Are you a weather enthusiast who wants to find a high-end, sophisticated weather station? Then search no further than the Ambient WS-5000 home weather station. It is the first production after Nielsen Kellerman acquired the Ambient Weather brand in 2019.
The Ambient WS-5000 weather station is a departure from all the other weather stations the brand has produced. In fact, the up-scale features of this model put it in a class of its own.
For instance, the weather station now features an ultrasonic wind sensor that doesn’t have any moving parts. This means that there is no wear and tear, so need to replace the sensor.
Additionally, it comes with a separate rain gauge that features a bigger funnel for more accurate rainfall measurements. You can also expect more accurate temperature measurements from the up-graded indoor temperature sensor.
Ambient WS-5000 Set-Up Process
The Ambient WS-5000 package comes with a console, a barometer sensor, and a thermometer/hygrometer sensor. It also features a separate rain gauge, UV and light sensor, and a sonic anemometer with an integrated thermometer/hygrometer.
Installing the sensors is an effortless process that doesn’t require you to have advanced technical skills. This weather station is also compatible with additional sensors, including:
Last update on 2024-04-23
Neither the base package or the additional sensors come with batteries. As such, you should ensure you have the batteries on hand. Most sensors use AA batteries. It is best to use high-quality lithium batteries as cheap batteries may cause issues with the device’s performance.
Additionally, the Ambinet WS-5000 weather station comes with easy-to-follow instructions that make it effortless to install. Most of the weather station comes pre-assembled, which leaves you with not much to put together. You will need to provide a mounting pole, tripod or other solution.
It should take about 30-45 minutes to have the device set up and everything running.
Things That Could Slow The Set-Up Process
It’s worth noting that you may encounter some issues that can slow the setup process down. For instance, the indoor temperature/barometer/humidity sensor and the rain gauge may not connect automatically. Sometimes it takes a few hours for these sensors to begin to display on the console.
The next step includes connecting your Ambient WS-5000 with WiFi and an internet connection. You will need to do this to connect your home weather station with other smart home services such as IFTTT, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant. It also allows you remote access to your data through AmbientWeather.net and other third-party services such as Weather Underground. Please note that this process may take some time and we have useful tips for connecting to Weather Underground.
User Experience Of The Ambient WS-5000
Besides the quirky setup, Ambient WS-5000 offers an outstanding user experience. For instance, the model features a sturdy and high-quality build that makes it durable to withstand harsh conditions. Additionally, it has an attractive finish that makes it appealing and adds some beauty and class to your home.
Apart from looking great, the Ambient WS-5000 model seems to have dealt with most sensor issues from previous models. The console will receive data from the sensors through walls, which affected some earlier models.
What’s more, this Ambient weather station has an actual TFT LCD display, unlike some previous models with just a console. The Ambient WS-5000 LCD display shows all kinds of information in fairly easy-to-read sizes.
It also enables you to separate the screen for making charts of past weather data and recalling.
The display offers a wide range of viewing angles and you can choose from a light or dark screen. Most data is easily readable from a fair distance.
As you add more sensors to the weather station, the display may become a little crowded.
Changes To The Sensor Array
You may have experienced issues with previous models of barometric pressure and rainfall readings. Some earlier models recorded excess rainfall in heavy downpours and over-responsive barometers.
Last update on 2024-04-23
The Ambient WS-5000 home weather station has dealt with these issues. It offers more accurate barometric pressure readings from its ultrasonic anemometer. Plus, the improved rain gauge, featuring a larger funnel, ensures rainfall is measured with greater accuracy.
The five-second update interval is also a vital improvement compared to previous models. Earlier models only sent updates every minute or so.
The ultrasonic anemometer offers greater accuracy of both wind speed and wind direction readings. You may consider adding a heater to prevent the accumulation of snow and ice in winter as this would lead to inaccurate readings.
Upgradability
The Ambient WS-5000 home weather station also outperforms previous models in terms of upgradability. As mentioned earlier, the Ambient WS-5000 package includes a great sensor array however, there are many additional sensors you can purchase. These enable you to expand your home weather station to include much more weather data.
Additionally, you can upgrade the console using an optional SD card. This lets you store your weather data locally, enabling the device to continue operating when there is a power or internet outage.
Another upgrade you can make on the weather station to enhance its efficiency is the aforementioned heater. It helps to keep the sonic anemometer and rain gauge free from ice and snow which will cause inaccurate readings.
Most air quality sensors by Ambient Weather only measure PM2.5, which is the most common size for airborne pollutants. However, the Ambient WS-5000 allows you to add devices that will measure even PM10 particulate matter levels.
Connectivity Of The Ambient WS-5000
The Ambient WS-5000 connects to the internet the same way previous models do. You can use the web-based dashboard or the mobile app to connect to the company’s cloud service, AmbientWeather.net.
WiFi connection enables you to connect your home weather station to other smart home devices such as Google Assistant, Alexa, and IFTTT. IFTTT can help you to set your sprinklers to stop when it starts raining. You can also set it to turn the heater or cooler on when the temperature is at pre-set levels.
Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant use your voice to operate the device to ask for a weather report from the Ambient Weather station.
Final Thoughts
Should you buy the Ambient WS-5000 home weather station? The decision of whether to buy this weather station will depend on your budget and the features you require. While being one of the more expensive in the range from Ambient Weather it comes with many advanced features compared to its previous counterparts.
An Ambient Weather WS-5000 has a more intuitive display that can be read from any angle. It offers opportunities to expand the sensor array and upgrade the device for better performance. If you are looking for a top-grade home weather station, you definitely need to look at this model. We absolutely love it!
You can read about other models in the Ambient Weather range in our recent articles.
Trackbacks/Pingbacks