Well that travel issue of not sleeping after long trips has kicked in. I woke up at 4:30 and just could not get back to sleep so just got up. It was an overcast morning, but I couldn’t see it when I got up as it was DARK… I had my oatmeal and set down to catch up a report that I have to do after one of those audits. I worked on that until about 10:30AM and got an email that the WX station was down. Ok, now what? We had had almost 2 inches of rain yesterday – first big rain in a very long time – but the rain gauge had never given a problem. The problems had always been me messing up the software or the receiver so that it lost the memory of what had happened before or something. (note: did it again)
When I went out I figured it was just a typical thing of loosing connection to one of the units or a battery issue. Sure enough it showed that it could not “talk” to the rain gauge. The WX station I have up is one of those Oregon Scientific WMR-968. I got this unit because it was not so expensive and allowed for extra remote sensors (I have 3 extra temp sensors on it to monitor the shop area and an extra outside temp for the deck). I had read a lot that this unit , in some instances, had problems of sensors going bonkers in 2 to 3 years and I was at that point but it was still strange, the rain gauge has never given a problem but maybe it had dead batteries. At first I figured to wait till afternoon to get on the roof of the barn. I would have to get it down for checking but thinking on it I figured I had time to check the batteries before leaving for lunch.
I knew I had to take the back off to get the cable off so I got out the screw driver for it and pulled the ladder out and away I went up on the roof. I hate getting up there anymore as the peak is about 20 ft. off the ground.
You can just see the remote sender on the lower left. This is a pic after the job was done.
I just do not like the steep north side of the roof too much but I can deal with it. I pulled the unit loose from the mount, unscrewed the umpteen zillion screws on the back and opened it up and water came out? Immediately I could see that water had set in the bottom and some battery corrosion was showing on the connector. I pulled out the batteries, as they were shot by now, and hauled it all down to the shop to get a better look at repairs or trash?
This thing has a weather seal around the back and the cable comes in from the bottom so I am not sure how it got so wet inside but it was plenty wet.
So there was no repair here, but fortunately I have a spare wx station I got on sale last year, so I pulled out the other rain gauge and proceeded to get it set up. I got it showing on the receiver but had to leave for lunch before I got it put back up.
After lunch I got back to the house and got it back on the roof. As I was making final moves to get it installed the guys showed up to re-evaluate my attic insulation. I have not been real happy with the blown in fiberglass I got and for good reason. I had not gotten up there except to look around the area from the closet when it was built. When they went up to look, I went to the top of the ladder and looked from the kitchen side and sure enough the coverage was very poor, spotty and not nearly 6 inches all over as I had ordered when they built. Now maybe some of that was settling over time so I will have to just figure it that way but the bat insulation on the vertical section around the living area was coming loose and that is not good. My intention is to get another 6 inches of ground up story-foam that will not settle and has very little dust as would the blown in cellulose. Supposedly this stuff even has a higher R value per inch so we will give it a try. In the process I have asked them to make repairs on the verticals and add what we can to seal up that portion as well and make sure we fill in all the area that is not filled in. They will also put another 6 inches on the shop attic. The price will not be too bad if they stay anywhere close to the estimate and I am sure it will pay out in just a few years if it gives a better seal.
Once all that was done I went back in the shop to put some tools away and re-look at the sender mess. Since I am partially deaf I had not noticed before, but there was a strange noise coming from the WX computer. Well that can’t be good. I pulled it out and gave it a look and best I can figure it is either the power supply fan or the hard drive and I fully suspect it to be the hard drive that is about to crash. Just what I need is for another cat-ass-trophy to happen but looks like I have computer repairs in the future for later this week. Just seems when it is one thing it turns into more and with the dead battery in the car Friday night and now the WX station and the computer that will makes 3 so maybe I will be good to go for some time. You know the theory of threes? Sure wish I had gotten a Mega-Million lottery ticket today as it would have happened after the 3rd problem? right?
Oh well, tomorrow I make a trip to Enid to see Dad and help out with some things there. REX