ECOWITT HP3500 User manual

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TFT COLOR DISPLAY WIFI WEATHER
STATION
Operation Manual
Model: HP3500
Thank you for purchasing this TFT Color Display Weather Station! This
device provides accurate weather readings and is Wi-Fi capable to streamdata
from the weather station to Internet based weather services.
This manual will guide you, step-by-step, through setting up your weather
station and console, and understanding the operation of your weather station.
Use this manual to become familiar with your professional weather station
and save it for future reference.

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1Table of Contents
1 TABLE OF CONTENTS.........................................................................2
2 UNPACKING .........................................................................................5
3 OVERVIEW ...........................................................................................7
3.1 DISPLAY CONSOLE ..............................................................................7
3.2 INDOOR SENSOR:.................................................................................8
3.3 FEATURES ..........................................................................................8
4 SET UP GUIDE ......................................................................................10
4.1 SENSOR PACKAGE ASSEMBLY ..............................................................10
4.1.1 Install U-bolts and metal plate......................................................11
4.1.2 Install wind vane .........................................................................12
4.1.3 Install wind speed cups ................................................................13
4.1.4 Install Batteries in sensor package................................................14
4.1.5 Mount assembled outdoor sensor package .....................................14
4.1.6 Reset Button and Transmitter LED................................................17
4.2 INDOOR SENSOR SET UP......................................................................18
4.2.1 Sensor Placement ........................................................................18
4.3 BEST PRACTICES FOR WIRELESS COMMUNICATION ................................19
4.4 CONSOLE DISPLAY..............................................................................20
4.4.1 Initial Display Console Set Up......................................................21
4.4.2 Key functions...............................................................................22
5 OPERATING THE CONSOLE...............................................................24
5.1 NORMAL MODE...................................................................................24
5.1.1 Outdoor or “Feels Like” ..............................................................24
5.1.2 Rain data ....................................................................................25
5.1.3 Graphed data ..............................................................................25
5.2 SETTING MODE...................................................................................26
5.2.1 Backlight ....................................................................................26
5.2.2 Data Units ..................................................................................27
5.2.3 Coefficients.................................................................................27

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5.2.4 Barometer...................................................................................28
5.2.5 Rainfall.......................................................................................28
5.2.6 Graph Time.................................................................................28
5.2.7 Time Format ...............................................................................28
5.2.8 Date Format................................................................................29
5.2.9 Date and Time.............................................................................29
5.2.10 Sensor Type...............................................................................29
5.3 CALIBRATION MODE ...........................................................................29
5.3.1 Calibration of barometric pressure settings. ..................................30
5.4 ALARM MODE ....................................................................................34
5.5 TEMPERATURE MAX/MIN MODE ..........................................................35
5.6 OTHER MAX/MIN MODE......................................................................35
5.7 RAINFALL ..........................................................................................35
5.8 FACTORY MODE .................................................................................36
6 OTHER CONSOLE FUNCTIONS..........................................................38
6.1 HISTORICAL DATA STORAGE.................................................................38
6.2 SENSOR IDENTIFICATION......................................................................38
6.3 BEAUFORT WIND FORCE SCALE ...........................................................39
7 PUBLISHING TO INTERNET WEATHER SERVICES ........................40
7.1 WI-FI CONNECTION FOR THE WEATHER STATION CONSOLE ....................40
7.1.1 Download mobile application.......................................................41
7.1.2 Register a Personal Weather Station (PWS) with wunderground.com
...........................................................................................................41
7.1.2 Activate setup application.............................................................41
7.1.3 Configure Device –Connect your console with WIFI......................45
7.2 REGISTERING WITH AND USING WUNDERGROUND.COM ...........................55
7.2.1 Viewing data on wunderground.com .............................................57
7.3 REGISTERING WITH AND USING WEATHERCLOUD ...................................61
7.4 REGISTERING WITH WEATHER OBSERVATIONS WEBSITE (WOW)............62
7.4.1 Sign up with WOW.......................................................................62
7.4.2 Confirm email with WOW.............................................................64
7.4.3 Login with WOW .........................................................................64

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7.4.4 Create/Set up a new WOW site......................................................64
8 PC SOFTWARE OPERATION ..............................................................67
8.1 INSTALLATION AND CONFIGURATION ....................................................67
8.1.1 Connect the display console to the PC...........................................67
8.2 SETUP FUNCTIONS...............................................................................68
8.2.1 Basic Settings..............................................................................68
8.2.2 Alarm Settings.............................................................................69
8.2.3 Calibration Settings.....................................................................70
8.2.4 Rain Totals..................................................................................71
8.3 RECORD AND RECORDING FUNCTIONS ...................................................71
8.3.1 Max/Min.....................................................................................72
8.3.2 SDCard File................................................................................73
9 MAINTENANCE....................................................................................75
13 TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE............................................................77
14 GLOSSARY OF COMMON TERMS....................................................81
15 SPECIFICATIONS...............................................................................84
16 FCC STATEMENT...............................................................................86
17 WARRANTY INFORMATION ............................................................88

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2Unpacking
Open your weather station box and inspect that the contents are intact
(nothing broken) and complete (nothing missing). Inside you should find the
following:
QT
Y
Item Description
1
Display Console
1
Outdoor Sensor Body with built-in: Thermo-hygrometer / Rain
Gauge / Wind Speed Sensor/ Wind Direction Sensor, Light and UV
sensor, Solar panel
1
Wind speed cups (to be attached to outdoor sensor body)
1
Wind vane (to be attached to outdoor sensor body)
1
USB Cable (for console to PC connectivity)
1
Indoor sensor unit
2
U-Bolts for mounting on a pole
4
Threaded nuts for U-Bolts (M5 size)
1
Metal mounting plate to be used with U-Bolts
1
Stainless steel pole (for mounting)
1
Wrench for M5 bolts
1
AC adapter
1
User manual (this manual)
Table 1: Package content
If components are missing from the package, or broken, please contact
customer service to resolve the issue.
Note: The console can store historical data on a memory card. This memory
card is not included. If you want to use one you will need a microSD
memory card. There is no required size for this card. A 1GB card will
store more than 10 years’ worth of data, so you do not need a very
large capacity card. There is also no requirement on the speed class of
this card as data writing happens infrequently and is not speed
critical.

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Note: Batteries for the outdoor sensor package are not included. You will
need 2 AA size batteries, alkaline or Lithium batteries (Lithium
recommended for colder climates).
Note: The console operates using an AC adapter. The included adapter is a
switching-type adapter and can generate a small amount of electrical
interference with the RF reception in the console, when placed too
close to the console. Please keep the console display at least 2 ft. or
0.5 m away from the power adapter to ensure best RF reception from
the outdoor sensor package.

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3Overview
3.1 Display console
Figure 1: Display console screen
Figure 2: Display console side views
DC Connector
microSD Card
Port
USB Port

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3.2 Indoor sensor:
Figure 3: Indoor sensor 3 display variations
The indoor sensor will display indoor temperature, humidity and barometric
pressure alternately. The sensor will use US or metric units, as appropriate for
the locale where the unit was sold.
3.3 Features
•4.3" TFT full color display
•Time and date
•Indoor/Outdoor temperature and humidity
•Wind speed, gust speed, and wind direction (red arrow icon for the
current wind direction and blue dot icon for the previous wind direction
on the compass)
•Absolute and Relative barometric pressure
•Rainfall rate and totals for day, week, month, and year
•Calculated wind chill, dew point and heat index display
•Solar light intensity and UV index

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•Selectable displayunits for each sensor: C or F (temperature); mph, km/h,
m/s, knots or Beaufort (wind speed); inHg, hPa or mmHg (pressure); in or
mm (rainfall); lux, fc or w/m2 (solar lighting)
•Barometric history graph (12, 24, 48, or 72 hr.)
•Maximum and minimum values for sensor with time stamp
•High/low alarm options for sensors
•Historical data preserved during power outage on optional SD card
•PC software (requires USB connection)
•Supported weather services for uploading: wunderground.com,
Weathercloud, and WOW

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4Set up Guide
To complete assembly you will need a Philips screwdriver (size PH0) and a
wrench (size M5; included in package).
Note: We suggest you assemble all components of the weather station,
including console in one location so you can easily test functionality.
After testing, place the outdoor sensor package in the desired location.
Note, however, that movement during assembly, and movement after
assembly can cause the rain sensor to “falsely” register rain. It is
therefore best if you do not connect the console to any Internet
services until you have reset these false readings using the console.
The errant values may be hard to remove from Internet services if you
do not reset first.
Attention:
•Follow suggested order for battery installation (outdoor sensor first,
console second)
•Ensure batteries are installed with correct polarity (+/-)
•Do not mix old and new batteries
•Do not use rechargeable batteries
•If outdoor temperature may go below 32F or 0C for prolonged periods,
Lithium based batteries are suggested over alkaline type batteries for the
outdoor sensor array
4.1 Sensor Package Assembly
See Figure 4 to locate and understand all the parts of the outdoor sensor
package once fully assembled.

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Figure 4: Sensor assembly components
1 Wind vane
7 Bubble level
2 Wind speed cups
8 U-Bolts
3 Light sensor and UV sensor
9 LED (red) to indicate data
transmission
4 Solar panel
10 Battery compartment door
5 Rain collector
11 Reset button
6 Thermo- and hygro-meter sensors
Table 2: Sensor assembly detailed items
4.1.1 Install U-bolts and metal plate
Installation of the U-bolts, which are in turn used to mount the sensor package
on a pole, requires installation of an included metal plate to receive the U-bolt
ends. The metal plate, visible in Figure 5 on the right side, has four holes
through which the ends of the two U-Bolts will fit. The plate itself is inserted
in a groove on the bottom of the unit (opposite side of solar panel). Note that
one side of the plate has a straight edge (which goesinto the groove), the other
side is bent at a 90-degree angle and has a curved profile (which will end up
“hugging” the mounting pole). Once the metal plate is inserted, remove nuts
from the U-Bolts and insert both U-bolts through the respective holes of the
metal plate as shown in Figure 5.

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Figure 5: U-Bolt installation
Loosely screw on the nuts on the ends of the U-bolts. You will tighten these
later during final mounting. Final assembly is shown in Figure 6.
Figure 6: U-Bolts and nuts installed
The plate and U-Bolts are not yet needed at this stage but doing this now may
help avoid damaging wind vane and wind speed cups later on. Handling of the
sensor package with wind vane and speed cups installed to install these bolts
is more difficult and more likely to lead to damage.
4.1.2 Install wind vane
Push the wind vane onto the shaft on the top side of the sensor package, until
it goes no further, as shown on the left side in Figure 7. Next, tighten the set
screw, with a Philips screwdriver (size PH0), as shown on the right side, until
the wind vane cannot be removed from the axle. Make sure the wind vane can

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rotate freely. The wind vane’s movement has a small amount of friction,
which is helpful in providing steady wind direction measurements.
Figure 7: Wind vane installation diagram
4.1.3 Install wind speed cups
Push the wind speed cup assembly onto the shaft on the opposite side of the
wind vane, as shown in Figure 8 on the left side. Tighten the set screw, with a
Philips screwdriver (size PH0), as shown on the right side. Make sure the cup
assembly can rotate freely. There should be no noticeable friction when it is
turning.
Figure 8: Wind speed cup installation diagram

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4.1.4 Install Batteries in sensor package
Open the battery compartment with a screwdriver and insert 2 AA batteries in
the battery compartment. The LED indicator on the back of the sensor
package (item 9) will turn on for four seconds and then flash once every 16
seconds indicating sensor data transmission. If you did not pay attention, you
may have missed the initial indication. You can always remove the batteries
and start over, but if you see the flash once every 16 seconds, everything
should be OK.
Figure 9: Battery installation diagram
Note: If LED does not light up or is on permanently, make sure the battery
is inserted the correct way and inserted fully, starting over if
necessary. Do not install the batteries backwards as it may
permanently damage the outdoor sensor.
Note: We recommend Lithium batteries for cold weather climates, but
alkaline batteries are sufficient for most climates. Rechargeable
batteries have lower voltages and should never be used.
4.1.5 Mount assembled outdoor sensor package
4.1.5.1 Before you mount
Before proceeding with the outdoor mounting detailed in this section, you
may want to skip to setup instructions in section 4.2 and onwards first, while
you keep the assembled outdoor sensor package nearby (although preferably
not closer than 5 ft. from the console). This will make any troubleshooting

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and adjustments easier and avoids any distance or interference related issues
from the setup.
After setup is complete and everything is working, return here for outdoor
mounting. If issues show up after outdoor mounting they are almost certainly
related to distance, obstacles etc.
4.1.5.2 Mounting
Your package includes two U-Bolts, 4 nuts, and a metal mounting plate for
the U-Bolts, in addition to a small section of metal pipe. You can attach this
section of pipe to a permanent structure and then attach the sensor package to
it (see Figure 10), or you can use a longer section of pipe if that works better
for getting the sensor package in the desired location. The U-Bolts will
accommodate a pipe diameter of 1-2 inches.
Figure 10: Sensor package mounting diagram
The mounting plate will slide into a slot on the bottom of the sensor package
and then you can provisionally insert the U-Bolts from the other side through
the holes provided holes. Next place a nut on each of the four ends of the
U-Bolts and tighten by hand several turns so they will not fall off.
Next prepare the mounting pipe in the desired location and make sure it is
vertical, or very close to it. Use a level if needed.

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Finally, place the sensor package on top of the prepared mounting pipe. The
U-Bolts should be loose enough to allow this but loosen the nuts as necessary.
Once placed, hand tightens all four nuts, taking care to do so evenly. Do not
use a wrench yet!
Now you will need to align the whole package in the proper direction by
rotating it on top of the mounting pipe as needed. Locate the arrow labeled
“WEST” that you will find on top of the sensor package right next to the light
sensor, on the opposite side of the solar panel. You must rotate the whole
sensor package until this arrow points due west. To achieve proper alignment,
it is helpful to use a compass (many cell phones have a compass application).
Once rotated in the correct orientation, lightly tighten the bolts a little more
(use a wrench) to prevent further rotation.
Note: The orientation to WEST is necessary for two reasons. The most
important one is to position the solar panel and light sensor in the
most advantageous position for recording solar radiation and
charging internal capacitors. Secondly it causes a zero reading for
wind direction to correspond to due NORTH, as is customary. This
orientation is correct for installations in the northern hemisphere. If
you are installing in the southern hemisphere, the correct orientation
to achieve the same optimal positioning is to have the “WEST” arrow
actually point due EAST! This has the side effect, however, of lining
up the 0 reading of the wind direction with SOUTH. This needs to be
corrected using a 180-degree offset in the calibration settings (see
section 5.3 on page 29).
Now look at the bubble level. The bubble should be fully inside the red circle.
If it is not, wind direction, speed, and rain readings may not operate correctly
or accurately. Adjust the mounting pipe as necessary. If the bubble is close,
but not quite inside the circle, and you cannot adjust the mounting pipe, you
may have to experiment with small wooden or heavy cardboard shims
between the sensor package and the top of the mounting pole to achieve the
desired result (this will require loosening the bolts and some
experimentation).

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Make sure you check, and correct if necessary, the westerly orientation as the
final installation step, and now tighten the bolts with a wrench. Do not over
tighten, but make sure strong wind and/or rain cannot move the sensor
package.
Note: If you tested the full assembly indoors and then came back here for
instructions and mounted to sensor package outdoor you may want to
make some further adjustments on the console. The transportation
from indoor to outdoor and handling of the sensor is likely to have
“tripped” the rainfall sensing bucket one or more times and
consequently the console may have registered rainfall that did not
really exist. You can use console functions to clear this from history.
Doing so is also important to avoid false registration of these readings
with weather services.
4.1.6 Reset Button and Transmitter LED
In the event the sensor array is not transmitting, reset the sensor array.
Using a bent-open paperclip, press and hold the RESET BUTTON (see
Figure 11) to affect a reset: the LED turns on while the RESET button is
depressed, and you can now let go. The LED should then resume as normal,
flashing approximately once every 16 seconds.
Figure 11: Reset button and Transmitter LED location

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4.2 Indoor Sensor Set Up
Note: To avoid permanent damage, please take note of the battery polarity
before inserting the batteries. Looking at Figure 12 from left to right
the left-most (or bottom) battery is to be installed with its + terminal
pointing down, and the other battery with its + terminal pointing up.
Remove the battery door on the back of the sensor by sliding it in the direction
of the arrow. Insert two AA batteries as described and put compartment door
back and slide it in the opposite direction to lock.
Figure 12: Indoor sensor battery installation
4.2.1 Sensor Placement
The best mounting location for the indoor sensor is in a location that never
receives direct sunlight, not even through windows. Also, do not install in a
location where a nearby radiant heat source (radiator, heaters, etc.) will affect
it. Direct sunlight and radiant heat sources will result in inaccurate
temperature readings.
The sensor is meant to provide indoor conditions for display on the console,
but if you would rather have a second source for outdoor conditions instead,
you can mount this unit outside. The unit is weatherproof, but besides heeding
the placement instructions above, you should also attempt to mount the unit
under cover (eve or awning or similar).
To mount or hang the unit on a wall or wood beam:

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•Use a screw or nail to affix the remote sensor to the wall, as shown on the
left side of Figure 13, or
•Hang the remote sensor using a string, as shown in right side of Figure 13
Figure 13: Indoor sensor mounting
Note: Make sure the sensor is mounted vertically and not lying down on a
flat surface. This will insure optimum reception. Wireless signals are
impacted by distance, interference (other weather stations, wireless
phones, wireless routers, TVs and computer monitors), and
transmission barriers, such as walls. In general, wireless signals will
not penetrate solid metal and earth (down a hill, for example).
4.3 Best Practices for Wireless Communication
Wireless (RF) communication is susceptible to interference, distance, walls
and metal barriers. We recommend the following best practices for trouble
free wireless communication between both sensor packages and the console:
•Indoor sensor placement: The sensor will have the longest reach for its
signal when mounted or hung vertically. Avoid laying it down on a flat
surface.
•Electro-Magnetic Interference (EMI). Keep the console several feet
away from computer monitors and TVs.
•Radio Frequency Interference (RFI). If you have other devices
operating on the same frequency band as your indoor and/or outdoor

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sensors and experience intermittent communication between sensor
package and console, try turning off these other devices for
troubleshooting purposes. You may need to relocate the transmitters or
receivers to avoid the interference and establish reliable communication.
The frequencies used by the sensors are one of (depending on your
location): 433, 868, or 915 MHz (915 MHz for United States).
•Line of Sight Rating. This device is rated at 300 feet line of sight (under
ideal circumstances; no interference, barriers or walls), but in most
real-world scenarios, including a wall or two, you will be able to go about
100 feet.
•Metal Barriers. Radio frequency will not pass through metal barriers
such as aluminum siding or metal wall framing. If you have such metal
barriers and experience communication problems, you must change the
placement of sensor package and or console.
The following table shows different transmission media and expected signal
strength reductions. Each “wall” or obstruction decreases the transmission
range by the factor shown below.
Medium
RF Signal Strength Reduction
Glass (untreated)
5-15%
Plastics
10-15%
Wood
10-40%
Brick
10-40%
Concrete
40-80%
Metal
90-100%
Table 3: RF Signal Strength reduction
4.4 Console Display
See Figure 14 to help you identify elements of the console’s display screen.