Author Topic: Half fast rain bucket heater  (Read 1343 times)

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Offline ggsteve

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Half fast rain bucket heater
« on: January 19, 2017, 07:42:41 PM »
I had a spare under-tank reptile heater lying around so I decided to see if it would melt the snow in my Rainwise Rainew rain gauge.  I just slid it between the bottom of the rain bucket and the 2x4 it sits on.  It's not fast, it takes about a day to melt 2-4 inches of snow, but here we are 24 hrs after the storm and my Cocorahs gauge recorded .72" of precipitation and the Rainew next to it recorded .71".  My other Rainwise gauge has recorded .32" melting naturally today.  Not a perfect solution but pretty good for nothing.

Offline vreihen

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Re: Half fast rain bucket heater
« Reply #1 on: January 20, 2017, 06:39:55 AM »
A few days ago, I had a crazy idea to put a 12V automotive tail light bulb into a tipping rain gauge as a heater.  Haven't tried it yet, though.....
WU Gold Stars for everyone! :lol:

Offline Cutty Sark Sailor

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Re: Half fast rain bucket heater
« Reply #2 on: January 20, 2017, 07:42:33 AM »
The reptile heater lashup worked fairly well on a CoCoRaHS gauge... had it into a temp activated socket for livestock heater... came on at 36°.  Decided it was more trouble in my climate that it was worth, but concept proved out fine...
 :twisted:

 


Offline thomas

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Re: Half fast rain bucket heater
« Reply #3 on: January 21, 2017, 03:41:10 PM »
A long time ago I had a Texas Elextronics 525 rain gauge that came from the factory with a 25 watt bulb for heating.  They don't do it that way now but it worked fairly well.

Offline vreihen

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Re: Half fast rain bucket heater
« Reply #4 on: January 25, 2017, 07:46:29 PM »
A long time ago I had a Texas Elextronics 525 rain gauge that came from the factory with a 25 watt bulb for heating.  They don't do it that way now but it worked fairly well.

When I was searching Amazon this morning, I discovered 15 and 25 watt bulbs that were being marketed as heating elements for Himalaya Rock Salt Lamps that run on 120 volts.  Since my experimental Acu-Rite 699 rain gauge is still full of snow/sleet from yesterday's Nor'easter, I ordered a 25 watt bulb and cord to hack into that unit and see if it melts more than the snow/ice during the next storm.....
WU Gold Stars for everyone! :lol:

Offline thomas

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Re: Half fast rain bucket heater
« Reply #5 on: January 26, 2017, 10:04:47 AM »
My Texas Electronics rain gauge is metal and conducts the heat.  Not sure how good things would work with a plastic unit.

 

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