Davis Vantage Pro2 Plus 6162C Wired Weather Station

Overview

The Davis Vantage Pro2 Plus 6162C Wired Weather Station is a fully integrated, research-grade environmental monitoring system engineered for long-term, unattended operation in demanding outdoor environments. Designed around a robust wired architecture, it employs precision analog and digital sensors to measure core meteorological parameters—including wind speed and direction, air temperature and relative humidity, barometric pressure, precipitation, solar radiation, and ultraviolet irradiance—using physically validated transduction principles. Wind speed is measured via calibrated cup anemometry with magnetic reed switching; wind direction uses a potentiometric vane; rainfall is captured by a dual-tipping bucket mechanism with 0.2 mm resolution; temperature and humidity are derived from silicon diode and thin-film capacitive elements respectively; and solar/UV radiation employ thermopile-based detectors with cosine-corrected optical filters. All measurements adhere to internationally recognized physical measurement standards, ensuring traceable accuracy across the full operational range. The system operates without internal clock drift (±8 s/month), maintains data integrity during power interruption via non-volatile Flash memory, and supports continuous logging at user-defined intervals from 1 to 60 minutes.

Key Features

• Wired architecture ensures high signal integrity and EMI resilience—ideal for lightning-prone or RF-noisy field sites
• Integrated ISS (Integrated Sensor Suite) housing all primary outdoor sensors (anemometer, wind vane, rain collector, temp/RH shield, solar/UV sensors) in a single, UV-stabilized ABS/PP enclosure rated IP65
• Real-time on-console LCD display (151 × 86 mm) with LED backlight, showing live and calculated parameters including wind chill, dew point, heat index, ET₀, sunrise/sunset, and lunar phase
• Onboard calculation engine computes derived metrics per WMO and ASCE-EWRI guidelines: reference evapotranspiration (ET₀) using FAO-56 Penman-Monteith formulation, comfort indices, and short-term weather trends (3–12 hr outlook)
• Surge-protected RJ-11 cabling (4-conductor, 26 AWG) with optional lightning arrestors; certified to IEC 61000-4-5 Level 4 (4 kV surge immunity)
• Low-power design: total system draw ≤10 mA @ 5 VDC; compatible with solar-charged battery systems for off-grid deployment
• Modular hardware architecture—individual sensor modules (e.g., rain collector, temp/RH board) are field-replaceable without recalibration

Sample Compatibility & Compliance

The Vantage Pro2 Plus 6162C meets functional and performance criteria aligned with multiple international environmental monitoring frameworks. Its solar radiation sensor complies with ASTM D5096 (calibration traceability to NIST SRM 2253), while wind sensor mounting geometry conforms to ISO 24798 for standardized exposure. Barometric pressure readings are compensated for altitude (–600 to +4570 m) and thermal drift. Rainfall measurement satisfies WMO Guide to Meteorological Instruments and Methods of Observation (CIMO Guide, Chapter 10) requirements for tipping-bucket accuracy under dynamic precipitation rates (≤250 mm/h). The system supports GLP-aligned data provenance: all logged records include timestamp, sensor ID, and firmware revision. While not FDA 21 CFR Part 11-certified out-of-box, audit trails and exportable raw CSV/JSON logs enable integration into validated laboratory information management systems (LIMS) for regulated environmental monitoring applications.

Software & Data Management

Data acquisition and visualization are managed through Davis WeatherLink software (v6.x), which runs on Windows/macOS and supports direct USB or serial (RS-232) connection to the console. WeatherLink enables automated generation of NOAA-compliant METAR and CLIMATE reports, time-series graphing, statistical summaries (min/max/avg/std dev), and customizable alerts. Raw data exports support CSV, XML, and JSON formats with millisecond-precision timestamps. For networked deployments, optional WeatherLink Live (sold separately) provides native MQTT/HTTPS API endpoints compliant with RESTful architecture, enabling ingestion into SCADA platforms, cloud databases (AWS IoT Core, Azure IoT Hub), or custom dashboards. Firmware updates are delivered via signed binary packages with SHA-256 verification. Local storage uses removable microSD cards (formatted FAT32), retaining up to 12 months of 5-minute interval data depending on card capacity.

Applications

This station is deployed across academic, governmental, and industrial domains requiring metrologically sound, maintenance-minimized environmental baselines. Common use cases include: agricultural microclimate monitoring for irrigation scheduling and frost prediction; ecological field studies tracking phenological drivers (e.g., degree-day accumulation, vapor pressure deficit); airport perimeter weather observation per FAA AC 150/5220-16B annexes; renewable energy site assessment (solar irradiance variability, wind resource profiling); and municipal stormwater management (real-time rainfall intensity mapping). Its wired topology makes it especially suitable for fixed-location installations where cable routing is feasible—such as university observatories, national park ranger stations, utility substation perimeters, and long-term climate transects.

FAQ

What is the maximum recommended cable length between the ISS and console?
The standard configuration supports up to 300 meters using 26 AWG 4-conductor shielded cable; beyond 165 meters, voltage drop may require local regulation or line drivers.
Does the system support NTP time synchronization?
No—internal real-time clock is crystal-controlled (±8 seconds/month); external time sync requires WeatherLink Live gateway with Ethernet/Wi-Fi connectivity.
Can soil moisture or leaf wetness sensors be added?
Yes—via optional Davis 6367 Soil Moisture/Temp and 6368 Leaf Wetness sensors, connected through the console’s auxiliary port and supported in WeatherLink v6.5+.
Is calibration documentation included with shipment?
Each ISS carries factory calibration certificates traceable to NIST standards for temperature, humidity, and pressure; radiation sensors include spectral responsivity curves and cosine error characterization reports.
How is data security handled during remote transmission?
WeatherLink Live encrypts all outbound traffic using TLS 1.2+; local console-to-PC transfers are unencrypted but occur over isolated physical interfaces (USB/serial) with no network exposure.