FAQ: Difference between revisions

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== Cumulus read some invalid figures from my station ==
== Cumulus read some invalid figures from my station ==
Over successive versions of Cumulus more and more code has been incorporated to deal with the way some stations are prone to reporting rogue readings. In general, if Cumulus identifies an odd value it will reuse the last good value instead, assuming that the problem will either right itself or be spotted and dealt with quickly.
*Is the information correct on the station console (i.e. not a fault with a sensor), but incorrectly displayed on Cumulus screen (i.e. transfer problem)?
*Ensure you are using the latest Cumulus build, if you are using an old version you will not have any enhancements made since them that might improve the way Cumulus reads from the station.
*If you are only getting bad data when you start Cumulus up (i.e. when it is using archive data from the station logger), then a possible cause is that you have set the wrong station type (so individual items of information are not correctly assigned to weather parameters).
*From the '''Configuration''' menu select [[Cumulus_Screenshots#Configuration_Menu_Screens|''Calibration'']] and in the '''Spike removal''' frame you can specify "the maximum '''differences''' between successive values" that Cumulus is to tolerate. See the '''Help''' for that screen, and note that spike removal applies while Cumulus is running, not to catch-up readings from the station's logger.
*If the station itself shows incorrect figures, a sensor may have a problem (mechanical or electrical failure, obstruction by animal activity) or a battery may need replacing.
*If you have just restarted Cumulus, and encounter multiple rogue readings in the catch-up from the station logger, one possibility is to stop Cumulus and find the backup files that it took when you started it up (or just after the previous roll-over time), copy those files into the data folder, overwriting the ones that are there, then when you start it up again it could sort itself out. The purpose of the backup files is to allow Cumulus to be 'rewound' to a particular point in time.  It simulates the situation where someone had closed Cumulus down at that point, and is only now starting it up again, and needs data to be downloaded from the station's logger to catch up to the present time.
Over successive versions of Cumulus more and more code has been incorporated to deal with the way some stations are prone to reporting rogue readings.
The [[Diags]] log often contains useful information for sorting out what has been read, which values have been ignored, and which highs or lows may have been updated incorrectly. Note that automatic backups are made just after roll-over time because restarting Cumulus when there are no logger records to read before roll-over has been known to cause problems.
*Ensure you are using the latest Cumulus build, if you are using an old version you will not have any enhancements made since the earlier build that might improve the way Cumulus reads from your station.
In general, if Cumulus identifies an odd value it will reuse the last good value instead, assuming that the problem will either right itself or be spotted and dealt with quickly.
Fine Offset stations are prone to reporting the odd non-sensical value, and Cumulus has the ability to compare successive readings:
*From the '''Configuration''' menu select [[Cumulus_Screenshots#Configuration_Menu_Screens|''Calibration'']] and in the '''Spike removal''' frame you can specify "the maximum '''differences''' between successive values" that Cumulus is to tolerate. See the '''Help''' for that screen, and note that spike removal applies while Cumulus is running, not to catch-up readings from the station's logger.
The purpose of the backup files is to allow Cumulus to be 'rewound' to a particular point in time.  It simulates the situation where someone had closed Cumulus down at that point, and is only now starting it up again, and needs data to be downloaded from the station's logger to catch up to the present time.
*If you have just restarted Cumulus, and encounter multiple rogue readings in the catch-up from the station logger, one possibility is to stop Cumulus and find the backup files that it took when you started it up (or just after the previous roll-over time), copy those files into the data folder, overwriting the ones that are there, then when you start it up again it could sort itself out.
The [[Diags]] log often contains useful information for sorting out what has been read, which values have been ignored, and which highs or lows may have been updated incorrectly. Note that automatic backups are made just after roll-over time because restarting Cumulus when there are no logger records to read before roll-over has been known to cause problems. Therefore, the backup to choose might be one with the date before when the problem occured, but remember that any calculations Cumulus makes are based on readings at least every minute when Cumulus is running, but for the catch up period such calculations can only use the readings available at your station's logging interval. Note if you choose a later backup and it does not work, you can always then repeat the 'rewind' with a earlier backup.


== I get very large amounts of rainfall shown, or other high readings ==
== I get very large amounts of rainfall shown, or other high readings ==
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