WIND SENSOR
The ULTIMETER wind sensor is a patented, uniquely all-digital design containing two magnetic switches. Each switch opens and closes once each time the cups go around. Wind speed is calculated by measuring the time between consecutive pulses from one switch. Wind direction is determined by measuring the relative timing between pulses from the two switches. North is indicated when the two sets of pulses exactly coincide. South is indicated when pulses from one switch occur exactly midway between consecutive pulses from the other switch.
WHY IS THIS WIND SENSOR BETTER?
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Extremely Reliable
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No friction contacts to wear out
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Elegantly simple for longevity and reliability
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Top quality electrical components - two ultra-reliable, glass enclosed, hermetically sealed, magnetically operated reed switches
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Top quality mechanical components - UV resistant Lexan(c) molded parts, corrosion resistant bearings with Delrin races and surgical stainless steel balls
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Can be taken apart and reassembled for cleaning, if necessary, without tools and without affecting accuracy.
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Digital pulse data - resists electrical interference from radio transmitters or other sources
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Can operate over long distances with full accuracy, thanks to all-digital design.
Every now and then, in certain winter climate conditions, a wind sensor can "freeze up" because of freezing drizzle causing ice build-up on the outside, or dew point condensation at freezing temperatures inside the sensor. Usually the condition clears up in less than a day, but it can be disappointing.
Commercial weather stations costing thousands of dollars have long used heated wind sensors to avoid "freeze ups", but until now the problem has been common among moderately priced systems.
Now, in yet another exciting innovation, Peet Bros. has developed the first heated wind sensor for home weather stations. Its heater is thermostatically controlled and draws a maximum of only 0.8 watt. It is powered directly from the standard junction box of ULTIMETER Models 2100, 2000, 800 and 100, using a six conductor cable for both heater power and wind speed and direction signals.
The barometric
pressure sensor is a precision solid state electronic device, housed
within the ULTIMETER 2000 keyboard/display unit. A quartz
membrane over an evacuated chamber flexes as the air pressure changes.
Resistance elements on the membrane translate its flex into voltage
levels that are converted to digital signals and sent to the
microprocessor.
WHY IS THIS PRESSURE SENSOR BETTER?
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Readings are stable because each sensor is individually temperature compensated.
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You can use the system at altitudes from sea level to 15,000 feet without factory recalibration.
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Pressure changes are shown as numeric values - not just with directional arrows.
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Pressure changes are determined over a full 3 hour interval.
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Pressure change data is updated every 10 minutes.
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The barometric pressure change alarm can be set for rising or falling pressure.
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There is a built-in preset Storm Alert feature. If the pressure falls more than 0.18 inches of mercury in 3 hours, the barometer symbol will flash when pressure is displayed.
OUTDOOR TEMPERATURE SENSOR
OUTDOOR
TEMPERATURE SENSOR
HOW DOES IT WORK?
A precision aged metal-oxide thermistor is used to measure temperature. As the temperature increases, its electrical resistance decreases, changing a signal voltage that is first converted to digital form, then sent to the microprocessor.
WHY IS THIS OUTDOOR TEMPERATURE SENSOR BETTER?
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Each sensor is precision calibrated for complete interchangeability.
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Each sensor is specially aged to assure long term stability.
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The microprocessor is programmed to make minute corrections over the specified temperature range, further enhancing the resultant accuracy.
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No user calibration is required or provided for, because of the precision interchangeability of the sensor elements, even in the event of sensor replacement.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
A precision metal-oxide thermistor is used to measure temperature. As the temperature increases, its electrical resistance decreases, changing a signal voltage that is first converted to digital form, then sent to the microprocessor.
WHY IS THIS INDOOR TEMPERATURE SENSOR BETTER?
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No user calibration is required. Please see discussion of outdoor sensor.
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Each sensor is precision calibrated for complete interchangeability.
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Each sensor is specially aged to assure long term stability.
OUTDOOR HUMIDITY/TEMP SENSOR
HOW DOES IT WORK?
The ULTIMETER Humidity Sensor utilizes precision thick film polymer capacitance device. The sensor is used in a low frequency oscillator circuit, which changes frequency as the relative humidity changes. The output of the oscillator is fed into the microprocessor. The exceptional long-term stability of the humidity sensor element means years of use without recalibration.
WHY IS THIS OUTDOOR HUMIDITY SENSOR BETTER?
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It is accurate from 0% R.H. to 100% R.H. Others are typically said to be accurate from 10% to 90% or even 20% to 80% R.H.
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Unlike others, our humidity sensor will not be damaged by prolonged high humidity. In fact it's so rugged, it could even be totally immersed in water without damage!
RAIN GAUGES
HOW IS THE "PRO" GAUGE SUPERIOR?
The revolutionary new ULTIMETER "PRO" Rain Gauge electronic rain gauge features superb accuracy and extraordinary reliability. Although it empties itself automatically, it has absolutely no adjustments and no moving parts - the long term accuracy and reliability are molded in!
Operating on a drop-counting principle, the PRO Rain Gauge senses every one-thousandth inch of rain and reports each one-hundredth inch back to the ULTIMETER Weather Station. In spite of its amazing resolution, the PRO gauge can handle "world record" class rain rates of more than 10 inches per hour!
The Pro Rain Gauge is 5 1/8" high and has a maximum diameter of 4 1/2". It can mount directly on a 1" pvc post (not included) or on an optional universal mounting bracket. The PRO Rain Gauge comes with a 40 foot, 4-conductor cable that makes power and signal connections to the junction box of an ULTIMETER 100, 500, 700, 800 or 2000 Weather Station.
We're sorry, but the Pro Rain Gauge is not compatible with the ULTIMETER II because the II keyboard is not able to supply regulated voltage to operate the gauge.
HOW DOES THE "PRO" GAUGE WORK?
Accuracy of the PRO gauge starts with its exclusive parabolic funnel that traps wind driven rain so it won't splash out. Rain is funneled into a precision drop forming tube, much like those you'd see in a hospital IV bottle. Each uniform drop coming out of the tube is equivalent to exactly 0.001 inches of rain. Each uniform drop falling from the tube is detected by four gold plated sensing electrodes that signal an electronic counting circuit. After each ten drops this circuit sends a signal to the ULTIMETER keyboard indicating that another hundredth inch of rain has fallen.
ULTIMETER TB RAIN GAUGE
HOW DOES IT WORK?
The ULTIMETER TB Rain Gauge features a proven tipping bucket design. Inside each rain gauge is a balanced "see-saw" bucket mechanism. The bucket has a divider wall across the middle, separating it into two halves, each shaped like a miniature coal shovel, with high sides and an open end. The rain gauge's funnel top feeds rain water into one of the half-buckets. As soon as the correct amount of water has been collected, the "see-saw" tips the other way, automatically emptying the water and positioning the other half-bucket for collecting rainfall. Each time the bucket tips, .01" of rainfall is added to the accumulated total on the ULTIMETER weather station.
WHY ARE THESE THE BEST TIPPING BUCKET GAUGES?-
The pivot bearings in the tipping bucket mechanisms are metal (stainless steel) and not plastic, for freer motion and greater longevity.
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They feature larger-volume buckets than other tipping bucket gauges, to resist jamming (common in smaller-bucket designs) caused by dust, pollen, webs, etc. The larger the bucket volume, the more water weight "horsepower" for driving the tipping action.
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They have larger collector diameters than comparable gauges. The larger the diameter, the better the sampling of rainfall.
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More accurate because of high vertical sidewalls to prevent splash-out of rain from the collector funnel.
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Each gauge is individually calibrated for optimum accuracy.
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They can be left outdoors in winter conditions without damage.
SENSOR COMBOS
Sensor Combos include our two most popular optional sensors (Rain Gauge and Humidity) and provide an easy way of installing all weather sensors on the same pole (pole and tripod not included)
Sensor Combos include a Rain Gauge and a Solar Shielded Humidity/Temperature Sensor, each with a 40 ft. cable, mounted together on a special bracket to bolt to your mast.
Available with a Pro Rain Gauge or Tipping Bucket Rain Gauge. Also, offered without Humidity Sensor (for use with ULTIMETER 100).
UNIMOUNT SENSOR ARRAY
The Unimount Sensor
Array includes all weather sensors and provides an expedient way of
installing at a single location. It consists of a 30 inch (1 1/4 inch
o.d.) vertical mast extension on which the wind sensor is mounted, and a
24-inch pvc cross-arm supporting the rain gauge and humidity/temperature
sensor. Also includes a weather resistant Junction Box Housing, from
which a single 50' cable carries the sensor data indoors to the
ULTIMETER Weather Station, and an indoor Power Connection Box.
Sensors included are an ULTIMETER Wind Sensor, a "PRO"
Rain Gauge or Tipping Bucket Rain Gauge, and an ULTIMETER
Humidity/Temperature Sensor with Solar Radiation Shield.
NOTE: May be purchased as an upgrade when ordered with a weather
station, or separately as a complete replacement sensor array.
Dew point is measured by the OUTDOOR HUMIDITY/TEMP SENSOR. The dew
point temperature is derived from the outdoor temperature and relative
humidity measurements.
Wind chill temperature is measured by the WIND SENSOR and OUTDOOR TEMPERATURE SENSOR. It is calculated from wind speed and outdoor temperature measurements by the ULTIMETER weather station.