Raining, but no recording being registered.

[Solorize]

Im currently running Easyweather, untill i get my new websever
is up and running, then I will be switching to Cumulus.

One strange thing I am seeing today is that even though
it is currently raining (has been all morning), I have no rain being
recorded?. (btw how much rain needs to be falling before it starts
to register a reading?)

I can see on Wunderground that there are other stations
in the surrounding areas are recording 1mm/h and 2mm/h, where
mine still says 0mm/h.

My weather station is new only about a week old, so this is the 1st time
its rained, so was hoping to see if I got anything recorded.

Could there be some problem with the rain guage? when I installed it
i could hear the seesaw bit inside flopping from site to side, so I know its
not trapped. But will go and have another look tonight to make sure its
not got stuck.

Has anyone else got any other ideas what else could be wrong.

[daj]

The rain tipper registers a click after 0.3mm of rain

Are you saying the the Console is not registering, or only EasyWeather, or Cumulus?

I would check the cable is plugged in firmly at the transmitter; unplug and check for grit. (the one from the rain gauge back to the transmitter on your pole)

[Solorize]

Hi Daj,

It's the console that is not registering any rain fall.

I will go out in a bit and have a look and detach and then re-attached
the cable and see if that does anything.

Is there a way I can test it before I put it back up?

[daj]

Is there a way I can test it before I put it back up?

Not that I am aware of beyond checking the hole in the top is not blocked. You said earlier the tipper seems to move, so I doubt it is jammed. No harm in opening it up (clips in the bottom) to check.

[Gina]

Once you've got the top off (and with it connected) tip the buckets by hand. Each tip will give 0.3mm of rain data. ie. one way - 0.3mm and back another 0.3mm. (Assuming no correction for calibration.)

[Solorize]

Thanks for your replies.

I didnt get chance to get out and have a look lastnight
as I ended up finishing buling my new server, so I could
get Cumulus to run. Which is all up and running 100% now.

Therefore I will haev a look and test it out on Saturday
when it's not dark and I can see what I am doing

I just hope it's a loose connection, as otherwise I will
have to return it to Maplin and see if I can get a replacement.

[Super-T]

Easy enough to check the continuity of the circuit.....even a light bulb, battery and wire if you haven't a multimeter.

[Solorize]

Hi SuperT,

I do have a multimeter.

How would be the best way to test it? as the cable terminates with
a telephone plug.

I only got a multimeter a couple of weeks ago, so am still learning how
to use it

Would it be possible if you give me a breif step by step on how to test it,
i.e using which parts, i need to connect to the terminals on the multimeter,
and would I need to hook a battery up somehow to the rain unit to test.

Thanks in advance.

[Gina]

You don't need a battery if you have a multimeter, use it on "ohms" or continuity. Most have pointed probes so you should be able to put them on the plug contacts, though it can be a bit tricky as the gold plated contacts are rather narrow (you want the middle two). While holding the probes on plug, slowly move the buckets from one side to the other. You should see a closed circuit (near zero ohms or continuity) as it goes past the middle position.

[Solorize]

Thanks for the explanation Gina,

I will try what you suggested and see how I get on.

[Gina]

Good luck

[Solorize]

Quick update,

I checked the actual curcuitboard in the rain sensor,
and check it with a multimeter, and that all seemed to
work ok. I could not test the plug as the probes on my
meter are too thick, so I tried pluggin in the wind plug into
the rain socket and blew on the wind cups and it registered
a reading against the rain on the base station.

So I then new that the rain socket was ok.

Next I noticed on the curcuitboard that there was a trail
of plastic, which they used to hold down the end of the cable
to the curcuit board with, that was trailing over the area of
the curcuitboard that registers the magnet on the tipper.
i.e where it completes "Closes" the cuurcuit and registers 0.3mm
of rain.

After removing it, I then tipped the tipper and it started registering
it

So I have reset everything (cleared the memory on the base station)
and re attached the weather station back onto my shed, so now all
I have to do is wait and see if it works when it rains. Now I am praying for rain soon LOL

The only problem I now have is that Cumulus has a reading of Rain fall:
Today 91.5mm
This month 91.5mm
This year 91.5mm

Is there a way that I can reset these figures to "Zer0"
as these figures are from when I have been testing, which I had
hoped would have been cleared when I cleared the base station.

[steve]

The only problem I now have is that Cumulus has a reading of Rain fall:
Today 91.5mm
This month 91.5mm
This year 91.5mm

Is there a way that I can reset these figures to "Zer0"
as these figures are from when I have been testing, which I had
hoped would have been cleared when I cleared the base station.

The rain counter is held in the transmitter, not the console. See the FAQ for how to remove 'spurious' rainfall: http://wiki.sandaysoft.com/a/FAQ#My_sta ... it_to_zero

[Solorize]

Hi Steve,

Thanks for the information.

[TideMan]

I had this problem the other day and when I opened up the rain gauge I found the tipping bucket was completely enmeshed in a spider's web. It wouldn't tip until I stripped the web away. I put some Cabaryl on the floor of the gauge before re-assembling. Hopefully, the spiders will find the smell disgusting and stay away.