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RG-11

Posted: Sun 28 Apr 2013 7:44 am
by petesvue
Hi
I have just purchased a RG-11 and would like to connect to my Acer Aspire one netbook using the RJ45 PORT
.
Any info re wiring etc would be appreciated

Have basic computer and electronic knowledge (mech engineer) so simplistic terms would be appreciated

Re: RG-11

Posted: Sun 28 Apr 2013 9:48 am
by steve
If you want to use it with Cumulus, the rain sensor's 'normally open' relay contacts should be connected to the DSR and DTR pins, or to the RTS and CTS pins. You can connect two RG-11 sensors to the same port, one to DSR/DTR and one to RTS/CTS.

This is the site where the information about connecting an RG-11 to a serial port originally came from: http://www.weather-above.com/usbnontiprain.html

I seem to remember that some people have improved their results by the addition of further components, details should be in the other threads in the forum.

Re: RG-11

Posted: Mon 29 Apr 2013 10:00 pm
by AllyCat
petesvue wrote:.... using the RJ45 PORT ...
Hi,

It's normal to use a USB to RS232 (serial) adapter on Netbooks/Laptops which don't have a COM port. You may be able to obtain a Network (RJ45) to serial, or more likely to USB adapter, but it would be easier just to use one of the USB ports.

Cheers, Alan.

Re: RG-11

Posted: Thu 17 Oct 2013 12:36 pm
by pete_c
Hello Steve,

Recently here lost the Davis Vantage Vue rain bucket data. That said I am now looking to use the two RG-11's in place as a failover. Today I have one connected to the Cumulus software via a virtual serial port connection to a Quatech serial port server and the other RG-11 to a 1-wire counter.

I want to redo my two RG-11 connections such that they go to the one serial port to Cumulus (not using the 1-wire counter).

So in retrospect I want to wire up both RG-11's to one serial port going to the Cumulus software.

One RG-11 to DTS/DTR and one to RTS/CTS. Such that I am redoing my original RS-232 connector.

Re: RG-11

Posted: Thu 17 Oct 2013 12:45 pm
by steve
Yes, that's correct.

Re: RG-11

Posted: Thu 17 Oct 2013 1:15 pm
by pete_c
Apologies Steve. I am a bit confused.

In order to use either RG-11's do I set the two RG-11's up as rain counters?

1 - # 1 RG-11 "its raining" configuration would be to same counter connections and DSR/DTR of same said RS-232 wire - DSR=Pin 6 and DTR=Pin 4 -
2 - # 2 RG-11 "counter" configuration would be to the same counter connections and RTS/CTS of same said RS-232 wire. - RTS=Pin 7 and CTS=Pin 8

Drawing:
TwoRG11s-1.jpg

Re: RG-11

Posted: Thu 17 Oct 2013 1:42 pm
by steve
I don't understand what it is that you're trying to achieve. If you want to connect two RG11s to Cumulus, one has to be in "It's raining" mode and one in "tipping bucket" mode (as described in the Cumulus help). And if you want to connect two RG11s via the same serial port, one goes between DTR and DSR (pins 4 and 6) and the other between RTS and CTS (pins 7 and 8), and you configure them appropriately on the RG11 settings screen in Cumulus.

Re: RG-11

Posted: Thu 17 Oct 2013 1:55 pm
by bruce45
it might be helpful to check out the other topics on the rg11 about contact bounce and double tips. we used capacitors and resistors across the contacts to try and reduce it. the other point is that even in tip bucket mode it will not measure the same as a normal tip bucket gauge. light rain tends to measure high and heavy rain low. I have one still connected but don't use the readings as I found they cant really be trusted when you compare them to a manual gauge.

Re: RG-11

Posted: Thu 17 Oct 2013 2:29 pm
by sfws
(deleted)

Re: RG-11

Posted: Thu 17 Oct 2013 2:33 pm
by mcrossley
Steve's pin numbers are correct for the common 9 pin D-connector, they are different for the 25 pin D-connector but you don't see many of those nowadays.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_port#Pinouts

Re: RG-11

Posted: Thu 17 Oct 2013 2:39 pm
by sfws
mcrossley wrote:Steve's pin numbers are correct for the common 9 pin D-connector
Thanks Mark, I will update the Wiki article to reflect that.
I did actually look up the 9 pin connector too, but thought I would check before I made that assumption.

Re: RG-11

Posted: Thu 17 Oct 2013 2:49 pm
by steve
I see that I used DTS once in my first reply in this thread instead of DSR, which is presumably the source of Pete's confusion. I've made the same slip in the Cumulus help. I've edited my post here, and corrected the help.

Re: RG-11

Posted: Thu 17 Oct 2013 3:04 pm
by sfws
steve wrote: I used DTS once in my first reply in this thread instead of DSR
Thanks Steve for that, all clear now to me, also consistent with drawing Pete posted, and Wiki is now consistent too.

Re: RG-11

Posted: Thu 17 Oct 2013 5:17 pm
by pete_c
Thank-you guys.

Steve, I didn't want to cause any confusion.

I had left the two RG-11's in test mode from the previously posted stuff on the RG-11's

IE: they are both in rain bucket tipping mode; one is connected to the Cumulus software early RS-232 pin out connections and the other RG-11 is connected to a 1-wire dual counter going to an xAP 1-wire network.

Ideally today just want to create a live connected rain bucket backup using the two RG-11's with my Davis Vantage Vue stuff or maybe a rain bucket backup with the Dallas Rain bucket that is still outside.

This mostly because Cumulus just goes and goes; never quits; like the "Eveready energizer bunny" television commercial.

Re: RG-11

Posted: Thu 17 Oct 2013 5:25 pm
by pete_c
Bruce,

I do also have a Dallas Rain tipping bucket and now wondering if I should outfit it such that I can use the on and off of the tipping switch there as it might give me better numbers than the RG-11 tipping bucket mode for a secondary Rain tipping bucket connection to Cumulus and just utilize the "its raining" piece of the RG-11.

IE:

1 - Davis Vantage Vue == > Cumulus via a serial connection
2 - RG-11 == > Cumulus for the "its raining mode"
3 - Dallas Rain Bucket ==> Cumulus for secondary rain bucket failover connection