Weather Stations For The Home

[Cristóbal]

What weather stations you have for your palms and house and how you think is the quality ?

I have much curiositey on this theme. Many persons post temperatures they register by their homes. But what brands models of the home weather stations you use ?

In the last 2 months I look for a better home weather station. In the last week I order Oregon Scientific WMR200 with UV. Anybody use this ? I find very good reviews for this system.

[jasons]

Your best bet is a Davis system. Get the Davis Vantage Pro II if you can afford it. It is hands-down the best home system you can get without spending thouands on a commercial-grade system.

[freakypalmguy]

Hi Cristobal,

Davis is definitely top of the line but the price is top of the line as well.

I found my Honewell unit for 200$ on the internet. It has worked flawlessly. All wireless sensors.

Here is a picture of what it looked like when it arrived.

Here is the display setup next to my home computer.

[mnorell]

Cristóbal--

I use a Davis Vantage Pro 2 and it works beautifully. I also hear that the Oregon Scientific stations are quite good. Please remember to get your readings onto Weather Underground and the other weather-service sites. I also strongly suggest you get Ambient's Virtual Weather Station software. It's all very easy to set up. If everyone had a station linked to the wundermap, we would have much more information than the crude and largely inaccurate USDA map could ever hope to give us. On that subject, does México have an official climate-zone map that is published or viewable on-line?

[spockvr6]

Ill echo the positive responses on the Davis units. This is what I use and its fantastic.

[freakypalmguy]

I definitely agree with Jason and Michael, if you can, get a Davis, they are the most accurate and reliable units.

For example the Davis units are plus or minus 1 degree whereas my station is +/-2F. I think some of the other units are +/-2 to 6 degrees which is pushing it a bit when you are trying to accurately record your temps.

Here is a link to a thread from last year that has some good discussions and data on the various station. Weather Station Thread

Hope this helps Cristobal.

Matt

[freakypalmguy]

Here is some updated links.

Ambient Weather This site is packed with great info.

Weather Station Specification Comparison

[happ]

Thanks for the helpful links, Matt. I have had good results with Davis except solar batteries were duds. Oregon Instruments has been accurate as well.

[Neofolis]

If you use Davis, your temperature accuracy will be +/-0.1°C. If you use anything cheaper it will be +/-2.0°C. I really don't see the point of using something with an accuracy of +/-2.0°C.

[freakypalmguy]

If you use Davis, your temperature accuracy will be +/-0.1°C. If you use anything cheaper it will be +/-2.0°C. I really don't see the point of using something with an accuracy of +/-2.0°C.

Hi Corey,

My station will go off line today since there is no point

BTW you've misplaced the decimal point. Davis units are +/- 1.0 not 0.1 My unit is +/- 2.0, only one degree different than the Davis units for less than half the price. Most of us don't need Space Shuttle accuracy, I'm just looking for a close indication for my own personal knowledge. I would prefer +/- 0.0, but I'm sure for accuracy anything better than +/- 1.0, the price will go up exponentially.

Here is a link to the Data

Matt

[rozpalm]

I have the Davis Pro II with the VWS software from Ambient weather (see image). I had to get a device that feeds the data to my PC and VWS. I also feed data to my PWS site on weatherunderground. With Davis you can add on all kinds of extra instruments such as temp, humidity, soil temp, leaf moisture etc. So if you had a green house you could get a feed from there and then a couple from your garden.

I also have hi/lo dual side digital thermos out in the garden. I use these to find micro-climates for my zone pushing stuff.

[PalmGuyWC]

Matt,

I'm sorry to hear you are going off line with your weather station. I check your temps all the time, as I find we are usually a few degrees from each other, but I live 300 miles north of you. This morning for example you were much cooler than me, but as the day progressed you warmed up must faster than me. Usually what I have a day before, you have the day after, or close to it. I also have to account that you are further east from me, so you get the sun before I do. I'm sure you have heard that LA is further east than Reno. Seems strange.

I just have the delux model of Radio Shacks electronic weather probe. I'm really very pleased with it and it only varies 1/2 degree from my other more expensive Sharper Image probe. I don't have a wind direction and speed indicator, but I can look at my tall Washingtonias and tell the wind direction and I can estimate the speed pretty well. When dead fronds start coming down it's 40 MPH or higher.

Dick

[freakypalmguy]

Matt,

I'm sorry to hear you are going off line with your weather station. I check your temps all the time, as I find we are usually a few degrees from each other, but I live 300 miles north of you. This morning for example you were much cooler than me, but as the day progressed you warmed up must faster than me. Usually what I have a day before, you have the day after, or close to it. I also have to account that you are further east from me, so you get the sun before I do. I'm sure you have heard that LA is further east than Reno. Seems strange.

I just have the delux model of Radio Shacks electronic weather probe. I'm really very pleased with it and it only varies 1/2 degree from my other more expensive Sharper Image probe. I don't have a wind direction and speed indicator, but I can look at my tall Washingtonias and tell the wind direction and I can estimate the speed pretty well. When dead fronds start coming down it's 40 MPH or higher.

Dick

Hi Dick, sorry, I was just messing around with Corey. I'm not going off line.

My home faces mainly south and is fully exposed when the sun comes up so I do warm up fairly quick. The back side of my house usually retains the frost for about an extra half hour or so after the front melts away due to the shadow of my house.

I have noticed that as well, whenever you report your days weather, I know that is about what I should expect for the following day. It works out pretty cool.

I am really looking forward to spring, I have a bunch of stuff hannging out in the greenhouse waiting to be planted. I have even been tempted to plant a cold hardy palm or two, just to get a fix

Matt

[PalmGuyWC]

Matt,

Glad your staying on line. I see your 73 F now and I'm only 63 F. It's windy here and makes it seem much cooler. If the wind dies down, I expect it will get warmer.

In the winter time I'm in the morning shadow of Mt. Diablo, and I feel like I get cheated of about 15 to 30 minutes of morning sun. When the sun pops up here, it pops up fast. In the summer the sun comes up more to the North, and I get the early morning light.

I had some rose bushes removed and I want to plant a couple of Butia archeri in their place. I'm tempted, but think I will wait until March. My problem is, I've run out of space where it's sunny. I have about a half dozen palms that should be in the ground.

Dick

[Neofolis]

If you use Davis, your temperature accuracy will be +/-0.1°C. If you use anything cheaper it will be +/-2.0°C. I really don't see the point of using something with an accuracy of +/-2.0°C.

Hi Corey,

My station will go off line today since there is no point

BTW you've misplaced the decimal point. Davis units are +/- 1.0 not 0.1 My unit is +/- 2.0, only one degree different than the Davis units for less than half the price. Most of us don't need Space Shuttle accuracy, I'm just looking for a close indication for my own personal knowledge. I would prefer +/- 0.0, but I'm sure for accuracy anything better than +/- 1.0, the price will go up exponentially.

Here is a link to the Data

Matt

You're right it's 1.0° not 0.1°, I want a refund. I remember when I first saw that most of the stations were +/-2.0°, I thought, what use us that when trying to determine absolute minimum cold hardiness and thought 0.1 would be ideal, but I must have been looking at the resolution rather than the accuracy or something. Either way, I guess 1°F/0.5°C is close enough, though I would still prefer 0.1.

Something else I like about the Davis is the optional fan aspirated radiation shield. This does a fantastic job of avoiding distorted temperature readings under direct sunlight. In summer months, on sunny days, I frequently see stations near me reading 4-5°C higher than mine. I remember Larry made radiation shield for his old TI weather station, so for those with the knowledge and ability there are cheaper solutions, but the Davis options seems to work really well. Another advantage for people who prefer wireless systems is good signal quality/distance. With my previous cheaper setups, I was very restricted in terms of location that I could situate sensors and receive the readings on the base station inside, but with the Davis sensors, I can put them where I like and the signal is never dropped.

[freakypalmguy]

How is that fan aspirated model powered? That sounds like a nice unit. Do you have a picture of it? I currently have mine zip tied under the crown of a CIDP about five feet off the ground. I've had to move it to a different frond every now and then as the frond gets older and settles. I have heard of a few that have made there own as well, I'm thinking about going this route. I agree, you can always tell when someone does not have their temp sensor placed properly when it is reading significantly higher than the other units in the area.

Take care,

Matt

[galveston1602]

I used a oregon scientific wmr-968 for years untill hurricane IKE killed it

It worked well. I built a non aspirated shield for it out of plant saucers and a piece of all thread.

one thing to know is if you use a davis, you need to seperate the temp sensor from the wind sensor or otherwise your temp reading will be overall too low as the temp (officially) should be taken a lot lower than where wind readings should be taken.

[Neofolis]

How is that fan aspirated model powered? That sounds like a nice unit. Do you have a picture of it? I currently have mine zip tied under the crown of a CIDP about five feet off the ground. I've had to move it to a different frond every now and then as the frond gets older and settles. I have heard of a few that have made there own as well, I'm thinking about going this route. I agree, you can always tell when someone does not have their temp sensor placed properly when it is reading significantly higher than the other units in the area.

Take care,

Matt

They do two models of the fan aspirated shield. The 24 hour shield is battery operated or they do a 12 hour shiled that uses solar power. Generally you may think that the solar version would be adequate, because the fan will operatewhen there is sunlight available and hence is working at the times it is needed, but from what I read the 24 hour version gives better results, so I went for that version. There was another reason. As far as I can tell, if you buy the weather station complete with fan aspirated shield, you will get the 24 hour version. If you want the 12 hour (solar) version, you have to buy the standard weather station, then buy the 12 hour shield as a separate item, which means that firstly, you end up having to buy two shields, the non aspirated and the 12 hour aspirated and secondly, you have the extra time during installation changing the shield.

As far as installing the wind and temp sensors apart is concerned, this is not really a problem as there is a cable provided that connects the wind sensor to the rest of the unit and longer cables can be purchased at relatively low cost.

The photo below shows that the fan aspirated shield doesn't really look any different to the normal version. It also illustrates the limitations of my installation. Whilst the height on my temperature sensor is right, it should be mounted in a more open location, quite difficult in a small garden. Also my wind sensor should be much higher, such as, at roof height on the house, but where I have it offers reasonable exposure to the wind from every direction that we normally get wind.

[freakypalmguy]

How is that fan aspirated model powered? That sounds like a nice unit. Do you have a picture of it? I currently have mine zip tied under the crown of a CIDP about five feet off the ground. I've had to move it to a different frond every now and then as the frond gets older and settles. I have heard of a few that have made there own as well, I'm thinking about going this route. I agree, you can always tell when someone does not have their temp sensor placed properly when it is reading significantly higher than the other units in the area.

Take care,

Matt

They do two models of the fan aspirated shield. The 24 hour shield is battery operated or they do a 12 hour shiled that uses solar power. Generally you may think that the solar version would be adequate, because the fan will operatewhen there is sunlight available and hence is working at the times it is needed, but from what I read the 24 hour version gives better results, so I went for that version. There was another reason. As far as I can tell, if you buy the weather station complete with fan aspirated shield, you will get the 24 hour version. If you want the 12 hour (solar) version, you have to buy the standard weather station, then buy the 12 hour shield as a separate item, which means that firstly, you end up having to buy two shields, the non aspirated and the 12 hour aspirated and secondly, you have the extra time during installation changing the shield.

As far as installing the wind and temp sensors apart is concerned, this is not really a problem as there is a cable provided that connects the wind sensor to the rest of the unit and longer cables can be purchased at relatively low cost.

The photo below shows that the fan aspirated shield doesn't really look any different to the normal version. It also illustrates the limitations of my installation. Whilst the height on my temperature sensor is right, it should be mounted in a more open location, quite difficult in a small garden. Also my wind sensor should be much higher, such as, at roof height on the house, but where I have it offers reasonable exposure to the wind from every direction that we normally get wind.

Excellent, thank you Corey.