The Essential Weather Station Maintenance Checklist

Regular maintenance of weather stations is the key to ensuring accurate results while also prolonging the life of your station. If performed at regular intervals, performing maintenance will be a relatively easy task. Here is a checklist we have created and tested to ensure your weather station is adequately maintained and your measurements are precise.

Maintenance steps will vary according to weather station brands and models. Further, some devices may not include all of the individual sensors we cover, so be sure to consult your user manual for specific assembly and maintenance instructions.

Rain Gauge

Both tipping buckets and weighing rain gauges direct any collected rain to a measuring mechanism via a funnel. Being exposed to the elements makes this mechanism susceptible to the collection of debris such as leaves, sticks, insects, and even bird droppings. Any debris obstructing the funnel inside the gauge housing will impact the accuracy of your measurements.

Check and remove any items from the rain funnel and the debris filter.

Open the rain gauge and remove any foreign objects.

If your rain gauge is self-emptying, be sure to check for any obstructions in the exit path.

Use a soft damp cloth to wipe away dust. Pay close attention to tipping spoons as dust often accumulates here.

Check that the gauge is level before and after reassembly.

Wind Vane

Wind vanes measure wind direction. Any obstructions to a vane will result in inaccurate wind directional readings.

Use a cloth to remove any dirt or insect webbing from the vane. If the blade is extra dirty, use a warm soap or mild detergent to wipe down, then rinse thoroughly.

Check that your wind vane can spin freely. Wind vanes will have slightly more resistance to turning compared to wind cups. This slight resistance is to enhance measurement accuracy.

Check that the orientation of the wind vane is correct.

Wind Cups

The build-up of dirt and insect webbing is a common issue with wind cups. A build-up can result in movement restrictions, which will impact the reliability of wind measurement data.

If possible, remove the wind cups, then use a cloth to remove any webbing and dirt. If required, use a mild detergent and soapy water to remove grime. Rinse thoroughly and let the cups dry before reinstallation.

If the cup can be removed, wipe down the wind cup shaft with a cloth to remove any dirt or dust.

Once dry and reinstalled, check the wind cups and ensure they can spin freely.

Relative Humidity/Temperature Sensors/Radiation Shields

Obstructions or the build-up of dust, insects, and leaves on a radiation shield can affect temperature and humidity readings.

Dust down the radiation shield using a cloth or small soft toothbrush.

Check your user manual for instructions on how to remove the radiation shield. Once removed, unstack and remove any debris you find stuck between the panels. Use warm soapy water and clean thoroughly. Let components dry completely before reinstalling.

Use a soft cloth or small soft toothbrush to gently clean around the temperature and humidity sensor. 

Solar Panel

To prolong the life of your backup batteries, you will want to get the most out of your solar panels. To ensure optimal charging, keep them clean and free of dust, debris, and bird droppings.

Use an antistatic or damp cloth to wipe away any material from the solar panel.

Batteries

Maintaining the power sources of your weather station sensors is extremely important. Failure to do so will result in an interruption in data collection.

Replace batteries in all your consoles as often as your user manual stipulates. Most stations will alert you in the event of a low battery. However, if you notice unusual readings, your first troubleshooting step should be to replace the batteries. 

Solar Radiation Sensor

To safeguard accurate solar radiation measurements, you should frequently inspect your solar radiation sensor.

Use a cloth to remove any dirt, dust, or debris accumulated over the lens or cover. 

If you have a bubble level, check that the sensor remains level. 

UV Sensor

For consistent and precise UV measurements, check the UV sensor often.

Use a cloth to remove any dirt, dust, or debris accumulated over the lens or cover. 

Ensure the sensor is level.

Conclusion

The maintenance of your weather stations is a straightforward task that is critical for accurate readings and to prolonging the life of your instrument. Your maintenance frequency will depend on the make and model of your weather station, as well as the device’s environment.

Need help with any of the steps listed above? Contact one of the Instrument Choice Scientists. We’re here to help! Call 1300 737 871 or email [email protected].

Multimedia

Watch an Instrument Choice Scientist demonstrate how to clean a Davis Vantage Vue Weather Station;

Watch an Instrument Choice Scientist replace the batteries in the Davis Vantage Vue;