Author Topic: Back to slippery rain gauges  (Read 1466 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline DaleReid

  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 2002
    • Weather at Eau Claire, WI
Back to slippery rain gauges
« on: July 07, 2017, 12:58:34 PM »
I was doing some cleaning up of the various weather stations sensors I have around, and pulled the top off a Davis, a Rainwise and a WeatherTronics tipping bucket setup.  All the spider webs and one hornet were cleared, and then I took some general purpose cleaner and carefully Q-tipped the buckets free of accumulated atmospheric dust and small pieces of tree pollen that had gotten through. 

I remember some discussion years ago about treating the inside of the collecting funnel and the tippers to make sure there wasn't any water sticking to the surface.  I had the surfaces clean, so I took a can of what was advertised as being a "Dry Lube with Teflon".  I sprayed the inside of the cone and each bucket briefly, let the vehicle evaporate, and then hit it again.

When dry it left a very light white powder which I assume is the Teflon particles.  I tested to see how much if any water is clinging to the surface and it seems to bead up and run really well, and with a tip the whole bucket drains out.  I recall one of the manuals I got a long time ago (probably with the Peet brothers collector) that said something to the effect that the buckets had a white material that should not be cleaned off, and helped them work better.  I assume they did some sort of treatment like this to them a decade or so ago when I got the station, but haven't bought anything new lately to know if current suppliers are doing any sort of treatment.

Is anybody worried that their buckets need treatment once a season?  Anyone using that expensive two-spray water repelling stuff that is in DIY home stores like Menards and Home Depot?

ECWx.info
&
ECWx.info/t/index.php

Offline ValentineWeather

  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 6362
    • Valentine Nebraska's Real-Time Weather
Re: Back to slippery rain gauges
« Reply #1 on: July 07, 2017, 01:40:34 PM »
Probably works better than Rain-X. According to Dupont dry lube safe for all surfaces so should work on rain gauge plastics. https://www.amazon.com/DuPont-Teflon-Non-Stick-Dry-Film-Lubricant/dp/B018FTA5WA
Randy