Hi All Its been a long time since I posted anything and had alot going on in life.
Yesterday My Rain Gauge started acting up big time. I Had 2.4 inches of actual storm rain but station reported 155.79 inches . It reads that on My Davis VP2 Console . so I know its a station Issue and not anything to do with weather display. Has anyone else ever had anything like this happen? A did a visual Inspection of Station all all looks good to the naked eye
Thanks for any feedback
Brad
often the problem is caused by a spiders web holding the tipping spoon just up off the resting position
Can also be moisture/other contamination on the connector to the ISS.
Thanks I will look at both. The ISS is like 6 years old
Things where all sealed up like supposed to be but had a lot of fog lately
Brad
Over at this end of the state, I am fine. Both suggestions are great . also look for a broken or frayed wire where the leads come into your ISS station and where you might have them fastened to your pole or whatever you have it connected to.
I’d 2nd what Niko said. I tried to relocate my rain gauge this past spring using a spare RJ11 cable and water got into the connections and caused the same thing. Since you’re ISS is 6 years old maybe some of the seals might be failing especially around the front cover and/or solar panel if it’s a wireless one. Check the front panel and rubber seal around the front slide for potential water leakage.
I really couldn’t see anything visibly wrong. Hit all the connections with contact cleaner and it worked fine this morning. I will just play it by ear. usually we get snow In Iowa in December not rain
Thanks for feedback all
Brad
I don’t use a Davis VP2, but I do have a Rainwise gauge that has been registering phantom rainfall at approx hourly intervals and registered 1369.32 inches of rain last Tuesday - where’s Noah when you need him? There is a very small circuit board that holds the reed relay and a resistor. I unscrewed it and found a quantity of white crud (technical term) on the underside. I removed it with the help of a cocktail stick and gave everything a quick warm with a hair-dryer. Re-installed it and no false readings after 4 hours. Hopeful that that was the reason. Presumably the crud conducted when it got damp.
Graeme
Very likely. There are coatings that would help with that but I would guess you may not be in the U.S. so I can’t make a specific recommendation.