10.1.4 Rainlogger Installation

The Solinst Rainlogger (Figure 10-12) is designed to count the tips of an external tipping-bucket rain gauge within a user defined sample interval and output the total rainfall over that sample interval.

The waterproof housing is made of stainless steel. Direct exposure to rainfall should be avoided, and the Rainlogger should not be submerged.

The rain gauge connected to the Rainlogger is supplied by the customer and is a reed-switch type gauge most commonly known as a tipping-bucket rain gauge. The rain gauge connector is 3-pin (Figure 10-13) and connects to the 3-pin cable supplied with the Rainlogger. Longer cables up to 30 m (100 ft) can be supplied when the Rainlogger is ordered. The connector cable has 3 wires, however only two, the blue and brown wires, are connected to the tipping bucket device. As the tipping bucket is just an electrical switch, it does not usually matter to which terminal on the tipping bucket the blue or brown wire is connected. Refer to the tipping bucket manufacturer's instructions. Longer, exposed cables should be protected from rodents and vandalism by cable armoring or installation within electrical conduit.