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Rainfall graph displays incorrectly

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Big Daddy
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Rainfall graph displays incorrectly

Post by Big Daddy »

Hi All,
Need a bit of help please.

I noticed my rainfall graph wasnt displaying correctly on my website and then also my brothers website that I manage for him. I didnt remember making any changes to the actual websites but then when I looked at the Cumulus dashboards on both Raspberry Pi's I noticed it was exactly the same so potentially an issue here. The only thing I have done recently is upgrade them both to b3050 and can honestly say before this (running b3047, possibly b3045) I think they were ok. Please see the attached images. The weather stations are in 2 different locations about 100 miles apart so totally independant and hence the difference in images.

I did try to revert one Pi back to b3045 but it didnt change. Was something possibly added between these versions that may have caused it. I didnt delete my complete Cumulus MX installation when I reverted back to b3045, that may be my next step, so possibly a "new" file between these 2 versions.

Thanks for any advice.

Andy
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HansR
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Re: Rainfall graph displays incorrectly

Post by HansR »

What is the corresponding rainfall from dayfile.txt, for both sites, in numbers.
What is actually wrong with the graphs? What are the units you use?
Hans

https://meteo-wagenborgen.nl
CMX build 4017+ ● RPi 3B+ ● Raspbian Linux 6.1.21-v7+ armv7l ● dotnet 8.0.3
Big Daddy
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Re: Rainfall graph displays incorrectly

Post by Big Daddy »

Hi Hans,
Thanks for replying.

The graphs are the standard Cumulus graphs for Rainfall which are derived for the raindata.json file generated by Cumulus. I have attached the latest json file from one of the Cumulus setups. I am using mm for both rainrate and rainfall. Previously the graphs showed a 7-day view as below, so as rain is recorded it includes the rain rate and the amount of rain as it happens throughout the day and then resets at midnight. Unfortunately I dont have a graph that corresponds to the attached json file apart from those above. The image below is from an old instance of one of the websites which I had on my test server just to show what it looked like previously. The dayfile values look ok and the file does not look corrupt in anyway and shows the total rain and max rainrate for the day.

Andy
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HansR
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Re: Rainfall graph displays incorrectly

Post by HansR »

To be honest, I still do not understand what is wrong with the 'new' graph it looks fine to me assuming the displayed data is correct (which you actually seem to confirm with your remark about the dayfile). I understand from your description that the data in dayfile is correct. If it is the data, you need to check whether the daily registration record (in e.g. sep19log.txt), is the same as what you see in the chart.

I notice the colour diff between the old and new situation is very different. Is that what you see as the problem or is it the data?

Could you elaborate on rainfall graph wasnt displaying correctly on my website , what exactly isn't displaying correct?
Hans

https://meteo-wagenborgen.nl
CMX build 4017+ ● RPi 3B+ ● Raspbian Linux 6.1.21-v7+ armv7l ● dotnet 8.0.3
Big Daddy
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Re: Rainfall graph displays incorrectly

Post by Big Daddy »

Sorry if this is a little confusing.

The 2 "blue" graphs are from my 2 x current live instances of Cumulus and are taken from the Cumukus dashboard (seperate weather stations, seperate Pi's about 100 miles apart).
The "brown" graph is taken from an old instance of my website which is running on my test sever, its not taken from Cumulus. Its not updated, its just old. Its the only example I could find of what I believe is an "ok" graph. The colours are different as I modified the Highstock files so they fitted with my website colour scheme. This was done years ago and nothing has changed. I apologise, we are comparing apples with bananas but they are there purely to indicate the differences in the graphs.

The first "blue" graph is not a good example as there hasnt been much rain. It shows 0.3mm rain on 15th September. When I look in the log I can see this is registered at 21:50 and it shows 0.3mm but the rain rate is 0mm/hr.

On the second "blue" graph I looked specifically at the date of 13th September and in the log at 16: 10 there is suddenly a rainfall of 3.9mm but the rainrate shows 0mm / hr. The next rainfall is recorded 19:40. The log file shows rainfall now of 4.2mm (so an additional .3mm) and a rainrate of 3.6mm / hr. Next rainfall is at 19:50. Log file shows 4.5mm (so another .3mm) and a rainrate of 3.6mm / hr. At 20:10 another .3mm is added to the rainfall to make it 4.8mm but the rainfall rate is 0mm / hour.

Now to the "brown" graph for 9th Feb. This is actually showing a similar trend in that the rainfall rate does not alway seem to be captured. 03:30 .3mm rain, rainfall rate 0mm / hour. 03:50 a further .3mm of rain, rainfall rate 3.6mm / hr, 04:20, .3mm rain rainfall rate 3.6mm / hr, 05:00 .3mm rain rainfall rate 0 mm / hr, 05:20 .3mm rain rainfall rate 0mm / hr 05:30 .3mm rain rainfall rate 3.6mm / hr. Every time after that until 09:00 wherever rainfall is recorded then there is a rainfall rate.

This is causing missing rate fall rate indications on the graph before the shaded rainfall amount.

So now I am thinking its not the graphs element, more logs being captured incorrectly / missing information. Maybe I just never looked close enough.

Any ideas?

Andy

Andy
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HansR
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Re: Rainfall graph displays incorrectly

Post by HansR »

Thanks for taking the trouble explaining. I think now I understand. It is not the amount of rain which is wrong, but the corresponding rain rate. To be honest, at my installation I think it is correct. The trouble is that in both graphs you do not have much rainfall to show.

Maybe it has to do with the following: the first rain rate estimate can only occur when the bucket has tipped twice within the period Cumulus regards as one. So, if you have .2 mm within an hour, there is a rain rate of .2 mm/hr. If the same amount falls in 1 minutes, there is a rain rate of 12 mm/hr. For 3 mm in a minute you have 180 mm/hr.

If rain is very short and not much and produces only one spike for the rain rate (if any) you will hardly (if at all) see it because it falls on the same spot in the graph as the amount of rain. Only if the rain has a bit longer duration the rate graph shows some width and will stand out in the amount.

To make sure there is a problem (if any), I would set the timescale of the graph to one day (or at most two). The scale becomes such that it is easier to see the difference between the rate and the amount. If it still is wrong, it will necessary to analyse further, but I would start with a single day graph and wait for a day with some good showers.

That would be my explanation for the time being: not enough rain to distinguish well between the two lines in the graph.
Not sure, but that would be my guess.
Hans

https://meteo-wagenborgen.nl
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Big Daddy
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Re: Rainfall graph displays incorrectly

Post by Big Daddy »

Thanks Hans, good plan.
I will make the change on my installation and pray for rain but I see very little forecast for the next 10 days.
Typically, I dont normally wish for rain but now I want some there isnt any on the way.

Appreciate your assistance.

Andy
Big Daddy
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Re: Rainfall graph displays incorrectly

Post by Big Daddy »

Maybe I need to get the hosepipe out and generate a bit of light rain. :lol:
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Re: Rainfall graph displays incorrectly

Post by HansR »

It would ruin your historical data set, but anything for a good test ;)
Hans

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Big Daddy
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Re: Rainfall graph displays incorrectly

Post by Big Daddy »

Hans,
We have had some rain :clap:

At the weekend I decided to check my rain gauge as well. The tipping the bucket was a bit stiff and had some dirt in there so I gave it a good clean and bit of lubrication. So far it now seems to woking better.

I take back that I though this was a Cumulus issue.

Will wait and see if it records properly.

Many Thanks
Andy
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Re: Rainfall graph displays incorrectly

Post by HansR »

Ok, will see. Report here if everything is ok.
Hans

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Re: Rainfall graph displays incorrectly

Post by ExperiMentor »

I come late to this.

I agree with the conclusion you came to - graph is too compressed and with too little rain to be able to distinguish rain rate from the upspike of daily rain.

But instead of a hosepipe, you can dynamically amend the plot on screen either using the 12h and 6h buttons at top left (instead of the present 'All' that you have set to 7 days). But those only give the last few hours.
Alternatively, use the sliders in the bottom part of the window to expand any part of the 7-day plot by as much as you wnat/need

One of those is probably enough to make it more visible?
Big Daddy
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Re: Rainfall graph displays incorrectly

Post by Big Daddy »

We have had a lot of rain and this looks much better.

I also reduced my logging interval in Cumulus from 10 minutes to 1 minute and can see now that every time it records a rain rate the amount of rainfall is increasing, whereas before, the amount of rainfall was increasing and a rate rate of 0.0mm/hr was showing.

Thanks for your responses
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Re: Rainfall graph displays incorrectly

Post by HansR »

All is well that ends well.
Hans

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