Friday, July 31, 2009

Rather unscientific

Traveling in the Fuso Szulc and going to the preferred locations means being in nature.
Far away from cities, noise, pollution, supermarkets, temptations, confusion and hard surface.
The Fuso Szulc near the ocean where one is unifying with the wide open space.
The sky above, the mass of water in front and the desert behind.
The warmth of the sun and the touch of the wind.
The clean air and everything surrounding in perfect balance.

In order to be even closer to nature, for some time now, a Weather Center is being used.
An electronic device that shows all kinds of information about the weather, the time and the moon.
One can learn about the inside and outside temperature, the humidity, the wind speed, the wind direction, the air pressure and what is the weather prediction.
Is it going to be sunny?
Or will there be rain?
Is a storm coming?

Originally, a La Crosse Technology professional weather station was purchased.



With a wind meter and temperature/barometer sensors outside working wirelessly with the base station inside the Fuso Szulc.
But within a short time the option to have it operate wirelessly broke down.
Cables had to be connected between the different units to get readings on the main monitor.
And then the wind speed device broke down.

A couple of months ago therefore it was decided to purchase a new professional weather station.
And not one of La Crosse Technology anymore of course.

Hence, the Oregon Scientific WMR90A was purchased.
About $ 120 from an internet company.



Now at El Triple this new “Advanced Weather Station” is in operation and within two weeks it is malfunctioning.

While outside it is 27.8º C, the Oregon Scientific WMR90A says it is 36.9ºC.
Wind speed?
0.0 km per hour...
While a kite could fly.
Wind direction?
--.--
Now, what direction is that?

Some research and experimenting found the cause of the malfunctioning.
The Fuso Szulc these days is located just next to the Pacific Ocean.
Where the humidity is high.
Between 60 and 90 %.
Depending of the direction of the wind.
If the wind is light and from the northwest, it is between 70 and 90 %.
This because the wind comes from the ocean.

This humidity enters the unit that is outside measuring the wind speed, direction and temperature.
And this humidity makes the unit malfunction.
Somewhere in the instruction manual of the Oregon Scientific Advanced Weather Station WMR90A there is a warning for this phenomenon:

Precaution:
Do not subject the unit to excessive force, shock, dust, temperature or humidity.


There you go!
This thing is made in a way that the humidity found next to the Pacific Ocean is too excessive for the Oregon Scientific Advanced Weather Station WMR90A.



In all the publicity one finds on the internet for this professional weather station, not one word is said about this.
No warning that it will not work near a sea or an ocean.

Unavoidable to feel cheated as a customer.
And what to do?
The product is over 5 months old, bought from an American internet company and the malfunctioning apparatus is now in Mexico.

One step has been made: an e-mail to customer service of Oregon Scientific.
But already on the internet other customers of Oregon Scientific were complaining not much can be expected of any service from this company.

Another step to make is to go to the websites where this thing is offered for sale.
And to publish at the customers reviews section a warning for people intending to get this “Advanced Weather Station”. Don’t buy this thing if you are close to the sea!



Why is it these days that as a customer purchasing a product so often one remains behind with a feeling of being cheated?
That companies are so eager to sell and make money that quality, honesty and adequate customer service are thrown overboard?



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