December DSC

[Ian]

somewhere about -25degC then

http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/ethanol-water-d_989.html

[Mike]

Have checked the logs on my weather station and the temperature in my garden dropped all through the night down toa record of -10.9 degrees C by 6am this morning then started to rise as the sun got up. It's now at -2.5 C.

[Rocket Pooch]

What weather station do you have Mike?

[Mike]

It's this one from Maplin:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=223254

Though it was half price at the time I bought it about a year ago.

If anyone else has a Maplin's weather station with PC software, don't use the provided software as it is #$£* - instead use Cumulus, much better:-

http://sandaysoft.com/products/cumulus

Also works with Oregon and just about any other USB connectable weather receivers.

[mickw]

Ha
I was just thinking it was the same unit as mine (and Phil) but with different software

Thanks Mike, time for a play 

[PhilB]

Don't know about you, Mick, but I rejected to USB model on grounds of price only to discover a few weeks later that the USB station now costs what I paid for for the version that can't be connected to a computer.  I'm reluctant to upgrade as the one I have has developed a fault after only about six weeks use.

[mickw]

'm reluctant to upgrade as the one I have has developed a fault after only about six weeks use

Take it back and change it if it's faulty.

Tell them you don't even mind upgrading (Not your fault if the price is now the same  )

Can't remember how much I paid, but never had any trouble with it

Fault will very likely be connections

[Mike]

Tonight should be a nice night to image if..


a) You can brave the cold (currently it's -9 and dropping)
b) Have a clear space in your garden to set up

If you do go out, whatever you do, don't touch anything metal with bare skin.   

[Ian]

If you do go out, whatever you do, don't touch anything metal with bare skin.   

For example, don't lick your tripod.

[PhilB]

Take it back and change it if it's faulty.
Tell them you don't even mind upgrading (Not your fault if the price is now the same  )
Can't remember how much I paid, but never had any trouble with it
Fault will very likely be connections

I'm currently searching for the receipt as they probably won't accept if I don't have one. When it thaws out I'll try powering it down and checking the connections but I have the feeling that the wind is somehow getting into it. On two occasions now it's recorded 159mm of rain in less than 12 hours!

[MarkS]

(currently it's -9 and dropping)

I'm going to have a very chilly cycle ride home from work then! 
I'll try not to touch the bike frame with ungloved hands ...

[Mike]

On two occasions now it's recorded 159mm of rain in less than 12 hours!

The rain guage is a little rocker. Not a great design, but it can be affected by wind blowing into it. I think every time it rocks, it empties itself of water and counts a set quantity of rainfall, so if it is rocking due to wind it will give false readings.

[The Thing]

The rocker design is standard. If you saw Gardeners World last week you would have seen a met office guy using one.

[Mike]

yeah but what I mean is, it is made of leightwight plastic and inside a box that has quite large air gaps. Some kind of wind baffle and heavier material would have been more ideal.

[PhilB]

Thanks for the info, guys. I thought it would be something simple, but had an impeller driven by water flow and connected to an encoder disc in mind. There's no guidance in the instructions but it is mounted rather close to a roof surface where turbulence might be a problem. I'll have to follow your lead, mounting it rather higher up and experiment with improving the seal between the top and bottom of the box.