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Erratic behaviour in Davis VP2 reception


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Posted
  • Location: Solway Firth, Cumbria
  • Location: Solway Firth, Cumbria

I received my Davis VP2 wireless USB (datalogger and weatherlink) 5 days ago.

The unit worked perfectly for 2 days then suddenly I got a "Low Console Batteries" message with "R" on the right-hand side of the console (ticket slot) which eventually turned to "L" with all external data dashed out, the inside monitoring is still working so I don't think it's the console.

Today I bought new batteries for the ISS and console powered also by AC Adaptor, the unit worked perfectly again but after about 2 hours went into "R" then the "L" sequence with all monitoring data dashed as before.

It's now receiving data once again, what's causing this erratic behaviour, any ideas?

I did a ISS reception test via DIP #4 test mode and thats ok.

The sensor is about 30 yards from the console so fairly close.

Bombadil

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Posted
  • Location: Ipswich
  • Location: Ipswich
I received my Davis VP2 wireless USB (datalogger and weatherlink) 5 days ago.

The unit worked perfectly for 2 days then suddenly I got a "Low Console Batteries" message with "R" on the right-hand side of the console (ticket slot) which eventually turned to "L" with all external data dashed out, the inside monitoring is still working so I don't think it's the console.

Today I bought new batteries for the ISS and console powered also by AC Adaptor, the unit worked perfectly again but after about 2 hours went into "R" then the "L" sequence with all monitoring data dashed as before.

It's now receiving data once again, what's causing this erratic behaviour, any ideas?

I did a ISS reception test via DIP #4 test mode and thats ok.

The sensor is about 30 yards from the console so fairly close.

Bombadil

Hi I had the same problems and I had to change the ISS batteries again ....this time making sure they were charged for at least 12 hours...all seemed ok after that. I guess you are using the same batteries in the ISS as were removed?

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Posted
  • Location: Solway Firth, Cumbria
  • Location: Solway Firth, Cumbria
Hi I had the same problems and I had to change the ISS batteries again ....this time making sure they were charged for at least 12 hours...all seemed ok after that. I guess you are using the same batteries in the ISS as were removed?

No, I bought a new battery for the ISS.

The ISS Dip #4 test mode indicates no problems in transmission. Seems to go through cycles of erratic behaviour before settling down again, got me stumped :cray:

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Posted
  • Location: Solway Firth, Cumbria
  • Location: Solway Firth, Cumbria
This does sound strange - even with little or no solar charging the 3v CR123 ISS battery is supposed to last 9 months or so. This battery is not a rechargeable one - just acts as a backup should the solar charged super capacitor run low. It shouldn't run down in a few hours or days.

The R and L indicates reception problems - Re-establishing and Lost signal - are the antennas lined up properly? Maybe there is interference from other equipment close by?

Press and hold TEMP and then press HUM for diagnostics. Pressing 2nd and CHILL toggles between stats and reception diagnostics - have a look in the manual at the troubleshooting reception problems section. Check the background noise level reading for example (BGN) - that may give a clue if the reading is very high that there is interference from somewhere.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for all that info, yes I've checked all of that, the BGN is 16 so that's not the cause.

Looks like it's a faulty ISS, this afternoon all external data is blanked out with "low battery in station 1" message in the ticker slot. This also happened a few days ago and that's when I changed the ISS battery with the new one, so something serious is going on. I'll contact the distributor tomorrow.

Thanks,

Bombadil

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Posted
  • Location: Solway Firth, Cumbria
  • Location: Solway Firth, Cumbria
Thanks for all that info, yes I've checked all of that, the BGN is 16 so that's not the cause.

Looks like it's a faulty ISS, this afternoon all external data is blanked out with "low battery in station 1" message in the ticker slot. This also happened a few days ago and that's when I changed the ISS battery with the new one, so something serious is going on. I'll contact the distributor tomorrow.

Thanks,

Bombadil

Just an update: I remembered that I didn't take out the batteries from the old wireless AWS (not a Davis but same signal frequency) which was in the shed! Ok, so I took the old batteries out and installed another new one into ISS battery, the VP2 now seems stable, I would assume the old AWS was causing an interference, but would this drain the ISS battery?

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Posted
  • Location: Sheffield South Yorkshire 160M Powering the Sheffield Shield
  • Weather Preferences: Any Extreme
  • Location: Sheffield South Yorkshire 160M Powering the Sheffield Shield

I would suspect the ISS to be honest see how it goes though.

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Posted
  • Location: Solway Firth, Cumbria
  • Location: Solway Firth, Cumbria
I would suspect the ISS to be honest see how it goes though.

Yep, looks more and more likely, it's doing it again!

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