PREVIOUS UPDATE Here is my update. I went out today and its snowing lightly 14.5 degrees. I Looked inside the rain collector watched the snow fall and almost disappear as it hit the collection area. I put the IR thermometer on the top of the cone it was 53 degrees. mid point it was 63.2 degrees and towards the bottom 72.3..I tried to shoot a beam straight down into the tipping bucket but was still reading low 70's ..
I removed the bucket after chipping away ice and struggling about 10 mins hoping it wouldn't break the plastic locking tabs but ended up getting it free . I removed the heater cord that heavily wrapped around the inside of the cone. distributed it throughout the inside of the bucket like the original directions imply. I put it all together and currently waiting to recheck temps after about 30 min.. The heater has now been on for about 35 mins The temps after the change are as follows AIR TEMP 16 DEGREES
Top of cone 40.5 , mid point 52 deg, bottom 40 deg ... The temps are different with the warmest point being the middle not the bottom as before.
I wonder if anyone else has a IR thermometer could check there temps to compare?
CURRENT UPDATE Today 12-19 I picked up 1.2 inches of light snow not much but measurable after making the change to my heater and adding a 30 min cycle timer I measured .07 on my VP2 and .08 on the CoCoRahs gauge
allot better not even 20 mins after emptying the CoCoRahs gauge the VP2 measured .08
I'm very excited , although it's not allot of snow it's very close compaired to before being .17 below .28 on the CoCoRahs gauge.