Do any of you use the SEN-15901 combo kit with anemo, vane, rain sensor? My station works OK, but recently I’ve noticed in my raw data (which I submit to CWOP/MADIS) that my anemo does not spin when there is a very light breeze - it used to, so my station now reports 0, unless there is a decent breeze over 5mph to get it really going. I cleaned it from the outside, there is no debris or spider webs or insect ingress, but when I took the station apart the entire head came off and I could jsut remove the magnetic sensor, but the bearing assembly seems to be one piece with no way to take it apart for instpection or cleaning of the bearing.
Have any of you done this?
Given the price point I did not expect miracles, for a sub-$100 sensor, but less than 4 months of use and already seeing degradation, that genuinely surprised me. I may bite the bullet and go with one of the pro-tier Davis stations, which are order of magnitude more expensive, but at least they are fully serviceable and have replacement sealed bearing assemblies.
If any of you guys run the SEN15901, how do you service and maintain them in a good working order?
I have not modified one but you might be able to use a standard sealed skateboard bearing (or similar…hardware stores usually have a few kinds) and a spacer to remedy, though it sounds like that will destroy the original contraption, so it could be a tradeoff between not having the low-speed data and crafting a workable solution :-/
Since the cups physically fail to start in a light breeze, this is mechanical stiction rather than a reed-switch, debounce or calibration problem. Check that the shaft is vertical, the cups are not distorted and no housing surface is rubbing. A useful comparison is to flick the rotor and measure its coast-down time.
I would not use WD-40 or heavy grease; these can attract dirt, wash lubricant from a bearing or affect some plastics. Unless SparkFun identifies a suitable lubricant and application point, forcing oil into a non-serviceable bearing could make matters worse.
At less than four months old, document the starting threshold and coast-down behaviour with a short video, then contact SparkFun for warranty guidance before modifying it. Their previous support response indicates that the anemometer is sold only as part of the complete kit, so replacement parts may be limited.
If serviceability becomes the deciding factor, this Anemosens project may be worth examining as an alternative design using magnetic sensing and replaceable, 3D-printed mechanical parts.
