Vantage Pro2™ Console Manual For Vantage Pro2™ & Vantage Pro2 Plus™ Weather Stations Davis Instruments, 3465 Diablo Avenue, Hayward, CA 94545 • 510-732-9229 • www.davisnet.
Vantage Pro2 Console Display Features 3 2 WIND N pm NW NE GRAPH 1 W MPH HUM IN 8 CHILL F F Every 1 hr 14 in Vertical Scale: X10 12 9 RAIN RATE DAILY 13 BAROMETER hPa TEMP IN SE S HUM OUT F E SW 7 2nd TEMP OUT Last 24 hrs 6 5 4 in/hr STATION NO.1 11 10 Display Features 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Compass Rose Graph & Hi/Low Mode Settings Forecast Icons Moon Phase Indicator Time/Sunrise Time Date/Sunset Date 2ND Button Indicator 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.
Table of Contents Welcome to Vantage Pro2™ ........................................................... 1 Console Features........................................................................ 1 Vantage Pro Options .................................................................. 2 Installing the Console ...................................................................... 4 Powering the Console ................................................................ 4 Installing the AC Power Adapter...........
Chapter 1 Welcome to Vantage Pro2™ Welcome to your Vantage Pro2 Weather Station console. The console displays and records your station’s weather data, provides graph and alarm functions, and interfaces to a computer using our optional WeatherLink software. Vantage Pro2 stations are available in two basic versions: Cabled and Wireless. A Cabled Vantage Pro2 station transmits outside sensor data from the Integrated Sensor Suite (ISS) to the console using a straightthrough four-conductor cable.
Vantage Pro Options Console Modes The console operates in five basic modes: Setup, Current Weather, Highs and Lows, Alarm, and Graph. Each mode lets you to access a different set of console functions or to display a different aspect of your weather data. Vantage Pro Options Optional Sensors Vantage Pro2 stations are extremely flexible. Use the following optional sensors and wireless stations to enhance the weather monitoring capabilities of your Vantage Pro2. See our website for complete details: www.
Vantage Pro Options WeatherLink Option Description WeatherLink for Macintosh OS X, USB connection (#6520C) Includes WeatherLink software and USB data logger. Allows you to save and view your weather data on your Mac. WeatherLink for APRS, Windows version, with streaming data logger, serial connection (#6540) Includes WeatherLink software and streaming serial data logger. Allows real-time display of current weather conditions for use with APRS (Automatic Position Reporting System), for HAM radio users.
Chapter 2 Installing the Console The Vantage Pro2 console is designed to give extremely accurate readings. As with any precision instrument, use care in its assembly and handling. Although installing the console is relatively simple, following the steps outlined in this chapter and assembling the Vantage Pro2 correctly from the start will help ensure that you enjoy all of its features with a minimum of time and effort.
Installing Batteries 3. Insert the power adapter plug into the console power jack, then plug the other end of the adapter into an appropriate power outlet. 4. Check to make sure the console runs through a brief self-test procedure successfully. On power up, the console displays all the LCD segments and beeps twice. A message displays in the ticker banner at the bottom of the console, followed by the first screen that displays during Setup Mode. Press DONE to skip the message and enter into Setup Mode.
Console Location To ISS 2. Ensure that the ISS cable is not twisted through the access port. Note: The ISS must be assembled and connected to the console so that it is receiving power before the console connection can be tested. Once the console and ISS are both powered up, cable connection should be tested and established. Once the console is powered, it automatically enters Setup Mode.
Console Location • Avoid positioning a wireless console near large metallic surfaces such as refrigerators. Table & Shelf Placement The console kickstand can be set to three different angles allowing five different display angles. 1. Install the two round rubber feet on the bottom of the console. The rubber feet help prevent damage to furniture and surfaces. 2. Lean the kickstand out by pulling on its top edge You’ll see the indentation for your finger at the top edge of the console. 3.
Console Location Wall Mounting The console mounts to the wall using two keyholes located on the back of the case. To mount the console on a wall: 1. Use a ruler to mark two mounting hole positions on the wall 8 inches (203 mm) apart. 8" (203mm) Drill two 3/32" or 7/64" (2.4 to 2.8mm) holes 8" (203mm) apart for the #6 x 1" mounting screws. This is a representation for the mounting hole positions. This template is not true to size. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Chapter 3 Using Your Weather Station The console LCD screen and keyboard provide easy access to your weather information. The large LCD display shows current and past environmental conditions as well as a forecast of future conditions. The keyboard controls console functions for viewing current and historical weather information, setting and clearing alarms, changing stations types, viewing and/or changing station settings, setting up and viewing graphs, selecting sensors, getting the forecast, and so on.
Setup Mode • Exit Setup Mode by pressing and holding DONE until the Current Weather screen displays. Screen 1: Active Transmitters Screen 1 displays the message “Receiving from...” and shows the transmitters being received by the console. In addition, an “X” blinks in the lower right-hand corner of the screen every time the console receives a data packet from a station. The rest of the LCD screen is blank.
Setup Mode Screen 2: Configuring Transmitter IDs — Wireless Only If you have a cabled station, press DONE and see “Screen 4: Time & Date” on page 12. Setup screen 2 allows you to change the ISS transmitter ID and to add or remove optional transmitter stations. The default setting works fine for most installations. The default transmitter ID setting is “1” (ISS).
Setup Mode on, the console becomes another transmitter that requires its own unique ID to transmit the data received from the ISS. 2 Screen 3: Retransmit 1. Press the up or down arrow to turn the retransmit function on and off. The first available transmitter ID not used by the ISS or any optional sensor is automatically assigned. Data from the ISS is the only data that can be retransmitted by the console.
Setup Mode To change the time and date: 1. Press the right and left arrows to select the hour, minute, month, day or year. The selected time or date setting blinks on and off. 2. To change a setting, press the up and down arrows to adjust the value up or down. To choose a 12-hour or 24-hour clock, first select either the hour or minute setting, then press 2ND and immediately press UNITS. This toggles the clock setting between the two clock types. To choose between a MM/DD or DD.
Setup Mode Screen 6: Longitude The console uses longitude along with latitude to determine your location, allowing it to adjust the forecast and calculate the times for sunset and sunrise. See Screen 5: Latitude for information on determining your latitude. Screen 6: Longitude • Longitude measures distance east or west of the Prime Meridian, an imaginary line running north and south through Greenwich, England. • Longitude is used with latitude to identify your position on earth. 1.
Setup Mode Note: UTC offset measures the difference between the time in any time zone and a standard time, set by convention as the time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, England. Hayward, California, the home of Davis Instruments, observes Pacific Standard Time. The UTC offset for Pacific Standard Time is -8:00, or eight hours behind Universal Time (UTC). When it’s 7:00 pm (1900 hours) UTC, it’s 19 - 8 = 1100 hours, or 11:00 am in Hayward in winter.
Setup Mode Screen 9: Daylight Savings Status Use this screen to either verify the correct automatic Daylight Savings status or to set Daylight Savings manually. Screen 9: Daylight Savings Status 1. Press the up and down arrows to turn Daylight Savings Time on or off on the appropriate days of the year, if Day Savings setting is MANUAL. If you have an AUTO Daylight Savings setting, the console display the appropriate setting based on the current time and date. 2. Press DONE to move to the next screen.
Setup Mode 1. Press the left and right arrows to move from one numeral in the elevation to another. 2. Press the up and down arrows to adjust a numeral up or down. 3. To switch between feet and meters, press 2ND then press UNITS. 4. If you are below sea level, like in Death Valley or Palm Springs, first enter the elevation as a positive number.
Setup Mode Screen 12: Rain Collector The tipping bucket in the Vantage Pro2 rain collector has been calibrated at the factory to measure 0.01'' of rain with each tip. The ISS comes equipped with a metric adapter that, once installed, takes 0.2 mm readings for every tip of the bucket. Determine which measurement you want your rain collector to take and configure your console and rain collector accordingly. Screen 12: Rain Collector Settings To configure your console for inch measurements: 1.
Setup Mode Selecting Metric units for one rain variable also sets all the other rain variables to Metric units. 2. Press and release 2ND and press UNITS once. The units used to display rain data toggle between inches and millimeters each time you repeat this key sequence. 2ND UNITS GRAPH To Display Rain in Metric Units in WeatherLink Refer to WeatherLink online help for instructions to set the rain collector to 0.2 mm and to select millimeters as the unit for rain.
Current Weather Mode highest setting your modem can handle. The console must be equipped with a WeatherLink data logger to communicate with a computer. Serial Port Baud Rate 19200 Screen 14: Baud Rate Note: The baud rate setting on your console must match the serial port setting in the software on your computer. If you are using WeatherLink for Vantage Pro2, refer to WeatherLink help for instructions on setting the serial port baud rate on your computer. 1.
Selecting Units of Measure forecast or special message from your station, and a graph of the currently selected variable. A few variables are always visible on the console screen while most variables share their location with one or more variables. You can select any variable not currently on the screen to display it. Selecting Weather Variables Select a weather variable to display it’s data on the screen if it isn’t already visible or to graph the data available for that variable.
Selecting Units of Measure displayed in millibars, millimeters, inches, or hectoPascals. Note that you can set each variable’s units independently, and at any time, as you like. To change units: 1. Select the weather variable. See “Selecting Weather Variables” on page 21. 2. Press and release 2ND then press UNITS. 2ND The selected variable’s units will change. Repeat steps 1 and 2 until the desired units appear.
Selecting Units of Measure Each consecutive press of TEMP displays temperature readings for any optional temperature, temperature/humidity, soil temperature, soil moisture stations also connected to your console. The order the optional sensors readings display depends on your station configuration. Temperatures for temperature stations display, with soil temperature and moisture stations displaying consecutively.
Selecting Units of Measure Barometric Pressure Press BAR to select barometric pressure. Barometric pressure may be displayed in inches (in), millimeters (mm), millibars (mb) or hectoPascals (hPa). BAR Pressure Trend The pressure trend arrow indicates the current barometric trend, measured over the last three hours. The pressure trend is updated every 15 minutes. The pressure trend requires three hours of data in order to be calculated so it won’t display right away on a new station.
Selecting Units of Measure RAIN RAIN STORM YEAR in in N WIND NW pm NE HUM OUT TEMP OUT hPa MPH SE SW S F MO F HEAT INDEX Every 1 hr RAIN DAILY RAIN in Vertical Scale: RAIN HUM IN TEMP IN Last 24 hrs BAROMETER F E W X10 in YEAR in STATION NO.1 DAILY RAIN RAIN RATE in in/hr Daily Rain, Rain Storm, Rain Year, Rain Month, & Rain Rate Rain Rate Press RAINYR to display the current rain rate.
Selecting Units of Measure SUN N WIND NW NE YEAR GRAPH TEMP OUT W HUM OUT hPa MPH HUM IN TEMP IN SW SE S BAROMETER F E Last 24 hrs F F ET HEAT INDEX Every 1 hr RAIN DAILY RAIN in Vertical Scale: W/m2 pm X10 YEAR YEAR mm in STATION NO.1 ET ET MO mm mm Solar Radiation, Current ET, ET Month & ET Year Solar Radiation Press and release 2ND then press SOLAR to display the current solar radiation reading. Solar radiation is displayed as Watts per square meter (W/m2).
Displaying the Forecast Displaying the Forecast Your console generates a weather forecast based on the barometric reading & trend, wind speed & direction, rainfall, temperature, humidity, latitude & longitude, and time of year. Included in the forecast is a prediction of the sky condition (sunny, cloudy, etc.) and changes in precipitation, temperature, wind direction or wind speed. Press FORECAST to display the forecast.
Calibrating, Setting, and Clearing Variables 1. Select a variable to be calibrated. See “Selecting Weather Variables” on page 21. 2. Press and release 2ND, then press and hold SET. SET After a moment, the variable you’ve selected begins to blink. Keep holding SET until the Calibration Offset message displays in the ticker. 2ND ALARM The ticker displays the current calibration offset. 3. Press the up or down arrows to add or subtract from the temperature offset value.
Calibrating, Setting, and Clearing Variables Calibrating Barometric Pressure Before calibrating the barometric pressure, be sure the station is set to the correct elevation. 1. Press BAR to select barometric pressure. 2. Press and release 2ND, then press and hold SET. 3. 4. 5. 6. The pressure variable blinks. Continue holding the key until the ticker reads “set barometer . . . ”. Press the right and left arrows to select digits in the variable.
Highs and Lows Mode • Daily rain - Clearing the daily rain value is reflected in the daily rain total, the last 15 minutes of rain, the last three hours of rain sent to the forecast algorithm, the umbrella icon, and the monthly and yearly rain totals. Clear the daily rain total if the station accidentally recorded rain when the ISS was installed. • Monthly rain - Clears the monthly rain total. Does not affect yearly rain total. • Yearly rain - Clears the yearly rain total.
Highs and Lows Mode Weather Variable High Low Day, Time & Date Month Year Outside Temperature Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Inside Temperature Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes* Outside Humidity Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes* Inside Humidity Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes* Barometer Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes* Heat Index Yes Yes Yes Yes* Temp/Hum/Wind/Sun (THSW) Index Yes Yes Yes Yes* Yes Yes Yes* Yes Yes Yes Wind Chill Yes Wind Speed Yes Rainfall Rate Yes Daily Rain UV Index Yes Solar Radiation Y
Alarm Mode 4. Use the console keys to select a different weather variable. The console’s time display shows the time of the selected variable’s high or low. 5. Press DONE to exit the Highs and Lows mode. The console screen switches to the Current Weather mode. Alarm Mode The Vantage Pro2 features more than 30 alarms that can be programmed to sound whenever a reading exceeds a set value. With the exception of barometric pressure and time, all alarms sound when a reading reaches the alarm threshold.
Alarm Mode Time The time alarm is a standard “alarm clock” alarm. It sounds for one minute at the set time. Make sure you choose AM or PM, if you’re in 12-hour mode. UV Dose The UV dose alarm sounds when the accumulated UV dose has exceeded the dose you set. The UV dose alarm does not arm unless the initial UV dose for the day has been reset. Once the UV dose alarm value is set, clear the accumulated UV dose. See “Clearing Weather Variables” on page 29. Setting Alarms 1.
Graph Mode 2. Select the alarm setting you wish to clear. 3. Press 2ND, then press and hold CLEAR until the setting changes to all dashes. You have cleared the alarm setting. 4. Press DONE to exit Alarm Mode. Silencing Alarms 1. Press DONE to silence an alarm when it sounds.
Graph Mode Viewing Graphs Although the graphs available may vary for each weather variable, you display the graphs in the same way. 1. Press GRAPH to enter Graph Mode. Only the date, graph, graph icon, and selected variable are visible. The rest of the screen is blank. 2. Select a variable to graph. am GRAPH TEMP OUT F Every 1 hr Last 24 hrs Vertical Scale: 2 Values for the each of the last 24 hours are displayed in the graph, each hour represented by a dot.
Graph Mode View graphs of all other variables the same way. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Select the variable you want to view. Press GRAPH. Use the left and right arrows to select different variables. Press the up arrow to shorten the time range. Press the down arrow to lengthen the time range. Press HI/LOW to shift between highs and lows. Press DONE to exit.
Chapter 4 Troubleshooting and Maintenance Vantage Pro2 Troubleshooting Guide While your Vantage Pro2 weather station is designed to provide years of trouble-free operation, occasional problems may arise. If you are having a problem with your station, please consult this troubleshooting guide before calling Davis technical support. You may be able to quickly solve the problem yourself. If you need help, please see “One Year Limited Warranty” on page 42.
Vantage Pro2 Troubleshooting Guide TABLE 4-1: TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE Solution Inside temperature sensor reading seems too high Move the console out of direct sunlight. Make sure that the console or sensor is not in contact with an exterior wall that heats up in sunlight or when outside temperature rises. Make sure the console or sensor is not near a heater or other internal heat source (lamps, appliances, etc.). Also make sure the console backlight is not on.
Console Diagnostic Screens The console’s reception status displays at the lower right corner of the screen. • An “X” flashes for every data packet received by the console. • An “R” is shown when the console is trying to re-establish a lost connection. • An “L” is shown when the signal has been lost. • When no data packets have been received for 10 minutes, the console dashes-out any missing sensor readings Check Console Reception Enter Setup mode by pressing DONE, then pressing the down arrow.
Console Diagnostic Screens • Press the right arrow to display signal statistics for the next installed transmitter ID. • Press HI/LOW to toggle Gain on and off. The message in the ticker indicates the current Gain status. The Receiver Gain setting provides some control over the receiver sensitivity. If you’re having trouble with reception, try turning the Gain on. • Gain can adversely affect performance when signal strength is high. Gain should generally not be turned on when signal strength is above 30.
Console Diagnostic Screens 5. 6. 7. 8. Percentage of packets received without errors. Total number of packets received. Number of times the console resynchronized with the transmitter. Maximum number of packets missed in a row without resynchronization. 9. Current number of consecutive misses. The counter increments when the console is synchronized but the packet is missed. The console will attempt to resynchonize after 20 consecutive misses. 10. Longest streak of consecutive packets received. 11.
Console Maintenance 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Current frequency correction factor. Frequency index of the next packet to be received. Current number of consecutive packets missed. The number of times that the Phase Lock Loop did not lock. Current streak of consecutive packets received. Console Firmware Versions In some cases, the problem may be that your console firmware doesn’t support what you are trying to do. Use this command to determine the firmware revision level in your console.
Appendix A Weather Data Refer to this appendix to learn more about the weather variables that are measured, displayed, and logged by your Vantage Pro2 Station. Some weather variables require optional sensors. See “Optional Sensors” starting on page 2. Wind The anemometer measures wind speed and direction, and is part of the Integrated Sensor Suite (ISS). The console calculates a 10-minute average wind speed and 10-minute dominant wind direction.
Note: Vantage Pro2 measures Heat Index only when the air temperature is above 57° F (14° C), because it’s insignificant at lower temperatures. (Below 57°, Heat Index = the air temperature.) The Heat Index is not calculated above 135° F (52° C).
You can also use dew point to predict the minimum overnight temperature. Provided no new fronts are expected overnight and the afternoon Relative Humidity is greater than or equal to 50%, the afternoon’s dew point gives you an idea of what minimum temperature to expect overnight, since the air can never get colder than the dew point. Rain Vantage Pro2 incorporates a tipping-bucket rain collector in the ISS that measures 0.01'' for each tip of the bucket. A metric adapter can be installed to measure 0.
from the sun and the reflected component from the rest of the sky. The solar radiation reading gives a measure of the amount of solar radiation hitting the solar radiation sensor at any given time, expressed in Watts/sq. meter (W/m2). Solar radiation requires the solar radiation sensor. UV (Ultra Violet) Radiation Energy from the sun reaches the earth as visible, infrared, and ultraviolet (UV) rays.
Table A-2: E NVIRONMENT C ANADA S KIN TYPES AND R EACTION TO THE S UN a Skin Type Skin Color I White Always burns easily, never tans II White Always burns easily, tans minimally Burns moderately, tans gradually III Light Brown IV Moderate Brown Burns minimally, tans well V Dark Brown Burns rarely, tans profusely VI Black Never burns, deep pigmentation Developed by T. B. Fitzpatrick of the Harvard Medical School. More about the Fitzpatrick Skin Types is available in: Fitzpatrick TB.
TABLE A-3: UV I NDEX Index Values Exposure Category 0-2 Low 3-4 Moderate 5-6 High 7-9 Very High 10+ Extreme Evapotranspiration (ET) Evapotranspiration (ET) is a measurement of the amount of water vapor returned to the air in a given area. It combines the amount of water vapor returned through evaporation (from wet vegetation surfaces and the stoma of leaves) with the amount of water vapor returned through transpiration (exhaling of moisture through plant skin) to arrive at a total.
Appendix B Specifications See complete specifications for your Vantage Pro2 Station at our website: www.davisnet.com. Console Console Operating Temperature Display Temperature . . . . . . . . . Non-operating Temperature . . . . Console Current Draw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Power Adapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Battery Backup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Battery Life (no AC power) . . . . . . . . . . . Connectors . . . . . . .
Console Data Display Specfications Console Data Display Specfications Historical Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Includes the past 24 values listed unless otherwise noted; all can be cleared and all totals reset. Daily Data. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Includes the earliest time of occurrence of highs and lows; beriod begins/ends at 12:00 am. Monthly Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Period beins/ends at 12:00 am on the first of every month. Yearly Data. .
Weather Data Specifications Weather Data Specifications Note: These specifications include optional sensors that may not be installed in your Vantage Pro2 Station. Weather Data Specifications Variable Required Sensors Barometric Pressure* Included in Console Barometric Trend (3 hour) Evapotranspiration (ET) ISS or Temp/Hum Station & Solar Radiation sensor Resolution Range Nominal Accuracy (+/-) 0.01” Hg; 0.1 mm; 0.1 hPa; 0.1 mb 26” to 32” Hg; 660 to 810 mm; 880 to 1080 hPa; 880 to 1080 mb** 0.
Weather Data Specifications Weather Data Specifications Variable Solar Radiation Required Sensors Solar sensor Resolution Range Nominal Accuracy (+/-) 1 W/m2 0 to 1800 W/m2 5% of full scale 1°F; 0.5°C Inside Temperature Included in Console 0.1°F; 0.1°C +32° to +140°F; 0 to +60°C Outside Temperature*** ISS, Temp Station or Temp Hum Station 0.1°F; 0.1°C -40° to +150°F; -40° to +65°C 1°F; 0.
Vantage Pro2 Console Icons Console icons indicate weather conditions and special functions. Forecast Mostly Clear Partly Cloudy Mostly Cloudy Rain Snow Indicates the weather forecast for the next 12 hours. Moon Phase New Moon First Quarter Full Moon Last Quarter New Moon Shows the current moon phase. Sequence shown for Northern Hemisphere. Reverse sequence for the Southern Hemisphere. Alarm Bell Flashes when an alarm is triggered. Also indicates when the console is in Alarm Mode.