Recommendations for weather station hardware (insurance, university, safer)

[Dakster]

Originally Posted by MissingAll4Seasons

I haven't been satisfied with my Oregon Scientific or AcuRite (mid-range consumer) models. I'll have to check out the VP2. Both the OS & AR started reporting suspect temps below -40 (i.e., they didn't always match the regular alcohol thermometers), neither seemed able to handle the low humidity up here, and their forecasting programs were ALWAYS wrong.

The main problem I have with all these so far... wireless connections require batteries and batteries of all types die in extreme cold, so they are pretty much useless here between Thanksgiving and Valentine's (when -20F is a WARM day); but hard-wired connections either need to be close to the house (micro-climate interference) or the long cords crack in the extreme cold (and then shorts out).

I guess they do not make outdoor wiring that can handle extreme cold?

I had to run my cable in PVC conduit because the intense rains we get kept shorting it out. That has worked wonders, might be able to insulate the wires? Just thinking out loud here.

I dislike things that use batteries as well. If they have a plug in model you could run power out to it. I know that is less than ideal, but it sound like this is an important thing.

[AADAD]

Originally Posted by starlite9

I have a weather rock outside the window.

If there is a shadow, it's sunny.
If it wet, it's raining.
If it's white, it's snowing.
If it's rolling, it's really windy.
If it's jumping up and down, it's an earthquake.
If there is no shadow, it's cloudy.
If I can't see it, it's dark.

Best part is that it was free and uses the cheap "Rockcad" batteries!

Oh, and in case of bears in the yard, it is much cheaper than bear spray. So it's a self defense weather station to boot!

Thanks for the laugh!!

[flyonpa]

^^ How do you upload the results to your web 'Rock' Status site?

[Dakster]

Originally Posted by flyonpa

^^ How do you upload the results to your web 'Rock' Status site?

You just have to make sure you have 'line of sight', of course.

[Moose Whisperer]

Originally Posted by Dakster

I guess they do not make outdoor wiring that can handle extreme cold?

I had to run my cable in PVC conduit because the intense rains we get kept shorting it out. That has worked wonders, might be able to insulate the wires? Just thinking out loud here.

I dislike things that use batteries as well. If they have a plug in model you could run power out to it. I know that is less than ideal, but it sound like this is an important thing.

Yes, you would think the manufacturers would come up with some kind of solution for extreme environments like ours. Maybe they could start offering Weather Stations with small Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs) like the Mars Rovers. But then I suppose trying to buy the Plutonium refills would land you on some kind of Government watch list.

[Dakster]

Moose I do not think a small residential nuclear reactor is a gonna fly right now. Granted there have been plans floated for neighborhood reactors and even that is a recipe for disaster. (just think of all the extra security you would need for that)

I guess there is not a market large enough to make it arctic ready.... It is a shame as you would be collecting valuable data.

[starlite9]

Originally Posted by Dakster

I guess they do not make outdoor wiring that can handle extreme cold?

I had to run my cable in PVC conduit because the intense rains we get kept shorting it out. That has worked wonders, might be able to insulate the wires? Just thinking out loud here.

I dislike things that use batteries as well. If they have a plug in model you could run power out to it. I know that is less than ideal, but it sound like this is an important thing.

If you can get your wiring run now, and its static (not moving) in the cold, the wiring will work very well. In the cold there is different degrees of arctic grade wiring, but the cold normally doesn't affect the copper wire at all, just the insulation.

The lithium batteries also work well in the cold. I use the on my GPS, weather station and headlamps that are in the -40 range a lot and they work well like regular batteries in the warmth!

[Dakster]

Ok - so arctic grade insulation -- has to exist. As an example, I notice that the fuel pump hoses in 'the north' are made of a different type of rubber than the ones I see down here (heck - even in most of the Northern -48). I assume that is because of the extreme cold as well.

BTW, How do the optima car batteries work up there? Any better than the typical lead acid types?

[MissingAll4Seasons]

The problem isn't that you can't get arctic grade insulated wiring, it's that the wires and adaptors that work with the systems aren't arctic grade. Simply sheathing a chintzy wire with arctic insulation isn't going to work because the original wire will still crack, and even replacing all the wiring, the stupid plugs/adapters also crack. I have been able to run the nanometer/barometer sensor cable through rigid EMT because I don't need to get that too far from the cabin to minimize its effect. But the house can alter temps by several degrees within 100' of the building.

We do use the lithium batteries and they work down to around -30, but they get dodgy below that and non-functional below -40... which doesn't exactly help in the dead of winter (Nov-Feb) when it's regularly below -40. Those batteries work well enough at low temps in devices that are carried/worn because they're usually warmed (at least a little) by your body, but they don't work as well for things that are continually left outside on their lonesome.

As for vehicle batteries and SLA battery banks... we bring our batteries inside in the winter anytime we're not using the vehicles, and we replaced the SLA with AGM for the house batteries so we can keep them inside without worrying about venting (because our first bank of SLAs froze). Even if the batteries don't freeze, it does get cold enough here that the electrical generating chemical reaction slows down or ceases altogether.

[Moose Whisperer]

Yep. A friend who owns an auto shop told me those Optima Batteries (AGM type) in general are pretty good, but he's had some freeze solid on him at -40 and below.