Algorithm Posted January 4, 2009 Posted January 4, 2009 It appears searching about WB's history that this application started in the U.S. There was an announcement that a company was going to implement WB infrastructure in Canada over the next 3 years. I am located in Calgary, AB, Canada. The native desktop application doesn't allow me to select Canadian cities, so I cannot tell whether there are WB stations located nearby. I have seen forum posts that some people close to the border are able to locate WB stations located in Canada by using a zip code located in the norther part of the U.S. With the ISY module, is it possible to pick/locate stations in Canada? Regards Geoff Hi Geoff, Weatherbug Canadian and International Cities. And here's Calgary. Weatherbug works fine in my ISY, and yes I was able to select from a number of nearby stations. While most of the data is available, unfortunately for my location (perhaps all Canadian locations, and possibly even some U.S. locations) some of the data is never available: Temperature Rate, Humidity Rate, Pressure Rate, Rain Today, Light, and Light Rate. I really wanted to be able to use Light, to determine when lights should/should not come on based on actual light level rather than just dusk/dawn (think of a dark, stormy afternoon). And of course Rain! Let us know which of the data are unavailable at your location.
khearn Posted January 6, 2009 Posted January 6, 2009 BTW, I just checked the FAQ at weatherbug.com and found this: How can I join The Backyard Network? If you have an interest in purchasing a weather station, you may want to visit our partner Ambient Weather at: http://www.ambientweather.com/weatherbug.html I already own a Davis weather station- can I still join the Backyard Network? If you have a Backyard Weather Station, you can easily join the WeatherBug Backyard Network by visiting our partner Ambient Weather and purchase their Virtual Station Software (http://www.ambientweather.com/virtualstation.html). If you have Davis Weather Station, you can also download the WeatherBug Publisher software here. So if you want to integrate a Davis weather station (or apparently a few other brands), it looks like you can add it to the weatherbug network and then select it as your local station. The cheapest system Ambient has on their weatherbug page is $178.95 for a LaCrosse system, ranging up to ~$1500 for the most expensive Davis system (there are 20 different systems). Plus I guess you'd have to pay for the ISY software module as well. Disclaimer: I haven't done any of this, I'm just reporting what I've found in a few minutes of poking around. Keith
G W Posted January 6, 2009 Author Posted January 6, 2009 The cheapest system Ambient has on their weatherbug page is $178.95 for a LaCrosse system, ranging up to ~$1500 for the most expensive Davis system (there are 20 different systems). Plus I guess you'd have to pay for the ISY software module as well. Keith I like toys that work together. This is very interesting. I do plan to purchase a very nice Davis Weather Station this year.
Algorithm Posted January 7, 2009 Posted January 7, 2009 Hello Geoff, In response to your message, I just checked my ISY Weatherbug interface. There are 18 reporting stations in and around Calgary that you may choose from.
CompKing Posted January 7, 2009 Posted January 7, 2009 Weatherbug works fine in my ISY, and yes I was able to select from a number of nearby stations. While most of the data is available, unfortunately for my location (perhaps all Canadian locations, and possibly even some U.S. locations) some of the data is never available: Temperature Rate, Humidity Rate, Pressure Rate, Rain Today, Light, and Light Rate. I really wanted to be able to use Light, to determine when lights should/should not come on based on actual light level rather than just dusk/dawn (think of a dark, stormy afternoon). And of course Rain! Let us know which of the data are unavailable at your location. My experience in Calgary is the same for which items are not available.
Algorithm Posted January 7, 2009 Posted January 7, 2009 My experience in Calgary is the same for which items are not available. Hi Geoff, Thanks for the update. It is regrettable that those data points are unavailable. But, I'm glad the module is working for you!
Sub-Routine Posted January 9, 2009 Posted January 9, 2009 Weatherbug works fine in my ISY, and yes I was able to select from a number of nearby stations. While most of the data is available, unfortunately for my location (perhaps all Canadian locations, and possibly even some U.S. locations) some of the data is never available: Temperature Rate, Humidity Rate, Pressure Rate, Rain Today, Light, and Light Rate. I really wanted to be able to use Light, to determine when lights should/should not come on based on actual light level rather than just dusk/dawn (think of a dark, stormy afternoon). And of course Rain! Let us know which of the data are unavailable at your location. I just added the WeatherBug module to my ISY99. There are 50 sites available to my location, a northwest suburb of Chicago. They are listed in order of distance, the furthest at 18.09 miles. I found the site closest to my home (1.8 miles), a small airport with an official weather station (KPWK), was missing the above data, except perhaps Rain Today. Site #2 on my list, a local high school (still only 2.57 miles), has ALL the data, except perhaps Rain Today. I think that Snow is different then Rain as it has snowed about 3-4 inches already today and Rain Today says 0 mm. It's pretty overcast, enough for a few extra lights on in the house and the Light was about 54 (percent?) when I first connected. I am able to observe the Light diminishing and rising as the clouds move through. And the Light Rate indicates +/- as it changes (percent/hour?). Pretty cool. It should be better than Dawn/Dusk from a MotionSensor. These folder schedule conditions coincide with our weekday schedules. Daytime Folder Conditions for 'Daytime' Add conditions to limit when programs in this folder are allowed to run. If From 8:30:00AM To Sunset - 1 hour and 30 minutes (same day) And Program 'Weekend On' is False Then Allow the programs in this folder to run. I will have to monitor the Light level for a few days to determine how correct 65 is. Stormy Day Don't use this! See here. If Module 'Climate' Light < 65 Then Wait 5 minutes Set Scene 'Indoor Lights - Stormy Day' On Else Wait 5 minutes Set Scene 'Indoor Lights - Daytime Away' On I am definitely going to be able to change the 'Sunset - 1 hour and 30 minutes (same day)' part. I'll have to look through a few other programs at the same time. I wish there was Snowfall and Snowfall Rate, but I suppose that would involve equipment more sophisticated than the average person can afford. I was hoping to see that, or a conversion to Rain data, from the airport. I'm guessing it will be March or later before I can assess Rain data here. This module makes a great addition to the ISY! Rand Edited to add the Waits to the program. Edited to note the Program doesn't work
Sub-Routine Posted January 9, 2009 Posted January 9, 2009 Here is a screenshot of the HTML page added with the WB module: Rand
Algorithm Posted January 10, 2009 Posted January 10, 2009 There are 50 sites available to my location, a northwest suburb of Chicago. They are listed in order of distance, the furthest at 18.09 miles. I found the site closest to my home (1.8 miles), a small airport with an official weather station (KPWK), was missing the above data, except perhaps Rain Today. Site #2 on my list, a local high school (still only 2.57 miles), has ALL the data, except perhaps Rain Today. I think that Snow is different then Rain as it has snowed about 3-4 inches already today and Rain Today says 0 mm. It's pretty overcast, enough for a few extra lights on in the house and the Light was about 54 (percent?) when I first connected. I am able to observe the Light diminishing and rising as the clouds move through. And the Light Rate indicates +/- as it changes (percent/hour?). Pretty cool. It should be better than Dawn/Dusk from a MotionSensor. Hi Rand, Good tip. Unfortunately, none of the reporting stations for my location have the missing data I'm looking for; I'm not sure whether this is true of all Canadian stations or not, but would be interested in hearing from others. Do keep us updated as to how well the Light data works out for you.
Sub-Routine Posted January 11, 2009 Posted January 11, 2009 Watching the Light data changing I added some Waits to my program. The 65 seems like a good number for the inside lights on the north side of our house. I will probably use a lower number for lights on the south end of the house, at least for the winter. I will also use noon to change the number for our foyer/hallway which has a window facing east. I was up early enough this morning to watch the sunrise. When the Light reaches 8-10 it's so bright that the outside lights are unnecessary. I've been turning the lights on 30 minutes before sunset and leaving them on 30 minutes after sunrise to allow for cloud cover. This is going to save me some electricity! Darrell, I haven't looked at the personal weather stations lately, and now I don't need to but I imagine the rates and other data are probably features of the more advanced (expensive) stations and software. Still watching the Light, Rand
gregoryx Posted January 11, 2009 Posted January 11, 2009 Sorry if this has been covered, but I gotta ask: with all that cool information coming in, can it be shared to the Elk somehow? My irrigation is through Elk; I'd love to get the rain data (or other weather elements) integrated to my irrigation. If not today, might this be something that the (future) virtual devices / variables would do? Uh... that makes me think... in terms of Elk, there'd be a pretty big difference between an ISY-only variable and a virtual device that could be shared with Elk. Anyway... what's the answer? Now? Later?
Algorithm Posted January 11, 2009 Posted January 11, 2009 Rand, Excellent. So very glad to hear that the Light level is actually turning out to be a valuable data point. Yes, most likely some of the more expensive weather stations would provide that, but taking into consideration their cost, there wouldn't really be a cost/benefit ratio. What I may try is using some of the very inexpensive X-10 motion sensors (which have dusk/dawn reporting). They report pretty quickly, so may have to be averaged over a short period.
Sub-Routine Posted January 12, 2009 Posted January 12, 2009 Darrell, yes, I am lucky that the high school has invested and surprised the airport didn't. Perhaps your village/newspaper/radio station/etc. would sponsor a station at your local high school The one I see is sponsored by a local TV/radio corporation. If you connect to WeatherBug the data would be available to everyone. I've posted in the How-Tos an example to buffer the light/dark signals. My first program was a bust WeatherBug Light data thread. Rand
Sub-Routine Posted January 12, 2009 Posted January 12, 2009 Oh, and be sure to point out how the weather data can help make the village safer, as well as more efficient. Rand
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