Wondering why your La Crosse weather station outdoor sensor not working? Keep reading!
The La Crosse outdoor sensor will significantly help us in knowing about the outside weather without having to go out.
However, this outdoor sensor often gets affected due to different factors and stops working and in this guide, we’ll definitely learn how to fix the problem!
The main reason why the La Crosse outdoor sensor stops working out of a sudden is when impacted by water or snow.
This sensor is not waterproof, and it will cease to function when directly exposed to snow, rainwater, or other liquids.
Let’s next discuss more about the causes of non-working La Crosse outdoor weather sensors!
Why La Crosse Remote Sensor Not Working?
If your remote weather sensor isn’t working, it may be due to system malfunction, internal damage, or physical damage.
However, the most common cause that is being noticed is the water damage since even a little drop of water might cause the sensor to malfunction.
Here is everything that can impact your La Crosse outdoor sensor:
- Basic Signal-related Problem
- Water-impacted Internet Parts
- Too much distance between units
- Warn Out Outdoor Sensor Batteries
The sensor could be impacted in a software-related way, hence we might be able to restore the proper function of the device.
This would only be possible if the device is actually functional so let’s jump straight into troubleshooting!
La Crosse Weather Station Outdoor Sensor Not Working?
In order to make your La Crosse outdoor sensor start working, we’ll need to attempt a list of chronological solutions that will address all possibilities.
Let’s get started!
Solution #1 Reboot The La Crosse Sensor!
Sometimes the sensor will stop working for a while due to any minor issue, and we only need a fresh restart so the device can start working again.
We’re going to take one step further and perform a power circulation, which will also discharge the device in order to cool down!
Here is how to power cycle the La Crosse weather outdoor sensor:
- Turn off your sensor from the gateway.
- Then, look for the battery compartment on the sensor.
- Take out the 2 x AA batteries from the sensor.
- Press all buttons on the sensor for 2 seconds.
- Wait for up to 5 minutes!
- Then, put the batteries back into the sensor.
- Turn on the sensor and check if it is working.
The longer you wait, the better your outdoor sensor will discharge and efficiently cool down.
Once the sensor starts, you’ll need to check on the main unit if you’re now getting any measurements or whether the device is turning on at all.
Note: In case the sensor is still not working, replace the batteries with AA alkaline batteries!
Solution #2 Inspect The Sensor For Damage!
The La Crosse weather outdoor sensor is very sensitive and not water resistant or waterproof meaning that you shouldn’t expose the device even to a drop of water.
When the La Crosse Technology weather station outdoor sensor not working, we need to inspect ALL possibilities!
First, check for physical damage on the sensor!
To check the sensor, simply hold it first, then carefully look at it from every angle and check if there are any defects or scratch marks on the sensor device.
If you detect any noticeable defect on the device, then possibly your device got damaged or broken and you’ll need a replacement.
In case your La Crosse outdoor sensor appears to be well, keep reading!
Important: Water Damage!
If the La Crosse outdoor sensor is wet on its outer corpus, it means that water most likely went inside.
In those cases, we need to take the sensor in a warm environment and allow the device to completely dry for at least 24 hours.
When the sensor is completely dry, check whether it will now work!
Solution #3 Replace The Sensor Batteries
However, changing the batteries will still be the best course of action even if there is no physical damage or signs of water on the outer corpus.
The 2 x AA batteries inside the La Crosse outer sensor can keep up for a while not indefinitely, meaning that you’ll need to replace them!
With alkaline batteries, the La Crosse outdoor sensor should last up to a year!
Quick Tip: When purchasing new batteries, be sure to select those with an expiration date that is less than six years from the current year.
Solution #4 Soft-Reset La Crosse Sensor!
One of the most powerful solutions is to factory reset your La Crosse outdoor sensor, without resetting your indoor station.
This method won’t erase any settings, but only restore the functionality of your sensor, of course, if the unit is still functional.
It’s not hard to reset the sensor so follow the steps below:
- Turn off the outdoor sensor.
- Take out the batteries from the compartment.
- Then, press the gray button on the sensor exactly 25 times.
- Leave the sensor for 15 minutes!
Once some time has passed, check whether the sensor is now working. If, yes, you can re-do the steps every time you experience the same issue.
It’s harmless and only refreshes the outdoor unit’s functionality.
Solution #5 Re-Sync Both La Crosse Units
Sometimes when the sensor is working but the display is not receiving any of the weather information, the problem might be in the distance.
When the indoor and outdoor units are too far away from each other, they experience desynchronization, leading to a non-working sensor!
Take the outdoor unit and place it 3 – 5ft near the getaway!
When you’re ready press the gray button on the display first and then on the sensor.
Then again, press the gray button on the display to perform the synchronization from scratch.
If you start seeing the temperature, you can take the sensor outside for its permanent installation.
Tip: Keep both units together for at least 10 minutes for a strong signal connection!
Solution #6 Factory Reset Gateway
We can’t know for sure what’s wrong with your La Crosse weather station before we attempt absolutely everything.
It’s possible that the culprit for all this fuss is the gateway rather than the sensor that we’ve been troubleshooting this entire time.
So follow the steps below to reset your gateway to check if this will help:
- Disconnect the A/C power cable on both sides!
- Press and hold the Getaway gray button.
- Keep holding while connecting the power cable back!
- The red lights should come on after a short while.
- Keep holding the gray button until the red lights turn off again.
- When the red lights turn on for a second time, release the gray button.
The red lights will finally blink, and you’ll need to carry out the registration of your getaway to the outdoor sensor.
By this time the sensor should be installed outside and as soon as the gateway is registered, you should start seeing the temperature and humidity.
Note: For re-registration, open the mobile app, go to Expansion Options > Register New Getaway and then follow the instructions!
Still Here?
In case the sensor is still not working, or the getaway still doesn’t show the correct temperature and humidity, you’ll need to seek some professional assistance.
Feel free to contact La Crosse Technology or call them at 608-782-1610/888-211-1923 to report your problem.
Tip: Always report what you’ve already attempted to avoid losing time!
Read Next: How to Fix La Crosse Weather Station Display Problems?
Quick Recap:
Whenever the La Crosse weather station outdoor sensor not working, power cycle the sensor by removing its batteries or replacing them with a fresh pair.
The next step is to factory reset the indoor and outdoor units and re-sync the sensor and getaway!
We hope you find this post useful for your outdoor sensor!
