Rain Gauge RG13 and RG13H USER'S GUIDE

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1 Rain Gauge RG13 and RG13H USER'S GUIDE D210220EN-A April 2004

2 PUBLISHED BY Vaisala Oyj Phone (int.): P.O. Box 26 Fax: FIN Helsinki Finland Visit our Internet pages at Vaisala 2004 No part of this manual may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical (including photocopying), nor may its contents be communicated to a third party without prior written permission of the copyright holder. The contents are subject to change without prior notice. Please observe that this manual does not create any legally binding obligations for Vaisala towards the customer or end user. All legally binding commitments and agreements are included exclusively in the applicable supply contract or Conditions of Sale.

3 Table of Contents CHAPTER 1 GENERAL INFORMATION About This Manual Contents of This Manual Safety General Safety Considerations ESD Protection Warranty CHAPTER 2 PRODUCT OVERVIEW CHAPTER 3 SELECTING LOCATION CHAPTER 4 INSTALLATION Installation Procedure Connections Mounting CHAPTER 5 MAINTENANCE Periodic Maintenance CHAPTER 6 TROUBLESHOOTING Technical Support Return Instructions CHAPTER 7 TECHNICAL DATA Specifications VAISALA 1

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5 Chapter 1 General Information CHAPTER 1 GENERAL INFORMATION About This Manual This chapter provides general notes for the product. This manual provides information for installing and maintaining the rain gauge. Contents of This Manual This manual consists of the following chapters: - Chapter 1, General Information: This chapter provides general notes for the product. - Chapter 2, Product Overview: This chapter introduces the rain gauge features. - Chapter 3, Selecting Location: This chapter provides you with information that is intended to help you select a proper location for the rain gauge. - Chapter 4, Installation: This chapter provides you with information that is intended to help you install this product. - Chapter 5, Maintenance: This chapter provides information that is needed in basic maintenance of the product. - Chapter 6, Troubleshooting: This chapter provides contact information for technical support. VAISALA 3

6 User s Guide Safety - Chapter 7, Technical Data: This chapter provides the technical data of Rain Gauge. General Safety Considerations Throughout the manual, important safety considerations are highlighted as follows: WARNING Warning alerts you to a serious hazard. If you do not read and follow instructions very carefully at this point, there is a risk of injury or even death. CAUTION Caution warns you of a potential hazard. If you do not read and follow instructions carefully at this point, the product could be damaged or important data could be lost. NOTE Note highlights important information on using the product. ESD Protection Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) can cause immediate or latent damage to electronic circuits. Vaisala products are adequately protected against ESD for their intended use. However, it is possible to damage the product by delivering electrostatic discharges when touching, removing, or inserting any objects inside the equipment housing. To make sure you are not delivering high static voltages yourself: - Handle ESD sensitive components on a properly grounded and protected ESD workbench. When this is not possible, ground yourself with a wrist strap and a resistive connection cord to the equipment chassis before touching the boards. When neither of the above is possible, at least touch a conductive part of the equipment chassis with your other hand before touching the boards. 4 D210220EN-A

7 Chapter 1 General Information Warranty - Always hold the boards by the edges and avoid touching the component contacts. For certain products Vaisala normally gives a limited one-year warranty. Please observe that any such warranty may not be valid in case of damage due to normal wear and tear, exceptional operating conditions, negligent handling or installation, or unauthorized modifications. Please see the applicable supply contract or Conditions of Sale for details of the warranty for each product. VAISALA 5

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9 Chapter 2 Product Overview CHAPTER 2 PRODUCT OVERVIEW This chapter introduces the rain gauge features Figure 1 Rain Gauge RG13 Rain Gauge RG13 has a body and funnel of aluminum alloy, with an accurately machined septum-ring at the top to give an orifice of 400 cm 2. Bucket mechanism is mounted inside the body on a cast VAISALA 7

User s Guide aluminum-alloy base incorporating fixing lugs, three leveling screws, and a spirit level. The rain gauge comprises a divided bucket assembly, which is pivoted at its center like a seesaw.

10 User s Guide aluminum-alloy base incorporating fixing lugs, three leveling screws, and a spirit level. The rain gauge comprises a divided bucket assembly, which is pivoted at its center like a seesaw. Rain collects in the upper half of the bucket, which is adjusted to tilt when a predetermined amount of water has been collected. The tilting action discharges the collected water, and repositions the opposite half under the discharge nozzle ready for filling. The bucket tips are monitored by means of a magnet, which energizes a reed switch capable of a virtually indefinite amount of operations. This system ensures that the tipping bucket has a long, reliable working life Figure 2 Heated Rain Gauge RG13H The RG13H heated tipping bucket type rain gauge provides a wellproven and reliable method of monitoring rainfall also at temperatures below 0 C. RG13H is equipped with the internal heater. The heater switches on at temperatures below +4 C. The heater power consumption is 38 W/40 VDC. With the optional expander unit you can increase the opening to 1000 cm 2. The expander unit is made of aluminum and coated for optimal operation. 8 D210220EN-A

Chapter 2 Product Overview 0401-187 Figure

11 Chapter 2 Product Overview Figure 3 Rain Gauge with the Expander Unit VAISALA 9

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13 Chapter 3 Selecting Location CHAPTER 3 SELECTING LOCATION This chapter provides you with information that is intended to help you select a proper location for the rain gauge. Finding a suitable site for the rain gauge is important for getting representative ambient measurements. The site should represent the general area of interest. The opening of the gauge must be in a horizontal plane, open to the sky, and above the level of in-splashing and snow accumulation. In general, objects should not be closer to the gauge than a distance four times their height above the gauge orifice. In areas of homogeneous dense vegetation, the height of the vegetation should be kept below the gauge opening level by regular clipping. Sites on a slope or on the roof of a building should be avoided. Also hard flat surfaces such as concrete should be avoided to prevent excessive in splashing. VAISALA 11

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15 Chapter 4 Installation CHAPTER 4 INSTALLATION Installation Procedure This chapter provides you with information that is intended to help you install this product. The rain gauge is delivered with the optional stand and installation equipment as shown in Figure 4 on page 14. VAISALA 13

User s Guide 0401-169 Figure 4 Rain Gauge with the Installation Equipment The following numbers refer to Figure 4 on page 14: 1 = Sensor base 2 = Sensor cable 3 = Outer tube 4 = Stand 5 = Mounting

16 User s Guide Figure 4 Rain Gauge with the Installation Equipment The following numbers refer to Figure 4 on page 14: 1 = Sensor base 2 = Sensor cable 3 = Outer tube 4 = Stand 5 = Mounting bolts for the stand 6 = Wedge bolts 7 = Nuts and washers for mounting bolts Connections Follow the procedure below to make the connections on the rain gauge: 1. Loosen the two locks securing the outer tube to the base and lift off the outer tube. 2. Connect the output signal cable through the grommet and into the terminal block located on the base. Then seal it using a silicone rubber compound. 14 D210220EN-A

Chapter 4 Installation 0401-172 Figure 5 Wiring Rain Gauge RG13 The following numbers refer to Figure 5 on page 15:

numbers refer to Figure 6 on page 15: 1 = Connector block for the heater, for the connections, see Figure 7 on page

17 Chapter 4 Installation Figure 5 Wiring Rain Gauge RG13 The following numbers refer to Figure 5 on page 15: 1 = Red wire 2 = Blue wire 3 = Grounding 4 = Grommet Figure 6 Wiring Rain Gauge RG13H The following numbers refer to Figure 6 on page 15: 1 = Connector block for the heater, for the connections, see Figure 7 on page 16 2 = Connector block for the signal cable, for the connections, see Figure 7 on page 16 3 = Thermostat switch VAISALA 15

18 User s Guide Figure 7 Wiring Diagram for Rain Gauge RG13H Mounting To mount the gauge and the stand, follow the procedure below: 1. Attach the stand (number 2 in Figure 8 on page 16) to a foundation (6) with the provided bolts (3). You have two alternatives: a. When having a thin concrete pad, secure the bolts (3) with the nuts (4). b. When having a thick concrete pad, install the wedge bolts (5) and then the bolts (3) Figure 8 Foundation for the Rain Gauge Stand 16 D210220EN-A

Chapter 4 Installation 2. Place the base (number 2 in Figure 9 on page 17) onto the stand and level it with the three leveling screws (3). For leveling use the spirit level (5).

19 Chapter 4 Installation 2. Place the base (number 2 in Figure 9 on page 17) onto the stand and level it with the three leveling screws (3). For leveling use the spirit level (5). Finally, secure the locknuts (4) Figure 9 Mounting Rain Gauge on the Stand 3. Secure the base through the two holding lugs with the provided bolts (6), washers (7), and nuts (8). 4. Carefully remove the rubber band (1), that is fitted for transit purposes, and check that the bucket does pivot. 5. Replace the outer tube and secure it with the locks. 6. Lead the signal/power cable to the enclosure and connect. VAISALA 17

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21 Chapter 5 Maintenance CHAPTER 5 MAINTENANCE Periodic Maintenance This chapter provides information that is needed in basic maintenance of the product. Periodically check for dirt in the funnel and blockage of the inlet and outlet ports. Remove any dirt and clean the meshes. Unscrew the inlet mesh, and clean it. If necessary, the bucket surface can be cleaned using a mild detergent. VAISALA 19

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23 Chapter 6 Troubleshooting CHAPTER 6 TROUBLESHOOTING This chapter provides contact information for technical support. Technical Support For technical questions, contact the Vaisala technical support: helpdesk@vaisala.com Phone (int.) Fax Return Instructions If the product needs repair, please follow the instructions below to speed up the process and avoid extra costs. 1. Read the warranty information. 2. Write a Problem Report with the name and contact information of a technically competent person who can provide further information on the problem. 3. On the Problem Report, please explain: - What failed (what worked / did not work)? - Where did it fail (location and environment)? VAISALA 21

24 User s Guide - When did it fail (date, immediately / after a while / periodically / randomly)? - How many failed (only one defect / other same or similar defects / several failures in one unit)? - What was connected to the product and to which connectors? - Input power source type, voltage and list of other items (lighting, heaters, motors etc.) that were connected to the same power output. - What was done when the failure was noticed? 4. Include a detailed return address with your preferred shipping method on the Problem Report. 5. Pack the faulty product using an ESD protection bag of good quality with proper cushioning material in a strong box of adequate size. Please include the Problem Report in the same box. 6. Send the box to:. Vaisala Oyj Contact person / Division Vanha Nurmijärventie 21 FIN Vantaa Finland 22 D210220EN-A

25 Chapter 7 Technical Data CHAPTER 7 TECHNICAL DATA This chapter provides the technical data of Rain Gauge. Specifications Table 1 Rain Gauge RG13 Specifications Property Description/Value Sensor/transducer type Tipping bucket / reed switch Accuracy ± 1 % Sensitivity 0.2 mm Closure time < 100 ms (for 0.2 mm of rain) Capacity Unlimited Funnel diameter 225 mm Orifice (opening area) standard 400 cm 2 with expander unit 1000 cm 2 Max. current rating Breakdown voltage Capacity open contacts Life (operations) Material Dimensions Weight Temperature range (operating) 500 ma 400 VDC 0.2 pf 10 8 closures Non-corrosive aluminum alloy LM (h) 300 (Ø) mm 2.5 kg C VAISALA 23

26 User s Guide Table 2 Heated Rain Gauge RG13H Specifications Property Description/Value Sensor/transducer type Tipping bucket / reed switch Accuracy ± 1 % Sensitivity 0.2 mm Closure time < 100 ms (for 0.2 mm of rain) Capacity Unlimited Funnel diameter 225 mm Orifice (opening area) standard 400 cm 2 with expander unit 1000 cm 2 Max. current rating Breakdown voltage Capacity open contacts Life (operations) Heater Thermostat operation Material Dimensions Weight Temperature range (operating) 500 ma 400 VDC 0.2 pf 10 8 closures 38 W / 40 VDC Opens at +11 C (±3 C) Closes at +4 C ( ±3 C) Non-corrosive aluminum alloy LM (h) 300 (Ø) mm 2.5 kg C 24 D210220EN-A

USER'S GUIDE. Combined Wind Sensor WMS301 and WMS302. M210375en-A

USER'S GUIDE. Combined Wind Sensor WMS301 and WMS302. M210375en-A USER'S GUIDE Combined Wind Sensor WMS301 and WMS302 M210375en-A PUBLISHED BY Vaisala Oyj Phone (int.):+358 9 8949 1 P.O. Box 26 Fax: +358 9 8949 2227 FIN-00421 Helsinki Finland Visit our Internet pages