Hydreon RG-15 Optical Rain Gauge
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
- Expedited repair and warranty service
- Lifetime technical support
- More
Overview
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.
Design
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 the collection of debris, and the RG-15 has no moving parts to stick to, 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.
Mechanics
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
Select Options
In The News
Three Decades of Research at Acton Lake
A multi-disciplinary team at Miami University, Ohio, has been studying the environmental change at Acton Lake for over three decades. Using three different NexSens buoys over this time, the team has an incredible archive of data that is helping build a picture of Acton’s past, present, and future. Until recently, a NexSens CB-50 buoy was used alongside other environmental monitoring at Acton Lake. In May 2025, the Miami team deployed a new XB-200 buoy , future-proofing their ongoing monitoring using real-time buoy systems. Acton Lake, a small hypereutrophic reservoir in southwest Ohio, covers 2.4km² and has a maximum depth of about 8m. The dam was built in 1956, and the lake has a large agricultural watershed.
Read More
Source Water Monitoring in Albany, New York: Tracing Water Quality throughout Tributaries
Thousands of US cities pull their drinking water from natural source waters like reservoirs, rivers, and streams, making overall watershed health a key consideration for water providers. In Albany, New York, the Albany Department of Water and Water Supply delivers drinking water to over 100,000 residents as well as monitors and manages the larger drinking water supply watershed. Hannah Doherty, Environmental Specialist at the Albany Department of Water and Water Supply , spends her days working with a small team to monitor the drinking supply and the connected water bodies. Doherty explains, “We’re the first to encounter the water that ends up being the drinking water.
Read More
Wildfire Prevention in the Sierra Nevada Region with the Yuba Watershed Institute
Though recent wildfires have sparked new conversations about wildfire management and response, groups like the Yuba Watershed Institute have been monitoring the forests and water resources of the Sierra Nevada region for decades, managing approximately 5,000 acres of land with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and about 7,000 acres in private land partnerships. The goal of the Institute is to work with local communities and land agencies to improve watershed and forestry management through informed practices and public outreach. The goals of the Yuba Watershed Institute are three-fold: Improve the ability of fire suppression agencies like the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection ( CAL FIRE ) and the US Forest Service.
Read More
