Several weeks ago I posted a review of the AcuRite smartHUB Weather Environment System which I’m still using. There were a few comments on the review asking about a wind speed sensor. AcuRite saw those comments and sent me the PRO+ 5-in-1 Weather Sensor which also works with the smartHUB. Let’s take it for a spin.
What is it?
The PRO+ 5-in-1 Weather Sensor is one large-ish device that includes sensors that measure temperature, humidity, wind speed, wind direction and rain. This sensor can pair with AcuRite’s smartHUB so that you can check the weather data through your AcuRite account on the web and / or through the AcuRite mobile app. You can also buy an indoor display to show the data at a glance.
What’s in the box?
AcuRite PRO+ 5-in-1 Weather Sensor
Mounting bracket and hardware
Instruction manual
Design and features
The PRO+ 5-in-1 Weather Sensor features a rain collector, wind speed anemometer and wind direction sensors and temperature / humidity sensors. It also has two solar panels that allow the sensor’s internal fan to run frequently allowing airflow to cool the housing and keep the ambient temperature readings are more accurate.
The rain collector has a debris filter to catch seeds, leaves and other dirt that might fall and there’s a bubble level built into the top of the unit to help with installation.
The PRO+ transmits weather data every 18 to 36 seconds via a wireless connection to a smartHUB or a wireless display. The wireless range is supposed to be up to 330 feet, but that is wide open spaces. With my smartHUB in the basement and the PRO+ less than 20 feet away but through a few floors and walls, the signal strength sometimes says that it’s week. Even so, it still sends / receives data just fine.
The PRO+ runs on 4 AA batteries that should last up to 2 years. The manual recommends lithium batteries, but I used alkaline batteries which probably won’t last as long especially during the winter months.
The sensor comes with a mounting bracket and hardware. It can be installed on a flat surface or a steel post. As you can see from the image above, I kind of cheated. I found a scrap board and screwed the mounting bracket to that and then bungee tied the board to a ledge on my deck. The PRO+ should be installed away from anything that could obstruct rain or wind. The higher you locate it the better. Also, the solar panels should face south to properly orient the wind direction.
My pseudo installation is only about 6 feet off the ground. I plan to relocate it to a permanent location soon. But for review purposes, this setup worked fine.
Once the batteries were loaded and I placed the unit outside, I checked the devices page in my AcuRite account and noticed that it automatically detected a new device. I clicked the + sign to add the PRO+ 5-in-1 and it began showing data within minutes.
The dashboard view shows basic information for each sensor.
The detailed view of the web client will let you drill down into graphs that show daily, weekly, monthly, year and all time data measurements.
The mobile app shows the same data just in a smaller view.
Final thoughts
The AcuRite PRO+ 5-in-1 Weather Sensor is an easy to install weather station that includes sensors for all the necessary weather data that you’d want to collect, from rain and wind, to temperature and humidity. It syncs with AcuRite’s smartHUB and the data can be shared as a community weather station through Weather Underground, which is a very cool feature. Now I have a full fledged weather station at my house. AcuRite weather gadgets get two thumbs up from me!
With the PRO+, I now have a full-fledged weather station at my house that I can access from anywhere using a computer or my phone. AcuRite weather gadgets get two thumbs up from me!
Source: The sample for this review was provided by AcuRite. Please visit their site for more info and Amazon to order.
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Hi Julie,
Just a word to wise from my years of experience with home weather stations. The higher you can put it the better you are for wind measurements. However, looking at your pictures you have tons of trees in your area. That means a lot of leaves and stuff. So put is somewhere you can easily get to it so you can clean out the rain collector. I know I mentioned Davis instruments before. Yes, they are much more expensive, but they also come with heating elements to keep your anemometer and wind vane from freezing up with the snow and ice you will get. Plus you can separate the anemometer and wind vane from the rain collector/temp/humidity sensor. That way you can mount that up high and leave the other stuff 6 feet off the ground where it is easy to maintain.
I agree that the location I have it now is not optimal. Unfortunately, I’m surrounded on all sides by mature trees so unless I can get it up about 100 ft, my wind measurements won’t be completely accurate. But that’s ok. I can deal with that limitation.
Forgive my ignorance but what does this machine tell you that a quick glance on the internet doesn’t tell you? Is it just for the hobbyist or is there a real need for these home kits?
So how is the accuracy of the unit? Is this the same unit they have at Costco for $80?
I don’t know how to measure the accuracy other than comparing it to other thermometers and other AcuRite sensors that I can place in the same location. But, I don’t know which one is right. None of the thermometers readings match. But they are all within 1-2 degrees of each other and within 10% humidity level readings.
All of the AcuRite sensors that I have can be calibrated. There is a section in the web client where you can adjust the temp, humidity and wind speed.
As for your Costco question, send me a link and I might be able to tell you if it’s the same unit.
I have had two of these same models. The first one failed, and they sold me a second one at a discount because of the failure. It arrived with a bad fan. I have gone through so much issues with the first one I didn’t bother with the fan issue, which means it measures temps too high in the sunlight, and gets kicked of off weather underground daily. Now this unit is also failing as the first one did with signal strength issues. The new software update has been a disaster. It no longer stores long term data for trending. I would stay away from this low quality station.
Can you explain about the software update? I don’t see any way to update software on this sensor.
It’s the software on the bridge that connects it to the internet. For the past few years, the data has fed to a webpage for your station, and kept records such as high temp for the year, low temp, etc. They blew that away and now give a page that just shows the current data with a graph, but it’s short term. They explained it away as ‘just use weather undergrounds data’ that is gathered when you set up a site with them, feeding them your data. The problem is WU will drop you if your temp is too high/low relative to nearby stations, (thanks to the continued fan failures) and also when the signal ‘drops’ which has started *again* with the new update.
I am an electrical engineer and programmer. The hardware in this station is of very poor quality and won’t last. I am using a raspberry PI to build my own station, I just can’t take the failures and poor support. The software *update* was the last straw.
This looks like a knock off of the Davis Instruments Vantage Vue. One word of caution. I purchased the Vantage Vue in part because of the sample rate. Your unit samples every 18-36 seconds. Measuring an accurate wind gust means sampling very frequently (where I live the wind doesn’t time itself to gust precisely every 36 secs;) With the Vantage Vue, it’s every 2.5 secs, so the likelihood of missing a wind gust is very, very low. At 36 secs its completely by accident you’ll catch accurate wind speeds. You get what you pay for.
Wind sampling is done with a 4-second window.
You’re confusing the sampling rate with the reporting rate. They aren’t the same thing.
I have been using the Costco version for one year. The sensor is mounted 26 feet above ground level about 60 feet from the wall display. No problems with signal from the sensor. From the beginning the reading have been questionable. The temp. varies about 6 to 8 degrees highs and lows, wind speed is inconsistent. Not nearly as reliable as my old fashion weather string!
We need hear more about your “weather string” 🙂
With electronics, you usually get what you pay for. I have had my Davis Vantage Vue for more than 10 years now. It is more expensive than this unit but still works flawlessly. What are the odds that this $80 unit will still be working 10 years from now? What are the odds that Acurite will even be around 10 years from now to provide spares or support if you need it?
Problem with pieces of hardware coupled with a web or cloudservice is continuity.
When the company folds the hardware is still fine but the service stops: no more readouts. Now what?
Has happened before will happen again and happens way to often IMHO.
Open software and preferably hardware is first on my feature list.
Yes, right said… Open software is great option.
I love my AcuRite equipment. Everything functions, calibrates and produces very accurate results. I love it that I do not have to use PC Connect and that I have the dual solar panel model with that fan. I have seen some individuals having some issues. I feel as if many of them just are not technically inclined as some. I have worked in IT as an Systems/Network Admin for many years. So, this is right up my alley. I did have a few questions because I knew mine was a bit different than some. I had started with the smartHUB not the bridge and I do not have PC Connect ….. don’t need it with my model. All I need now is a lightning gauge/sensor and Ill be really set. I don’t know if my inside display would accommodate or not. Anyhow, I’m rambling. I LOVE MY ACURITE Weather Station. Setting up a webcam with a Raspberry pi so I can have weather pictures streamed to my website and then over to my config. page with for my station. Love it………..
My AcuRite model is 01036A1.
Bought it a bout 2 yrs ago. 1st yr worked well. 2nd year the outside temp and humidity sensor failed. I dont know if that is the same sensor. Acu Rite service is a disaster. I get nothing but Auto gen no reply emails which are not related to my case. I happen to be in Europe now. Acu Rite has disconnected their web site here with a message:”AcuRite.com is currently unavailable in most European countries”. The phones revert you to the web site or email messages.
I just wonder if one can replace the failed sensor and buy it and install it into the 5-1 gadget
I purchased the 5-1 back in 2015. Was never able to get the software to transfer data to my PC even though Windows says it was operating properly. Thus I was never able to connect to MyAcurite. The anemometer bearings failed in 2019. Replacement part was easy to get and Acurite Support and I have tried unsuccessfully to get the unit to transfer data and connect with MyAcurite. I finally gave up. I’ll fix things once, but when this unit fails again, I will be looking at the Davis equipment. You do get what you pay for.