diff --git a/lmwsip/__init__.py b/lmwsip/__init__.py
index 4ab34a0..0fd019d 100644
--- a/lmwsip/__init__.py
+++ b/lmwsip/__init__.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ from datetime import datetime, timedelta
 from dateutil import tz
 
 """ Version info changed by git hook """
-__version__ = '0.1.7'
+__version__ = '0.1.8'
 
 class LmwSip:
     """Class to connect to the LMW Standard Interface prototcol (sip)
@@ -812,6 +812,33 @@ Returns:
             raise LmwCmdWarn(cmdstr, d)
         return (d[2:-1])
 
+    def valueStr(self, process, location, parameter, day = None,
+                    time_of_day = None):
+        """value(process, location, parameter, [day], [time_of_day]):
+
+Parameters:
+    process:      <WN|VW|AS>
+    location:     <lmw location (e.g. HOEK)>
+    parameter:    <lmw parameter (e.g. H10)>
+    day:          [date = now()]
+    time_of_day:  [time = now()]
+
+The default returns the last value string including quality.
+
+Example:
+    lmw.data_string("WN", "HOEK", "H10")
+ 
+Returns a single string value with quality
+"""
+        if (day == None or time_of_day == None):
+            last = self.lasttime(parameter)
+            if (day==None):
+                day=last["day"]
+            if (time_of_day==None):
+                time_of_day=last["time_of_day"]
+        return(self.cmd(process, location, parameter, "+00:00", day,
+                       time_of_day, "DATA"))
+
     def value(self, process, location, parameter, day = None,
                     time_of_day = None):
         """value(process, location, parameter, [day], [time_of_day]):
@@ -830,14 +857,7 @@ Example:
  
 Returns a single string value or None
 """
-        if (day == None or time_of_day == None):
-            last = self.lasttime(parameter)
-            if (day==None):
-                day=last["day"]
-            if (time_of_day==None):
-                time_of_day=last["time_of_day"]
-        res = self.cmd(process, location, parameter, "+00:00", day,
-                       time_of_day, "DATA")
+        res = self.valueStr(process, location, parameter, day, time_of_day)
         value=re.sub("/.*$", "", res)
         if (value == "99999"):
             value=""
diff --git a/lmwsip/tests/__init__.py b/lmwsip/tests/__init__.py
index 4331bc4..b22731d 100755
--- a/lmwsip/tests/__init__.py
+++ b/lmwsip/tests/__init__.py
@@ -85,6 +85,10 @@ class lmwsipTest(unittest.TestCase):
         self.login()
         self.assertEqual(type(self.sip.value("WN", "DUMMY", "H1")), str)
 
+    def test_valueStr(self):
+        self.login()
+        self.assertEqual(type(self.sip.valueStr("WN", "DUMMY", "H10")), str)
+
     def test_logout(self):
         self.login()
         self.assertEqual(self.sip.logout(), None)
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index d47e92c..18a1785 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ with open("README.md", "r") as fh:
 
 setuptools.setup(
     name="lmwsip", # Replace with your own username
-    version="0.1.7",
+    version="0.1.8",
     author="Marcel Nijenhof",
     author_email="pip@marceln.org",
     description="Interface for the lmw sip protocol",