I've been using AcuRite products for years, mostly because their products are specifically designed for a range of Home Use consumers from small temp/weather related applications to the dedicated weather enthusiast, and their products are usually relatively inexpensive while still maintaining reasonable quality at the same time. However, due to the overall nature of inexpensive electronics and automated assembly, it's impossible not to have a lemon or glitch in the works somewhere. I could talk about how great this personal weather station is supposed to be, but why repeat what you've already heard before? Let's skip that part. Things you should know about the AcuRite 00589 Pro Color Weather Station: 1. The display screen sort of behaves like a privacy screen. The data is only bold and clear when viewing the display dead on at eye level. The data fades away when viewing it at angles. So keep that in mind while figuring out where to place the display. 2. The display can be wall mounted, but not flush mounted. Due to the bulging battery compartment, you must allow some space from the wall so the screen can hang parallel with the wall. There should be a sheetrock/panel insert and a longer screw included in the packaging so you can do this properly. - In addition to the wall mounting option, be sure not to mount the display over any power lines. Here's a good clue ... if a light switch is directly below where you're trying to mount it, then you're mounting it in the wrong place. Move over at least 6 - 12 inches. Not only will this reduce EM interference and improve sensor connectivity, but also avoid the chance of electrical shock and/or fire. 3. If you want to view the data at all times, then the backlight must remain on at all times. The wall power adapter enables the 'always on' feature automatically, but the default is 100% brightness. I actually find it a bit too bright, so I turn it down 1 notch to medium. There's also an auto-dim feature, but you probably won't like it, I know I don't, because that feature only uses Low & High, and I want Medium most of the time. 4. There's a slight conflict of interest concerning the outdoor sensor. The consumer must choose which is more important personally ... Wind or Humidity-Temp. --- a) If it's Upper Wind, then choose a nice big open area with a 50 yard clearing radius, mounted on 10 - 12 feet of pole. The sensor needs to be at least 2 feet higher than your house, if you don't have that kind of clearance. However, temp and humidity is not going to be accurate with this setup. --- b) If Lower Wind is satisfactory, then a mount point on the farthest corner of a deck at least 6 feet from a wall and 5 feet off the ground is sufficient. However, the temperature is not going to be accurate in direct sunlight. --- c) If Humidity-Temp is all you're really concerned about, then mount in an always shady area at least 6 feet from obstacles and 6 feet from the ground. However, you can forget the wind entirely. Don't even bother looking at the wind reading except for fun. 5. With #4 above in mind, you should realize it actually takes independent sensors to get the job done properly. With the way most people mount these 3-in-1 stations, the Wind sensor is just there for fun. Ideally you really want the Wind Sensor separate from the Humidity-Temp sensor out in wide open area, but if you want to take things that far, then you might as well cough up the money for expert professional instruments and become a REAL weather station, right? Glitches: So far I've only experienced 1 glitch. It's correctable, but I don't know yet if the glitch is going to repeat. After first-time power up and mounting, everything seemed to be fine. Over a period of 3 days the Temperature became inaccurate and slowly kept increasing to nearly 22 degrees higher than what the temp is supposed to be (I have other instruments to verify). I decided to do a hard reset of the display (just the display, never touched the sensor, never touched the channel switch) and the reset seems to have corrected the issue so far. If it happens again, then I'll let it be known.
