Davis vantage pro2
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Chris Thompstone
Apr 10, 2021, 10:32:48 AM4/10/21
to weewx-user
Hi Guys can you help me understand the Davis products?
My Peet Bros wind vane has blown off the roof again. Didn't last long.
Although the first one lasted about 5 years, this one's done maybe 2 at best.
I can't seem to get a new wind vane for it unless I import from the US, which is not a great idea (done before etc very expensive with the taxes, then it breaks, repeat repeat)
So think I'll have to replace the whole station, which I didn't really want to do. But at least I'll get spares from UK shops.
I like a wired station setup, due to reliability/simplicity and it must work with weewx reliably. (no periodic fiddling or messing)
So was thinking a vantage pro2 wired with a serial interface to connect to my Pi.
To be honest not interested in the console as I generally never look at them. Can't see the point when I can use the weewx on my phone or PC. If I had my way there would be a blank box with serial socket to connect the Pi to, plus power, nothing more.
But I guess I have to have that anyway, but does the console have the serial connection on it to get to the Pi? How do I go from my serial USB cable on my Pi to the Davis? Do I have to buy something else?
Not interested in any of the Davis logging stuff, just want the raw data flowing into weewx on a Pi, nothing more.
Thanks
Chris
Have tried to understand this from the Davis website, but can't work it out, think they just trying to sell a logging package which I don't want.
Greg Troxel
Apr 10, 2021, 11:23:34 AM4/10/21
to Chris Thompstone, weewx-user
Chris Thompstone <chris.th...@gmail.com> writes:
> [davis query]
> I like a wired station setup, due to reliability/simplicity and it must
> work with weewx reliably. (no periodic fiddling or messing)
> So was thinking a vantage pro2 wired with a serial interface to connect to
> my Pi.
>
> To be honest not interested in the console as I generally never look at
> them. Can't see the point when I can use the weewx on my phone or PC. If
> I had my way there would be a blank box with serial socket to connect the
> Pi to, plus power, nothing more.
>
> But I guess I have to have that anyway, but does the console have the
> serial connection on it to get to the Pi? How do I go from my serial USB
> cable on my Pi to the Davis? Do I have to buy something else?
>
> Not interested in any of the Davis logging stuff, just want the raw data
> flowing into weewx on a Pi, nothing more.
Davis Vantage Pro wired
ISS outside
console inside
Davis serial datalogger #6510SER
plugged into console
the datalogger has a DB9 and plugs into a usb/serial adaptor (or an
actual serial port). I'm using an prolific adaptor
weewx configured to talk to the USB serial port
system that is running weewx has a battery-backed RTC so it knows the
data when it boots. A workaround is scripts to not start weewx until
the computer is affirmatively synchronized with NTP.
For me, this setup has been reliable.
You said you weren't interested in some things but I wanted to point
out:
My VP2 is wireless. I have had zero trouble with the wireless part.
I have had to replace the CR123 in the ISS maybe a few times in 10
years. I had a VP(non-2) and that wireless worked, but I think the
supercap failed and it's on my list to fix. However, I am not sure if
the wired option provides power to the ISS, or if it's just the data
link. I don't mean to suggest you are wrong to do wired, just that I
went wireless because wires were awkward and it has been ok.
The pressure sensor is in the console, as is indoor temp/humidity.
The ISS only has wind/rain and outside temp/humidity. So even if you
don't look at the console, without it you will not have pressure/temp.
There is a "weather envoy" which I think still needs a datalogger to
plug in which is more or less a console without a display but I'm not
sure about pressure. I have neer seen one or used it.
You can get a VP2+ with solar radiation and UV sensors on the ISS, or
you can add them later.
There are third-party loggers and interfaces. I decided to just pay
for the davis one even though it costs double the third-party ones,
because I was confident I would have no trouble. I have nothing bad
to say about the third-party stuff -- I just haven't tried it. There
are some that have datalogging and some that don't.
You said you were not interested in logging, just raw data to Pi, but
I think that's a mistake. The davis logger records data every 5
minutes (hardware archive interval, configurable) and will do so on
the 3 D cell batteries in the console for multiple days during a power
failure. When the weewx computer starts up it will get the old
archive records and put them in the weewx database. This has happened
to me mulitple times and worked very well. So I have continuous data
over several storms where I would have had a gap. If your RPI is on a
UPS/generator that can go 2 weeks AND if it is *never* down for more
than 5 minutes even when you have sd card trouble or upgrade trouble
then you don't need the logger. As you can guess I don't believe
this. If you really don't mind losing data, then yes you don't need
the logger.
If you mean you aren't interested in having the equipment send data to
the davis cloud where you have trouble geting it back from, then
agreed :-)
Chris Thompstone
Apr 10, 2021, 12:02:53 PM4/10/21
to weewx-user
So basically if I want to use weewx with davis station and Pi. I'd need:
This should be a reliable problem free setup?
Think unfortunately there is very little choice of weather station if you want something that's going to last and you can get spares for.
Thanks for the advice.
Chris Thompstone
Apr 10, 2021, 2:18:07 PM4/10/21
to weewx-user
so I found this:
seems like you can connect the davis console directly to raspberry pi header and use via serial.
anyone tried this with weewx?
Seems a bit cheaper than the weatherlink option and maybe more suitable for my needs.
T
vince
Apr 10, 2021, 3:29:36 PM4/10/21
to weewx-user
On Saturday, April 10, 2021 at 11:18:07 AM UTC-7 chris.th...@gmail.com wrote:
so I found this:seems like you can connect the davis console directly to raspberry pi header and use via serial.anyone tried this with weewx?Seems a bit cheaper than the weatherlink option and maybe more suitable for my needs.
A real Davis logger is $30 US more expensive than a Meteo-pi. You have to ask yourself how important that 30 bucks is, as compared to your time and stress level of using a third-party logger. Personally I'd recommend just going Davis all the way.
Chris Thompstone
Apr 10, 2021, 3:59:40 PM4/10/21
to weewx-user
£89 vs £165 in the UK
not sure where the 30$ fits in?
am I looking at the wrong thing?
vince
Apr 10, 2021, 5:35:04 PM4/10/21
to weewx-user
US prices on scaledinstruments.com are 30 US different. I can't speak to UK prices/taxes/import etc.
Greg Troxel
Apr 10, 2021, 6:44:03 PM4/10/21
to Chris Thompstone, weewx-user
Chris Thompstone <chris.th...@gmail.com> writes:
> So basically if I want to use weewx with davis station and Pi. I'd need:
> https://www.weathershop.co.uk/shop/brands/davis-instruments/vantage-pro/davis-vantage-pro2-cabled-weather-station
> plus
> https://www.weathershop.co.uk/shop/accessories/spares-by-brands/davis-spare-parts-accessories/davis-accessories-upgrades/vantage-pro/davis-6510-weatherlink-serial
>
> This should be a reliable problem free setup?
Basically the history on the list is that Davis users complain about how
expensive things are, and other users talk about failures of their
hardware. That's not 100% fair, but it is my rough percepion.
I have never used a Davis cabled station. But I haven't heard
complaints.
> Think unfortunately there is very little choice of weather station if you
> want something that's going to last and you can get spares for.
> Thanks for the advice.
add the "no cloud" requirement.
Peter Fletcher
Apr 11, 2021, 10:57:08 AM4/11/21
to weewx-user
I have used a variety of loggers with my Davis VP 2+ - for many years directly connected to Windows systems; subsequently (but also for 2-3 years now) to a Raspberry Pi. I can say without doubt that the Meteo-Pi, once set up, has given me fewer problems than the Davis alternatives. It also allows the Davis console to be powered directly from the Pi through the same cable as carries the serial data, slightly reducing cable clutter. The console draws so little power that the extra load is no problem for a Pi power supply. I should, perhaps, add the disclaimer that I was a beta-tester for a number of the devices created and sold by the Meteo-Pi''s producer, so I got mine free, but I get no other income or other benefit from ongoing sales of the devices.
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