I have been running LaCrosse WS-2010 since the beginning of January. I have had intermittant problems too, with the Outdoor Temp Sensor. I have tried various locations of both the Sensors and the Receiver/Logger computer interface. It seems that the logger is affected and not the console. I suspect it is some kind of RF coming out of my PC that interferes the most.
My Wind/Rain/Temp-Hum sensors are mounted on the roof of a 2 story condominium building and I am on the ground floor. My console consistantly receives data thru the roof and second floor of the building without a problem. I have tried several other locations, and actually in line of sight of the console and logger, and they haven’t worked as well as the roof mounted location. The only thing I am concerned with the roof mounted location is the Outdoor Temp reading once we get into the heat of summer. The roof is a tar and gravel roof and I suspect I will get much hotter readings there versus a shaded location.
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Well guys…I have my logger/interface about 4 feet from my PC… about 1 foot above my monitor, and never had this problem. My temp/humid sensor is located 68 feet away through a 2x6 stud wall with kraft paper insulation. The only thing I can say that may be helping me is that I live in the boonies, and as such, am not as susceptible to interfering frequencies and harmonics.
And Brent… yes, you will have problems when the heat of summer arrives, unless your sensor is WAY above the roof surface.
Hi
having the pc interface as far away from the PC is to avoid interference from the PC
when the temperature flat lines, is there a star beside that value in the WS2000 data setup? (to indicate a sensor error)?
if so, then its a hardware problem…i think…
There are actualy lots of Ws2010 users in Germany who use weather display.
Either they have given up in disgust along time ago, or dont have any problems so we dont hear from them (the later I think is the case, LOL)
Hi
having the pc interface as far away from the PC is to avoid interference from the PC
when the temperature flat lines, is there a star beside that value in the WS2000 data setup? (to indicate a sensor error)?
if so, then its a hardware problem…i think…
There are actualy lots of Ws2010 users in Germany who use weather display.
Either they have given up in disgust along time ago, or dont have any problems so we dont hear from them (the later I think is the case, LOL)
Here in geneva I’m using a ws 2200 wich should be the same as i can see, and there is no problems with temperature…
Brent,
Your station problem sounds a bit like mine. It does not seem to matter where the outdoor temp sensor is located I have problems. Less problems since I moved it to the current location nearer the computer interface. I have the solar cell separated from the sensor, to assure it gets a full charge while locating the sensor is in the shade.
One thing to keep in mind… You cannot always tell if the console is loosing data. The console reports the last valid data received and will not show an error until the sensor fails to send data for a long period of time (not sure how long, hours at least). The computer graph is very unforgiving… you can see the history of all readings and any lost data is obvious.
Brian,
Yes, when the graph flat lines, the data report has a star on the temp value. However, I also have a star on the outdoor temp sensor value when the graph data looks valid (such as right now).
I checked on the price of the repeater. At about $120, that is a pretty expensive fix. You can buy the newer WS2300 system for about $240. I wonder if that would be the better way to go.
Brian,
What weather stations do you find the best? If I was to upgrade, which would you recommend I get based on the problems you hear about?
The repeater does not guarantee success. I have one and after running for 2 to 3 days without a problem 2 hours ago my external sensor started showing an error and the grapg flatlined.
I think what I will try and do is open up the interface / receiver and solder am external antenna onto the PCB antenna. As it is only a receiver this should not present a problem. Any radio hams out there that can comment on the correct length for 433MHz or will the length not matter. Also, will this make the receiver more susceptible to interferance.
Bob,
I would have to look up the length of a 433 MHz antenna. 934/MHz is the usual rule of thumb for a dipole. And yes, it would likely be more susceptable to interference if that is one of its problems. I don’t know if the receiver has a selective enough design to reject off-freq interference.
I use my 433MHz antenna already, doing exactly as you suggest. I did not do a proper job of it though. I just extended a wire off the little antenna wire in the case and hooked it to my ham antenna. That gives me excellent receive of the farther away wind and rain sensors. It may also be the root cause of my temp sensor problems if interference is the reason the station goes wacky once in a while.
Thanks for the insight on the repeater. I might have wasted another c-note on the repeater. I think I will not.
I do remember a time when I did not have problems with the temp data. It is a problem that showed up in the past couple months. Initially, I suspected some change in weather display that led to this, but I guess not since many others do not have problems.
Brian,
I have tried shutting down weather display, and that works some times. Also tried rebooting the PC, and that works sometimes, but not always. Often, I get annoyed that it is not working so I just shut down weather display. Then later restart it. On restart, sometimes it is back to normal right away, sometimes not. No repeatable pattern that I have been able to determine in terms of when it starts to fail, and what happened that causes it to start working again.
Q3) Why does my outdoor temperature (or other reading) display just “–.-”?
A3) The quick answer: remove the batteries from the base station for one minute. Reinstall and do not press any buttons for at least three minutes.
A3) The long answer: The remote sensors will assign a security code when it is powered up (i.e. when batteries are changed). Once the batteries are placed into the base station, it will lock onto this code and not read any other sensors (unless your station can read multiple sensors and they are set up at the same time).
Interestingly, this morning the status of the outdoor temp sensor shows an error, but there is a valid temperature shown after the data download. This temp reading is exactly the same as that shown on the console. However, there is no graph output, just a straight line. ( I have noticed this before).
I have confirmed this with Werners software. PC-Weatherstation, which interestingly shows the status of the sensors not as absolutes, but as a factor ranging from 0 to OK (OK=100). It is also possible to select a specific sensor and display the ‘plausible value’ and the actual ‘read value’.
Is it possible that if the ‘plausibility value’ of the data received by WD is not over a certain value (not displayed), then the sensor is reported with an ‘error status’, but can actually read data but not display it graphically?
There is a new new group on the Weather Matrix site specifically for LaCrosse WS2010 owners. This is really new! no postings yet, but it may gain popularity and be a good source of information in time.
i dont know where werner gets the plausibility value from, LOL
he is the real expert on these stations.
i dont think i ignore the value if a sensor error either…
but i will review once again
I Have the same 2010 as you and have experienced the same problems that you have… through the advice of this forum I placed my pc interface as far from my computer (reduce interference) as possible, and for the first time in over a year I have clear data and great reception. I have not had a single day of lost data since Nov. 2002. Prior to that date I never had a complete week (7 days) of good data.
I originally felt it was software related, but have since found numerous hardware problems with the two LaCrosse products I own (2010, and 2310).
I will continue to use a wireless station, but am looking for a new one to rely on. The LaCrosse barameter, humidity, and exterior temp sensors need work… their pc interface has such a short serial wire that you can’t get it far enough away to do you any good, and the antanne is a joke.
From the looks of the replies above, some owners don’t seem to have a problem, and this is what drove me nuts the past year when I asked for help… the hardware apparently works for some and not for others. I don’t have a problem with the company (they have replaced all of my faulty sensors), just the equipment. I want something I can depend on.
John,
I don’t know if this will help you but it sure did me…I had nothing but trouble with my 2310 the first week or so(back in November) station kept losing sensors, blanking out, wind quit etc…but I did two things that so far have seemed to cure all my hardware ills. I went to the hardware and bought a telephone cable extension (for the serial cable its 25’ long) and put my station where I wanted it, away from my PC and then I bored a hole through the wall and went hardwire…since then as far as I can tell(comparing my data to a nearby prof station and some mechanical displays I have) no hardware problems. Before that almost everytime I rebooted and at various times during the day I would lose signal, I live on the outskirts of a small town but wonder if part of my interference was from radio or electronic signals.
Jon
Beru,
I have 25’ of cable added to the original serial cable that came with my 2310 (standard 4 wire telephone cable with molded ends available at your local harware store?) mine has male by female ends. I have noticed that most come with male to male ends (in which case you would have to use a coupler).
Jon
Appreciate the info on the 2310, but I found it did not work with any of the situations Iwant or need. There are just too many problems with placement of the central unit and the location of the sensors for proper readings when used as a wireless unit (that is the only unit that will work for me).
