Products Catalog

Specification

HD2013 BUCKET RAIN GAUGE
Introduction
The HD2013 is a reliable and sturdy bucket rain gauge, built entirely from corrosion
resistant materials in order to guarantee its durability. So as to ensure
accurate measurement even with low temperature climatic conditions or during
and after precipitations of snow, a version with a heater which is automatically
activated around +4°C has been developed so that snow deposits and ice formations
are prevented.
The rain gauge is formed by a metal base on which a tipping bucket is set. The
rain collector cone, fi xed to the aluminium cylinder, channels the water inside the
tipping bucket: once the predefi ned level is reached, the calibrated bucked rotates
under the action of its own weight, discharging the water. During the rotation
phase, the usually closed reed contact opens for a fraction of a second, sending
an impulse to the counter.
The quantity of rainfall measured is based on the count of the number of times the
bucket is emptied: the reed contacts, usually closed, open at the moment of the
rotation between one bucket’s section and the other. The number of impulses can
be detected and recorded by a datalogger such as the HD2013-D DeltaOhm or
by a pulse counter.
A removable fi lter for periodic cleaning and maintenance is inserted in the water
collector cone so as to prevent leaves or other elements blocking the end of the
hole.
For better water fl ow, the collector cone is treated with a tefl on® paint.
The HD2013R, the version with a heater, operates using either 12Vdc or 24Vdc
voltage and uses about 35W. Heating is activated around +4°C.
When submitting your order, upon request a bird dissuader, made of 8 3mmdiameter
spikes, 60 mm in height, can be installed on the rain gauge.
Installation and maintenance
Upon request the rain gauge can be supplied ready calibrated at 0.1 - 0.2 or 0.5
mm of rain per commutation of the bucket: the calibration value is shown on the
instrument’s label.
The instrument must be installed in an open area, away from buildings, trees,
etc…, ensuring the space over it is free from all objects which could obstruct rain
measurements, and in an easily accessible position for the fi lter to be cleaned
periodically.
Avoid installation in areas exposed to gusts of wind, turbulence (for example the top of a hill) as these may distort the measurements.
The rain gauge can be installed on the ground or raised 500 mm above the
ground. Other sizes above the ground are available on request.
Three adjustable support feet have been provided for ground installation so that
the instrument can be levelled correctly, and the holes aligned so that it can be
fi xed to the fl oor.
For raised installations a collar has been provided which fastens around the base
of the instrument on which the support staff must be inserted. The staff may end
with either a flange so that it can be fi xed to the floor, or a tip to be driven into the
ground. The various fastening systems can be seen in fi g. 2.
For the tipping device to function correctly and so for the measurement to be correct,
it is important that the instrument is placed perfectly level. The base of the
rain gauge is fi tted with a bubble level.
For installation, unscrew the three screws at the sides of the cylinder that supports
the water collector cone.
Note: a heating resistor is fi tted around the cone vertex in the HD2013R version.
To disconnect the power leads, the terminal block’s protection cover must be
removed and the connector plugged into the heater’s leads coming from the cone
needs disconnecting.
Electric connection
For the version without heater use a two-wired lead, for the version with heater
use a four-wired lead. Slide the cable through the fairlead and fasten it with the
cable-holder located near the entry hole at the base of the rain gauge.
The correct confi guration of the connections is illustrated in fi gure 1. The rain
gauge output, available on terminals 5 and 6, must be connected to the rain
gauge datalogger HD2013-D input (please see the details in the instrument’s
description) or to a pulse counter or to a datalogger.
The heated version requires power for the resistors: the mode of connection
depends on the level of power used (12Vdc or 24Vdc) and must be made in the
manner reported in fi g. 1.
The 24Vdc power must be connected between terminals 1 (+) and 4 (-), while for
12Vdc power use terminals 2 (+) and 4 (-) with a jumper between the terminals
1 and 3. If the connection are set correctly, a led placed near the terminals will
be lit up.
Maintenance
Verify fi lter cleanliness periodically; check that there is no debris, leaves or anything
else that might obstruct the passage of water.
Check that the tipping bucket contains no dirt, sand, … deposits, or any other
obstruction.
If necessary, the surface can be cleaned with mild non aggressive detergent.
Technical characteristics
HD2013R HD2013
Power 12Vdc or 24Vdc ±10% / 35W ---
Type of output contact NC contact (opens during commutation)
Resolution 0.1 - 0.2 or 0.5 mm/commutation
(on request at the time of placing the order)
Precision ± 2% between 20÷300 mm/h
Operating temperature
range -20°C ... +60°C +4°C … +60°C
Heater intervention
temperature +4°C ---
Protection degree IP67
Collector area 400 cm2
HD2013-D RAIN GAUGE DATALOGGER
Introduction
HD2013-D is a datalogger that has been specifi cally developed to capture and
memorize weather and atmospheric precipitation trends. Together with the capacious
memory, its long life Lithium battery guarantees remarkable recording
capacity without it being necessary for the user to intervene. The large display not
only provides the total and partial precipitations in real time, in both millimetres
and inches, but also the environment temperature. It is supplied with DeltaLog6
dedicated software, using which all the instrument’s parameters can be set. It is
connected to the PC through an RS232C serial port using the cable supplied.
HD2013-D can be connected to the most popular types of rain gauges using NC
or NO output contact.
For software installation and running, please refer to the documentation on the
instrument’s accompanying CD-ROM.
Important note: in order to make the instrument completely waterproof, buttons
have not been used but reed relays were chosen instead. These can be operated
with a magnet. The magnet is fi xed to the end of a small aluminium handle, and
this is connected to the case. After use the magnet, must be put away and stored
in its housing.
On the instrument front there are two areas indicated in red corresponding to
“Clear/Up� and “Select/Set�: the magnet should be placed on these areas to
perform the instrument programming operations. Placing the magnet for some
time on the red zone and then subsequently withdrawing it is the equivalent of
activating a button. For the sake of simplicity, in the instrument description which
follows, this operation will be called: “activation of the Clear/Up button�, “activation
of the Select/Set button�.
Installation and connections
The HD2013-D case has an IP67 degree of protection. The two function keys
that allow the instrument to be controlled are formed of reed contacts operated
externally by using a magnet supplied with the instrument.
In the lower part of the case there are two connectors for the rain gauge (threepole
male connector in the centre of the case) and the PC’s RS232C serial port
(fi ve-pole male connector on the right). At the bottom of the case there are two
holes so that the instrument can be fastened to a wall. As raised rain gauge it can
be fasten to the support staff through the base HD2003.77.
Operation
The datalogger counts and memorizes the emptying of the rain gauge’s small
bucket through a magnet activating a reed relay on each emptying: each commutation
corresponds to a quantity of rain equal to the rain gauge resolution.
The following resolutions can be set using the DeltaLog6 software: from 0.050
to 1.599mm of rain. Furthermore, by using the software the type of reed contact
closing can be selected. This depends on the type of rain gauge: it can either be
normally closed (NC) or normally open (NO) In both cases an alarm display is set
in case the small bucket, after its rotation, does not go back to the expected rest
position according to the type of contact selected.
The datalogger stores the ambient temperature at a fi xed interval of 15’.
Keyboard description
In normal operating conditions the HD2013-D display shows the hour and minutes
on the top line, the precipitation quantity since last reset (partial precipitations),
and the temperature detected by the sensor located inside the case.
By operating directly on the instrument buttons it is possible to:
• Display the total precipitation quantity since the last reset or since the last battery
change
• Modify date and time
• Reset the partial rain quantity.
The functions performed by the two buttons are described:
Clear/UP BUTTON
The menu can be accessed by starting from the normal functioning mode and
activating the button for more than 3 seconds: the words “ZERO CNT OR
MENU� are then displayed.
At this point further action on the same button resets the partial counter (CLEAR
function): the display returns to normal functioning mode displaying the complete
day, month, year date and the partial count at zero once.
Should you be inside the parameters modifi cation menu, the same button
increases the current value.
Select/SET BUTTON
Select the menu parameter to be modifi ed: the top line on the display shows the
selected parameter while the middle line shows the current value. The parameter
displayed can be increased by using the CLEAR/UP button; the new setting can
be confirmed by using the SELECT/SET button.
On entering the menu (the words “ZERO CNT OR MENU� appear on the display),
pressing the SELECT/SET button causes a circular routine to present the following
parameters in this same order:
YEAR: modifi cation of the year
MON: modifi cation of the month
DAY: modifi cation of the day
HOUR: modifi cation of the hour
MIN: modifi cation of the minutes
SEC: modifi cation of the seconds
TOT: displays the total quantity of precipitation
On further activating the SELECT/SET button the normal functioning mode
returns.
When one of the items is displayed by pressing the CLEAR/UP button its value
can be increased.
To confi rm the new setting press the SELECT/SET button.
The detailed description of the steps necessary for the modifi cation of the minutes
are outlined as an example below.
To enter the menu from the normal measurement condition press the CLEAR/UP
button for three seconds. When the display shows “ZERO CNT OR MENU�, press
the SELECT/SET button fi ve times until the current minutes are displayed (YEAR
>> MON >> DAY >> HOUR >> MIN). Using the CLEAR/UP button means the
displayed minutes can be increased up to the new value. This can be confi rmed
using the SELECT/SET button.
Battery replacement
HD2013-D is powered by a 3.6V type ½AA Lithium battery with axial rheophores.
The battery’s charge status is constantly monitored and shown on the HD2013
display. When the symbol begins to blink it means the charge level is no longer
suffi cient to power the instrument and the battery needs replacing.
Proceed as follows:
1. Download the data and disconnect the instrument from the PC;
2. Unscrew the four screws on the front cover;
3. Release the battery from the ring fastening it to the printed circuit and take it
out of its housing;
4. Cut the rheophores of the new battery to a length of about 15 mm.
5. Put the new battery in making sure the polarity is correct as outlined in fi g.
5
6. Fasten it with the elastic ring and close the cover with the screws.
Connection to the PC
HD2013-D can be connected to a PC with a Windows operating system via serial
cable or by using a cable connected directly to the instrument’s internal terminal
block (RS232); the temperature and rain data contained in the datalogger
memory can be discharged by using the DeltaLog6 software and the data can
be displayed in graphic or tabular form.
The connector located at the base of the instrument is used with the supplied
serial cable.
The internal terminal block can only be used if a longer serial cable is
ordered. Note that in this case the cable length cannot exceed 15 metres.
The connection is outlined in the following table:
HD2013-D terminal block Sub D 9-pole female serial connector
1 - TX 3
2 - TX 2
3 - RTS 7
4 - CTS 8
5 - GND 5
Technical characteristics
Power Replaceable 3.6V type ½AA Lithium battery
Type of event recorded
NC or NO contact that the program is able to select.
Ambient temperature at a fi xed interval of 15’.
An alarm is generated (it can be disabled) if the contact
remains in an unstable condition for more than 3
seconds.
Resolution From 0.050 to 1.599mm/sample
Storage capacity
93000 samples (equal to 18600mm of rain with a resolution
of 0.2mm/sample) 2 years of temperature with a
fi xed interval of 15’
PC interface Insulated RS232C serial port – 9600 baud
Display
indications
Partial rain in millimetres or inches
Total rain in millimetres or inches
Environment temperature °C/°F
Operating temperature range -20°C ... +60°C
Protection degree IP67
Software supplied DeltaLog6
Order codes
HD2013: Rain gauge with tipping bucket, area 400 cm2, for temperatures from
+4°C to +60°C; resolution on request, at the time of placing the order 0.1
- 0.2 or 0.5 mm. Output contact normally closed.
HD2013R: Rain gauge with tipping bucket, area 400 cm2, for temperatures from
-25 to +60°C; resolution on request, at the time of placing the order 0.1 - 0.2
or 0.5 mm. Output contact normally closed. Power voltage 12Vdc or 24Vdc
±10% / absorption 35W.
HD2013.18: Bird dissuader.
HD2013.5K: Accessory kit for installation of the 500 mm raised from ground rain
gauge, formed by a support plate for the staff, support staff L=500 mm,
fastening screws.
HD2013.75: Base with tip for the ground to support the raised from ground rain
gauge (to add to the Accessory kit HD2013.5K).
HD2013.78: Level base for fastening the raised from ground rain gauge (to add to
the Accessory kit HD2013.5K).
HD2013.77/40: Flange to fasten the datalogger to the support staff.
HD2013-D: Rain gauge datalogger with LCD display; reads and records up to
93000 impulses, given each time the bucket is emtied. Visualizes and updates
the internal temperature every minute and saves it every 15 minutes.
Insulated RS232C serial output, DeltaLog6 software supplied. 3.6V Lithium
battery power. IP67 protection degree
CP2013.2P: One meter 3-pole cable to connect the rain gauge to the HD2013-D
fi xed to the support staff.
CP2013/RS232: 5-pole cable / RS232C to download data from datalogger to
PC.