OTT Pluvio is government choice for precipitation gauge

By on August 16, 2010


Recognized worldwide for its precision and performance, the OTT Pluvio² is an all-weather precipitation gauge that uses superior weight-based technology to measure rainfall, snow or hail. Several U.S. government agencies have recently chosen the OTT Pluvio as their official precipitation gauge following extensive testing and evaluation, as it was the most durable and required the least maintenance and calibration.

The new generation OTT Pluvio² 200 and OTT Pluvio² 400 offer the same precision and reliability as the first generation Pluvio with the addition of real-time intensity, multiple communication interfaces, and two collection capacity and collection area options.

Like the original, the new OTT Pluvio² measures both the amount and intensity of liquid, solid, and mixed precipitation. The instrument works according to the balance principle, taking into account external factors such as temperature and wind that could distort the results. The 200 model features a collection capacity of 1,500mm and a 200 cm² orifice. The 400 offers a collection capacity of 750mm and a 400cm² orifice.

The OTT Pluvio also offers additional features and benefits including real-time NexSens iSIC Data Loggerintensity, non real-time accumulation with a constant 5-minute delay, larger capacity option, larger collection area option, and multiple communication interfaces (SDI-12, pulse output, and RS-485). Electronics are hermetically sealed against damaging environmental influences. The carrier, bucket, and protective housing all feature a robust construction with high-quality materials.

The OTT Pluvio² precipitation gauges can be integrated with NexSens data logging and telemetry systems. This provides users with remote sensor interface, automatic data collection, and the option of posting real-time data to a web-based datacenter, called WQData. Both solar and AC power options are available.

OTT Pluvio the U.S preferred rain gauge by U.S. government

(The following is reprinted with permission from OTT Hydrometry)

OTT Hydrometry is enhancing its reputation as maker of the world’s most reliable, versatile, and durable precipitation gauges, even under the most demanding environmental conditions. Working with OTT representative CC Lynch and Associates, the U.S. National Weather Service selected the OTT All Weather Precipitation Accumulation Gauge for use in key airport facilities around the country. The OTT Pluvio gauges are being installed at airports beginning this fall and will replace existing gauges over the next year. Precipitation data gathered at airports is crucial to the accuracy of the nation’s weather monitoring and forecasting network.

OTT Gauge Excels in Extensive Testing

In addition, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has chosen the OTT Pluvio as its measuring standard following more than four years of testing. The OTT Pluvio was selected as the official precipitation gauge of the National Atmospheric Deposition Program, which monitors acid rain. OTT Pluvio gauges will be installed in all new monitoring sites and will replace gauges currently in use to provide more accurate information about environmental conditions.

OTT gauges measure all forms of precipitation, including snow, sleet and freezing rain, through the use of a precision scale and temperature sensors. The gauges being placed at airports feed data directly to the Automated Surface Observation System, or ASOS, a suite of sensors that measures, collects and broadcasts weather data to help meteorologists, pilots and flight dispatchers prepare and monitor weather forecasts and flight routes. ASOS also provides crucial information for takeoffs and landings. “No other gauge could compare with the repeatability and accuracy of the OTT product.” “The OTT gauge is such a precise instrument that it never has to be recalibrated, so it remains reliable even in extreme conditions.”

No Maintenance Was a Key Requirement for the National Weather Service

The National Weather Service was especially impressed that OTT gauges remained calibrated without regular maintenance. “The National Weather Service’s resources are strained,” explained Lynch, “It can’t afford to put highly trained technical personnel in all these locations to maintain gauges. Since OTT gauges never require recalibration, that’s no longer an issue for them.

For more information about the OTT Pluvio or additional precipitation gauges, call a Fondriest Environmental product specialist at 888.426.2151 or email customercare@fondriest.com.

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