I have a couple of Ambient Weather local stations, they measure weather at my house and display it as well as uploading it to the Interwebs.
One has been in service for a couple of years, the other was given to me by a friend who was having trouble with it. Mine is the WS-2000, the one from my friend is the WS-2902. They use the same outside array, but the inside panels are different. The senor array looks like this:
The one that came from my friend I hope to put at the local library so that we have a weather station right in the middle of our little village.
The problem is that they both go thru batteries a lot faster than they should. They claim to be solar powered, using 2xAA batteries as backup. The batteries are supposed to last a long time, but they don't. Mine eats a set of AA every 3.5 months, the other one a set every month. 😡 It's no fun getting to these sensors way up a pole to change batteries. No way can I have the unit at the library needing new batteries every month, it simply would not get done.
As you can see, there is a small solar cell at the top and it is supposed to power the unit in the daytime, and inside there is a 2F super cap that should power it at night. That is sort of working, at least with mine. With the station that could go to the library, either the super cap or the solar cell - or both - seem to be bad.
How much current does this draw? I just measured the "bad" sensor seen here. After start-up it draws 2.0-2.3 mA (it fluctuates a bit.) Every few seconds it draws a very brief burst of 3.5mA when it transmits. So I'm going to call it 2.5 mA average draw. Not too bad for a battery powered device. But here is my thought: What if I went to 2xD cells instead of AA? I would wire into the senor battery compartment and run a wire down the mast to a weather proof box that holds the D cells. That would certainly make the batteries easier to change out. D cells have a much higher mAH rating than AA cells so maybe that makes sense.
But how long would the sensor run on two alkaline D cells? Count that mine runs about 3.5 months on 2xAA while the bad one runs about 1 month on a set. What do you think?
One has been in service for a couple of years, the other was given to me by a friend who was having trouble with it. Mine is the WS-2000, the one from my friend is the WS-2902. They use the same outside array, but the inside panels are different. The senor array looks like this:
The one that came from my friend I hope to put at the local library so that we have a weather station right in the middle of our little village.
The problem is that they both go thru batteries a lot faster than they should. They claim to be solar powered, using 2xAA batteries as backup. The batteries are supposed to last a long time, but they don't. Mine eats a set of AA every 3.5 months, the other one a set every month. 😡 It's no fun getting to these sensors way up a pole to change batteries. No way can I have the unit at the library needing new batteries every month, it simply would not get done.
As you can see, there is a small solar cell at the top and it is supposed to power the unit in the daytime, and inside there is a 2F super cap that should power it at night. That is sort of working, at least with mine. With the station that could go to the library, either the super cap or the solar cell - or both - seem to be bad.
How much current does this draw? I just measured the "bad" sensor seen here. After start-up it draws 2.0-2.3 mA (it fluctuates a bit.) Every few seconds it draws a very brief burst of 3.5mA when it transmits. So I'm going to call it 2.5 mA average draw. Not too bad for a battery powered device. But here is my thought: What if I went to 2xD cells instead of AA? I would wire into the senor battery compartment and run a wire down the mast to a weather proof box that holds the D cells. That would certainly make the batteries easier to change out. D cells have a much higher mAH rating than AA cells so maybe that makes sense.
But how long would the sensor run on two alkaline D cells? Count that mine runs about 3.5 months on 2xAA while the bad one runs about 1 month on a set. What do you think?
The solar voltage support sounds faulty, Pano. My similar weather station (looks nearly identical, WH65B) has only needed battery replacement once in 4 years.
A little calculation. An average AA battery is 2500mAH. Which is roughly 1000 hours at 2.5 mA or 6 weeks. Looks perfectly genuine to me. And confirms what the other members say, the solar does not do anything.
Why bother replacing the built-in solar panel? Small panels on a bracket should be easy to obtain. When the capaciity is larger, it will just operate longer on solar during less optimal conditions. Just figure out what the voltage should be.
Why bother replacing the built-in solar panel? Small panels on a bracket should be easy to obtain. When the capaciity is larger, it will just operate longer on solar during less optimal conditions. Just figure out what the voltage should be.
Four years! Wow, the solar cells on mine must be toast, or the super cap is crap.
I agree with the calcs, D cells should last long enough to not be a bother.
The 2F 5.6V cap is about $6. I haven’t figured out the solar cell. The idea of an external solar appeals to me. If the D cells last 6 months that would be OK by me. Wonder if solar is really worth it?
Yes, and I would like to find one that fits. Of course it will have to be imported from the USA, as would a super cap. At least D cells are common here, as they are used in igniter circuits of gas water heaters.
I've found that most solar devices must be designed and tested with optimum sun exposure in the middle of summer in mind, and even then may be marginal.
I have motion sensing solar lights with 800mA/h Li-ion 18650 cells in them located in half sun and they last about a month then need topping up with a separate charger, which involves pulling them apart.
To give you an idea, where they are positioned, in summer you'd still get sunburn in 40 minutes or so.
I have motion sensing solar lights with 800mA/h Li-ion 18650 cells in them located in half sun and they last about a month then need topping up with a separate charger, which involves pulling them apart.
To give you an idea, where they are positioned, in summer you'd still get sunburn in 40 minutes or so.
I dislike it when people do this in threads ... but I'm going to do it anyway. 😁 We use an Accu Rite weather station, which has a small solar panel. I put it up in August of '23 with a set (4) of AA Lithium batteries. It worked fine through the winter and summer but, just in case, I put a new set of Lithiums in this September. It's measured temps, wind, wind direction and rain without an issue. IIRC, Pano you live somewhere warm? I'd expect you could go 2+ years in a warm climate on one set of batteries. FYI, this pic is from this morning .... .
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Yes I live in the tropics. The batteries should last much, much longer than they presently do. I have asked the manufacturer how long the batteries should last and all they will say is "use lithium batteries." That isn't much help, especially since I told them how short the battery life is.