The Hydreon RG-15 Solid State Tipping Bucket is a rainfall measuring device intended to replace conventional tipping buckets. The RG-15 is rugged, reliable, maintenance-free and features a nominal accuracy of within 10%. The RG-15 is designed to replace tipping bucket rain gauges in many applications where their maintenance requirements make them impractical.
The RG-15 uses beams of infrared light within a plastic lens about the size of a tennis ball. The round surface of the lens discourages collection of debris, and the RG-15 has no moving parts to stick, and no water-pathways to clog. The device features an open-collector output that emulates a conventional tipping bucket, as well as serial communications that provide more detailed data and allow for configuration of the device.
The RG-15 may be configured through the serial port, or optionally via DIP switches. Power consumption of the RG-15 is very low, and the device is well-suited to solar-power applications.
Dip Switches can control the units (inches or millimeters) and resolution (0.01″/0.2mm or 0.001″/0.02mm) of the device. Commands can also be sent via the RS232 serial port to override them.
The patented Rain Gauge optical design keeps the beams inside the sensor, away from the influences of falling leaves and spiderwebs.
RG-15 circuit board
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Nominal Accuracy | ±10%1 |
| Input Voltage | Range 5-35 VDC 50V surge on J1 Reverse polarity protected to 50V Alternative 3.3V though pin 8 on J2. Note if this isn’t an ultra stable supply it will induce false indications. An overvoltage to this pin will destroy the device. For most, avoid this solution. |
| Current Drain | 110 μA nominal. (No outputs on, dry not raining) 2-4 mA when raining |
| Output | NPN Open Collector Output 500 mA / 80V / 300mW Max |
| Operating Temperature | -40°C to +60°C (Will not detect rain when freezing) |
| Output Resolution | 0.01in / 0.2mm Alternative 0.001in / 0.02mm |
| RS232 Port | 3.3V |
| Supported Baud Rates | 1200, 2400, 4800, 9600, 19200, 38400, 57600 |