy. The cheap one I have does not specify accuracy and the outside temp sensor is off by about 6F, with no means for adjustment or calibration.
 
I got a Davis Vantage Pro a couple of weeks ago but am waiting for the barn to get done to put the sensors up. I read on their website or somewhere that if you put the sensors 33' AGL or something like that, your weather data can actually be official. I haven't gotten that far yet :-) I didn't get the software to automatically track the information. If anyone got it, please let me know how that works. I'm still thinking about it.

Thanks!
 
Ghery said:
I've got a Davis weather station that has been in operation since 1999. No problems at all. I get the most entertainment from the rain gauge.
Click to expand...

As it goes from "Full" to "More Full" to "Overflowing" to .... :)
 
Ghery said:
I've got a Davis weather station that has been in operation since 1999. No problems at all. I get the most entertainment from the rain gauge.
Click to expand...

I have had wonderful service from my Davis Weather Monitor II since the mid 90's. The weatherlink software is/was very useful too. My station has seen +91f down to -43f. Winds up to 106 mph and it still keeps on working.. Back in the late 90's when the NWS needed accurate weather info they would call me at all hours of the day and night for data. FWIW.

Ben.
 
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Ghery said:
I've got a Davis weather station that has been in operation since 1999. No problems at all. I get the most entertainment from the rain gauge.
Click to expand...

gkainz said:
As it goes from "Full" to "More Full" to "Overflowing" to .... :)
Click to expand...

You've been here!

N801BH said:
I have had wonderful service from my Davis Weather Monitor II since the mid 90's. The weatherlink software is/was very useful too. My station has seen +91f down to -43f. Winds up to 106 mph and it still keeps on working.. Back in the late 90's when the NWS needed accurate weather info they would call me at all hours of the day and night for data. FWIW.

Ben.
Click to expand...

The rain gauge reads out in 0.01 inch increments and the differences between it and the "official" numbers can easily be accounted for by the spotty nature of the rain around here. Rain where I am, no rain at the airport and vice versa. I track it in a spreadsheet by the month and it is interesting to see just how wet we really are here in the Pacific Northwe(s)t.
 
Ghery said:
You've been here!



The rain gauge reads out in 0.01 inch increments and the differences between it and the "official" numbers can easily be accounted for by the spotty nature of the rain around here. Rain where I am, no rain at the airport and vice versa. I track it in a spreadsheet by the month and it is interesting to see just how wet we really are here in the Pacific Northwe(s)t.
Click to expand...

My brother's lived out there for quite a while and I've visited a few times. Issaquah, Port Ludlow, Port Angeles, Mount Vernon ... lucked out with the weather most of the visits, but the green moss on the roofs gave it away. :)
 
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