Maplin Weather station N96GY (WH1081) display not working

[Wstat]

Hi all,

I bought new in box Maplin Weather station N96GY (WH1081) from car boot sell. Unfortunately console display doesn't work...When I put the batteries in, all digit segments and LEDs come on for a 1-2 sec (like initial test) and everything disappear, screen is clear, nothing on it.

My questions are:

1. Is that common known problem?

2. Is it hardware or software problem?

3. Generally is it possible to update the firmware?

Any solution please?

Thanks

 

[Mandrake]

Oh wow, I hope you did not pay much for it. Used to retail for about £40-50 when it was current.

This is a really old weather station. I am not aware of anyway to update the firmware and frankly the sensors were a bit crap as they were essentially first generation.

You could hook up a PC via the USB port and see if its receiving data via the console from the array but really unless you are super keen....I would not put too much effort into this!

The software to configure and measure via the PC is called Easyweather. and you might find a copy here:

http://www.foshk.com/

 

[Wstat]

Thanks Mandrake,

No, I didn't pay so much, just wanted to see how it's working...

When connect it via USB cable, PC installed drivers but I can't see it in W. Explorer or somewhere in Device manager, just known sound when plug in/out.

I've got electronics background, oscilloscope, but don't know what to check if open it...

[Mandrake]

It wont be visible as a USB device to the PC.

You need the software to talk via the USB to see the console data.

You can use the Easyweather software as mentioned or something like Cumulus which is what I used to use on my old Maplin N96Y before I retired it.

[Wstat]

8 minutes ago, Mandrake said:

It wont be visible as a USB device to the PC.

You need the software to talk via the USB to see the console data.

You can use the Easyweather software as mentioned or something like Cumulus which is what I used to use on my old Maplin N96Y before I retired it.

I will find/try Easyweather and what to expect- to use it instead console display or can update firmware to revive console?

[jtay]

I've got one of these in the shed and to be honest, I can't remember the last time I saw the display working. Plus the rain total results are somewhat spurious when it's really windy, due the rocker gauge going into overdrive.

I had to have the back off mine as the USB connector failed and had to solder the wires directly on to the PCB to get it working.

As Mandrake says, if the comms are working, you'll get more out of the PC display than the console.

For a bit of a fun project using the Maplin station, I did this with a RaspberryPi....

DragonTail Mapping and the Raspberry Pi

WWW.WEATHER.DRAGONTAIL.CO.UK

---

Raspberry Pi tutorial on connection to weather station. Local weather in Neston and openstreetmap mapping example

You can then install a webserver on the Pi to create all sorts of charts and logs. I also ftp'd data up to my old website to show charts, etc online.

 

[Mandrake]

Good idea.

Assuming the PC gets some connectivity with the Easyweather software and you've not been sold a pup then you can easily plug it into a Pi and do clever stuff.

I had mine plugged into a Pi running CumulusMX for years. An excellent low cost way of logging all your weather data and presenting it in a great format for analysis via a web browser on your home network.

However if its duff, don't waste any further effort on it. There is no firmware to update so it will be a bin job. Compared to the more modern weather stations made by Fine Offset and available now your one is pre-historic.

For a look at the modern offerings take a look at www.ecowitt.com which is the direct to market side of Fine Offset. The top model these days is the HP2551 in terms of console, but now the sensors can be had independent from the receiver and you can have just a tiny web receiver (GW1000) if you don't want a console to look at.

Edited January 15, 2020 by Mandrake
spelling

[Wstat]

Thank you guys but I am not good with that matter, even don't know what is Cumulus, Pi...Have no time to learn all that from scratch...

On the other hand, don't want to involve PC in that game...

Obviously the stuff is too old as you mentioned and probably I couldn't find used working console...

[jtay]

5 minutes ago, Wstat said:

Thank you guys but I am not good with that matter, even don't know what is Cumulus, Pi...Have no time to learn all that from scratch...

On the other hand, don't want to involve PC in that game...

Obviously the stuff is too old as you mentioned and probably I couldn't find used working console...

Cumulus mx can be downloaded here 

Software - Cumulus Wiki

CUMULUSWIKI.WXFORUM.NET

It runs on Windows. Just fire it up, plug in the usb and  from memory, see if the comms indicators flicker.

 

[Wstat]

1 hour ago, jtay said:

Cumulus mx can be downloaded here 

Software - Cumulus Wiki

CUMULUSWIKI.WXFORUM.NET

It runs on Windows. Just fire it up, plug in the usb and  from memory, see if the comms indicators flicker.

 

Sorry I even couldn't install Cumulus...It stops here:

[Mapantz]

20 minutes ago, Wstat said:

Sorry I even couldn't install Cumulus...It stops here:

That's the CMX start up window. You need to access the web interface by putting http://127.0.0.1:8998 in to your web browser and hit enter. or http://localhost:8998

Edited January 15, 2020 by Mapantz

[Wstat]

24 minutes ago, Mapantz said:

That's the CMX start up window. You need to access the web interface by putting http://127.0.0.1:8998 in to your web browser and hit enter. or http://localhost:8998

I managed to get Cumulus by entering http://127.0.0.1:8998 when CMX is opened    (http://localhost:8998 doesn't work)

I thought it is program to install...anyway now I see Cumulus but nothing happens when plug in USB (sensors not connected to sender, no batteries in it)

Jtay said Just fire it up, plug in the usb and  from memory, see if the comms indicators flicker.

Which memory, indicators...?

Sorry I lost idea what to do with Cumulus...

 

[Mapantz]

You'll need to configure it to read your station via a com port; Settings -> Station Settings

[Wstat]

1 hour ago, Mapantz said:

You'll need to configure it to read your station via a com port; Settings -> Station Settings

Sorry it's too complicated for me...

In Device Manager had no Ports. I added them manually and appeared  Communications Port (COM4) with yellow exclamation mark regardless of USB is in or out...

Edited January 15, 2020 by Wstat

[tight isobar]

boom....

 

largescale  support. ...

Edited January 15, 2020 by tight isobar

[jtay]

8 hours ago, Wstat said:

 

Which memory...?

Sorry I lost idea what to do with Cumulus...

 

My memory :D. It was several years ago though.

If I get time later , I'll download it and will try mine with it.

[jtay]

5 hours ago, jtay said:

My memory :D. It was several years ago though.

If I get time later , I'll download it and will try mine with it.

I've just tried it with Cumulus...It has changed a bit since the version that I had previously.

Steps to get it working...

Plug in the USB

Run the .exe as you've done and open the browser URL, as instructed via the Command Prompt.

Go to Settings > Station Settings at the top. I had to wait about 20 seconds for the page to render.

Change the Station Type to Fine OffSet and Save

At this point, note the Command Prompt is telling you to restart the software. So close the browser, close the command prompt.

Start the .exe software again.

Open the browser again. Here's mine working, with the unit pressure. Nothing else is showing, as I'm out of range of the sensor.

 

[Wstat]

1 hour ago, jtay said:

I've just tried it with Cumulus...It has changed a bit since the version that I had previously.

Steps to get it working...

 

 

I did everything as you described and Cumulus now shows everywhere zero except pressure 1170mb...

Command prompt keep saying "Error reading data from station- it may need resetting"

[jtay]

19 minutes ago, Wstat said:

I did everything as you described and Cumulus now shows everywhere zero except pressure 1170mb...

Command prompt keep saying "Error reading data from station- it may need resetting"

Right, so the console works and is communicating with the PC, by the looks of it.

Now you need to get the station communicating with the console, then it should populate the other readings. So make sure the batteries in the station are new and that it's in range.

 

[Wstat]

5 hours ago, jtay said:

Right, so the console works and is communicating with the PC, by the looks of it.

Now you need to get the station communicating with the console, then it should populate the other readings. So make sure the batteries in the station are new and that it's in range.

 

I tried connect all sensors and put batteries but no changes, it's the same as before...

 

[4wd]

It's probably not worth spending anything on it, those were always budget stations would be lucky to get 2 or 3 years out of them.
Having said that a lot of the internal components are inexpensive off the shelf items and can be swapped out with moderate knowledge and basic tools, you might be able to make one good one out of two 'dead' ones acquired for peanuts or better free.

[Wstat]

1 hour ago, 4wd said:

It's probably not worth spending anything on it, those were always budget stations would be lucky to get 2 or 3 years out of them.
Having said that a lot of the internal components are inexpensive off the shelf items and can be swapped out with moderate knowledge and basic tools, you might be able to make one good one out of two 'dead' ones acquired for peanuts or better free.

I know it is budget one but I am not a "professional" and don't want expensive stations...

I can't see inside many components for swapping out regardless my good knowledge/skills of hardware.

Anyway I don't think I can find another one dead to make one working. Probably I will give up wasting time...

[Mandrake]

sadly I think your weather station is like 3 generations ago so there is not much you can do with it now as spare parts are hard to come by.

Most newer stations are around £100+ now. These are not true professional stations, more like enthusiast or hobbyist level but are getting increasingly good and are close on the heals of Davis.

The nearest still available to your old station is about 65Euros

Froggit Wetterstationen Shop - Froggit WH5300SE Funkwetterstation

WWW.FROGGIT.DE

However I would recommend that you went higher to something like this if you have any genuine interest in weather and then you will be able to update/change and add stuff in future as its all modular.(140Euro)

Froggit Wetterstationen Shop - wh3000

WWW.FROGGIT.DE

The professional are Davis and above and those start at £350+

[Wstat]

2 hours ago, Mandrake said:

 

Most newer stations are around £100+ now. These are not true professional stations, more like enthusiast or hobbyist level but are getting increasingly good and are close on the heals of Davis.

The nearest still available to your old station is about 65Euros

The professional are Davis and above and those start at £350+

Yes I know good WS are £100+ but I am still not so keen to invest... I didn't look to buy WS, just saw this one accidentally .

Thanks everybody who tried to help me!

[ARTDEMOLE]

Parts can be found on Ebay. Got some last year.