Weather Station - Need Recommendations

[dhroberts]

I just started researching weather stations that I could mount inside my 2016 AS Classic with measurement devices that would be roof mounted. I understand that there are wired and wireless systems - Would a wireless system work well with an aluminum clad AS? Also, I see that some external measurement devices include an anemometer with the classic spinning cups measuring wind speed - Would the spinning cups survive normal trailer travel?

Any advice will be appreciated. Thanks. Dennis

[kscherzi]

Do you plan to leave it mounted while travelling? If so you'll get a lot of false hurricanes.

[crispyboy]

^^^^^^

[The Colonel]

Originally Posted by dhroberts

I just started researching weather stations that I could mount inside my 2016 AS Classic with measurement devices that would be roof mounted. I understand that there are wired and wireless systems - Would a wireless system work well with an aluminum clad AS? Also, I see that some external measurement devices include an anemometer with the classic spinning cups measuring wind speed - Would the spinning cups survive normal trailer travel?

Any advice will be appreciated. Thanks. Dennis

I have a Davis Vantage Vue at home that has been great for a number of years. The instrument cluster is intended to be stationary. But if you had a mount AND removed the cluster before travel, it should work well. It is a wireless system, mine is on one end of house, neighbor's is at end on his dock and both work well. Your metal shield might cause issues, but I doubt it.

[ghaynes755]

Davis has a good selection of great instruments. An anemometer running down the highway for hours at 60mph may lead to premature failure and replacement.

Unless you want a full data suite of temps, precip, wind speed, wind direction and the like then something in the Lacrosse line would probably work fine. I have a Lacrosse on the wall. Reads outside temp/humidty, inside temp/humid. Has a clock synced to the WWW time systems. For precip and wind I simply step outside. Hat fly's off it's windy.

[Royce]

I have the pre-color version of this one: https://www.acurite.com/pro-5-in-1-c...ain-01517.html
It is wireless and I live in a stucco house that has a lot of similarities to a Faraday cage due to the stucco mesh. It works fine sending from a point above the first floor and into the basement. That said my Bluetooth devices work fine between inside and outside but cut out when I step into the Airstream. YMMV

[skalywag]

I have an Ambient Weather System, and although it works well here at home (wireless), I am thinking it is not robust enough to withstand a mount to a moving vehicle. I get wind speed, direction, barometer level, temperatures (in/out), humidity, and rain accumulation.
Curious to see what you find.
Cheers,
T

[Gamehawkers]

I have had a Davis weather station for a number of years. They are one of the best out there.
If I may suggest an alternative to roof mounting just buy the tripod that Davis has to mount everything. Get a 24 in square piece of ceramic floor tile to use as a platform to stand it on at your campsite. Place the tile where you want and level it. Put the tripod on it and good to go. They even have a signal booster antenna to make sure it registers inside the trailer if you feel it is necessary. Give Davis a call and talk to a customer representative and get set up.

[VaTravelers]

I also am a long time Davis fan. I have one on my dock and it has survived several hurricanes including Matthew. I agree the best option is get one of their tripods and find the most convenient way to make a portable base and just set it up when you arrive at your destination. I have mine about 1000' from my receiver so it has plenty of wireless power.

[gecko]

As long time sailors and windsurfers, accurate local weather, especially wind direction and velocity, is very important to us. Fur both home and the AS, we use Peet Bros equipment.

We've been using the same unit on our 2009 AS that transferred from our earlier trailer,. So far, it's been happy traveling with us for almost 20 years. At that age, it is hard wired. Standard Cat5 cable is recommended if you need extension, but it comes with a long (25ft standard cable.)

We tried to get Jackson Center to add a Cat5 cable to the standard TV/Antenna wire bundle when we ordered our 2009 Ocean Breeze 28 new, but no love there. So our local dealer removed alum panels and ran the cable from our TV antenna area back to the bulkhead TV. We also pulled AC wire under the floor to the reefer compartment from the TV AC outlet (because it's connected to the inverter for boondocking.) We installed the small main unit out of sight in the shallow cabinet over the reefer. Peet Bros offers The Weather Picture, which is a separate large wired remote readout. It is wonderful, and can be programmed to display 4 out of fifty possible rradours (attractive labels supplied to customize) in addition to a large compass rose with wind direction. Mounted on the bulkhead wall by the TV, It can be read from outside of the trailer through the windows, and looks particularly cool at night when the red display comes through the AS smoked windows like the glowing red eye of the Terminator.

For sensor mounting, I cut down the (extremely lightweight) top of a carbon fiber windsurf mast and hose clamped it to the upright support of the TV antenna. It therefore cranks down for transport and up for use. For a long time this worked flawlessly, but recently we've had some issues with the directional arrow blowing off whilst going down the road (the velocity cups are fine) because it is not designed to take a 70 mph wind from the bottom! The ultimate solution would be to bag the unit while traveling--I've just been spoiled with the convenience of (a) automatic storage and (b) not having to take a step stool to reach the unit.

Altogether, an awesome, accurate, easy to read and easy to use system.

[Ronman]

NOTE: We were told they could affect the function of out TPMS. Our weather station receives external signals and this can give false readings on our wireless tire system.
They told us to loosely wrap it in aluminum foil when traveling.
I assume my aluminum foil hat can be a tighter fit! ��

[WayneG]

If you are looking for any sort of accuracy, I suggest a system on a mast tall enough to get it away from the vehicle's effect on the wind. Wind speed and direction are never accurate unless you are in a clearing. Ambient temps are also affected by the radiated heat from whatever is below the sensor, like the reflective roof of an Airstream.

Drawbacks to this method are;
You will also need to align for north every time you stop.
You must take it down for traveling.
Anything up high makes a good lightning rod out in a open space.
I would suggest a rigid plastic pole and wireless system to reduce the latter problem.

[StevieB]

I have an iPhone with the AccuWeather App. The best and most accurate weather station around. It is FREE and portable, and I can use it in all my trailers, at home, in the car, boating and hiking.

[gecko]

Originally Posted by WayneG

If you are looking for any sort of accuracy, I suggest a system on a mast tall enough to get it away from the vehicle's effect on the wind. Wind speed and direction are never accurate unless you are in a clearing. Ambient temps are also affected by the radiated heat from whatever is below the sensor, like the reflective roof of an Airstream.

Drawbacks to this method are;
You will also need to align for north every time you stop.
You must take it down for traveling.
Anything up high makes a good lightning rod out in a open space.
I would suggest a rigid plastic pole and wireless system to reduce the latter problem.

Thanks for the pointers. We have found that the velocity is quite accurate with five feet clearance above the airstream (about 13 ft off the ground. For alignment, we are prealigbed where facing forward is South. Since most of the areas that we sail have winds from 180 to 270, this means that when parked head to wind (only way to go when it's really windy), we're close to aligned. With the Wineguard TV antenna Defigbed to be aligned from inside the coach, a quick compass reading ticdetermine the coach's alignment allows an easy count off of the notches on the Wineguard to align. Uo and down is nice more difficult than cranking the Wineguard up and down. temp sensor is on a separate area, mounted under the coach with the tip of the sensor a few inches from the AS lower body and above the ground, therefore out of the sun. There is definitely some ambient heat from the AS body, but least variation underneath.