Topic: Single Spoon Rain Gauge Bizarre Behavior!

[tmieyal]

Hello!  I have a strange issue that I hope someone can help me with.  Thanks in advance!

Last week I was able to install the new single spoon for my rain gauge.  It is a separate stand alone rain gauge less than 10 feet from my VP2 Plus.  It is my winter rain gauge, having the heater installed too.  I used the extended cable and coupler to complete set up.  Saturday morning it rained lightly and this new single spoon registered 0.10", compared to 0.12" in my CoCoRaHS rain gauge.  Fine, no problem.  But then last night a brief thunderstorm moved through which registered 0.19 in my CoCoRaHS rain gauge.  My new single spoon worked fine for the first 0.07" of that storm but then went crazy and ended up as 3.29"!!!  After it stopped raining I reset that total to the correct one on my display units.  But then, just a few minutes later, even though it had stopped raining, the single spoon rain gauge started going up again - to 0.75" and then 0.95" and then 1.11" inches all in a minute or two - though it was not raining!  I went outside and disconnected it from my VP2 and reconnected the VP2 rain gauge.

Any idea what the problem is, why these erroneous readings . . . especially when it wasn't even raining???  Everything is set up correctly and worked okay for the the first rain that fell, and initially with the thunderstorm.  It seems like it is a problem with the signal coming out, is there anything I can do?

Thanks to all in advance, I appreciate any help I can receive!

[johnd]

Very likely moisture bridging the contacts somewhere. Have you check eg that the SIM board cover was replaced correctly and hasn't started leaking?

[tmieyal]

Thanks!  Do you mean moisture bridging the contacts inside the coupler?  I will check for that now.  I am unfamiliar with the SIM board cover, where is that located?  Thank you again!

UPDATE:  I just wrapped the coupler in double plastic to make sure it avoids any moisture.  I plugged this rain gauge back in and before I could get inside it started "measuring" rainfall again.  In less than 5 minutes my console showed 2.68" of rain, though the sun is shining.  I plugged my original VP2 Plus rain gauge back in and the "raining" stopped, guess I will have to stick with that one until further notice . . . though that one always has been pretty inaccurate.

[ocala]

If it's not moisture it might worth a call to Davis tomorrow since it's brand new.
Good luck.

[CW2274]

Like johnd says, I'm all but positive you've got a short somewhere, whether it's from moisture or wires are touching. Have you checked to see that a critter hasn't chewed into the wire? Ask me how I know this....twice.

[JudinNorman]

Thanks!  Do you mean moisture bridging the contacts inside the coupler?  I will check for that now.  I am unfamiliar with the SIM board cover, where is that located?  Thank you again!

UPDATE:  I just wrapped the coupler in double plastic to make sure it avoids any moisture.  I plugged this rain gauge back in and before I could get inside it started "measuring" rainfall again.  In less than 5 minutes my console showed 2.68" of rain, though the sun is shining.  I plugged my original VP2 Plus rain gauge back in and the "raining" stopped, guess I will have to stick with that one until further notice . . . though that one always has been pretty inaccurate.

Just wrapping more plastic around with moisture ialready nside does nothing.
Redue the splice and then tape.
Can't believe how incompetent some are.

[tmieyal]

There was no moisture in there, I checked before wrapping the plastic.  Thanks for nothing but a rude comment.  Oh and speaking of incompetence, perhaps you should learn to spell or at least proofread.  3 typos in first 2 sentences is true incompetence (redue???)

[Mattk]

Having not seen these new spoon inserts as yet, how do these connect up, same as previous (short tail and plug) or is there some cutting and splicing to be done?

[wxthomson]

Thanks!  Do you mean moisture bridging the contacts inside the coupler?  I will check for that now.  I am unfamiliar with the SIM board cover, where is that located?  Thank you again!

UPDATE:  I just wrapped the coupler in double plastic to make sure it avoids any moisture.  I plugged this rain gauge back in and before I could get inside it started "measuring" rainfall again.  In less than 5 minutes my console showed 2.68" of rain, though the sun is shining.  I plugged my original VP2 Plus rain gauge back in and the "raining" stopped, guess I will have to stick with that one until further notice . . . though that one always has been pretty inaccurate.

Just wrapping more plastic around with moisture ialready nside does nothing.
Redue the splice and then tape.
Can't believe how incompetent some are.

A little harsh?

[miraculon]

tmieyal,

Is this coupler the official Davis one, or some "telephone" coupler? If it is the latter, it is no wonder you are having problems with water infiltration. I submit that you will never be able to keep water out of this type of coupler outdoors.

Davis used to sell the coupler (7960) separately, but I believe that it is now part of an extension kit. (I could be wrong, but Davis and the "usual suspects" suppliers do not list the the 7960). It appears that you need to buy an extension like the 7876-008. (e.g.from Scaled Instruments)

This waterproof coupler, has a sealed compartment and the actual connections are made with gel-filled crimp connectors. The RJ connectors are cut off and the wire ends are crimped into these gel-filled IDC crimps.

I have used this coupler in the past for extending my solar sensor, and I never had any problem with it.

By the way, I drilled a new hole to pass the rain cable from the tipping spoon assembly and I got it to (just) reach. I drilled the hole opposite of where the heater is.

I think if you redo the connection with the waterproof coupler you will be fine. You could get the shortest extension and cut it to length. Unfortunately, this means cutting the existing Rain connector off. I had to crimp a new RJ connector when I moved and could mount the solar sensor back on the ISS.

I hope that this helps.

Greg H.

[johnd]

Agreed - any unofficial coupler or joint that's not thoroughly waterproof is bound to be vulnerable. But any joint or damage in the cabling could be causing this problem if it gets wet, especially where the cable plugs in to the SIM board.

[tmieyal]

Thanks for the recent replies, I appreciate it!  I am using the 7876-008 extension which I purchased from Scaled Instruments.  Inside the coupler was not wet, and everything was fine where it plugs into the SIM board, so I guess the problem lies elsewhere.  Ryan returned my email, stating in part that the new single spoon has not been around long enough for any sort of pattern, but some have failed and that was a concern.  I have my VP2 Plus rain gauge plugged back in and it worked fine yesterday.  I will keep that one plugged in until I can do a little more investigating with the single spoon.  Thanks again to everyone for taking the time to respond, I appreciate it!

[JudinNorman]

There was no moisture in there, I checked before wrapping the plastic.  Thanks for nothing but a rude comment.  Oh and speaking of incompetence, perhaps you should learn to spell or at least proofread.  3 typos in first 2 sentences is true incompetence (redue???)

You're a lightweight. Mental issues you should look in to.

[saratogaWX]

Just wrapping more plastic around with moisture ialready nside does nothing.
Redue the splice and then tape.
Can't believe how incompetent some are.

You're a lightweight. Mental issues you should look in to.

Ok @JudinNorman, consider this your 'Yellow Card' warning.  You must cease and desist the personal attacks/disparagement against other posters. 

[JudinNorman]

Just wrapping more plastic around with moisture ialready nside does nothing.
Redue the splice and then tape.
Can't believe how incompetent some are.

You're a lightweight. Mental issues you should look in to.

Ok @JudinNorman, consider this your 'Yellow Card' warning.  You must cease and desist the personal attacks/disparagement against other posters.

My apologies. I get worked up at times. Donald calls people lightweight, shouldn't I be allowed to in this democracy?

[saratogaWX]

There is much hostile speech taking place on many venues today.. too much IMHO.  You're allowed 'free speech' that doesn't run contrary to the registration agreement which specifically says

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