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Weather Station Hardware => Other Weather Station Hardware => Topic started by: George Richardson on June 29, 2008, 01:13:05 PM
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4" Manual Rain Gage Usage Questions.
1) How often do you read your gage?
2) How frequently do you empty your gage?
3) Do you account for evaporation?
4) Do you have any other usage secrets?
Thanks for your input.
George
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Hi George,
I have and use 4 rain gauges. One Davis TB which I believe to be somewhat accurate. Two 4" gauges and one 8" gauge which is a Friez, the same type the NWS uses.
1)How often do you read your gage?
First off, only when it rains. ](*,) The accumulated rain is based on a 24hr. period, one must select a time of day, to read the gauge. Generally 6,7 or 8am. Now some folks read there gauge at 2am. :-P it really doesn't mater, but it must be the same time each day, that one reads it.
2) How frequently do you empty your gage?
Each time one reads it. =D>
3) Do you account for evaporation?
You will never see it.
4) Do you have any other usage secrets?
Yes--------- Go to this place, you will learn a lot. http://www.cocorahs.org/ :grin:
Bill.>>>>>>>>>>>>>> :-)
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Photo of the Friez 8".
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m109/nicebill/100_2029.jpg)
Bill.>>>>>>>>>>>>> :-)
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I think I'd start with
1a) How do you use your gauge? (Other answers may depend on this...)
I use mine as a check and backup to my Davis Tipping Bucket, and to calibrate it.
4" Manual Rain Gage Usage Questions.
1) How often do you read your gage?
Whenever it has water in it and I walk by. It's near the driveway, sothat's fairly often. Then I compare that to the Davis. I keep a spreadsheet to track the 2.
2) How frequently do you empty your gage?
It depends. Once a day, or after the storm. Not that I've had mine long enough, but if we ever have a storm where the inner tube would fill to the top, I'd probably take an intermediate reading and dump it.
3) Do you account for evaporation?
Around here, if it's raining, evaporation is nil. So, no. Because of how mine is made, I'd expect evaporation to be negligible, even in direct sun.
4) Do you have any other usage secrets?
Keep it clean. We get rain maybe 4 months out of the year. By late fall, I expect mine to be a little grubby.
Thanks for your input.
George
You're welcome.
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I think I'd start with
1a) How do you use your gauge? (Other answers may depend on this...)
Now why is this all gray ](*,)
Now Chris has a good thought. I guess I have CoCoRaHS on the mind.
One may wish to only know how much it rained in week? So I guess you would only have to check it once a week.
If you only received an inch of rain for that week and an inch and a half the next week I guess you wouldn't have to empty it until it was full, just as long as you kept a record of how much rain you had each week.
Bill.>>>>>>>>>>>> :-)
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Now why is this all gray ](*,)
Probably because you didn't manage your [quote] [/quote] tags properly. :)
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Hey "nicebill" - what is that lavender looking bush in the background?
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Cienega32, thanks for "touching" this thread. It was rude of me not thanking NiceBill and SLOweather for their replys. Thanks Guys!
Actually, I just didn't think of NiceBills use because my use is the same as SLOweathers. My concern was because it takes over 0.20" of rain to get within tipping tolerance and we rarely get that much in a day.
FWIW, I purchased a Torrent rain gauge on ebay and think its "cute". We haven't had much rain since I got it but it seems as accurate as anything else. Reads from .001" to 99.999" Measures by forming drops thru a screen and optically counting. Claims to record up to 10" per hour. With a 3" opening, that sounds like a claim!
George