Jun 22, 2016 23:00:00

I installed a 'Netatmo weather station anemometer' that measures wind speed and direction with an ultrasonic sensor.

By adopting a sensor that uses ultrasonic waves, an additional module for the 'Netatmo Weather Station ' anemometer, which can measure wind speed and direction continuously and without maintenance, can now be purchased in Japan. The measured data is transferred wirelessly and can be viewed from a smartphone. I have already installed a weather station and a rain gauge, so I decided to purchase and install an anemometer as well.

Accessories for the Netatmo Weather Station
https://www.netatmo.com/ja-JP/product/weather-station/accessories

The Netatmo Weather Station, which can accurately and in real time measure weather information such as temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide concentration, air quality, noise level, atmospheric pressure, and rainfall, is reviewed in detail in the following article.

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◆ Appearance of anemometer
The additional anemometer module is in a white box with the Netatmo logo on it.

The state-of-the-art ultrasonic technology can measure wind speed and direction.

What was in the box was the anemometer body, instructions, and warranty card.

The main body size is 85 mm in diameter x 110 mm in height and weighs 345 grams. High-quality plastic is used as the material, and it is said to be highly durable against ultraviolet rays, hail and strong winds.

There are triangular dents on the top and bottom, and when installing outdoors, the tip of this triangle must face north.

Four ultrasonic sensors are mounted on the inside so that accurate measured values can be obtained. A general

anemometer requires maintenance because the windmill and cup rotate, but since this anemometer has no moving parts, maintenance after installation is almost unnecessary.

The bottom is screwed in 4 places, and there is a hole for a tripod in the center.

The anemometer cannot be used alone, and cooperation with the Netatmo weather station is essential. Compared to the size of the Netatmo weather station, the anemometer is shorter and larger in diameter.

◆ Install the anemometer on the Netatmo app
Apps for operating Netatmo Weather Station are

available for iOS , Android, and Windows Phone . Since I will be using an iPhone this time, install the Netatmo app from the App Store.

On the launch screen of the app, select either 'Sign up' to create a new account or 'Login' to use an existing account. This time I already had a Netatmo account, so tap 'Login'.

Enter your email address and password and tap 'OK'.

Scroll left on the app home screen ...

Tap 'Install' in the anemometer menu.

Connect the Netatmo Weather Station to a power source.

Tap 'Next' on the app side.

The message 'Touch the top of the station until it flashes blue' is displayed, so touch the top of the Netatmo weather station.

When the light flashes blue, tap 'Next' on the app side.

The message 'The station is starting up' will be displayed, so wait for a while.

Tap 'Netatmo' on the 'Select Accessory' screen.

Tap 'Next'.

The firmware download will start, so wait again.

Then tap 'New Anemometer' to set up the anemometer. Only one anemometer can be added per Netatmo weather station.

Remove the screw on the bottom of the anemometer.

You need four AA batteries to use the anemometer, but since the batteries were set at the time of purchase, remove the insulating tape.

After removing the tape, close the battery cover again.

Tap 'Next' on the app side.

Then decide on the name of the anemometer. This time, I named it 'Wind Gauge', but you can also register a Japanese name. After deciding the name, tap 'Set'.

Tap 'OK'.

Confirm that the anemometer is displayed in the module list, and tap 'OK'.

Then, an anemometer was added to the app home screen. After adding the module, it will take about 15 to 30 minutes depending on the implementation status such as calibration until the module recognition / communication and wind speed measurement on the application side start, so wait for a while.

◆ Install an anemometer
While waiting for calibration, remove the anemometer protective film and install it outdoors. As for the installation location, it is recommended to install it at a height of at least 120 cm above the ground.

There is a dedicated mounting base that can be fixed to a handrail, but since it has not been released in Japan, this time I attached an anemometer to a monopod and installed it on the rooftop ladder. It seems good to attach it to a tripod and leave it on the balcony, but since the wind from a specific direction will be blocked, I chose a place where the wind is not blocked as much as possible. It may be a little difficult to install in an appropriate environment in an apartment house.

◆ Measurement of wind speed
After a while, when I reopened the app, the wind speed measurement started.

There are four types of information displayed: 'current wind mark (wind direction)', 'average wind speed', 'gust speed and direction', and 'maximum wind speed during the day'. Even if it feels like no wind, if there is even a slight movement of air due to vibration such as noise, it may be measured as wind speed. The measurement error is around ± 0.5 m / s.

If you rotate your smartphone 90 degrees sideways, the wind speed will be displayed in a graph. There are two types of displayed values: average wind speed for 5 minutes (blue line) and maximum wind speed (black line).

The unit of wind speed is set to 'km / hour' by default, but you can change the unit later. Tap 'Settings' from the menu button.

Tap 'Change product'.

Tap 'm / sec' in 'Wind speed'.

Then, the unit of wind speed was changed to 'second speed / meter' as follows.

Looking at the result of measurement for about a week in a graph, it looks like the following. When you open the graph screen, the wind speed and direction for 3 days are also displayed in the initial state.

You can change the amount of information displayed on the graph by pinching in and out of the screen. By displaying the wind speed for one week, you can check at a glance the day when the wind was strong.

If you zoom in to the maximum, you can see the measured values every 5 minutes in detail.

◆ Correction of perceived temperature
The Netatmo app displays the sensible temperature based on the temperature measured by the outdoor module of the Netatmo Weather Station, but if you add an anemometer, you can add the wind speed to the sensible temperature to correct it. If the anemometer is not added, the perceived temperature is 38 degrees.

To add the anemometer to the perceived temperature, tap 'Settings' from the menu button.

Tap 'Change product'.

Tap 'Heat standard' at the perceived temperature.

Then, the sensible temperature changes to a value that takes into account the wind speed.

◆ Wind speed notification
To receive a notification on your smartphone when a strong wind blows, tap 'Settings' from the menu button.

Tap the station name to select it.

Tap 'Customize notifications'.

You can receive notifications on your smartphone when the anemometer observes 'strong winds,' 'storms,' and 'storms.'

In addition, strong winds are 65 km / h (18 m / s) or more, gusts (“storm” on the explanation screen) are 85 km / h (24 m / s) or more, and storms (“blast” on the explanation screen) are 110 km / h (31 m / s) or more. I will.

◆ Cooperation with IFTTT

Netatmo supports 'IFTTT ' that can automatically link web services, so you can take a specific action when the value measured by the anemometer reaches a certain condition.

First, install the IFTTT app.

Tap the recipe creation button on the upper right.

Tap the '+' button on the upper right.

Tap the search button.

If you enter 'netatmo wind' in the search box, public recipes including anemometers will appear in a row. This time, I will use 'Wind' which is a combination of anemometer and Gmail.