Hydreon RG-15 Optical Rain Gauge

The Hydreon RG-15 is a high accuracy, maintenance-free optical rain sensor intended to replace conventional tipping buckets.
Features
  • Features nominal accuracy of within 10% compared with tipping bucket
  • Low power consumption makes it well-suited for solar charged applications
  • RS-232 serial communications for configuration and data collection

Description

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.

Nominal Accuracy ±10%1
Input Voltage Range 5-15 VDC 50V surge on J1
Reverse polarity protected to 50V
Alternative
3.3VDC through pin 8 on J2
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

1Field accuracy will vary

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