NASA clipper wind damaged again

[whiteoaks7]

I'm getting fed up with having to buy a new set of cups every year, this is (I think) the fifth time I'm having to replace them because one cup has broken off. Is anyone else having a similar reliability problem with this kit?

Cheers, David

 

[Seajet]

I'm getting fed up with having to buy a new set of cups every year, this is (I think) the fifth time I'm having to replace them because one cup has broken off. Is anyone else having a similar reliability problem with this kit?

Cheers, David

David,

You obviously don't visit these forums much !

This subject comes up with notorious regularity, and your experience is only unusual in that your actual display units, cup bearings etc haven't failed as well - yet.

I tried 2 complete Clipper Wind units over a while - why I bothered with the second makes me question my sanity; it was a happy day when I removed the lot.

 

[Gwylan]

NASA - windex

I'm getting fed up with having to buy a new set of cups every year, this is (I think) the fifth time I'm having to replace them because one cup has broken off. Is anyone else having a similar reliability problem with this kit?

Cheers, David

Sadly a weak point in the NASA range - though at £13 a set for the cups they could be making a lot of money.

Obviously they do not respond to the slagging this particular product gets. Otherwise they would have re-engineered the head unit so that it lasts a bit longer. A slight increase in spec on the material used for the cups and a better bearing and their problem would be a long way towards solved.

That might include a 'plug and socket arrangement at the mast head so you can bring the unit down and service it rather than fiddling around with tiny nuts 15 metres up in the air.

Shame really because it does rather set low point for their product quality.

 

[crossbones]

Nasa wind unit.

""That might include a 'plug and socket arrangement at the mast head so you can bring the unit down and service it rather than fiddling around with tiny nuts 15 metres up in the air.""


I think you will find that they introduced that several years ago.

 

[Seajet]

So why in the name of all that's holy, didn't they also think about a proper bearing and cups made of stuff which can withstand being outdoors ?!

 

[Bosun Higgs]

I'm getting fed up with having to buy a new set of cups every year, this is (I think) the fifth time I'm having to replace them because one cup has broken off. Is anyone else having a similar reliability problem with this kit?

Cheers, David

NASA kit isnt bad for the money but the general opinion seems to be that the anenometer "sucks" to use a nasty Americanism. To avoid future problems buy more expensive.

 

[steve28]

what we need is someone who owns or works in a plastic injection company.make them out of a better type of plastic.
Knock them out for 3 or 4 pounds

Steve

 

[Seajet]

what we need is someone who owns or works in a plastic injection company.make them out of a better type of plastic.
Knock them out for 3 or 4 pounds

Steve

No disrespect Steve,

but no, that would still give the user the serious pain of going up & down the mast - rather frequently - to put right NASA's mistake.

As stated earlier, they obviously don't take notice of the very poor publicity their kit, the 'Clipper Wind' gets here.

The annoying things are that the basic product is not far off right, ( now the customers have paid for & carried out the R & D ) a sensible engineering - style bearing instead of a pin spindle, anemometer cups made from something other than sub - tupperware and displays which at least keep working a few years are not too much to ask in the 21st Century.

The other annoying thing is that they're a British company and as such I and I suspect a lot of others have tried to support them, instead get laughable kit no American would tolerate for a second, and I cringe when I think ' any foreign customers will be judging the UK by this !'

 

[pvb]

The other annoying thing is that they're a British company and as such I and I suspect a lot of others have tried to support them, instead get laughable kit no American would tolerate for a second, and I cringe when I think ' any foreign customers will be judging the UK by this !'

And, of course, it's not just the kit itself, it's everything else - the lousy website, the awful graphics on the instruments, the minimal instructions. The whole outfit shouts "amateur".

 

[contessaman]

David,

You obviously don't visit these forums much !

This subject comes up with notorious regularity, and your experience is only unusual in that your actual display units, cup bearings etc haven't failed as well - yet.

I tried 2 complete Clipper Wind units over a while - why I bothered with the second makes me question my sanity; it was a happy day when I removed the lot.

Does that mean the target2 wind system is rubbish as well? (same MHU?) i was about to buy one on the basis that compared to the hundreds possibly thousands I have spent trying to get overly complicated b&g hercules working over the year, even if it lasted a few years it would be good value. However if it packs up after the first bout of winter gales then perhaps not. I'll say one thing the b&g MHU was indestructible I left mine up all year round. Pity about the rest of it.

 

[steve28]

uses the same masthead unit, so yes

 

[Hardley]

They do just that;

That might include a 'plug and socket arrangement at the mast head

 

[Hoolie]

I'm getting fed up with having to buy a new set of cups every year, this is (I think) the fifth time I'm having to replace them because one cup has broken off. Is anyone else having a similar reliability problem with this kit?

Perhaps you need one of these? I haven't seen them for sale in the UK - but as it says, NO MOVING PARTS

 

[luckypaul]

Good news / Bad news

The cups from my Clipper anenometer landed on the foredeck this summer . . .

(after more than 7 trouble free years - I haven't been up the mast for anything in the 7 years I've owned Rhubarb)

. . . from reading the posts in this thread I guess the good news is that I should be able to find a new part quite easily and the bad news that I shouldn't be expecting seven years trouble free use from the new part.