Davis Instruments 6250 Vantage Vue Wireless Weather Station Review

The Davis Instruments 6250 Vantage Vue Critically Looked At

As a big fan of climatology and meteorology, I am excited to be doing a review of a highly respected weather station.

The Davis Instruments 6250 Vantage Vue offers some of the best equipment options for the outside elements fan.

Not only is this unit filled with top-notch integrated sensors for collecting all types of climate data, but it is also extremely “down to earth” functional.

The user will find this unit to be perfect for providing all of the weather readings you would like to see.

The sensors provided are very professional-grade and owners report many years of uninterrupted service.

As one person put it these are serious weather instruments, not the toy-like ones you will get with cheaper alternatives available to be purchased.

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Description of The Davis Instruments Vantage Vue 6250

The Davis Vantage Vue comes in different models. This family of station units includes the Vantage Pro2 Plus family, the Vantage Pro2 family, and the Vantage Vue Wireless family.

These are listed in the order of more expensive and more features to the least expensive and less featured models.

Plenty to choose from. We are reviewing the 6250 Vantage Vue, which is part of the Vantage Vue Wireless family.

These units are highly rated by purchasers for not only their numerous options on screen but also because they are configurable. You get to choose what you are looking at when you check your console daily and hourly.

This is a much-admired situation and one of the biggest reasons for the large popularity in the market.

The Vantage Pro2 series are more intricate and can be found on other pages of our site. Here are some top features of the Vantage Vue. Let’s look at the console and what it offers.

In the current weather mode, the console screen looks like this with many different exciting modes featured. As you can see the following are examples of areas that are included.

• graph of a selected variable
• wind rose compass
• moon phase
• forecast icons
• alarm settings

Some more of the features on the console screen as we progress clockwise is the time & date

• sunrise/sunset times
• inside/outside temperatures
• Inside/outside humidity

as well as

• barometric air pressure & trend
• rain data & ET
• wind chill/dew point
• heat index
• Weather Center with additional information

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Davis Instruments 6250 Vantage Vue Wireless Weather StationOne of the really neat things is how Davis Instruments uses weather icons to help you understand your weather situation.

There are 5 weather forecasting icons listed. They are the following; Mostly Clear, Partly Clear, Mostly Cloudy, Rain, and Snow.

The Moon phases are broken down into the following 9 phases, New Moon, Waxing Crescent, First Quarter, Waxing Gibbous,

Full Moon, Waning Gibbous, Last Quarter, Waning Crescent, New Moon.

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Please note that the moon phases icons used are for the Northern Hemisphere. If you are in the Southern Hemisphere the order of the icons is reversed.

Also please be aware of the use of the following icons on the console’s screen.

• Alarm Bell— appears when setting an alarm. Blinks on and off
  when an alarm is triggered. Up to 22 different alarms may be set.
• Graph— Indicates that graph mode is currently being displayed. Up to 50 graphs can be generated and viewed separately on the console screen.
• 2nd— Indicates that 2nd was pressed and all the alternate key
  functions (printed above or below each key) can be used. For a rather detailed explanation of the 2nd key please go to the 6250 Manual by clicking here, MANUAL (http://www.vantagevue.com/product_documents/weather/manuals/07395-260_GSG_06250.pdf ) Pages 7-12 will be where you can read about this. Very informative and a great toggle feature to use.
• Antenna—Displays the current status of the console’s reception. An antenna with waves indicates a signal from a station. An antenna with no waves indicates re-synchronization. No antenna means loss of signal.
• Arrow —Indicates the current variable selected or the variable
  currently being graphed if in graph mode.
• Umbrella—appears when it is currently raining

[toc]Below the console’s display is the brain/activity center. This is in the form of a keyboard/push-button area.

On the console’s keyboard, the buttons labeled, LIGHT, TEMP, HUM, RAIN, WIND, BAR, WxCEN (weather center), 2ND (toggling between, whenever you see “Press 2ND and Another Key:”) GRAPH, HI/LOW, TIME, DONE are the rest of the button descriptions.

Also, some other things are to be seen on the console.

• Time and Date: View the current time/date or the time of sunrise/sunset for today.
• Weather Center: provides additional information for each weather variable, such as daily highs and lows, temperature changes by the hour, and barometric value changes. Also displays astronomical data such as meteor showers.
• Barometer: This area shows a variety of positions that the trend arrow is currently. The current barometric pressure is seen as either rising, falling, or it is currently stable.
• Temperature: you will see updates every 10 seconds for the outside temperature, and the inside temperature is updated every 60 seconds.
• Humidity: The outside humidity reading updates every 50 seconds while the inside humidity is updated every 60 seconds.
• Rain: The display console will show you updates every 25 seconds on rain rates, and rain totals for the last 25 hours, days, months.
• Wind Speed: See wind speed updates every 2.5 seconds. The wind speed is shown in miles/hour, meters/second, kilometers/hour, and knots.

We have found out that many buyers are absolutely thrilled with the timeliness of these updates. This seems to be an area of excitement that leads to many high praises in customer reviews. Provides the average and high wind speed for two-minute and ten-minute intervals.

All data is reported in US standards for your comfort of use. If you are from outside the US please be aware of this.

Type of Instruments

Provided instruments in the ISS (Integrated Sensor Suite)

• Thermometer
• Anemometer
• Rain Gauge
• Barometer
• Relative Humidity

The software can be integrated for data logging but does not come with the station’s purchase. This will be an additional purchase.

Instrument Sensors

The remote sensor unit is solar-powered with stored energy backup. The solar panel energizes the station during the day. The supercapacitor (Solar Power) provides power at night. Size C Lithium batteries are needed to provide the backup when needed.

Rain Collector: Self-emptying tipping spoon measures rain with 0.01-inch resolution.

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Davis Instruments 6250 Vantage Vue Wireless Weather Station

Anemometer: The Vantage Vue records wind speeds as low as 2 mph (3 km/h) and as high as 150 mph (241 km/h). Wind direction is measured in compass points or degrees.
Temperature/Relative Humidity: Outside temperature readings from -40 to 150 degrees Fahrenheit (-40 to 65 degrees Celsius). The relative humidity is measured from 0 to 100 percent.

The following 4 areas are highlighted in the sensor housing/protection.

• Weather Proof Cover: is corrosion-resistant and extremely durable. Electronics are potted or over-molded for added moisture shielding.
• Radiation Shield: protects from solar radiation and other sources of radiated and reflected heat.
• Easy installation with included mounting hardware kit.
• A bubble level is provided which allows for more accurate installation and better data collection

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Type of Transmission

Wireless: Frequency-hopping spread spectrum radio frequency from 902 to 928 MHz. This ensures consistent transmission up to 1,000 feet (300 m) from integrated sensor suite to console.

Updates start as quickly as every 2.5 seconds.

The manufacturer has done extensive testing and the equipment survived cyclic corrosion tests simulating wear in extreme weather environments.

You should also be aware that this unit’s transmission is excellent is compared to many other cheaper models on the market.

The U.S. version uses a U.S. radio frequency from 902 to 928 MHz. If the product transmits data via cellular connection, the included SIM is for use in the USA only and requires a U.S. Service Plan.

Display

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Davis Instruments 6250 Vantage Vue Wireless Weather StationThe Davis Vantage Vue Console as a display console is Amber colored, and not as attractive as a colored screen would be. 

But we found the display’s console includes forecast icons, moon phases, sunrise/sunset times, graphing of weather trends, and many alarms settings.

It features an easy-to-read backlight, 3 by 4.375-inch LCD display with a glow-in-the-dark keypad.

All you need to do is press LIGHT to toggle between:
• Backlight on
• Backlight off

Here are some notes concerning the backlighting system.

If the console is running on AC power: the backlight will remain on until you turn it off.

If the console is running on battery power: the backlight will remain on as long as you continue pressing various keys. If you press any key while the light is on, it will stay on for 60 seconds. Otherwise, it will stay on for 15 seconds.

The backlight will not come on when battery power is low.

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Software Choices For Vantage Vue 6250

Yes, the software may be purchased and used with the Vantage Vue 6250. The constantly updated readouts will provide you with current weather conditions from your station’s remote sensor readings.

Davis Instruments makes available for separate purchase 8 different software products. Some are smaller features for sections of the sensor program but some are entire software packages for the entire weather station.

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We list some suggestions to look at below for your research and purchasing ease. You Can Click on any of these links to get today’s special Low Price

Davis 6510Ser Weatherlink For Vantage Vue & Pro2 Series

Davis Instruments WeatherLink USB Software

Davis Instruments 6316 Wireless Weather Envoy

Davis WeatherLink 6550 Software Data Logger for Emergency Response Teams

Davis WeatherLink for Irrigation Control

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The software and data logger transfer your Vantage Pro or Vantage Pro2 Remote Sensor weather data to your computer, allowing you to create a permanent weather database.

You may also use a Weather Envoy with the Vantage Vue 6250. This will make it possible to send data logging directly to your computer, without the need for a console’s involvement.

So if you wanted to buy the remote sensor unit and use a Weather Envoy, you would not need to purchase the console. As an example, maybe you are just studying the data, or just interested in sending it to weather collection sites like Weather Underground.

Once stored in the database, your weather information can be used to generate a wide variety of reports and graphical displays. In addition, the WeatherLinkIP data logger automatically uploads your console

or Envoy information to a web server provided by Davis Instruments that lets you see your weather data via the Internet without having to set up your own web page.

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Davis WeatherLink IP Software for Vantage Pro and Weather Envoy by Davis InstrumentsYour weather data is automatically saved to Davis’s web servers which provide four times the storage of the data logger.

Using the WeatherLinkIP data logger lets you become part of the WeatherLink Network, a collection of websites containing customer weather information that is stored on a server owned by Davis Instruments.

Being part of the WeatherLink Network and having a site on WeatherLink.com means you are part of a community of weather enthusiasts who use the WeatherLink Network to view their own weather data and share that weather data with friends and people across the world quickly and easily.

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WeatherLink Software Features:

Here are just a few of a long list of the best features offered.

• Displays the current station data in a real-time “bulletin” on the computer.
• Allows you to set and clear data in the station’s console (time and date, highs and lows, alarm
  thresholds, calibration numbers, etc.) from the computer.
• Graphs archived climate data on an hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly basis.
• Generates Weather Watcher reports in the National Climatic Data Center (NOAA) format.
• Collects data from multiple climate stations on the same computer.
• APRS data protocol allows volunteers in the Citizen Weather Observer Program (CWOP) to send real-time weather data to the National Weather Service(NWS).
• Gives you multiple options for connecting to your WeatherLinkIP data logger.
• WeatherLink Data Logger Features
• Automatically sends data to Weatherlink.com without connection to a computer.
• Automatically uploads archive data to the Weatherlink.com website

Manufacturer/Support

Website: www.davisnet.com

3465 Diablo Ave., Hayward, CA 94545-2778 the USA

If you have any questions, or encounter problems installing or operating your Vantage Vue weather station, please contact Davis Technical Support

(510) 732-7814 — Monday-Friday, 7:00 a.m.- 5:30 p.m. Pacific Time

Davis Instruments is unable to accept collect calls

(510) 670-0589— Technical Support Fax

support@davisnet.com— E-mail to Technical Support

info@davisnet.com— General e-mail.

Dimensions

Sensor unit dimensions: 12.95″ x 5.75″ x 13.40″ (329 mm x 146 mm x 340 mm)

Console display unit Dimensions: 7.5″ x 5.75″ x 4.5″ (190 mm x 146 mm x 114 mm)
Mounted on the wall: 7.5″ x 7.0 ” x 3.0″ (190 mm x 178 mm x 76 mm)
Display screen measurements: 4.13″ x 3.0″ (105 mm x 76 mm)

Data Logger’s dimensions

6.00″ Width,x 9.00″ Height x 1.63″ Depth (152 mm x 229 mm x 42 mm)
weight is 9.0 oz.

How Powered

The ISS (Integrated Sensor Suite) is solar-powered with stored energy backup
is a 3-volt button cell lithium battery. The Solar power stored up lasts well into the night.

The console is powered by Power AC 5 VDC, 300 mA

The console backup power is 3 “C-cell” batteries. A good idea is to have a set of batteries installed in the console just to make sure you always have the console operating, in case of power outages.

Pros

It uses forecast icons that will tell you what to expect. Whether it is sunny, partly sunny, clouds, rain, or snow.

Provides a large variety of updated information every minute.
The console has a wonderfully designed user-friendly keypad. It had domed buttons, that are easy to sense and press. The glow-in-the-dark keypad offers day and night usability.
You can extend your transmissions up to an additional 1000 ft.
Many graphs can be provided. You are able to see and study graphs for the last 25 hours, 25 days, or last few months. Up to 50 graphs may be viewed on your console and all may include temperature, rain, rain rate, wind, and barometric pressure.
Updates are done all the time. If you like up-to-the-minute updates, you will get them with the Davis Vantage Venue 6250. One of the great advantages of owning.
A “This Time Yesterday” feature is available. A data point is provided on a graph indicating the weather during the same time yesterday. This can be used to compare and analyze day-to-day weather trends.
You are able to set up to 22 simultaneous, different alarms to warn of dangers such as high winds, freezing temperatures, rain rate, flood warning, and more.
Moon Phases are presented: See the eight phases of the moon from new to full.
Electronics are potted or over-molded for added moisture shielding.
Highly recommended and quickly responsive customer service
Found the manuals to be very fact-filled and contain very specific information. Much information to absorb.

Cons

In order to connect with weather information gathering sites like Weather Underground you must make outside purchases of one of three available data loggers to use to communicate the information from your sensor station to the network.
Console display screen is an amber color. This color is rather dated and can sometimes be hard to be seen from an angle.
The manuals can be confusing in how they are organized.
Lifetime use appears to be 5-6 years for most parts. At that point in time parts need to be replaced. This requires money, time, and effort to keep up.

Vantage View 6250 Consumer Rating

In my research, I found that the Vantage Vue 6250, is a definite set of scientific class instruments. The console provides a vast collection of bells and whistles to be enjoyed by the most dedicated weather station owner.

When rating this weather station I would give it a 4.4-star rating. The quality is here and with it are provided top-notch instrument readings.

I doubt whether this unit will disappoint. For the most serious of us climate fans, it has a great balance of data provided, accurate readings, and updates constantly being done. A Win, Win, Win for you the meteorology buff.

The Davis Instruments model 6250 is very popular for many reasons. The price is a bit more than a serious watcher would pay for. But as a serious watcher, it has everything I personally look for.

Probably the biggest thing is that with all of the information available, you will want to use graphing, data logging, etc. So I found myself excited about what it provides but you will probably, if you are like me, want to plan on the extra $150-200 purchase for software, so you will be able to take full advantage of the readings information.

Price

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Davis Instruments 6250 Vantage Vue Wireless Weather StationThis is the lower class of the Davis instrument models but proves to be a definite step up from the hobbyist/casual weather observer to the manic, well studied intensely interested owner of a station unit. We believe after examining that it will be well worth the extra money spent.

If you are a casual observer, then this is way too much weather station for you. But if you love weather as I do, then this should be a perfect fit. The price is very fair in trade for the quality of instruments, and a large number of settings possible on the unit’s display console.

The complete station is a great buy. The service is there for you and the accuracy and shelf life are there as well.

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