Maintaining Traditional Equipment

Traditional weather equipment should give you many years of service if you treat it well. Here are some basic tips for looking after your equipment:

Thermometers and Hygrometers

Glass thermometers can be cleaned occasionally with a damp chamois cloth as dirt and dust near the bulb that can gather over time can affect the accuracy of the reading. 

Ensure that the muslin wick of a hygrometer is kept clean and does not mildew, as this will also affect accuracy and water take up onto the bulb.

Rain gauges:

Rain gauges should be emptied of any debris regularly and you should ensure the 'hole' is not blocked by any debris. Copper gauges are designed to develop a green 'patina' over time and the temptation to clean them with copper wire should be resisted, though a soft cloth and appropriate liquid buff will not harm it.

Some of the cheaper plastic gauges may split if they are exposed to direct sunlight in time, especially in exposed locations, where wind and salt play a part but this is one of the natural hazards of such a gauge that it is hard to combat. A plastic resin sealant may help for a time.

Campbell Stokes sunshine recorder

Radiation from the sun reaches us in two forms: direct radiation and that which is refracted from clouds or other obstructions. The distinction between sunshine and lack of sunshine is a relative arbitrary one however, largely dependent upon the type of sunshine recorder in use or upon the quality of human beings subjective estimates.

Instruments can record both the duration of sunshine without regard to its intensity at a given location and with regard to its intensity. The former group of sunshine recorders can be classified into two groups; the first in which the timescale is obtained from the motion of the sun in the manner of a sundial (and these include the Campbell–Stokes recorder and Jordan & Pers sunshine recorder). The second class is where the timescale is supplied by a chronograph (eg the Marvin sunshine recorder). sunshine recorder.

These should be cleaned every week with a damp chamois cloth as any dust or other residue on them will affect the accuracy of the reading. Eventually, the paint will flake and chip a little due to the exposure and sunshine but they can be carefully repainted using a black metal paint.   

Stevenson Screens:   

The more expensive screens today are very durable indeed being constructed from high performance plastics and powder coated aluminum and will last for very many years. Wooden white painted screens though will flake over time, allowing the wood eventually to warp and rot. Exposed wooden surfaces will then affect the screen's exposure and instrument accuracy. They can be safely sanded down and repainted every few years when necessary, using a white or grey undercoat and a top coat of thin white exterior gloss