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
In The News
Stone Lab: Cyanobacteria Monitoring in Ohio Lakes
Microcystin, one of several toxins produced by the cyanobacteria that form harmful algal blooms (HABs), has become a popular topic of lake research as the human health impacts of HABs become better understood. Stone Lab is one of the leading groups in algal bloom research on Lake Erie and other lakes in Ohio. 
 
For more than 100 years, Stone Lab has conducted biology research and provided science education and outreach to the region. Over the years, thousands of individuals of varying ages have learned from the resources Stone Lab provides. 
 
Stone Lab’s Research Coordinator and Senior Researcher, Justin Chaffin, learned of Stone Lab while an undergraduate student at Bowling Green State University Fireland Campus.
Read MoreFrom Assessment to Angler: Continual Research Ensures Lake Erie Remains a Beacon of Freshwater Fishing
Lake Erie is well known for its abundant recreational fishing. Anglers come from across the country to try their luck at the “walleye capital of the world” and search for other freshwater species, such as bass, perch, and steelhead trout. 
 
 As one of the world’s largest freshwater fisheries, much effort is made behind the scenes to maintain fishing opportunities for visitors to enjoy year after year, efforts that often go unnoticed by the public. 
 
 One of the lake's most important economic and tourism centers is the city of Sandusky, home to the Sandusky Fisheries Research Station . As part of the Ohio Division of Wildlife, the unit serves as a base for assessing fish populations and managing harvest with partner agencies from around Lake Erie.
Read MoreHigh Definition Stream Surveys: Informed Management in Local Waterways
When it comes to environmental monitoring, new stream survey methodologies have revealed a great deal about water quality and streambed conditions over time. Such information can be particularly important in leading restoration initiatives and prioritizing management decisions. 
 
Historically, stream surveys have been conducted at a single point along the stream, with data then extrapolated for miles up and downstream. However, Brett Connell, Hydrologist and Director of Sales at Trutta Environmental Solutions, started developing a more intensive stream survey format in his master's program in 2010 at the University of Tennessee.
Read More