Topic: Davis Rain Gauge in Winter?

[Bushman]

I am about to install a DAvis VP2 rain gauge, but it is cold and snowy. No money in the budget for a heater, so what do other folks do with their  buckets in the winter?  Let them fill with snow?  I worry that the thaw/freeze cycle would damage it.  DO you seal them up (some sort of cover) and wait until spring?  Suggestions please.

[Curly]

Ice build up isn't a good thing for the delicate tipper.
Definately put a cover over the funnel and possibly secure it so the wind doesn't blow it off.
I had a cookie tin that fit perfectly upside down on top of the funnel and it stayed put till spring.

[SpartanWX]

see: $20 Rain Collector Heater - simple!!
http://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=1468.0

[racenet]

But, if you decide not to cover it, damage isn't a concern. It will not harm the unit in the least. That has been confirmed by Davis many, many years ago.



Bob

[Bushman]

Thanks Bob!  I would expect it to handle ice, but one never knows...  Covering it seems to makes sense though.    As for the reptile heater cord, to what temp below zero will it work?  I rarely see much more than -15C.

[Mark / Ohio]

I felt better having it covered before I built a heater.  Plus you don't show rain on the sunny warm winter days that way.   

I used a black plastic pot that a small shrub came in from the greenhouse to cover it.  Mines about 6' above the ground so a brick sufficed to hold the upside down plastic pot in place.

There used to be a fellow molding plastic covers special for the job.  His name was Chann.  I'm not sure though if he is still doing that or not.  Might try sending him an email.  This is the latest email I found posted for him on the net:

cbarnhart@wi.rr.com

Here's a snip of a photo aardvark posted of his cap in years past:

[SpartanWX]

Thanks Bob!  I would expect it to handle ice, but one never knows...  Covering it seems to makes sense though.    As for the reptile heater cord, to what temp below zero will it work?  I rarely see much more than -15C.

Mine has worked fine down to that temperature.

[Bushman]

Terrific info guys!  What a great forum. 

[jruys]

I have never had a problem leaving snow and ice in my rain bucket throughout the winter.  I lived in Wisconsin for two winters, when the snow took forever to melt and sat in the bucket for most of the season, and I have lived in Colorado for four winters, where the snow melts in a day when it is sunny.  I have two buckets now, one with a heater and the other one that has gone through 7 winters without a cover and is still working perfectly.

[Anthony]

I do not have a Davis. But I have never covered my guage. As for the precip that shows up on the next warm sunny day. I don't mind it a bit. It gives me some idea of the liquid equivilant of the snow that fell previously.

Remember, it's a weather station. It was designed to be exposed to the elements.

[Ann Brush]

I too balked at the Davis heater costs ($157.00, Dec 08, Ambient before shipping). After reading several posts and looking at various options I went with a 12ft water pipe heater (pipe tape) from Easyheat. Rated at 84W this was the best length to coil inside the outside shell and inside "cone" of the rain gauge. I scoured the inside of the rain gauge with sandpaper to create a roughened surface for better adhesion and then used hot melt (stick) glue (no the heater does not get any where hot enough to melt the glue) to glue it to the inside of the gauge. Starting at the tip of the inside cone I wound it in spirals up toward the top of the gauge and then down the inside of the outer shell. It took every bit of the 12ft heater. The thermostat surface was sandpapered and glued to the inside of the outside wall (careful of where this goes in relation to the tipping bucket and side of the ISS console) and a slot cut to pass the cord through. It looks a bit messy but functions just fine. The heat generated is enough to keep everything liquid inside and liquid through the mesh slots for water exit, but feeling the gauge in the cold weather it barely feels warm so by no means it is too hot (not too much wattage). Most of the heat would be dissipated through the plastic shell to the outside anyway as the tape is glued to the surface of the gauge at numerous intervals. Total cost $ 24 for the heater and $4.50 for a pack of glue sticks (I already had the glue heater gun) and $ 37 for extension cord (200ft). I really had to pour the glue in-  used nearly a whole pack of it. The thermostat turns it off and on as needed so I just ran the extension cord plugged it in and forgot about it. On the installation I made sure the 110V line was nowhere near the other data wires to prevent induction of erroneous data especially on the anemometer. I will try to snap a few pics to illustrate the setup better. Overall I am very pleased and think I have a better setup than the OEM equipment.

[Aardvark]

I am about to install a DAvis VP2 rain gauge, but it is cold and snowy. No money in the budget for a heater, so what do other folks do with their  buckets in the winter?  Let them fill with snow?  I worry that the thaw/freeze cycle would damage it.  DO you seal them up (some sort of cover) and wait until spring?  Suggestions please.

Get the Kap... forget the ice cream bucket with a brick method.  it fits snugly and comes off easy when you want it to.   

[Mark / Ohio]

...Get the Kap... forget the ice cream bucket with a brick method.  it fits snugly and comes off easy when you want it to.   

There you are!  Hope your not going to charge me for the use of your photo.   

[Aardvark]

...Get the Kap... forget the ice cream bucket with a brick method.  it fits snugly and comes off easy when you want it to.   

There you are!  Hope your not going to charge me for the use of your photo.   

naw.. never would charge for a photo that could hang in the Louvre..  

But the KAP  is the way to go if you don't have a heater.. keeps the ice out of the rain cone when there is melt

[Bushman]

Where does one get "the Kap"?

[Aardvark]

send an email to Chann at  cbarnhart@wi.rr.com .

he has the price and information regarding it.

[Bushman]

Thx!

[DJMWX86]

I also don't really have the money for a heater or ever bothered for one. I have the old Davis VP and not sure if they even make one for it bu yes I do let it fill with snow and then clear the rain data if it has not been raining so any one that sees my data wll not get confused. Over the years I had issues with my gauge always clogging with leaves twigs etc so I finaly had it with this so I just took a screen like you would use for doors windows etc and a few rubber bands and twist ties and covred the top of the gauge with it so any thing that may clog it up will just roll right off. The holes are big enough for rain drops to get through and so far it's worked.