The Weather Monitor 1.4142 squared
Written: Dec 07 '05
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Accurate, reliable, and provides lots of vital weather data.
Cons: Station is wired, and costs an extra $100 after additions
The Bottom Line: A reliable weather station, but this might be out-weighed by cost for some prospective buyers
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| thepianist's Full Review: Davis Instruments Weather Monitor II |
For the two years that I have owned the Weather Monitor II, it has performed well, and has satisfied my expectations. The whole package seems to be well designed, as well as durable and accurate. I chose this station over competing models based on some positive reviews I read, but also because it has the best range in temperature and humidity, as stated in the online specifications. Other stations had a range from 10% to 95% humidity, which, in the moist climate I live in, would have been exceeded frequently. (The WM II has a humidity range of 0% to 100%). Oregon Scientific stations that I looked at are supposedly extremely inaccurate, as well as unreliable, and some LaCrosse technology stations had similar reputations. In addition, the update intervals for the sensors on some of these stations were longer, which means that instantaneous things like wind gusts could be missed. The WM II has an update interval of about 2.2 seconds. So far, none of the sensors on my station have failed, and it has been a useful tool, especially with the edition of some weather software.
The main drawback to this station is that fact that it is not wireless. This means that the installation involves figuring out how to get a wire inside your house from the exterior sensors. For me, this entailed drilling a small hole through the wall, so that it emerged in a cable socket (like where a TV or high speed internet cable would be attached). This could be a problem for some people, but wasn't overly troublesome for me.
Another slighter drawback is that the temperature sensor does not come with radiation shielding (to protect it from sunlight and radiated heat). Consequently, it often gave erroneous temperature readings during the day. Purchasing a passive radiation shield, also from Davis, solved the problem, and also cost $65. Some people may not want to put forth the extra money. In that case, the sensor could be mounted on the north side of the house. I didn't do this because the cables would have been too difficult to run over the roof.
The only other main concern is that it was necessary to purchase additional mounting hardware for the anemometer. This consisted of a PVC plastic pipe (to avoid extra costs for grounding a metal pipe), and mounting hardware for that. In all, this cost around $45. This, along with the radiation shield, jacks up the cost from the retail value of $350 (which is already pretty high) an extra hundred dollars. Fortunately, the people (not me, regrettably) responsible for financial decisions in my home are generous.
For someone unable or unwilling to spend for than, say, $250, a brand other than Davis might be a good idea. However, I can't vouch for the quality of other weather stations out there, so this could be useless advice. On the other hand, if you can afford it, this is probably the best weather station in its class.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
thepianist
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Reviews written: 1
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