Vantage Pro 2 Stations - Overview

VP2 Station - All supplied parts The standard Vantage Pro 2 station consists of three main components: the indoor console on which all the weather readings are displayed; the anemometer for measuring wind speed and direction; and an assembly known as the Integrated Sensor Suite (ISS for short) that contains all the other outside sensors, such as those for temperature, humidity, rainfall etc. See picture (right) for the complete set of parts supplied with each station.

The key features of all VP systems include:

Console with large impressive display;
Option of wireless or cabled (30m supplied) link from sensors to console;
Sensors to measure wind speed & direction; air temperature & humidity; pressure; rainfall; plus numerous derived readings, such as wind chill, dew point etc;
Integral radiation shield as standard;
Easy installation with screw and U-bolt fixings included;
Fully detailed installation manuals;

Additionally, there is a range of optional accessories that allow a weather monitoring installation to be customised for many specialised applications:

Weatherlink data logger and software to link your weather station to a PC or upload weather data to the internet;
Solar radiation and UV sensors (the 'VP2 Plus' models include these as standard);
A range of additional sensors to measure temperature, humidity, soil moisture and leaf wetness at several locations (wireless stations only).
Additional wireless accessories for increased flexibility and greater range;
Tripod and mounting poles for easy installation;
Fan-assisted radiation shields can be specified for ultimate temperature accuracy;

N.B. All systems we supply incorporate the latest available revisions of hardware from Davis.

A closer look

Console

VP2 Console close-up 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 console acts as a receiver and processor of the raw outside data, a display unit and also accommodates the station's optional data logger, if fitted. Full details of the console display are described on the separate console display page.

Consoles come in both wireless (shown here) and cabled versions and obviously need corresponding wireless or cabled outside sensors to match. (It is not possible to mix wireless and cabled parts). Read more about VP wireless technology.

Also available is a type of console without a display known as an Envoy unit and intended for specialised installations where a PC will always be used to view the weather data, and hence where a console display would not necessarily be needed.

Integrated Sensor Suite (ISS) and Anemometer

VP2 ISS Close-up In a standard VP2 station, the outside sensors are grouped into two units: the anemometer for measuring wind speed and direction; and a second unit known as the Integrated Sensor Suite (ISS) containing temperature and humidity sensors and the rain gauge. The ISS also serves as a mounting point for solar radiation and UV sensors, where fitted. [NB Davis promotional pictures (such as the one reproduced left) for simplicity often show the ISS and anemometer mounted as if they were a single combined unit, but they are two quite independent parts and, in practice, best mounted separately - see our advice on Practical Aspects of Installing an AWS.]

The ISS consists of the conical black rain gauge mounted above the white louvred radiation shield, which serves to prevent temperature errors due to sunlight falling directly on the temperature sensor. This shield contains the temperature and humidity sensors but, in addition, houses the circuitry for combining the inputs from other outside sensors, via sockets into which cables from the other sensors plug.

The ISS comes in two versions: wireless and cabled. In wireless stations, the circuitry within the radiation shield contains the wireless transmitter. In cabled versions, there is a single cable joining ISS and console – a major improvement compared to the three cables necessary with older station designs. The wireless ISS is also fitted with a small solar panel to supplement the built-in lithium battery to power the sensor/wireless circuitry; this will naturally perform best in the UK when oriented to face south. Power for the cabled ISS sensors is supplied via the cable.

The anemometer is supplied with a 12m cable and can therefore be mounted up to 12m away from the main body of the ISS. Standard extension cables can also be bought to increase this distance if required. For wireless VP stations only, there is the option of buying a separate anemometer transmitter, which allows the anemometer and ISS to be mounted completely independently.

The solar and/or UV radiation sensors are mounted on a small shelf assembly that sits alongside the rain gauge. (The two sensors can just be seen around the top edge of the rain gauge in the picture above).

Weatherlink

Weatherlink Bulletin display The optional Weatherlink data logger and software package allows a VP station to be connected to a PC. The package consists of two components:

The data logging module, which fixes to the back of the console and allows weather data to be stored for several weeks without a PC being connected;
Comprehensive software to store, display and analyse all accumulated weather data and, if required, to run a live weather reporting website;

To read more about Weatherlink please our general introduction to compatible data loggers and software and also our specific Weatherlink page.

Supplementary Stations

For wireless stations only, a number of additional independent sensors, known as supplementary stations, can be added to a VP2 system. These stations fall into two groups: supplementary temperature and temperature/humidity stations for general-purpose monitoring at locations other than the ISS; and more specialised stations for horticulture/agriculture applications, primarily for measuring soil moisture and leaf wetness, but also able to make extra temperature measurements, for example of soil temperature.