Datasheet

2 The green dot data logger problem

Starting in 2012, new Davis data loggers suddenly shipped with a green dot sticker

attached to the enclosure, hence the unofﬁcial term green dot data loggers. The same

green dot sticker started appearing on console enclosures, indicating consoles shipping

with the new ﬁrmware version 3.00. For the Vantage Pro2 series of weather stations,

the ﬁrmware version made a remarkable jump from v. 1.90 to v. 3.00 overnight — and

later to version 3.12, the latter also being made available for updating existing consoles

running ﬁrmware version 1.90.

To cut a long story short: a green dot console requires a green dot data logger. A green

dot data logger can be used with a non-green dot console, but not the other way around.

The green dot data logger requirement effectively puts an end to the use of third-

party data loggers with consoles manufactured from mid-2012 onwards. Also, the se-

rial line remains ”locked down” until an original Davis data logger is attached. In short,

this means that:

• It won’t be possible to re-use an old (non-green dot) data logger with a new green

dot console.

• If, for some reason, a user has a non-green dot console replaced with a new green

dot console (warranty replacement, etc.), a new data logger may also be required.

Customers in the US are only faced with the trouble of getting in touch with Davis

for a free replacement logger. Customers outside the US are left on their own.

• Anyone using the serial line for direct access to the console will no longer be able

to do so. As long as the serial line remains locked down, the console will only

output ”LCD OK” during the boot sequence. After that, any command issued via

the serial line will receive a ”NO” reply to indicate that the serial line interface is

not available.

• Attaching a non-green dot data logger to a green dot console will result in the

”INCOMPATIBLE LOGGER” message on the console display, as shown on the

front page of this document.

Figure 3: The green dot enclosure for new data loggers. The green dot is placed inside the plastic wrap-

ping. All new data loggers are of the green dot type, even though they have been shipping without the

fancy green sticker lately (2013-). It is not known whether all new data loggers are now shipping with or

without the green dot sticker.

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