May have already been asked but is the Air 100% waterproof? But would it be a good idea to order the Ambient radiation shield? It will be mounted where there is no sun on it at all. Thanks
Yes waterproof. I have the Ambient shield and Air fits in it quite snugly. Helps shield from the late afternoon sun.
Yes, but don’t submerge the device in water.
1 Like
Haha true. Forgot to mention not to dunk Air in an aquarium :).
glad to know that​:tropical_fish:
thanks
My two cents (USD) is that a radiation shield is NOT a good idea if you have a siting location where the Air is shaded 100% of the time and has a good ambient airflow around it. The shield obstructs the airflow, which slows down temperature/humidity readings. Both of my Airs are mounted to the north wall of my detached/unheated garage, in an area that hasn’t seen direct sunlight in 75+ years since it was built. They both are the most stable temperature sensors that I have on sunny days, with the others being a Davis VP2 in their passive shield and an Acu-Rite with a solar-powered fan…
3 Likes
Agreed. Sone of us are fortunate that we have such a location. Mine are located in constant shade, high above dry ground and constant airflow.
Good to know, and will save me some money to put on the Breathe when it comes available! Thanks guys.
Lucky man ! Shade without a shield. Nice.
1 Like
Right now my AIR is sitting on a table on my front porch. Always shaded, plenty of free airflow. But I’m worried about theft or a really bad winter storm blowing snow its way. Any suggestions? My porch is nothing fancy, a 3 or 4 foot concrete slab along the front of the house, 3 columns supporting the extended roof, which has soffits and 6 lights.
Check this topic
3 Likes
I see what you mean, mine will set on our screened in back porch. We have a couple of tables out there and was going to blend it in with some other stuff on those tables. Never had any problems far as theft, been here 28 years now. I may buy a small shelf bracket and screw it to the wall and the air. At least they would have to put in a little effort to take it! They say it is 100% waterproof so a little snow shouldn’t hurt it. I’m sure some snow could get into a louvered shield. We may have to do the trial & error thing!
1 Like
So just to confirm, the AIR is waterproof? I plan to mount it in a shaded area but it would receive rain and snow, sleet and freezing rain in the winter. I rather not put it in an enclosure. Maybe I should install shielding around it but I don’t want to block the airflow. In other words, can it get wet from rain/snow events? Thank you.
UPDATE: After looking at the various AIR installation/siting photos, the pictures “tell all”. Mine is being remounted in a totally shaded area without a radiation shield but will be subject to the elements. Thanks for the pictures, everyone!
AIR is not waterproof in a sense that it can be submerged under water. It is weather proof, being a weather station and all, you can site it outdoors, right side up and it will shed water, i.e. water should not enter the vent slits if the unit is mounted upright.
2 Likes
Thank you Tim. Exactly what I wanted to know. Much appreciated! Jeff
If you get freezing rain you might at least put some sort of roof over the Air to shield it from getting encased in ice and then take a long while to start giving accurate readings again.
1 Like
Good idea David. I’ll take your advice and put a roof over it. Thanks.
Jeff
As I’ve said before when the question comes up about taking down your PWS when a bad storm is approaching, remember that it’s a weather station. The most honorable death for a weather station is to perish recording extreme conditions! If I’m not mistaken, there is a picture in some of the early campaign photos showing an Air encased in rime ice on top of a large mountain.
Speaking of bad storms, let’s all send our best wishes to the WF staff, who probably have their hands full preparing their homes/families for Hurricane Dorian’s approach while also making sure that their professional coastal network is ready to capture the extreme weather…
13 Likes
Yes, thoughts go out to the those in the path of Dorian.
Up here in Northern Ontario, our conditions are boring for testers : no hurricanes, very rarely small tornadoes, no earthquakes… Yes we have snow but not big dumps of snow like Buffalo and those in the snow belt get. It just stays longer.
… but boring weather is good. No complaints. 
6 Likes
Like some watches that say waterproof, then some say water resistant. Two different answers! There is a big difference I guess in the two. But why chance it if you can?!? I placed my Air on my screened in porch that never gets direct sun or rain. That is why I go to my WF for the correct tempsđź‘Ť
3 Likes