Weather Station for my Escape

[Chris & Patricia]

Although there has been a thread on temperature sensors (http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f9...ure-14577.html), I'm interested in seeing if any Escape owners have a "weather station" type product which monitors daily highs and lows etc including trends.

Thanks.

[sclifrickson]

Yes.

[alanmalk]

Originally Posted by Chris & Patricia

Although there has been a thread on temperature sensors (http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f9...ure-14577.html), I'm interested in seeing if any Escape owners have a "weather station" type product which monitors daily highs and lows etc including trends.

Thanks.

Not really a weather station, but rather an alarm clock with "features". Daily max and min indoor temperatures are on the left, current indoor and outdoor temps on the right along with ambient light level.

(Its a raspberry pi computer in a wooden box, sized to fit on the narrow bed shelf of a '21.)

If my wife doesn't divorce me first for spending so much time playing with computers, I might add a dedicated screen for more weather related info. (Its a touch screen, swipe like you would a cell phone for additional functions.)
--
Alan

[yangstyle]

Originally Posted by alanmalk

Not really a weather station, but rather an alarm clock with "features". Daily max and min indoor temperatures are on the left, current indoor and outdoor temps on the right along with ambient light level.

(Its a raspberry pi computer in a wooden box, sized to fit on the narrow bed shelf of a '21.)

If my wife doesn't divorce me first for spending so much time playing with computers, I might add a dedicated screen for more weather related info. (Its a touch screen, swipe like you would a cell phone for additional functions.)
--
Alan

Very cool, I have a spare raspberry pi i am not using although I don't think I am up for a project at the moment. Is it connected to the internet?

[Chris & Patricia]

Originally Posted by sclifrickson

Yes.Attachment 37738Attachment 37739

Looks neat. What model is it and are you happy with it?

[Mike G]

Cheapest weather station ever:
1. open door
2. step outside
3. repeat hourly for trend update


I'm no help at all!

[gbaglo]

How does it go? "Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it".
Oops, I guess that's edging on "political".

[GeorgiaBill]

Originally Posted by Mike G

Cheapest weather station ever:
1. open door
2. step outside
3. repeat hourly for trend update


I'm no help at all!

That approach is about the only thing that seems to work in the Atlanta area. I constantly wonder why the weather people don't do that before broadcasting. So often with a zero chance of rain I come back inside when the rain hits.

[sclifrickson]

Originally Posted by Chris & Patricia

Looks neat. What model is it and are you happy with it?

It’s okay. It’s a fairly inexpensive La Crosse, forget the model. It came from Costco a couple of years ago. I mounted the temp/humidity sensor on the spare tire post between the tire and trailer shell, and the wind sensor on a stainless steel boat antenna mount on the roof with VHB

Acurite sells a variety of very similar, cheap, consumer-grade weather stations, and if you sign up on their website for email spamming they regularly have steep discounts that they will send you.

If I had money to burn I would have gotten a professional grade Davis Vantage Vue weather station. Much higher quality, but $pendy.

[Mike Lewis]

Originally Posted by sclifrickson

It’s okay. It’s a fairly inexpensive La Crosse, forget the model. It came from Costco a couple of years ago. I mounted the temp/humidity sensor on the spare tire post between the tire and trailer shell, and the wind sensor on a stainless steel boat antenna mount on the roof with VHB

Do you leave the anemometer in place when towing?

[cpaharley2008]

I have a non longer available "Bushnell" 12v weather station that has over 100 weather stations it picks up throughout the country. All I have to do is set it for the state we are in and it will show the weather for the area for the next 5 days. Some states have 2, others have 5 metro areas. In addition we always have an all alert weather station radio "on" while traveling.

[sclifrickson]

Originally Posted by Mike Lewis

Do you leave the anemometer in place when towing?

Yes. I figured the VHB should be fine, given that some of the most highly respected solar installers use it for big wing-like solar panels on rooftops, so my only concern was whether the anemometer itself would handle highway speeds with a headwind. No issues in two years of use. Just a pain to change batteries a couple times a year.

Another thought about the wx station thing - as our trailer is parked at our house when not traveling, I purchased a second display unit that stays in the house, using same sensors on the trailer.

[EdColorado]

Originally Posted by Mike G

Cheapest weather station ever:
1. open door
2. step outside
3. repeat hourly for trend update


I'm no help at all!

My method as well.
Reliable, accurate, inexpensive.
What’s not to like ?

Ed

[sclifrickson]

Originally Posted by EdColorado

My method as well.

Reliable, accurate, inexpensive.

What’s not to like ?



Ed

But how fast is that wind blowing that’s knocking the trailer about? Dew point? Weather trend or forecasting? Distance to lightning strikes? And more importantly, what’s the interior humidity?

Yeah, it is definitely not a necessity. Mostly another gadget, but with certain utility.

[Mike Lewis]

Originally Posted by sclifrickson

Yes. I figured the VHB should be fine, given that some of the most highly respected solar installers use it for big wing-like solar panels on rooftops, so my only concern was whether the anemometer itself would handle highway speeds with a headwind. No issues in two years of use. Just a pain to change batteries a couple times a year.

Good! Now I have an excuse to put yet another antenna mast on my trailer.

[TZBrown]

On a shop window in Homer Alaska

Overcast with occasional light rain

We do have a weather station that records indoor and out daily hi-lo and barometer trends in the trailer also

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

How does it go? "Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it".
Oops, I guess that's edging on "political".

Hi: gbaglo... This is not "Pull it a call"!!! If you don't like the weather in SW. Ontario... wait a minute... it'll change!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[Mike Lewis]

Originally Posted by sclifrickson

Another thought about the wx station thing - as our trailer is parked at our house when not traveling, I purchased a second display unit that stays in the house, using same sensors on the trailer.

I have a similar La Crosse weather station at home, also purchased at Costco. Its display requires external power. If yours did, how did you provide it? Also, do you have the rain gauge mounted on your trailer as well?

I should think of all my questions for one posting, but I never do.

[Bobbie54]

I got a B&W battery powered Acurite station with a wind meter. Mounted the meter on a pole so I could gauge winds when camped at places like Fort Casey on Whidbey (not 100% accurate as the pole kind of waves in the wind). Also reads indoor and outdoor temps. I have the same kind at home but with a (fake) color display (only an overlay) so between trips the battery operated display (the other one is a plug in) can serve as a backup for power outages. (Same meter on a high pole in my yard.)

[sclifrickson]

The input voltage for the La Crosse is 5V DC. Happily, the output voltage of USB is 5V. So I sourced a surface mount, 12V input, USB/cigarette lighter combo, and then mounted it inside the upper cabinet above the sink, using a 12V drop that ETI put in during the build. I sourced a short cord with USB to correct-tip-for-wx-station, and ran it through a hole directly behind the monitor. (Hole was already there with a small vent cover, which I just popped out to run the cord.)



Custom Accessories 18003 12V Dual USB Under Dash Mount https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ACD3FS8..._nx5LCb8PDWZ7W



SN-RIGGOR 3-Pack 3.3ft DC... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07412LCZ3...p_mob_ap_share

I did have to trim the head of the power cord lightly with a Dremel to get it to fit. It was fat.

The rain gauge stays at home, mounted on a garden fence post. For rain I use the “look outside and see what it’s doing” method, and forego the measurement. Well, the matching display unit in the house keeps track of rain, actually.