Vantage Pro 2 – Brief Overview

Davis Vantage Pro 2 is available from our online shop!
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This page is an outline introduction to the Vantage Pro 2 models. For more details please visit our main Vantage Pro 2 page.

The Davis Vantage Pro 2 (VP2) stations are a family of weather stations designed to professional standards, but still relatively affordable. There are several different VP2 models, which are all based around a common design, but with numerous options available as to sensor and console configuration.

The VP2 differs from the simpler Vue station in many aspects of design and specification, but the main distinction is that the VP2 models offer much more flexibility and expandability. Anyone looking for something more than a very basic weather station will almost certainly be able to find a suitable model in the VP2 range.

VP2 stations (AS revision onwards) now include a high-accuracy (±0.3C) temperature/humidity sensor and (AZ revision onwards) the AeroCone rain gauge.

Description

All Vantage Pro 2 complete stations consist of two main parts: the outside sensor assembly and one of two display consoles. The sensor assembly (often called the ‘ISS’) obviously sits outside in the weather, while the console is usually placed indoors where its LCD display screen can easily be read to see the very latest weather readings.

(NB Mounting pole is not included as standard. Also, it’s simplest for illustration purposes to show the anemometer close by to the main part of the ISS, but these are actually two quite separate assemblies joined only by means of a long cable. In practice, more accurate readings will be obtained by mounting the anemometer up high but with the main body of the ISS much closer to ground level.)

In the VP2 range, there is a choice of a cabled or a wireless connection between ISS and console. These are two different model ranges – you need to specify a cabled or a wireless model. (NB You cannot interconvert between cabled and wireless.). The wireless models have a range of up to about 250m clear line of sight, while 30m cable is supplied with the cabled versions (which can be extended up to 300m). There is no cabled option with the 6313 WeatherLink Console, it only works with the wireless model.

The main features of the VP2 range (with the original console) include:

  • Measures all of the following as standard: wind speed & direction; air temperature & humidity; pressure and rainfall;
  • Many other readings such as windchill temperature, rainfall rate, sunrise and sunset times are calculated by the console;
  • Sunshine and UV intensity sensors are options for all VP2 stations;
  • A wide range of other temperature, humidity, soil moisture etc sensors can be added to all wireless VP2 stations (but not cabled models);
  • The anemometer is separate from the main ISS sensor assembly, giving the key benefit that the anemometer can be mounted up high to measure maximum wind speeds, with other readings being measured more accurately closer to ground level;
  • Fan-aspirated shields are available as an option to improve temperature accuracy;
    Large impressive LCD display on the console;
  • Full data logging, PC connection and weather website uploads are available (see below);
  • Easy installation with screw & U-bolt fixings (excluding pole) and fully detailed installation manuals included ;

Vantage Pro 2 Console (Original)

vp2cShown right is a close-up of the original VP2 display console. The VP2 display console is the unit that sits (usually) indoors to provide a comprehensive display of current weather conditions on its large LCD display. The upper part of the display always shows the same readings (wind speed, air temperature etc), while a range of different readings can be called up on the lower part by using presses on specific control buttons. A summary forecast for up to a few hours ahead can be shown on the bottom line of the display.

Full details of the console display are described on the separate console display page.

In addition to the standard console, there is also a range of compatible, but cheaper, Envoy consoles, which have similar functions to the standard unit but with no LCD display. These Envoy consoles are useful in specific applications and also as a second console where weather data needs to be fed only to a PC and not displayed locally.

There are also a couple of special receiver units in the VP2 range: the Envoy8X console, which is an extra powerful Envoy version able to listen to many sensor transmitters at the same time and much greater memory; and the Connect unit, which is a totally self-contained solar-powered unit able to transmit data via the 3G phone network and therefore ideally suited to remote weather monitoring applications for farming etc.

For full details of these consoles and also of the many supplementary sensors and other VP2 accessories please follow the links provided or read through our main VP2 pages.

WeatherLink Console

6313 Console
6313 Weatherlink Console

The latest addition to the Davis family, the 6313 WeatherLink Console revolutionizes the way you access, analyse, and understand your hyperlocal weather data. A display console and data logger rolled into one, the WeatherLink Console gives you instantaneous access to the information you need and the ability to do deep analysis, all from a single, convenient display with an intuitive and easy-to-understand touchscreen. From viewing current and historical data, creating graphs and setting alarms, calculating indexes and reviewing forecasts, the WeatherLink Console helps you keep track of conditions so you can make better decisions about your recreation, garden, home maintenance, and more.

The brilliant, HD touchscreen allows you to easily navigate and analyze your hyperlocal weather data or view the latest conditions from anywhere in the room. The dynamic dashboard can be customized to see at-a-glance up to 21 parameters – from temperature to wind to rain. You can set hundreds of alarms to get notified when conditions that matter to you change, such as when temperatures begin approaching a critical point for outdoor work or when wind speeds reach a certain level. With a full database of historical data stored right on the console, the console offers easy access to graphs of the last 24 hours of data, last month, or the previous year.

These are now included in bundles with the Vantage Pro 2 (and Vantage Vue), the 6252UK for the standard VP2 ISS, and 6262UK for the Plus model (UV & Solar).

For more information on the WeatherLink Console, head over to its dedicated page here.

Data logging and weather websites

Please note that the new WeatherLink console has no slots for a data logger as it can connect directly to your Wi-Fi router to upload its data to WeatherLink.com. The original LCD console requires a data logger to access the stored data.

Many users like to link their weather station to a PC in order to keep detailed long-term weather records and also, perhaps, to run their own live weather-reporting website (see right). Both of these options are perfectly possible with a Vantage Pro 2 by fitting a data logger pack to the standard VP2 station – a straightforward and easy-to-use option.

A wide range of data loggers is available for the Vantage Pro 2 stations, ranging from the popular 6510USB type through to the Wi-Fi Logger. A full range of compatible third-party software is also available via the Internet (some free, others at modest cost).

A first introduction to the data loggers can be found here.

Davis Vantage Pro 2 is available from our online shop!
Buy Now