Blaschito
A Force-of-Nature * 
Member #: 8542 Posts 175
Registered: 25-8-2009 Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 14-10-2016 at 11:52 |
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Weather station
Hi Al,
I was wondering if the weather station is working properly lately? I am comparing with the aberdify one and lately seems to be a bit of
too much discrepancy with the force of the nature one one showing less wind in all directions? Just checking.
Many thanks
Michele
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justal
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| posted on 15-10-2016 at 05:41 |
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I have a feeling that BT managed to do something to it while they were up the pole recently.... I need to get up there to check it for
myself but may have to splash out on another new anemometer - even though the one that's there is fairly new. The gust speed seem
accurate but the average windspeed seems a little low as it seems to be sticking now and then.
It is a little weird though as it seems fine much of the time but then drops to zero every so often. Just compared now and the readings
are as follows:
Aberdyfi: E 13 Kt Max Gust 28 Kt @ 02:05 - 10 min Av. 15.6Kt
Ynyslas: E 16.9Kt Max Gust 31.4Kt ENE @ 4:40am - 10 min Av.13.7Kt
As you can see, actual windspeed and max windspeed are about right, (it would be slightly windier at Ynyslas in an Easterly thanks the
the funneling effect of the estuary) but the occasional drops to zero at Ynyslas bring the 10 min average windspeed down below what it
should be. I'll try to go up the pole next week to investigate and will probably then have to spend yet more money to fix it. Maybe
it's time for a completely new ISS and Anemometer?
Al.
URL: Pixelwave Design - Website Design Wales
Shop: Website Templates
Personal Weblog: A Simple Life of Luxury in West Wales
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Blaschito
A Force-of-Nature *
Member #: 8542 Posts 175
Registered: 25-8-2009 Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 15-10-2016 at 19:14 |
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Thanks for looking into it Alan! I remember you did some work recently and also replaced the anemometer! Hope all gets sorted without
too much expenses!
Cheers
quote:
Originally posted by justal
I have a feeling that BT managed to do something to it while they were up the pole recently.... I need to get up there to check it for
myself but may have to splash out on another new anemometer - even though the one that's there is fairly new. The gust speed seem
accurate but the average windspeed seems a little low as it seems to be sticking now and then.
It is a little weird though as it seems fine much of the time but then drops to zero every so often. Just compared now and the readings
are as follows:
Aberdyfi: E 13 Kt Max Gust 28 Kt @ 02:05 - 10 min Av. 15.6Kt
Ynyslas: E 16.9Kt Max Gust 31.4Kt ENE @ 4:40am - 10 min Av.13.7Kt
As you can see, actual windspeed and max windspeed are about right, (it would be slightly windier at Ynyslas in an Easterly thanks the
the funneling effect of the estuary) but the occasional drops to zero at Ynyslas bring the 10 min average windspeed down below what it
should be. I'll try to go up the pole next week to investigate and will probably then have to spend yet more money to fix it. Maybe
it's time for a completely new ISS and Anemometer?
Al.
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justal
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| posted on 25-10-2016 at 09:30 |
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I've just been up the pole to check out the anemometer. I couldn't see anything obviously wrong with it and the wind cups seem to be
spinning well without any obvious sticking points and resistance. I've cleaned and lubed it anyway and will see if that improves
things. The wind has dropped since being up there but things do seem to be a little better - It's currently reading 2 knots on the
console which is promising as it didn't seem to be spinning properly at slow speeds before.
The anemometer itself is only a couple of years old and another replacement will cost around £180. If that's necessary then I'll
order one. However, the rest of the sensor suite is now over ten years old so maybe it's time to replace it all. The sensor suite and
anemometer package (without the console) is around £500 so maybe it's time to save up for a new one. I just need to check a few
things out first and make sure that the latest version is still compatible with the console, but if todays climb up the pole hasn't
improved things, this will be my next plan.
Al.
URL: Pixelwave Design - Website Design Wales
Shop: Website Templates
Personal Weblog: A Simple Life of Luxury in West Wales
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justal
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| posted on 14-12-2016 at 09:40 |
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Hi Everyone,
Looks as though the weather station is playing up again... The temperature sensor seems to have had an exciting morning today so it's
time to splash some cash and replace some components yet again.
I've just ordered a complete new wireless sensor suite - The latest model with digital temperature sensor, digital humidity sensor, new
anemometer, new radiation shield, rain gauge and new rain collection bucket design and a new solar panel and wireless transmitter. I
managed to get it for £429 in the end and hopefully it'll arrive before Christmas.
Once it does and we have a nice calm, dry day I'll get my climbing gear on and scale the pole to install it. There may be a few
teething problems while I get it all set up but with brand new sensors all round hopefully it'll be reading correctly again soon and
all will stay that way for a while.
The current failing ISS is over 10 years old now and has of course been exposed to the best that Ynyslas weather can throw at it so I
guess it's done fairly well. Not that much of what's left is original equipment as most of it has been replaced once or twice over
those 10 years.
Al.
URL: Pixelwave Design - Website Design Wales
Shop: Website Templates
Personal Weblog: A Simple Life of Luxury in West Wales
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alistair
Pro
Member #: 9074 Posts 129
Registered: 3-9-2010 Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 15-12-2016 at 10:49 |
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Sounds good 
I trust you also ordered plenty of good steady SW wind to calibrate the new station!
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justal
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| posted on 15-12-2016 at 13:43 |
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Of course... And some stonking NE's too
Although it doesn't look as though these will arrive until Christmas Eve.
Al.
URL: Pixelwave Design - Website Design Wales
Shop: Website Templates
Personal Weblog: A Simple Life of Luxury in West Wales
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alistair
Pro
Member #: 9074 Posts 129
Registered: 3-9-2010 Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 17-12-2016 at 10:39 |
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Today it says it is 19.9C! If only 
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justal
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| posted on 19-12-2016 at 06:14 |
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Don't worry, the new weather station is now here. I'll try to get up the pole today to install it and set it up.
I'll also go back through the data and clear out any errors.
Fingers crossed I can get it all up and running this week.
Al.
URL: Pixelwave Design - Website Design Wales
Shop: Website Templates
Personal Weblog: A Simple Life of Luxury in West Wales
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justal
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| posted on 21-12-2016 at 10:38 |
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Typical... No wind or rain for ages and now that I need a calm, dry day to get up the pole to install the new anemometer and ISS the
forecast seems to me wet and windy.
Oh well, at least I might get chance to get out for a sail.
Al.
URL: Pixelwave Design - Website Design Wales
Shop: Website Templates
Personal Weblog: A Simple Life of Luxury in West Wales
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Blaschito
A Force-of-Nature *
Member #: 8542 Posts 175
Registered: 25-8-2009 Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 24-12-2016 at 09:26 |
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quote:
Originally posted by justal
Typical... No wind or rain for ages and now that I need a calm, dry day to get up the pole to install the new anemometer and ISS the
forecast seems to me wet and windy.
Oh well, at least I might get chance to get out for a sail.
Al.
Great news Al about the new Anemometer! And as you said for for now let s be happy about the wind
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justal
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| posted on 24-12-2016 at 16:26 |
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Yep.. I'm not back at work until Jan 4th so I'm sure there'll be a break in the wind and rain before then which will allow me to
install the new weather station... It;s the whole integrated Sensor suite and an anemometer that I've bought this time.
Not that there was anything left of the original one really as over the years the temperature sensor had been replaced, the humidity
sensor had been replaced and upgraded a couple of time, the anemometer had been replaced. I'd put a new SIM board in the ISS and the
rain gauge had had a new reed switch. The new one has all of that upgraded and brand new along with a new radiation shield, a new solar
panel and a new rain bucket. Lots of work to set it all up but it'll be worth it.
Al.
URL: Pixelwave Design - Website Design Wales
Shop: Website Templates
Personal Weblog: A Simple Life of Luxury in West Wales
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justal
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| posted on 26-12-2016 at 12:39 |
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Weather looking good for the rest of the week so fingers crossed I'll have time to get up the pole and install the new station.
The electricity supply to Ynyslas has been a bit dodgy over Christmas though. The power went out for a brief time on Christmas Eve,
then kept cutting out on Christmas Day and was off for much of the morning on Boxing Day - Needless to say when this happens the
computer that processes the data from the weather station and uploads it to the website goes off and the website stops updating.
Thankfully the weather station itself and the data-logger have battery backups so data is still recorded and stored even when our
electricity is off.
Can't complain about the wind over the past few days though - I've been out windsurfing everyday.
URL: Pixelwave Design - Website Design Wales
Shop: Website Templates
Personal Weblog: A Simple Life of Luxury in West Wales
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justal
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| posted on 27-12-2016 at 15:37 |
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Phew... I've just spent all afternoon risking my life installing £600 worth of sensitive electrical equipment on the top of
telegraph pole.
As far as I can tell, everything seems to be working now. There's a brand new Sensor Suite containing a temperature and humidity sensor
within a radiation shield, a rain gauge and rain bucket, a brand new anemometer and brand new Solar Panels, SIM board and wireless
transmitter.
It all seems to be communicating to the indoor console and datalogger and that in turn seems to be communicating with my PC that
uploads the data to the Borth & Ynyslas Weather Station
Web Pages.
The wind data is once again accurate as should everything else be. There's only a light breeze out there at the moment, in fact you can
barely feel it but the anemometer is spinning freely and measuring around 1.9 knots.
Fingers crossed it'll be a while before I need to go up there again.
Al.
URL: Pixelwave Design - Website Design Wales
Shop: Website Templates
Personal Weblog: A Simple Life of Luxury in West Wales
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alistair
Pro
Member #: 9074 Posts 129
Registered: 3-9-2010 Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 27-12-2016 at 18:21 |
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Brilliant
Now we need storm Conor to materialise so we can check it out!
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justal
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| posted on 27-12-2016 at 19:34 |
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It doesn't help that the electricity keeps cutting out. First it was a fault on the line somewhere - now the fuse box has tripped.
No sign of Storm Connor yet Alastair. I've been trying to restore my old surf ski though and think it is now water-tight so will try it
out tomorrow. Wind was perfect yesterday though - and the sun was shining.
Al.
URL: Pixelwave Design - Website Design Wales
Shop: Website Templates
Personal Weblog: A Simple Life of Luxury in West Wales
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alistair
Pro
Member #: 9074 Posts 129
Registered: 3-9-2010 Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 28-12-2016 at 09:59 |
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Not much sign of wind forecast for a while let alone the next named storm. Though the new station is showing that a chilly Ivor is
blowing so it looks to be working
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justal
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| posted on 12-1-2017 at 08:26 |
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Electricity is down again at Ynyslas this morning - The weather station is still recording data but the PC that uploads it's data to
the web (and the Broadband Hub) doesn't have a battery backup so isn't working.... The weather station pages won't be updating until
the power comes back on.
Al.
URL: Pixelwave Design - Website Design Wales
Shop: Website Templates
Personal Weblog: A Simple Life of Luxury in West Wales
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justal
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| posted on 12-1-2017 at 20:51 |
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Back up and running with electricity again.... I wonder how long we'll stay powered up for this time.
Apparently they are coming out to do some work in the area on Feb 1st so hopefully that'll be the end of the powercuts for a while.
Al.
URL: Pixelwave Design - Website Design Wales
Shop: Website Templates
Personal Weblog: A Simple Life of Luxury in West Wales
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justal
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| posted on 1-2-2017 at 06:58 |
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The electricity will be off in Ynyslas today so the weather station PC will be off and won't be able to upload to the Internet.... At
least we have warming this time!
Al.
URL: Pixelwave Design - Website Design Wales
Shop: Website Templates
Personal Weblog: A Simple Life of Luxury in West Wales
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Pixelwave Web Design.
justal@forces-of-nature.co.uk