PCE Instruments PCE-FWS-20 User manual

PCE Americas Inc.
711 Commerce Way
Suite 8
Jupiter
FL-33458
USA
From outside US: +1
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[e-mail]
PCE Instruments UK Ltd.
Units 12/13
Southpoint Business Park
Ensign way
Hampshire / Southampton
United Kingdom, SO31 4RF
From outside UK: +44
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[e-mail]
www.pce-instruments.com/english
www.pce-instruments.com
Manual
Meteorological Station PCE-FWS-20
Version 2.0
Date of creation: 03.02.2016
Date of last change: 10.02.2016

Contents
1Introduction .............................................................................................................3
2Safety notes.............................................................................................................3
3Specification............................................................................................................4
4Setup........................................................................................................................5
5Notes........................................................................................................................8
5.1 Glossary of Common Terms....................................................................................................... 8
5.2 Important Note............................................................................................................................ 8
5.3 Operation Note ........................................................................................................................... 9
6Operation...............................................................................................................10
6.1 System Start ............................................................................................................................. 10
6.2 Positioning ................................................................................................................................ 10
6.3 Setting Up................................................................................................................................. 10
6.3.1 Indoor temperature....................................................................................................................... 11
6.3.2 Outdoor temperature.................................................................................................................... 12
6.3.3 Indoor humidity............................................................................................................................. 13
6.3.4 Outdoor humidity.......................................................................................................................... 13
6.3.5 Wind speed .................................................................................................................................. 13
6.3.6 Rain.............................................................................................................................................. 14
6.3.7 Weather forecast.......................................................................................................................... 14
6.3.8 Pressure....................................................................................................................................... 15
6.3.9 Pressure bar graph ...................................................................................................................... 15
6.3.10 Time ............................................................................................................................................. 15
6.3.11 Date.............................................................................................................................................. 16
6.3.12 Memory ........................................................................................................................................ 16
6.4 PC Connection ......................................................................................................................... 16
6.5 Data Storage ............................................................................................................................ 16
6.6 Data Recall ............................................................................................................................... 16
6.7 Connections and Software ....................................................................................................... 16
6.8 PC software installation............................................................................................................ 17
7Software.................................................................................................................19
7.1 System Requirements .............................................................................................................. 19
7.2 Installation of the “EasyWeather” Software .............................................................................. 19
7.3 Basic Settings of the “EasyWeather” Software ........................................................................ 19
7.4 Function button......................................................................................................................... 20
7.5 What to do if graph function is not working .............................................................................. 26
7.6 Special Notes about time synchronization between PC and sub-station................................. 26
7.7 Legal Notes .............................................................................................................................. 26
8Disposal.................................................................................................................27
9Contact...................................................................................................................27
9.1 PCE Instruments UK ................................................................................................................ 27
9.2 PCE Americas .......................................................................................................................... 27

Manual
3
1 Introduction
Thank you for purchasing a meteorological station from PCE Instruments.
This Weather Station is a high quality, easy to use weather monitoring system that reads, displays and
records the weather data from internal as well as external sensors. Besides the internally measured
values for indoor temperature, indoor humidity and air pressure the outdoor sensor will take data for
temperature and humidity, wind and rainfall. Operation of these units is by wireless transmission to the
Base Station.
After installing the “EasyWeather” program on this CD-ROM, your PC can display all indoor data as well
as the weather data from the Base Station received from the external sensors. For operation, simply use
the USB cable supplied and connect the Base Station to the PC. From now on you can start to track
current and history weather information at your fingertips.
2 Safety notes
Please read this manual carefully and completely before you use the device for the first time. The device
may only be used by qualified personnel and repaired by PCE Instruments personnel. There is no
warranty of damages or injuries caused by non-observance of the manual.
- The device may only be used in approved temperature range
- The opening of the case should only be done by qualified personnel of the PCE Instruments.
- The instrument should never be placed with the user interface (e.g. keyboard side on a table)
- You should not make technical changes on the device
- The appliance should only be cleaned with a damp cloth / use only pH-neutral cleaner
This user's handbook is published from PCE Instruments without any guarantee.
We expressly point to our general guarantee terms, they can be found in our general terms of business.
If you have any questions please contact PCE Instruments.

Manual
4
3 Specification
Outdoor data
Transmission distance in open field
100 m (330 feet)
Frequency
868 MHz (Europe) / 915 MHz (North America)
Temperature range
-40°C … 65°C (-40 ℉to +149 ℉)
Resolution
0.1 °C (0.2 ℉)
Measuring range rel. humidity
10 … 90 %
Rain volume display
0 … 9999mm (show --- if outside range)
Resolution
0.1mm (if rain volume < 1000mm)
1mm (if rain volume > 1000mm)
Wind speed
0…240km/h (0…100mph) (show --- if outside
range)
Measuring interval thermo-hygro sensor
48 s
Water proof level
IPX3
Indoor data
Measuring interval pressure / temperature
48 s
Indoor temperature range
0 … +50 °C (32℉to + 122℉) (show --- if outside
range)
Resolution
0.1°C (0.2℉)
Measuring range rel. humidity
10 … 90 %
Resolution
1%
Measuring range air pressure
700 … 1100hpa (27.13inHg … 31.89inHg)
Resolution
0.1hpa (0.01inHg)
Alarm Duration
120 s
Power consumption
Base station
3XAA 1.5V LR6 Alkaline batteries
Remote sensor
2xAA 1.5V LR6 Alkaline batteries
Battery life
Minimum 12 months for base station
Minimum 24 months for thermo-hydro sensor
Remark: where outdoor temperature is lower than -20°C, make sure proper type of batteries to be used to
assure that the device can get enough power to maintain its function properly. Normal alkaline batteries is not
allow to be used since when outdoor temperature is lower than -20 °C, the battery’s discharging capability is
greatly reduced.

Manual
5
4 Setup

Manual
6

Manual
7

Manual
8
5 Notes
5.1 Glossary of Common Terms
DCF/WWVB
The DCF or WWVB time signal is an AM modulated time-of-day signal broadcasted by the Federal
Government of Germany or NIST from USA. The time base is generated from an atomic time generator
which is accurate to 10 billion of one second.
LCD
“LCD” is an acronym for ”Liquid Crystal Display”. This is a common type of display screen used in
televisions, computers, watches, and digital clocks.
BAROMETER & BAROMETRIC PRESSURE
A barometer is a device that measures the pressure of the air pushing on it—this measurement is called
the barometric pressure. We don’t actually feel the barometric pressure because the air pressure is
pushing equally in every direction.
RELATIVE AIR PRESSURE
Relative air pressure is the same as the barometric pressure. The calculation of relative air pressure is a
combination of the absolute air pressure and the altitude.
ABSOLUTE AIR PRESSURE
Absolute air pressure is the actual air pressure on the barometer without regard to altitude.
INCHES OF MERCURY (inHg)
An inch of Mercury is the common unit of measurement for air pressure in the United States.
HECTOPASCALS (hPa)
Hectopascals are the common units of measurement for air pressure in the International System (SI) of
measurement. The hectopascal holds the same value
5.2 Important Note
Before inserting batteries, please carefully read the operation manual.
The touch screen weather station PCE-FWS 20 includes a base station (receiver), a transmitter unit, one
wind direction sensor, one wind speed sensor, one rain gauge, USB cable and a PC software package on
CD-ROM.
The Base Station is equipped with a Touch Screen LCD Monitor and allows the display of a large variety
of time and weather data.
Left Top LCD: IN-OUT temperature and humidity
Right Top LCD: Wind and Rain measurement
Left Middle LCD: Weather Forecast (Tendency)
Right Middle LCD: Air Pressure and Air Pressure History
Bottom Line LCD: Time and Date, Memory Data Usage

Manual
9
5.3 Operation Note
All actions and functions of the weather station are started on the touch screen by slightly touching (not
pressing!) the related areas, touch the flashing +, ON/OFF or –to make the corresponding selection or
increase the value.
Every time a programming step is activated by touching a switching area on the Touch Screen a tone will
sound, and the back light is switched on for a few seconds as well.
If no areas are pressed for 30 seconds, the LCD will automatically revert to the normal display mode
(automatic time out).
On the edge of wind direction sensor, there are four alphabet letter of “N”,”E”,”S” and “W” representing for
the direction of North, East, South and West. Wind direction sensor has to be adjusted so that the
directions on the sensor are matching with your real location. Permanent wind direction error will be
introduced when the wind direction sensor is not positioned correctly during installation.
Wind speed sensor wire has to be inserted into the phone jacket on wind direction sensor. Wind direction
sensor wire has to be inserted into the phone jacket located on the thermo-hygro sensor with marking of
“Wind” on top.
The rain sensor wire has to be inserted into the phone jacket located on the thermo-hygro sensor with
marking of “Rain” on top.

Manual
10
6 Operation
6.1 System Start
Insert two pieces of LR6 (AA size) batteries into the transmitter, the LED located in the middle front case
of transmitter will be turned on for 4 seconds, and then it will be off and start to work normally. The
transmitter will make a data transmission and then start radio controlled time reception routine. If time
signal can be detected correctly, then the LED will start to flash 5 times indicating time signal has been
found correctly. When time signal is bad and reception is not possible, the transmitter will terminate radio
controlled time reception within one minute and resume normal mode. When there is a data transmission
happened, the LED will be on for 20ms. During radio controlled time reception period, there is no
transmission and normal transmission will only resume after time reception routine is complete. The
longest time for radio controlled time reception is 5 minutes.
After inserting the batteries into the Weather Station, all LCD segments will be turned on for a few
seconds; all possible display segments are turned on for checking.
After this, the weather station will make initial measurement and start to register the transmitter (the radio
reception icon will be turned on). Before there is outdoor data received, it is not allowed to touch the LCD;
otherwise the outdoor sensor learning mode will be terminated right after the touch of LCD. When outdoor
transmitter has been registered, the Touch Screen Weather Station will automatically switch to the normal
display mode from which all further settings can be performed by the user.
If no RCC signal is detected in the initial setup, the transmitter will try once every hour to get an RCC
signal until a signal is received. Once the transmitter receives the RCC signal it will transmit the signal to
the monitor. On the monitor the RCC icon will be displayed, if the monitor doesn’t receive the RCC signal
or loses the signal the RCC icon will not be display.
Note: The best condition for reception is at night, between midnight and 6:00am –when there is less
atmospheric interference.
6.2 Positioning
Once you have verified that all of the components of the weather station are working, they can be
positioned in their permanent places. Before permanently mounting, make sure that all components work
properly together at their chosen mounting or standing locations. If e.g. there appear to be problems with
the 868 MHz radio transmission, they can mostly be overcome by moving the mounting locations.
Note: Commonly the radio communication between receiver and transmitter in the open field can reach a
distance of up to 330 feet providing that there are no interfering obstacles such as buildings, trees,
vehicles, high voltage lines, etc.
Radio interferences such as PC screens, radios or TV sets can, in bad cases, entirely cut off radio
communication. Please take this into consideration when choosing standing or mounting locations.
6.3 Setting Up
Note: Because of the default settings already determined by the manufacturer it may not be necessary for
the majority of users to perform –except the Relative Air Pressure (see further down) - any further basic
settings. Changes, however, can be easily made.
For basic settings, the following menu is started by touching the Touch Screen in the desired display
area.
The basic settings can now be performed in the following successive order:
Note: setting procedure can be exited at any time by touching any other function area (except
“+”, “-” or “ON/OFF”).