SUPPORT  versions Davis

Console/Datalogger Compatibility

The reseller note sent July 10th of 2012 detailed the changes to consoles and dataloggers that created an incompatibility between new consoles and old dataloggers.

 Essentially, a new console must use a new datalogger.  The easiest way to determine compatibility with brand new product is to observe whether the packaging has a green dot sticker on it.  A new, “green dot” console must use a new, “green dot” datalogger.  Downgrading firmware in the console will not change anything.  Newer consoles must use a newer datalogger. Old consoles can use any datalogger.

 If you don’t have access to packaging and its associated green dot the best way to determine compatibility is to use the manufacturing code.  The table from the July Reseller Note is missing some detail with respect to console manufacturing codes.  Below is a more complete table detailing console manufacturing codes more thoroughly.

 If any of your customers need to have a console replaced with a newer, green dot, console (or they bought a new console) you must be aware of whether they have a datalogger and what revision it is.  The customer may need a later version datalogger in order to continue using WeatherLink.  In the Davis Service Center in California we cover this swap under warranty or, if out of warranty, we cover it under our standard repair fee.

 Manufacturing Code Changes

 We recently changed the scheme of the manufacturing code on both the Pro2 and Vue. 

 The encoded date in the manufacturing code is exactly the same.  No changes were made to the date encoding. The date encoding is still as follows:

xxYYMMDDzzz – Where YY is the year, MM is the month and DD is the day of manufacture. 

 The letter(s) at the beginning of the manufacturing code is what recently changed.  In the past this was a single revision letter that only changed when major changes occurred.  Today we are using two letters to keep track of every change no matter how small or minor.  For example if we change anemometer bearing vendors, or LCD driver chips change.  This will help us monitor returns to see if any particular version has a higher rate of return and assist in finding emerging problems sooner.  Most of the changes are minor and do not impact sales, service, repair or use of the product.

 If there is ever a change that creates incompatibilities or issues related its use and serviceability in the field I will let you know via this forum.

 The two version changes that are relevant to this forum are

1.        Vantage Vue has gone through major hardware changes that cause incompatibilities with field replaceable parts.  See Tech Note:  Vantage Vue 1.1 - An Outstanding Product Just Got Better sent on 10/25/12 for complete details. To summarize, Vue rev A through F were the original Vue, rev G had the pogo pin connectors eliminated and rev Mx (with x being a sub alpha character) is the newest Vue with the major hardware changes denoted in the aforementioned Tech Note.

2.       Vantage Pro2 has had less change.  Rev A was the earlier model Pro2 before the “green dot” compatibility issue detailed above.  Rev B, and after our manufacturing code change, rev Ax (with x being a sub alpha character) denote that it is the new, “green dot” console that must be used with a later model (green dot) model datalogger.

 Console Firmware Changes

 Revision 3.0 incorporates the following changes:

1.       Added leading zero on temperature values between -1.0 and 1.0 ( was .1’C, now 0.1’C)

2.       Humidity will not show 0%. Will now stop at 1%

3.       Hourly ET values will always be positive and cannot go negative.

4.       Wind speed term in ET formula will not go negative if average wind speed is over 12 mph.

5.       Temp/Hum Index calculation improved. 

ISS Firmware Sticker

 We added the ISS firmware version to the outside packaging in the event we have trouble with the firmware and need to inform resellers to pull all systems with ISS firmware version x.x.x.  There have been no ISS firmware changes that impact use or repair of the system other than those already denoted by the manufacturing code.