Battery voltage that drops below 5.9 volts is insufficient and indicates the battery needs to be replaced. If your battery is getting older (over five years in service) or you own multiple stations, it may be a good idea to keep a spare battery. If your station records out-of-range readings, such as odd RH values, the battery may be going bad.

You should begin to routinely check the battery voltage when the battery is about two years old. Because the battery is solar powered, the voltage will be lowest when the solar panel receives a lower amount of sunlight—on cloudy days, during winter, and at night. The voltage should rise during the day and fall during the night. If the battery is less than five years old and it is bad (voltage readings below 5.9 volts), there may be a bigger issue and you should contact RainWise Technical Support for assistance.

The replacement 6 volt battery is a 6v 5Ah AGM. It is best to install them on a sunny day or to charge them with a trickle charger before installation to ensure maximum performance.

Check Battery Voltage 

1)  Download the station data from the RainwiseNet webpage. You must be logged into your account.

2)  Make sure the date range includes the time the system last communicated. Click Export.

3)  Click the downloaded, exported file to open it. The file will open in an Excel spreadsheet. The “Station Voltage” column is the last column on the right. Look for the last recorded battery voltage which will be at the bottom of the Excel sheet.

If the battery is less than five years old, there may be a bigger issue. Contact RainWise Technical Support for assistance. The replacement 6 volt battery is a 6v 5Ah AGM (ex. Werker WKA6-5F). It is also best to charge them before installation, or to install them on a sunny day to ensure maximum performance.

Battery Installation   

1)     Turn off the weather station power switch.

2)     Remove the solar panel from the sensor assembly. This is done by loosening the four screws located in the corners of the solar panel. Once the solar panel and cover are free from the housing, disconnect the solar panel connection and TAKE NOTE of the way the connectors clip together so you can reconnect them. The motherboard inside the unit is now exposed to view.

3)     Remove the battery from the compartment and disconnect the two leads from the battery.

4)     Install the new battery by connecting the leads on the battery and placing it back into the compartment.

5)     Reassemble the weather station. Switch the power on.

Download the 2015 Maintenance and Troubleshooting Guide.