Author Topic: Cleaning the "tip" buckets?  (Read 2611 times)

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Offline Old Tele man

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Cleaning the "tip" buckets?
« on: October 17, 2012, 09:17:58 PM »
Anybody cleaned the "tip" buckets in their ISS recently?

I finally was able to move my ISS onto it's permanent pole-mounting location and had to remove the rain-catch unit...and what did I see? A fairly decent amount of dirt in the 'bottom' of both buckets! What's so odd is this station has been operating for only 6 months, so I was somewhat surprised to see so much dirt already. Bet all of my rain readings were "affected" somewhat--especially if the weights of the dirt in each bucket weren't equal.

 
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Offline DanS

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Re: Cleaning the "tip" buckets?
« Reply #1 on: October 17, 2012, 10:05:12 PM »
Neither are Davis but I have to clean both of mine at least every 6 months or they build up crud in the buckets you describe too. Figure while I'm wiping off the FARS bowls I can do the rain gauges at the same time.
« Last Edit: October 17, 2012, 10:16:52 PM by DanS »

Offline Old Tele man

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Re: Cleaning the "tip" buckets?
« Reply #2 on: October 17, 2012, 10:19:29 PM »
Is your dirt sorta 'glued' into the bottom, too?

Took a lot of wiping with a moist cloth to get it to come out...in fact, I was sorta worried that I might "scuff-up" the silvered lining in the tip buckets.
• SYS: Davis VP2 Vue/WL-IP & Envoy8X/WL-USB;
• DBX2 & DBX1 Precision Digital Barographs
• CWOP: DW6988 - 2 miles NNE of Cortaro, AZ
• WU - KAZTUCSO202, Countryside

Offline DanS

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Re: Cleaning the "tip" buckets?
« Reply #3 on: October 17, 2012, 10:23:48 PM »
Is your dirt sorta 'glued' into the bottom, too?

Took a lot of wiping with a moist cloth to get it to come out...in fact, I was sorta worried that I might "scuff-up" the silvered lining in the tip buckets.

No not that bad for mine. Usually a couple squirts of glass cleaner, some tissues and a cotton ball stick (ear buds) can wipe it all out. Just your regular airborne dust/dirt/pollen type junk I guess.

Offline miraculon

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Re: Cleaning the "tip" buckets?
« Reply #4 on: October 18, 2012, 07:36:09 AM »
I also use the cotton ear swabs (Q-tip) to clean it.

While we are on the subject of rain gauge maintenance, what is the best way to prevent false tips? The rain counts go into my "permanent record" on WU, CWOP etc. I try to add the apologetic note on WU. Since sliding the solar door off is a bit of a chore and I feel that I am putting stress on the solar panel connector, I am not inclined to unplug the rain connector in the ISS transmitter box.

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Offline jmcmurry

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Re: Cleaning the "tip" buckets?
« Reply #5 on: October 18, 2012, 08:47:28 AM »
Greg,

You can put the console in setup mode during your period of maintenance.  There's a thread here about that http://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=13917.msg135859#msg135859.

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Offline chief-david

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Re: Cleaning the "tip" buckets?
« Reply #6 on: October 18, 2012, 09:01:41 AM »
When I clean etc.  I unplug the rain connection from the ISS.



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Offline d_l

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Re: Cleaning the "tip" buckets?
« Reply #7 on: October 18, 2012, 09:31:00 AM »
When I'm servicing/cleaning the rain cone with Plexus, I also clean and coat the tip buckets with it. It cleans easier with that compound.  I think it may also keep the silver coating cleaner for a little longer, but I've no hard facts for that assertion. 

So much dust and pollen is brought down by the rain here that having the tipping bucket surface hydrophobic will allow the rain water and its contents to cleanly roll off the surface.  It is the partial bucket fills that evaporate in place after rain has stopped that cause the build up problems.

I also use Plexus on the gasket of the solar door and around the SIM box's edge.  I think this helps it release easier when I go to unplug the rain bucket jack prior to servicing the rain gauge.
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Offline DanS

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Re: Cleaning the "tip" buckets?
« Reply #8 on: October 18, 2012, 10:09:30 AM »
I've been wondering if a Teflon spray would do any good (or harm) on the spoons and funnel? Seems it should at least make cleaning them easier.

Offline Old Tele man

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Re: Cleaning the "tip" buckets?
« Reply #9 on: October 18, 2012, 10:29:58 AM »
Greg,

You can put the console in setup mode during your period of maintenance.  There's a thread here about that http://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=13917.msg135859#msg135859.

- Jim
"Thanks" for the info...I do recall reading about Setup Mode but not in association with ISS maintenance.

I've been wondering if a Teflon spray would do any good (or harm) on the spoons and funnel? Seems it should at least make cleaning them easier.
...if the Teflon spray does the samething -- attract & harden dust & dirt -- in Chiang Mai, TH, as it does on cars here in Arizona, it might only be useful on the door seal. I can just envision a dirty layer being immediately attracted to the moist teflon surfaces of the spoons and funnel! Might need something 'dry' -- is there a 'dry' teflon spray (sorta like locksmith's graphite)?
« Last Edit: October 19, 2012, 11:19:28 AM by Old Tele man »
• SYS: Davis VP2 Vue/WL-IP & Envoy8X/WL-USB;
• DBX2 & DBX1 Precision Digital Barographs
• CWOP: DW6988 - 2 miles NNE of Cortaro, AZ
• WU - KAZTUCSO202, Countryside

Offline Stevea

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Re: Cleaning the "tip" buckets?
« Reply #10 on: October 18, 2012, 05:10:06 PM »
When I clean etc.  I unplug the rain connection from the ISS.
As do I.  Usually don't unplug the solar panel when I do it.

Steve
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Offline Ray Proudfoot

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Re: Cleaning the "tip" buckets?
« Reply #11 on: October 18, 2012, 05:55:07 PM »
Placing the console in Setup mode won't prevent false tips during cleaning as I found out to my cost recently.

You MUST unplug the rain collector cable in the ISS too.

It never stays dry for long enough over here for any 'crud' to harden!

 

anything