Newbie questions for plots and database modifications (weatherflow station)

[pete...@gmail.com]

Hi,

I'm the new weewx user having no experience with weewx before.

My system:

• Raspberry Pi 3 B+
• WeatherFlow station
• neowx skin
  

I've installed the WF UDP driver and am getting data into weewx OK. For the start, I have 3 questions:

1. My plots (temperature, humidity, barometer, etc.) do not show any labels nor axis labels. I've installed the Robo fonts which are neowx default. Same thing was with a Seasons skin.
2. How to properly log the lightning data (counts, timestamps, distance) from the WeatherFlow station? I'm confused whether the data should be logged into existing 'weewx.sdb' database or a new one. I also don't know how to set up a new database and how to plot the lightning data.
3. How can I plot the solar radiation (as an example)? I only see the UV plot by default.

Many thanks.

[pete...@gmail.com]

Item 1 resolved.

Dne sreda, 13. marec 2019 21.34.38 UTC+1 je oseba pete...@gmail.com napisala:

[vince]

On Wednesday, March 13, 2019 at 1:34:38 PM UTC-7, pete...@gmail.com wrote:

I've installed the WF UDP driver and am getting data into weewx OK. For the start, I have 3 questions:

1. My plots (temperature, humidity, barometer, etc.) do not show any labels nor axis labels. I've installed the Robo fonts which are neowx default. Same thing was with a Seasons skin.
2. How to properly log the lightning data (counts, timestamps, distance) from the WeatherFlow station? I'm confused whether the data should be logged into existing 'weewx.sdb' database or a new one. I also don't know how to set up a new database and how to plot the lightning data.
3. How can I plot the solar radiation (as an example)? I only see the UV plot by default.

Asked and answered already on the WF forums the other day.

• My suggestion over there was that you just reuse unused elements in the default schema (to simplify your task), and I provided the weewx.conf block for the WF UDP driver that would do that.  You'd just need to edit the lines into your weewx.conf and restart weewx to have them take effect.
• Which WF sensor-reported element gets mapped to which db element is based on your weewx.conf
  
• As I mentioned over there, I chose to (lightly) edit my Seasons skin templates to add the WF-specific stuff to the output html.  ((LINK)  - If that display works for you, let me know and I'll post a patch for what minor edits I made in the default Seasons skin that makes it happen.
  

[pete...@gmail.com]

Thank you for your answer again. I will have to get used to weewx to full understand what I need to do. Right now, my weewx.conf uses the patches from the AS3935 configuration and should generate (right?) a new lightning.sdb database. The sensor_map contains:

[WeatherFlowUDP]
    driver = user.weatherflowudp
    log_raw_packets = False
    udp_address = <broadcast>
    # udp_address = 0.0.0.0
    # udp_address = 255.255.255.255
    udp_port = 50222
    udp_timeout = 90
    share_socket = True

    [[sensor_map]]
        outTemp = air_temperature.AR-00004197.obs_air
        outHumidity = relative_humidity.AR-00004197.obs_air
        pressure = station_pressure.AR-00004197.obs_air
        outTempBatteryStatus = battery.AR-00004197.obs_air
        windSpeed = wind_speed.SK-00006737.rapid_wind
        windDir = wind_direction.SK-00006737.rapid_wind
        lux = illuminance.SK-00006737.obs_sky
        UV = uv.SK-00006737.obs_sky
        rain = rain_accumulated.SK-00006737.obs_sky
        windBatteryStatus = battery.SK-00006737.obs_sky
        radiation = solar_radiation.SK-00006737.obs_sky
        #soilMoist1 = lightning_strike_count.AR-00004197.obs_air
        #soilMoist1 = lightning_strike_count.AR-00004197.obs_air
        lightning_strikes = lightning_strike_count.AR-00004197.obs_air
        avg_distance = lightning_strike_avg_distance.AR-00004197.obs_air
        lightningYYY = distance.AR-00004197.evt_strike
        lightningZZZ = energy.AR-00004197.evt_strike

I'll go and read documentation about how to generate plots. Would you know what is the format of lightning log? Is it counts/minute or?

Thank you.

Dne sreda, 13. marec 2019 22.02.46 UTC+1 je oseba vince napisala:

[vince]

On Wednesday, March 13, 2019 at 2:15:09 PM UTC-7, pete...@gmail.com wrote:

Thank you for your answer again. I will have to get used to weewx to full understand what I need to do. Right now, my weewx.conf uses the patches from the AS3935 configuration and should generate (right?) a new lightning.sdb database.

I don't know what the driver does, sorry.

I'll go and read documentation about how to generate plots. Would you know what is the format of lightning log? Is it counts/minute or?

It's an observation, so it would be counts and distance for that (one minute) time period.  Not quite sure how you'd aggregate the counts and average distance over the time period (I'd think the average distance would be absurdly low for a day unless you're sitting in the middle of a cloud of lightning :-)

I personally ignore lightning as the measure is very inaccurate and prone to false positives, but your mileage may vary.

[pete...@gmail.com]

After reading a bit of documentation, I'm progressing well here.

Thank you for your answer again. I will have to get used to weewx to full understand what I need to do. Right now, my weewx.conf uses the patches from the AS3935 configuration and should generate (right?) a new lightning.sdb database.

I don't know what the driver does, sorry.

As per advice, the counts are logged in the weewx.sdb under SoilMoist1, distance is SoilMoist2.

 

I'll go and read documentation about how to generate plots. Would you know what is the format of lightning log? Is it counts/minute or?

It's an observation, so it would be counts and distance for that (one minute) time period.  Not quite sure how you'd aggregate the counts and average distance over the time period (I'd think the average distance would be absurdly low for a day unless you're sitting in the middle of a cloud of lightning :-)

I personally ignore lightning as the measure is very inaccurate and prone to false positives, but your mileage may vary.

 

Here I'd need advice. I do get false positives where I have it installed now but my final installation will be "quiet" unless there's a storm. I get few counts occasionally now and have 2 questions:

 

1. When there's a real storm, I expect LOTS of counts per minute. How will the WF UDP driver actually log these counts (over minute) into the weewx.sdb database? Will it make a SUM over a minute and log it in the database? I don't really care about the distance.
2. I created a plot which plots the "SoilMoist1" (counts). I'd like to aggregate (sum?) the counts over an hour or 10 minutes. This is partly linked to question 1 (what values are logged) but I'd like to know if "aggregation" means making a SUM or AVG over a period.

Many thanks for help.

[pete...@gmail.com]

My question 2 resolved...

It is only question 1 remaining.

[vince]

On Friday, March 15, 2019 at 1:30:38 AM UTC-7, pete...@gmail.com wrote:

My question 2 resolved...

It would be helpful for future folks who find this thread in google searches if you'd say 'how' you resolved the issue.

It is only question 1 remaining.

1. When there's a real storm, I expect LOTS of counts per minute. How will the WF UDP driver actually log these counts (over minute) into the weewx.sdb database? Will it make a SUM over a minute and log it in the database? I don't really care about the distance 

My belief is you'll get the total count over the weewx archive period (untested).    Assuming you run a typical 5-minute weewx archive period, it should add up the lightning strikes over the 5 one-minute periodic observations that the WF gear broadcasts.   Easiest way to test that is to make sure your WF station is also sending data to their Internet site and if you have a time period with lots of strikes, see if your weewx setup matches the WF app results.

[pete...@gmail.com]

Hi, I agree... I'm just not confident yet it works OK.

My question 2 resolved:

sudo nano /etc/weewx/skins/neowx/skin.conf

Look for the [Image generator] and add:

   [[[daylightning]]]
            plot_type = bar
            [[[[SoilMoist1]]]]
                label = Strikes (10 min interval)
                aggregate_type = sum
                aggregate_interval = 600
                width = 5

No need to restart weewx.

[Peter Leban]

I'd like to follow up on this topic. After 3 months in operation, I gladly report the weewx works great with the WeatherFlow station. I managed to set the configuration to store all data, including the lightning.

I'm using the SoilMoist1 field and adjusted the plots to show the counts in 10-minute intervals. Very nice!

Uptime is over 80 days.

Dne petek, 15. marec 2019 21.47.31 UTC+1 je oseba Peter Leban napisala:

[vince]

On Wednesday, June 19, 2019 at 8:32:20 AM UTC-7, Peter Leban wrote:

I'd like to follow up on this topic. After 3 months in operation, I gladly report the weewx works great with the WeatherFlow station. I managed to set the configuration to store all data, including the lightning.

I'm using the SoilMoist1 field and adjusted the plots to show the counts in 10-minute intervals. Very nice!

Uptime is over 80 days.

Now you need to install the Belchertown skin and have it look 'really' cool :-)

Here's my WF station - https://www.skahan.net/weewx_weatherflow/