Wind gauge Data

This forum provides technical help on how to run Netatmo Weather Stations to accurately gather data.
avogadro
Posts: 3
Joined: 08 Jan 2016, 13:50

Re: Wind gauge Data

Post by avogadro »

I returned my wind gauge to Netatmo for a replacement. The replacement arrived with exactly the same problem - speeds and gusts are far too low!
Compare the following readings taken at the same time:
Met Office: speed 33 MPH; gusts 46 MPH
Local sailing club: 32 MPH; gusts 43 MPH
Netatmo Wind Gauge: 4 MPH; gusts 9 MPH
My wind gauge was mounted on a 2.5m fence post, well clear of obstructions.

I can only conclude that this wind gauge, in its current form, DOES NOT WORK. Either the firmware or the hardware needs a radical re-think.

I have returned the replacement to Netatmo for a refund.
scifi0425
Posts: 30
Joined: 25 Jul 2014, 04:18

Re: Wind gauge Data

Post by scifi0425 »

I have been running Version 14 of the wind gauge firmware for a little over two weeks. I am now having a very positive experience. According to Weather Underground, my wind data correlates very well with other wind gauges in the area made by a number of different manufacturers.
Jax
Posts: 12
Joined: 27 Jan 2016, 20:25

Re: Wind gauge Data

Post by Jax »

Does anybody know how the anemometer measures wind speeds? Does it measure average wind speeds over 5 or 10 minute intervals, or does it give an instantaneous measurement at the moment the data is recorded? I am thinking it must be using some type of averaging as the wind speed I am seeing is always lower than the instantaneous values from nearby data sources, but the gust wind speed(which is a max over some time period) is always the same.
Jax
Posts: 12
Joined: 27 Jan 2016, 20:25

Re: Wind gauge Data

Post by Jax »

I think this FAQ document answers my questions. Unfortunately, none of these answers were in the documentation that came with the product or on the setup screen on my phone when I installed it. I had to dig in the calibration section of the website to find it. One interesting find - it says not to touch the sensors but I didn't know that when I was installing it and I may have touched them. Not sure there's anything I can do about that now. I wonder how much it throws off the calibration of the device and if there's any way to fix it.

The only calibration it lets me do is adjust the height but mine is installed at 50 feet about the ground (rooftop chimney) and you can't seem to adjust the value any higher than 30 feet. I suppose lower values would have a higher offset (a wind speed of 1 mph at ground level might be 3 mph at 30 feet or something like that), so I suppose I could lower the calibration value to try and get it to match up with a local weather source.

my.netatmo.com/settingsstation/faqnew/1/7


Current average wind speed and direction: measured over the last 5 minutes. The arrow indicates the wind direction and its size is proportional to the speed. Light grey dashes around the arrow indicate the dominant wind directions during the last hour.An arrow pointing down means that the wind is blowing from the North (N = 0°). An arrow pointing to the left means that the wind is blowing from the East (E = 90°). (2) Current wind gust (speed and direction), measured over the last 5 minutes.(3) Maximum wind gust (speed and direction) for the day (since last midnight). Graphs let you navigate through historic average wind (speed and direction) and gusts (speed and direction).
Jax
Posts: 12
Joined: 27 Jan 2016, 20:25

Re: Wind gauge Data

Post by Jax »

By adjusting the calibration down from 30 ft to 10 ft my average wind speed increased from 3 mph to 6 mph so it looks like that calibration factor will double the wind speed when you half the height. I might set the calibration height down even lower should give me 12 mph which is in line with my local METAR station data.

My sensor is on the roof of my 3rd story deck at 50 ft, so by entering a fake calibration height of 1 ft I might be able to trick it into boosting the signal to a more reasonable value.
Jax
Posts: 12
Joined: 27 Jan 2016, 20:25

Re: Wind gauge Data

Post by Jax »

So maybe adjusting the calibration down to 1 foot despite being 50 feet up was a bad idea. When I did that, the sensor was giving me non zero wind speeds when it was clearly dead calm (and both the airport and 500 ft heliport near by were showing dead calm). So I set my calibration factor back to 30 feet (despite being at 50 feet) and today is a high wind day so I think it is a good day to test.

Heliport (500 feet elevation on building rooftop, 2 miles away) shows 20 mph gusting to 32 mph.
Airport (15 miles away) shows 25 mph gusting to 33 mph.
Friend's PWS cup anemometer (30 miles away in back yard mounted to pole) shows 8 mph gusting to 9 mph.
MY NETATMO: 6 gusting to 16 mph.

I'd say my Netatmo still shows much lower wind speeds than I would expect considering how the wind feels and that it's mounted on my roof away from obstacles, but there are still other buildings around and there could be some micro climactic effects. However, my gust wind speed seems likely more accurate than my friend's (possibly).

One thing I might double check today is that it is still leveled.

Even if I'm not getting completely accurate wind speeds at least I can tell the difference in a calm day and a not so calm day (useful when flying RC aircraft) and it does give a pretty accurate representation of the wind direction. Maybe with future firmware updates it will get better.
Mapantz
Posts: 103
Joined: 14 Jan 2014, 13:11
Location: Wareham, Dorset - UK
Contact:

Re: Wind gauge Data

Post by Mapantz »

Jax wrote:So maybe adjusting the calibration down to 1 foot despite being 50 feet up was a bad idea. When I did that, the sensor was giving me non zero wind speeds when it was clearly dead calm (and both the airport and 500 ft heliport near by were showing dead calm). So I set my calibration factor back to 30 feet (despite being at 50 feet) and today is a high wind day so I think it is a good day to test.

Heliport (500 feet elevation on building rooftop, 2 miles away) shows 20 mph gusting to 32 mph.
Airport (15 miles away) shows 25 mph gusting to 33 mph.
Friend's PWS cup anemometer (30 miles away in back yard mounted to pole) shows 8 mph gusting to 9 mph.
MY NETATMO: 6 gusting to 16 mph.

I'd say my Netatmo still shows much lower wind speeds than I would expect considering how the wind feels and that it's mounted on my roof away from obstacles, but there are still other buildings around and there could be some micro climactic effects. However, my gust wind speed seems likely more accurate than my friend's (possibly).

One thing I might double check today is that it is still leveled.

Even if I'm not getting completely accurate wind speeds at least I can tell the difference in a calm day and a not so calm day (useful when flying RC aircraft) and it does give a pretty accurate representation of the wind direction. Maybe with future firmware updates it will get better.
I never get zero wind speeds!
The day I got my replacement gauge, I took out the plastic slip to allow the batteries to work, and I screwed it to my Gorillapod, and sat it indoors a week before I put it up. It still registered a permanent 1mph for the entire week.

It is now outside, sat 1ft below my main weather station. It is dead calm, the wind vane isn't moving, nor are the cups on the weather station, and the Netatmo gauge continues to get readings.. 6mph gust and a permanent 2mph wind (as seen near midnight on the pic)
2016-02-24 (2).png
2016-02-24 (2).png (71.46 KiB) Viewed 1867 times
It is calibrated, as it is only situated at 4m.
Image
Image
deeayy
Posts: 22
Joined: 30 Nov 2015, 10:03

Re: Wind gauge Data

Post by deeayy »

My gauge is sited 6.5m above the ground, but only 0.5m above roof height. I've been testing a calibration of 3m as 6.5m was giving a wind speed far too low at the top end (gusts during extremely stormy weather).

As you can see in the image below, we've had some very still weather lately and the gauge is reporting periods of no wind (though always with a small gust).
wind 0.png
wind 0.png (38.3 KiB) Viewed 1848 times
jdwhite
Posts: 8
Joined: 28 Mar 2016, 15:19

Re: Wind gauge Data

Post by jdwhite »

I never get zero wind speeds!
The day I got my replacement gauge, I took out the plastic slip to allow the batteries to work, and I screwed it to my Gorillapod, and sat it indoors a week before I put it up. It still registered a permanent 1mph for the entire week.

It is now outside, sat 1ft below my main weather station. It is dead calm, the wind vane isn't moving, nor are the cups on the weather station, and the Netatmo gauge continues to get readings.. 6mph gust and a permanent 2mph wind (as seen near midnight on the pic)
2016-02-24 (2).png
It is calibrated, as it is only situated at 4m.
I have the same issue. When I initially got the wind gauge it sat in my living room for a few days before I installed it. During that time it never read zero, but 1-2 mph. It's never read zero.

Now that it's mounted outside (27' off the ground, 6' above the top of my roof) it still never reads zero, but seems to be accurate compared to another non-netatmo wind gauge mounted ~10' higher on a tower 2 miles away in the middle of an open field. I have set the calibration setting in the app, but seems to have a problem going to zero.
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