WeatherFlow Alternative?

[upstatemike]

Looks like there is going to be a long delay before some folks get their WeatherFlow stations due to customs and manufacturing issues. Even worse it looks like anyone who does not already have one on order may be out of luck due to key components being discontinued and unavailable to make more stations.

What would be the closest alternative to WeatherFlow? AccuRite? Anybody working on an AccuRite plugin?

[bpwwer]

I'm still waiting for my order to ship but now not expecting anything for a while since I'm at the back of the queue.

I've made my Acurite look like a WeatherFlow with some custom software which is how I developed the WeatherFlow plug-in (and other software for it).

The Acurite 5-n-1 system is OK. I've had mine installed for a few years and I haven't had any real problems with the sensors. Initially they had issues with the humidity sensors similar to what people are reporting for WeatherFlow but I think that's fixed now.

The main issue with the Acurite systems is that it's not an open system. Their hub sends data to their servers and to WUnderground and that's it. It's possible to intercept the data to use locally, but it's encrypted and takes a bit of effort to decode. The change to encrypted data was one of the primary reasons I ordered a WeatherFlow station.

I ended up making my own hub for the Acurite system using an RPi with a TV tuner (to receive sensor data directly), a barometric pressure sensor, and a lux sensor. I then wrote software to take all the sensor data and broadcast it as UDP packets in the WeatherFlow format.

So I don't really consider an Acurite system a plug-in-play alternative to WeatherFlow.

Other systems to look at would be Ambient Weather and Davis. I've not looked very closely at either so can't comment on them.

[cowinger]

I'm still waiting for my order to ship but now not expecting anything for a while since I'm at the back of the queue.

I've made my Acurite look like a WeatherFlow with some custom software which is how I developed the WeatherFlow plug-in (and other software for it).

The Acurite 5-n-1 system is OK. I've had mine installed for a few years and I haven't had any real problems with the sensors. Initially they had issues with the humidity sensors similar to what people are reporting for WeatherFlow but I think that's fixed now.

The main issue with the Acurite systems is that it's not an open system. Their hub sends data to their servers and to WUnderground and that's it. It's possible to intercept the data to use locally, but it's encrypted and takes a bit of effort to decode. The change to encrypted data was one of the primary reasons I ordered a WeatherFlow station.

I ended up making my own hub for the Acurite system using an RPi with a TV tuner (to receive sensor data directly), a barometric pressure sensor, and a lux sensor. I then wrote software to take all the sensor data and broadcast it as UDP packets in the WeatherFlow format.

So I don't really consider an Acurite system a plug-in-play alternative to WeatherFlow.

Other systems to look at would be Ambient Weather and Davis. I've not looked very closely at either so can't comment on them.

I have asked a few times if anyone was interested in doing a plugin for the Ambient Weather stations but got no takers. Wasn't sure why so maybe you would be interested or at least be willing to check into it? thanks

[upstatemike]

The reason I suggested AccuRite is that there is a USB version that will talk to a local PC so it looked like you could get at the data for a plugin (but maybe not)

Ambient does not appear to integrate lightning strike data in their stations which is a feature I really want.

The Homeseer triggers I am looking to support are:

Lightning strike
Rapid Barometer drop
Wind Gust beyond a set threshold
Start of rainfall (WeatherFlow strong point)
High and low humidity threshold triggers
Several stages of low temp warnings (frost risk, hard freeze, below zero, etc.)

[bpwwer]

I have asked a few times if anyone was interested in doing a plugin for the Ambient Weather stations but got no takers. Wasn't sure why so maybe you would be interested or at least be willing to check into it? thanks

It looks like the wireless stations suffer from the same issues as the Acurite stations. To get the data locally, you have to intercept the data it's sending to WUnderground.

However, it looks like they also have some type of real-time websocket interface to access the data from their servers

https://www.ambientweather.com/community.html

Bottom of the page - AmbientWeather API (beta)

It would not be too hard to create a plug-in to access that data. But it would require either having a station or having someone's API Key to access their data. The biggest downside is that it would be dependent on an Internet connection.

[bpwwer]

The reason I suggested AccuRite is that there is a USB version that will talk to a local PC so it looked like you could get at the data for a plugin (but maybe not)

True, they do have that. I've never looked any of the USB versions so I don't know how easy/hard it is to pull data from it. After a quick search, it looks like the data format is the same as the old wireless bridge they sold (unless they've updated the USB console to encrypt the data like the new wireless access hub does).

It would also require a custom USB driver, which means a different plug-in for windows HS and Linux HS.

[wadesready]

True, they do have that. I've never looked any of the USB versions so I don't know how easy/hard it is to pull data from it. After a quick search, it looks like the data format is the same as the old wireless bridge they sold (unless they've updated the USB console to encrypt the data like the new wireless access hub does).

It would also require a custom USB driver, which means a different plug-in for windows HS and Linux HS.

I use an accurite 5 in 1 and I couple the indoor display by usb into a fanless pc running windows 10 with a weather software package called "weather display". I think weather display cost about $60. I then pull the data from the weather display software directly into hs3 by using jon00's script package for weather display. it works flawlessly...

[upstatemike]

I use an accurite 5 in 1 and I couple the indoor display by usb into a fanless pc running windows 10 with a weather software package called "weather display". I think weather display cost about $60. I then pull the data from the weather display software directly into hs3 by using jon00's script package for weather display. it works flawlessly...

Does Weather Display support fields for the lightning strike data if you add the optional lightning detector to your 5 in 1 station?

[wadesready]

Does Weather Display support fields for the lightning strike data if you add the optional lightning detector to your 5 in 1 station?

I think so but I don't know for sure. there is a trial version so you can try it out.... http://www.weather-display.com/index.php

[upstatemike]

I think so but I don't know for sure. there is a trial version so you can try it out.... http://www.weather-display.com/index.php

Looks like it can support a lightning strikes field. What brand of fanless PC are you using and how does it communicate with Homeseer? IP? Serial?

[wadesready]

Looks like it can support a lightning strikes field. What brand of fanless PC are you using and how does it communicate with Homeseer? IP? Serial?

I am using a acepc mini pc. I have a shared folder on the network and hs3 thru jon00's weather display script pointed to the folder to grab the data. if you are running hs3 on a full pc you could probably run weather display on the same machine.

[upstatemike]

I am using a acepc mini pc. I have a shared folder on the network and hs3 thru jon00's weather display script pointed to the folder to grab the data. if you are running hs3 on a full pc you could probably run weather display on the same machine.

Just did some more research on AcuRite and found some disappointing news.

1- The lightning detector is not compatible with any of the displays that include PC Connect.

2- AcuRite is moving away from supporting PC Connect and starting with the new Atlas products will be following an "Internet Only" model for accessing your weather data.

I guess I'll have to look elsewhere for a WeatherFlow alternative.

[wadesready]

Just did some more research on AcuRite and found some disappointing news.

1- The lightning detector is not compatible with any of the displays that include PC Connect.

2- AcuRite is moving away from supporting PC Connect and starting with the new Atlas products will be following an "Internet Only" model for accessing your weather data.

I guess I'll have to look elsewhere for a WeatherFlow alternative.

I dont use pc connect, pc connect is their software

oh I see what you are talking about.

[upstatemike]

I dont use pc connect, pc connect is their software

oh I see what you are talking about.

If you want the display that has a USB port I think you have to get the package that includes their software even if you don't use it. The USB displays do not appear to support data from the lightning sensor. I've sent an email to support asking them to confirm that no option exists to get lightning data into a PC.

[wadesready]

If you want the display that has a USB port I think you have to get the package that includes their software even if you don't use it. The USB displays do not appear to support data from the lightning sensor. I've sent an email to support asking them to confirm that no option exists to get lightning data into a PC.

there is some software that is associated with weather display to connect by ip to accurites hub (now replaced by accurite access) I don't know if it is still working or not with accurites new hardware. I also have an accurite weather hub but I never hooked it to weather display because it was just easier to use a usb plug. but it might be worth looking into. jon00 also has other scripts that use weather display and different weather stations.