Support for the WeatherLink Console

[mcrossley]

I have recently been looking at adding support for the new Davis WeatherLink Console (WLC) in MX. That has ended.

The WLC has no local API like the WeatherLink Live, that may be added at some future date, but Davis is not even hinting they will do so.

Given that, I looked at their cloud API (MX currently uses that for the WLL device to get history and diagnostic data), they have an API call to fetch the "Current" data. Ah ha! I thought, I know the WLL uploads data once a minute (as must the WLC), and the Davis phone app and web site update once a minute (when no local Live access is available for the phone app), I assumed that the Current API call would also fetch the latest one-minute data. Not ideal, but not bad for MX's purposes.

How wrong I was, it turns out the "Current data" is subject to the same time restrictions as the archive data. It is effectively just the same as fetching the last archive record, it provides a convenient short-cut, but the data could be up to 15 minutes out of date!

So, unless you purchase an expensive Pro+ subscription there is no access to even 1-minute data from the WL Console.

Pretty poor I think, given Ecowitt, Ambient, and WeatherFlow all provide their users real "Current" data back to them for free via their cloud solutions.

I can understand the subscription for storing and retrieving the archive data, but the current data must be transient, I would think they delete periodically once it has been rolled up into archive records?

Upshot, unless you have deep pockets and can afford to buy a WLC and a WLL (or an expensive ongoing Pro+ subscription and live with the 1-minute updates), afaics the future for third party PWS software is dead for most new Davis users.

[ConligWX]

seems like Davis just didnt do its homework on this device before releasing it to the public. tbh you're better with a cheap tablet and a WLL than this WLC thing.

[prodata]

FWIW here's my current assessment of the 6313 console, looking to be as objective as possible:

1. Overall, the 6313 is an excellent addition to the Davis range in my view and will fully meet the needs of many users, especially as successive new firmware versions progressively get released to add further new features. The fully graphic/colour display; ability to receive any combination of wireless sensor transmitters; long-term data storage; forecast download from a global model; and built-in uploads to weatherlink.com all mark a major step-change in capabilities from the previous console.

2. But it will not be suitable for all users and, in particular, is obviously not relevant to those who wish to run their own independent logging and software solutions such as CMX (since it currently has no local API). Whether or not this situation changes in the future remains to be seen, ie if a F/W version with a local API does get released. For eg CMX users who want a new Davis station then this is certainly possible, but means buying a Weatherlink Live unit or Envoy+logger instead of or as well as the 6313 console. And anyone preferring a cabled station is out of luck with the 6313 console - it is (currently) wireless-only..

3. I agree 100% that the 6313 was released prematurely and the earliest firmware versions had significant bugs, but now mostly all resolved with later firmware.

4. In my experience, the 6313 console is now operating reliably. All functions seem to be stable now and operating as expected with relatively few support calls. Not suggesting that everything in the garden is 100% rosy for every single user, but the general experience for most users seems to be pretty good.

5. Inevitably, every user has their own wishlist for new features or doing existing features differently, but equally it's difficult to keep everyone happy at the same time. But new features will continue to be added as new firmware versions are released and hopefully there might be a local API available at some future date.

[gwynethh]

Will the new WeatherLink Console communicate with Legacy Cumulus 1 release v1.9.4 (build 1099)? Really wanting to upgrade to the new console. TIA

[water01]

No it will only work with CumulusMX. Cumulus 1 is no longer being developed or supported in terms of fixes and bugs etc. or new facilities.

[SamiS]

No it will only work with CumulusMX. Cumulus 1 is no longer being developed or supported in terms of fixes and bugs etc. or new facilities.

Actually, as Mark says in the message above, the new Davis console is not supported on CumulusMX either, since the console is missing the API needed for the function of CMX.

[mcrossley]

The next release of MX will support it, but only via a paid subscription to WeatherLink.com, and of course the update rate is limited to the subscription level.

[PaulMy]

The next release of MX will support it,

p.s. I presume using something like a Davis Weatherlink Cloud station type...

Enjoy,
Paul