WX200 anemometer failure?

[Robert Ladle]

Several years ago I thought I was starting to have sensor problems  
with my anemometer. It was located on a mast above the house and not  
easy to get to. When it got bad enough that the wind direction  
indicator started acting up as well and accessible wiring seemed ok,  
I discovered that spiders had taken over the two indicators by tying  
them up in webs. When the wind was strong enough for the instruments  
to break free of the webs, all was ok until the spiders again  
regained control. Monthly servicing with a feather duster tied to a  
long bamboo pole solved the problem.

Since I have now taken down my weather station and associated wiring,  
I was left with the rain bucket out in the yard and no connection.  
Still wanting to keep track of the rain for a couple more months  
until my house goes up for sale and I then remove the bucket, I  
discovered that a DS10A security sensor makes a pretty good wireless  
connection for the rain gage. I just removed the magnet switch from  
the DS10A and connected the wires across the rain gage connections  
inside the bucket compartment. I put the DS 10A in a ziploc bag,  
twist tied the bag shut where the two wires exit and tucked the  
package inside up under the cone. At a range of about 30 ft. distance  
to the gage outside the house I don't think the setup misses many  
counts. It might miss a count or two during a down pour but I think  
it occasionally missed a few counts with the wired connection.

I have never needed to replace a sensor during the many years of  
operation of my Davis system. Later this year after I move into my  
new house I plan to install a new solar/wireless weather station. ...  
Well at least I can hope to get a new station. :^)

-Bob

========================================
On Jan 2, 2008, at 4:57 AM, James Sentman wrote:

> On Jan 2, 2008, at 7:20 AM, Phil Pedersen wrote:
>
>> The anemometer on my WX200 has started reporting the wind speed  
>> intermittently.  It'll work for a few hours and then stop  
>> reporting for another few hours or days.  I've checked the wiring  
>> and the voltages, so I assume it's the reed switch in the sensor.   
>> These have a life of about 10^7 operations and this is pretty  
>> close to what I'd expect in seven years of use.
>>
>> Has anyone replaced one of these switches?  Digi-key has similar  
>> one for a couple of $ so it shouldn't be too hard to get parts and  
>> do the replacement, but I'd like to know it's actually do-able  
>> before I start.
>>
>> I could probably replace the reed switch with a Hall-effect sensor  
>> (and do the same to the switch in the rain sensor), but that seems  
>> a little like overkill.
>>
>> Phil
>
> Hi Phil,
>
> I haven't taken apart the anemometer on mine, but if it's as simple  
> in design as the rain sensor and other parts replacing the reed  
> switch should be pretty easy. My rain gage has never worked  
> reliably so if you plan to upgrade to a hall effect sensor I'd love  
> to hear about the details when you're done.