Introduction

These weather stations represent the previous generation of Davis weather stations and are now superseded in large measure by the Vantage Pro stations. However, the Weather Monitor II (WMII) and Weather Wizard III stations and many of their accessories remain in production and may still be of interest especially those seeking only very basic weather monitoring or on a limited budget - Wizard models start in price from just £199 inc VAT.

All WMII and Wizard stations can measure wind speed and direction plus inside and outside temperatures. Depending on the model and accessories installed, these stations may additionally measure barometric pressure; rainfall; and inside and outside humidity. All WMII and Wizard models can also be linked to a PC with their own version of the Davis Weatherlink data logging package. (Read more about Weatherlink.) NB Much of the description below applies equally to WMII and Wizard stations and so these ranges are referred to generically as WMII type stations and distinguished only where there are significant differences.

NB Production of Weather Monitor II stations has now been discontinued by Davis. Stocks of WMII CSM stations are fully exhausted although a very few WMII standard models remain available. Production of Weather Wizard III models continues unchanged and these Wizard units are readily available.

If you are considering a WMII type model, please be sure to read the WMII/Wizard vs Vantage Pro section below.

Weather Monitor II and Weather Wizard III stations

The key features of WMII and Wizard station include:

• Accurate, reliable monitoring of basic weather parameters;
• Derived values (eg wind chill temperature) calculated automatically;
• Display units can be set independently for each parameter category;
• Highs and lows values recorded automatically;
• Straightforward DIY installation with extensive range of installation accessories available;
• Easy linkage to PCs with the Weatherlink option;
• Comprehensive instruction manual supplied;
• Two year Davis warranty and full after-sales support;

The WMII and Weather Wizard stations are each available in two versions: a basic 'standard' version and a version with additional sensors, termed 'CSM'. Alternatively, the additional sensors, up to the maximum permitted set for each model, can be added separately to standard models at a later date if required. An extensive range of accessories, including extension cables is also available and summarised on a separate page.

The Wizard and Monitor II consoles and display are similar to one another (see images below) but not interchangeable. The display contains a graphical wind rose to the left to designate wind direction with a choice of either wind speed or the direction in figures displayed within the rose. The right of the display shows the readout for whichever single parameter has been selected by pressing one of the buttons below, ie temperature, rainfall etc. The Wizard console possesses four buttons on the top button row, whereas the WMII console has eight buttons to cater for readings from the larger set of sensors that it accepts.

Wizard Standard (7425)

Wizard stations are supplied with the most basic Davis console and are able to measure inside and outside temperature; wind speed and direction; and, optionally, rainfall. The rain gauge is not included with the Wizard standard model. Please note that, other than rain gauge, no further sensors can be added to Wizard models. Users requiring the option of measuring pressure and/or humidity must specify a Weather Monitor II or Vantage Pro model.

Wizard CSM (7425CSM)

The CSM package version is identical to the standard Wizard pack but also contains the optional rain gauge at a favourable all-in price compared to buying the rain gauge separately.

WMII Standard (7440)

The WMII is traditionally the best-known Davis station and has been sold widely around the world over many years as a workhorse for serious but cost-effective weather monitoring. The standard WMII model is supplied with anemometer and temperature sensor as with the standard Wizard model, but the WMII console additionally contains a pressure sensor (pressure does not vary locally at constant height and therefore the pressure sensor does not need to be sited outdoors). The WMII console can also optionally accept inputs from the combined temperature/humidity sensor and rain gauge.

WMII CSM (7440CSM)

The WMII CSM package contains all the items in the standard WMII pack, but with replacement of the temperature sensor by the combined temperature/humidity sensor and addition of the rain gauge.

The WMII CSM pack is therefore a WMII system with its full complement of sensors and at an excellent all-in price, though here are of course further installation accessories that may be desirable.

WMII/Wizard vs Vantage Pro weather station ranges

When considering a WMII/Wizard model please bear in mind the differences from the Vantage Pro (VP) models, to avoid making a decision that may ultimately disappoint in terms of limited expansion capabilities or prove to have been a false economy. Key differences include:

• The WMII console display is much smaller and less impressive than the VP display and generates more limited data. For example there is no forecast generated by the WMII console;
• WMII models can only have cabled connections between console and outside sensors. There are no wireless models in the WMII range;
• Solar radiation and UV sensors cannot be fitted to WMII models;
• Expansion to include other additional sensors is very limited with WMII/Wizard stations. Thus, outside sensors are limited to a maximum of one each from the following list - no further sensors can be added;
  • anemometer (for wind speed and direction); air temperature; rainfall; (all models);
  • barometric pressure; relative humidity; (WMII models only);
• While WMII/Wizard packages do provide a complete basic weather station, they often benefit from additional accessories to improve accuracy (for example, a radiation shield to protect the temperature sensor from heating in direct sunlight is available as an optional extra) and to assist in mounting their sensors conveniently and robustly. In contrast the VP stations are fully complete in themselves; they include a radiation shield as standard, and rarely demand further installation accessories other than as a pure convenience;
• Installation of WMII/Wizard sensors, while still straightforward, is somewhat more of a task than with the VP range because of the extra cables, junction box etc involved;
• The WMII/Wizard Weatherlink data logger is of substantially older design than the VP logger. It is much slower to transfer data, stores fewer logged readings and is slightly less robust in operation;
• One minor point in favour of the WMII range is that the rain gauge and temperature/humidity sensor are independent items and can therefore be mounted in separate places (cable lengths permitting). In the VP models, the temperature etc sensors and rain gauge are combined into the single ISS unit;
• NB WMII and Wizard sensors measure weather data to approximately the same accuracy as the VP models, with the exception of poorer accuracy on humidity readings;

Overall, the WMII models can offer very cost-effective and reliable weather monitoring if the parameters to be measured are basic (eg perhaps just temperature and/or wind speed & direction) and the monitoring requirement is very unlikely to increase in scope at a later date. These models also have a low entry price and offer the option of allowing accessories to be added progressively as the budget may allow.
However, in general, we recommend the Vantage Pro models over the older design of the WMII stations, because of the many advantages of the VP range. It is important to do a careful price comparison between VP and WMII ranges - for more fully-specified systems it is not uncommon for the cost of a WMII system to total more than that of a comparable VP system.