Weather stations

[Petrol & Powder]

I like the remote outdoor weather instruments that allow you to see the current weather measurements from an indoor monitor.
I've had several over the years that provide information such as temperature, rainfall, wind speed, wind direction, etc.

The last time I purchased one of those units it was on sale at Tractor Supply company and it was a closeout. I think I got a good deal. It has a clock and calendar function, stores events such as rainfall and temps, and has a lot of functions.

These are residential weather stations and I understand they are not top end devices. My current device is working well (Acurite) but the outdoor unit is showing its age. I think it's about 3 years old.

None of these units seem to hold up over time.

Is it worth buying a better grade or do they all have a limited lifespan?
When this one dies I don't want to lay down a lot of money for a "high quality" rig that has the same short life span.

Anyone have experience with remote weather instruments that hold up over time?

[country gent]

The grandsons found my out side unit. It became a phaser or something ( little boys imagination is wonderfull ) and now it cant be found to replace its baterries. LOL

[Misery-Whip]

My experience putting plastic let alone electronics outside hasnt been going well. I havent tried a weaterstation, but I have game cameras, and I would be thrilled to get one to last 3 years.

[Winger Ed.]

I had the outside sensor on one from Lowe's that lasted several years.
It was on the porch, tucked up under the eve so it didn't get full sun or rained on.

The base unit still works, and its got to be about 8-10 years old.

[Rick Hodges]

I have had a Lacrosse unit at my cabin for some 9 yrs. +
It is limited to inside/outside temp, humidity and barometric pressure. I hang the outdoor sensor under the overhang of the wood rack to keep it in the shade and protected from rains etc. Still going strong with annual battery changes.

I had a more complete weather station with rain gauge, wind meter, and more information that I knew what to do with. The outdoor sensors were on an array that looked like a complicated Microburst antenna. It worked well until a particularly violent storm defeated my homemade mounting system and busted the plastic parts to pieces. I wasn't sorry to see it go...it was way too complicated with alarms that went off for every "record" event. I never did figure out how to use it all...oh and it downloaded all the info to my computer too.
My unit lasted maybe 5 yrs. before it was broken. My brother has a similar unit and it is still going strong...perhaps 10 yrs now. He has much more patience than me trying to figure out how to use it all.

[Hickory]

I have several good weather app on my phone that fill my needs.

[Petrol & Powder]

The units that had a simple outdoor temperature sensor are the most durable. I mount the sending unit under a deck rail so they are out of direct sunlight and rain.
The units with rain gauges must sit out in the weather for obvious reason (wouldn't do much good to put a roof over a rain gauge :-o). Those units take a beating and they don't appear to be built well to start with.

Is there something between consumer grade and professional grade?

My options seem to be, buy inexpensive and replace them every few years or get a mortgage and buy some professional weather station.

[ShooterAZ]

I got one for my wife a year ago Christmas. It works very well, but the indoor display chews through batteries like no tomorrow. Aside from that, we enjoy having it and would get another unit if it ever fails. Would probably upgrade next time too.

[Cole440]

I have not had one in a while, but I would be interested in picking up another!

[fcvan]

In 1982, I bought my first house. My older brother and his wife gave me a weather station for the back yard. It was a painted sign with the image of a donkey that had a jute twine tail. The sign said 'if the tail is wagging, it is windy. If the tail is wet, it is raining. If the tail is dry . . .' you get the picture.

That being said, my wife did get me a weather station that had more features and readings. It has been a dandy unit with the 'station' being solar and the base being plug in using a wall wart. I intend to replace some of my blood sucking transformers to be linked with a battery array fed by a solar panel. My south facing roof is at a perfect azimuth for solar electric and water. Next winter, I hope to have completed the heat exchanger so that the garage and shop are heated by the sun. Summertime, circulation fans should help cool the are as well.

My brother is also retired, and all he has is an indoor thermometer/barometer/humidity gauge and an outdoor rain gauge. He checks his rain gauge at noon every day as it is right outside his kitchen window. We both also use a phone or computer to check the weather.

[Petrol & Powder]

I think when the current unit dies I'll look for something a bit simpler. An outdoor temperature sensor and an automated rain gauge are the main outdoor functions I want.

[375supermag]

Hi...
I have a Lacrosse weather station mounted on my deck here at The Estate.
It has worked well for about 10 years. No rain gauge or wind chill function but the temperature, pressure, humidity and wind speed functions work quite well.
When it fails, I would like to upgrade to a unit with a rain gauge and wind chill indicator.

[MaryB]

Next one I buy is going to be this https://www.ambientweather.com/dain62vavuew2.html $399 so not cheap, and another $132 for the USB computer interface. But I provide weather updates to the NWS and my current station(a Lacrosse) has given up the ghost. Only the temp and humidity sensors are working and I need functional wind in the summer.

[Petrol & Powder]

MaryB - That looks like a nice unit, maybe more than I need. I would feel better about those devices if the outdoor unit wasn't plastic
Not all plastic is the same and some types are very durable but the exterior unit seems to be the downfall of these devices. Sunlight and temperature swings do bad things to plastic.

I'm sure that fiberglass or some ceramic would be cost prohibitive but there's has to be a better material than hard plastic that doesn't cost a fortune. I wonder what is used in remote locations such as mountain tops or marine environments ?

[2wheelDuke]

There's a professional one on the building I work out of to report back to the weather people. It seems to have given them plenty of trouble. I'm not sure if the make/model. Then again, maybe it's all the salt in the daily sea breeze.

[MaryB]

MaryB - That looks like a nice unit, maybe more than I need. I would feel better about those devices if the outdoor unit wasn't plastic
Not all plastic is the same and some types are very durable but the exterior unit seems to be the downfall of these devices. Sunlight and temperature swings do bad things to plastic.

I'm sure that fiberglass or some ceramic would be cost prohibitive but there's has to be a better material than hard plastic that doesn't cost a fortune. I wonder what is used in remote locations such as mountain tops or marine environments ?

Davis is tough stuff, very well built and the plastic is designed for outdoor use. That exact weather station survived a Cat 5 hurricane and provided the top winds at that location of 190+ MPH. These are semi professional units, they have optional parts like radiation shields etc that I would add on.

[Petrol & Powder]

Davis is tough stuff, very well built and the plastic is designed for outdoor use. That exact weather station survived a Cat 5 hurricane and provided the top winds at that location of 190+ MPH. These are semi professional units, they have optional parts like radiation shields etc that I would add on.
That's encouraging, thank you

[Land Owner]

la crosse user here. I got one "free" when redeeming "Rewards" credits as issued by my Credit Union for using their credit card. The Unit I have is equivalent to their $100 model https://www.lacrossetechnology.com/v21-wth-wifi-wind-speed-weather-station/.

PROS
A.) Hurricanes here are an interesting phenomena and watching the wind speed ( sustained and gusts ) and accumulating rainfall is a way to pass the hours.
B.) It is nice to confirm that the house AC is maintaining the relative humidity and temperature as displayed on its thermostat.
C.) At a glance we can tell it is going to be another beautiful day in Paradise.
D.) The company stands behind its equipment. With photographic evidence at their request, they shipped me new sensors to replace weather damaged ones that properly engineered should not have been damaged in the first place. Still, that is good Customer Service and I applaud them for it.

CONS
i.) Plastic does not last in the elements outside.
ii.) Batteries get wet and short out. Batteries in general are tough on EVERY device when they caustically erupt.
iii.) Tree debris, whether wind blown or gravity assisted, clog rainfall indicators.
iv.) Does not connect to a PC and the Base Station internal tracking of data is a PITA to retrieve or use. I had an older la crosse model that did auto-connect to my PC. It recorded all sorts of weather related phenomena hourly, daily, cumulatively, etc. I was really impressed with that unit. Not so much this unit.

[farmerjim]

I have a bunch of on line home stations around me so I don't need one.

[Sledgehammers_at_Dawn]

Davis Vantage Pro2 has lasted for quite a few years. Mounted on a 12 ft. post between my parents house and mine. We each have a station for the sending unit. Only problems I’ve had is the wind measuring thing had to be replaced, bird poo in the rain collector(use the bird spears) and a spider egg sack in the collector. Easy to order and replace parts that are needed lots of info. Phone apps are nice but I know what’s going on at my exact location.

[Froogal]

I am on my second Accurite. First one lasted for many years but finally got to where new batteries did nothing. Mine is for outside temperature only and is usually within 1 or 2 degrees plus or minus of what my computer says. I would like to have the complete system for wind speed, etc., but the wind speed sensor would have to be installed on top of my shop building and would probably be destroyed by the wind.

[n9tkf]

I had an Acurite 5 in one for about 7 years. Bought it at Cabela's in the Bargain Barn for peanuts because it had been returned. Finally replace it with an Acurite Iris model.

I use WeeWx weather reporting software running on a Raspberry Pi. It records a record every 2 minutes since 2015 and has nice graphs on my local network. I also send my info to Weather Underground so I can see it remotely.

This system also monitors my safe temp with Accurite sensors.

Use some UV protectant for boat plastic to coat the plastic on the weather station for protection.

[farmbif]

I prefer the older mechanical analog or whatever you call it barometer , humidity meter , thermometer . no batteries or software needed

[MaryB]

I am on my second Accurite. First one lasted for many years but finally got to where new batteries did nothing. Mine is for outside temperature only and is usually within 1 or 2 degrees plus or minus of what my computer says. I would like to have the complete system for wind speed, etc., but the wind speed sensor would have to be installed on top of my shop building and would probably be destroyed by the wind.

My wind sensor is on the side of my 30' tower, at about 28 feet. I get extreme winds! Saw 70mph this winter, usually a 90mph storm each summer, my average wind speed is 18mph... they are built to take it, at least the Davis sensors are.

[Froogal]

My wind sensor is on the side of my 30' tower, at about 28 feet. I get extreme winds! Saw 70mph this winter, usually a 90mph storm each summer, my average wind speed is 18mph... they are built to take it, at least the Davis sensors are.

Good to know. I see you are from SW Minnesota. I am from SW Iowa. We must get pretty much the same kind of winds.

[elmacgyver0]

I have a couple Lacrosse units, when busted I will replace them.
Replaced the rechargeable button cell in the unit with the whirligig once.
It quit working a couple years after that, I took it down and turned it off and a few minutes later turned it back on again.
Has worked since.

[elmacgyver0]

Good to know. I see you are from SW Minnesota. I am from SW Iowa. We must get pretty much the same kind of winds.

If you don't like the weather in Iowa, wait a few hours.
I live in Iowa too, location? The Pee Trap of the Mississippi.

[MaryB]

Good to know. I see you are from SW Minnesota. I am from SW Iowa. We must get pretty much the same kind of winds.

So you are on the wet side of Buffalo Ridge LOL yes it is windy out here! A breeze is 12mph...

[Electrod47]

I have several good weather app on my phone that fill my needs.

You and me both, Buddy

[Big Tom]

I had my "Davis Vantage Vue" for 8 years or so and it runs flawless. Accuracy is dead on and zero maintenance, just a bit more expensive.

[Brokenbear]

I have the Acurite that shows about everything wind, direction, temp in/out, humidity in/out,rain etc etc. ..what I like about Acurite is you can buy any component separately and reasonable in price
I just replaced my outside unit after 5 years of service as it started eating batteries which I think meant the solar portion was no longer working properly
The outside sensor/head is $115 ..with 5 years of service that comes out to 6 cents a day ..

Bear

[Rapier]

I have had two, my next one will be a weather rock.

[MaryB]

You and me both, Buddy

Weather apps use a station 90 miles from me... where I am a station 30 miles away can be wrong due to the Buffalo Ridge weather phenomenon... Now the NWS uses my station data for this areas forecast...