29 December 2009 Change the batteries in the cold

Yesterday the temperature never climbed above freezing. Therefore, of course it was time to change batteries on my weather station. This process requires removing and replacing screws that are small enough to live in mechanical watches for three separate sensor systems, dismounting and remounting a mast, carefully aligning the entire mast with true north, and coaxing the entire system to transmit successfully to a receiver 50 feet away in the house.


Each sensor has different numbers of screws securing the battery compartment. Each sensor takes a different sized driver. Two sensors use AA Lithium batteries, one uses AAA lithium batteries. Each sensor also has a miniscule reset port that varies in size and shape and cannot be reached without dissembling each particular component from the sensor mast. Each reset switch must be tripped after battery replacement.

Just to make the task somewhat more difficult, I spent two hours coaxing a balky chain saw through pieces of firewood. That ensured that my fine motor control in both hands, rather than just the left, was blown for the day. There was also a stiff breeze blowing yesterday to add wind chills in the single digit range into the mix.

Rather than drop pieces onto the deck or the pool deck, I unshipped the entire mast and brought it into the house for better light, a restricted search area for any dropped points, and for a warmer work area.

After replacing, cleaning, rebuilding, and re-connecting I had the mast re-assembled and ready to put back into service. All components seemed to be working well and wind, humidity, temp and rain sensors were purportedly connected. Diagnostics built into the data-managing program I use to track and catalogue local weather indicated a green board. I noticed that there was not a lot of external temperature variation but put that down to the local weather.

This morning I noticed a red light on starting up the weather station software, a warning that some problem existed in the temp/hygrometer unit that dwells outside and reports to the warm and dry base unit, which dutifully downloads to my notebook. I reset the program twice with no resolution. It seemed that the data was all right, the com link was good, but the new batteries I had put in yesterday afternoon were reported as faulty.

After a rapid hike with Mike, discussing chainsaws as we walked, it was back to the weather mast. I partially dismantled the mast, removing the shield that shades the thermometer/hygrometer, slipped out the sensor, changed batteries – new lot number bought on a different date, and put it all back, more or less, together. Still that single accusing red light, flagging bad batteries.

The stove demands feeding if the power bill is to be kept at a lower total amount. So the chainsaw problem rotated to the front. I was hoping that letting it overnight in the house might make it more tractable. Yes, it has come to that point as all the troubleshooting guide has to offer for the constellation of problems I’m seeing is, “call dealer for service appointment.” There is no local dealer. This particular model was made to sell at Lowes to people who don’t want to spend what they should on a chainsaw. It is hard, next to impossible, to find chains for this model, no longer made or supported by the manufacturer.

With false hope in my heart, I put on the steps to sit in the sunlight. It started and then began to repeat yesterday’s performance. By carefully arranging the work area and flow I was able, about half the time, to cut a piece of wood, set the saw down, put another piece of wood in the device that secures it for the saw, and grab the saw before it sputtered to a halt. I cut and stacked about twice as much wood as yesterday.

Back into the warmth, the luxury of a shower, and back to the red light that won’t go away. The software vendor says, “Hardware problem.” The hardware vendor says, “Software problem, but take all the batteries out, reset everything, and power up.” I do, it goes away. So does the offset for external temperature calculated to be sure that below freezing temps are accurate. So vanishes 60 inches of rain recorded over the year. Fortunately, my obsessive-compulsive side has saved all this data on spreadsheets. One hopes this problem is resolved.

The chainsaw problem will continue. Sometime soon, it will have to be resolved as we intend to continue using the woodstove. Whether we manage to cut and stack all our own firewood or import it, there will still be need for the chainsaw. Property maintenance will doubtless require a working tool as well.

There’s little else to add today. .All things considered, a day begun well and likely to end well.