Jump to content
Snow?
Local
Radar
Cold?
IGNORED

Solar charger question re my station.


Recommended Posts

Posted
  • Location: Harlington- Bedfordshire
  • Location: Harlington- Bedfordshire

Hello, 

Just discovered this forum so will have great fun reading and answering a few topic hopefully as time goes on.

I have had my weather station for a few months now (had others before) and yesterday my unit stopped reporting to the base unit. I took it down this morning to check it and found the batteries were flat and hadn't been charging. I tested the terminals and found a voltage of 4.5v across the bottom right (+) and top left (-) terminals only. Is this normal? If so I am not sure why the batteries weren't charging so will have to get a new set.

 

Thanks

20180621_081429.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Dorset
  • Weather Preferences: warehamwx.co.uk
  • Location: Dorset
On 21/06/2018 at 09:13, AndrewUK said:

Hello, 

Just discovered this forum so will have great fun reading and answering a few topic hopefully as time goes on.

I have had my weather station for a few months now (had others before) and yesterday my unit stopped reporting to the base unit. I took it down this morning to check it and found the batteries were flat and hadn't been charging. I tested the terminals and found a voltage of 4.5v across the bottom right (+) and top left (-) terminals only. Is this normal? If so I am not sure why the batteries weren't charging so will have to get a new set.

 

Thanks

20180621_081429.jpg

The solar panel is not for charging batteries. In fact, you shouldn't be using rechargeable batteries in that station, just normal ones (lithium if possible) The solar panel is to charge the super-cap, that is what powers the station on sunny days. The batteries are there for when there's a lack of sun, or it is nighttime.

Edited by Mapantz
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Harlington- Bedfordshire
  • Location: Harlington- Bedfordshire

I can confirm the the unit will NOT function without batteries in the unit.

Found some fresh batteries and its working perfectly again.

20180622_122916.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Dorset
  • Weather Preferences: warehamwx.co.uk
  • Location: Dorset
7 minutes ago, AndrewUK said:

I can confirm the the unit will NOT function without batteries in the unit.

I would imagine that probably covers almost all weather stations?! lol

I used to have that station myself, and I can tell you that using rechargeable batteries is categorically wrong. The solar panel doesn't charge the batteries, exactly like the Davis Vantage Vue, and the Pro2. The solar panel simply charges a super-cap so that battery power is not wasted on bright and sunny days. The battery power takes over when the super-cap doesn't have any charge in it. In cold weather, those rechargeable batteries won't last 5 minutes.

The station is just a renamed ambient weather station, but ambient weather state on their website to use non-rechargeable lithium batteries. There has been quite a lot of discussion over the years, regarding batteries.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted
  • Location: Harlington- Bedfordshire
  • Location: Harlington- Bedfordshire
12 minutes ago, Mapantz said:

I would imagine that probably covers almost all weather stations?! lol

I used to have that station myself, and I can tell you that using rechargeable batteries is categorically wrong. The solar panel doesn't charge the batteries, exactly like the Davis Vantage Vue, and the Pro2. The solar panel simply charges a super-cap so that battery power is not wasted on bright and sunny days. The battery power takes over when the super-cap doesn't have any charge in it. In cold weather, those rechargeable batteries won't last 5 minutes.

The station is just a renamed ambient weather station, but ambient weather state on their website to use non-rechargeable lithium batteries. There has been quite a lot of discussion over the years, regarding batteries.

Thanks- that's interesting. I will have to look out for those posts when I get time this weekend.

If the unit is sending power (4.7v) to the batteries on sunny bright days would it not be dangerous to put non chargeable batteries in the unit?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
Posted
  • Location: Coromandel New Zealand
  • Location: Coromandel New Zealand

Hi 

I have the same unit here in N.Z. and found that it eats normal batteries until I installed lithium ones we are now into 7 months and still working.

Also had a dud unit that was replaced and found the super cap was not charging so replaced it .  It is now working

Realy dont know weather unit is running of solar or Lithium so if unit goes flat in next 5 to 6 months I will know solar is not working 

Muzza

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...