Doppler rain sensor on ebay

Interesting item on ebay Lufft 24 GHz Doppler Radar Rain Sensor.

I was skeptical that it really was a radar device but here’s the specification, resolution up to 0.01mm 8O

And only 2495 Euro new!

would be cool to own your own doppler rain radar :slight_smile:

Im buying it just now.
I hope i can get it to work with my datalogger though #-o
And i hope it works with WD as well…

does it come with the data logger and software?
or do you have that already
or were you toungue in cheek :slight_smile:

No, its just the sensor and 10 meters of cable… :oops:

All the manuals are online and it doesn’t look difficult to interface (for those inclined to tinker with electronics).

I think i have to get the rs485 converted to rs232 and then to 4-20mA with the wires shown in the attachment.
Maybe i can connect those wires to my pulse port on my datalogger…?
From there i will have to see how i get it to read when its snow rain etc. crbasic…and from there to WD.

https://ibb.co/ht2fDH

3 outputs:

Uout1 is a switch output like a tipping bucket rain gauge
Uout2 is a pulsed output with the frequency indicating the type of precip
RS485 serial connection which can supply a lot of data

485 to 232 converters are readily available, but this instrument’s protocol is quite complex. I don’t know what type of data logger you have, but there’s nothing there that WD can take directly.

Thanks Nico :smiley:

It will arrive somewhere begin of march.
I think ill get the wiring right, now i know which wire is what.

Ive heard that i first have to connect it to my pc directly, to have some settings set, like 0,01mm or 0,1mm or 1mm and Rain, snow, sleet, freezing rain, hail detection and some other things, with their free software.

It has a built in heater to have it working the best, set at 70 degrees celsius.
The speed rate of drops is registered with a 24 GHz doppler radar system. By comparison
between the speed rate and the size of drops, the quantity of rain or its intensity will be
registered.

Only downside when selecting the 0,01mm is that it detects mosquitos or flies as precipitation…

And when its all up and running, i will ask WD friendly if it can be implemented within WD :smiley:

Well see.


mo-lft-r2s-pws0.jpg

:thumbright:

I was very tempted but it seems to have given up raining here :roll:

Hi,

Ive got a question regarding the cable, which is missing the connector at the end of it.
The other side of the cable has the connector on it which goes directly into the sensor.
So thats fine.

Can i just get myself an rs485 to usb connector (shown below, can connect 6 wires, but ive got 8…) to connect the sensor directly to my pc?
Ive first have to check/set the sensor settings like resolution etc. with their software on my pc before i can connect it to my datalogger (after that, the rs485 to usb isnt needed, just the wires connected to my datalogger, no connector needed)
Ive contacted Lufft about this, but they recommend their hardware for this, which is $$$$$$$$$ and i think not needed…

The wiring from the sensor is as follows:

1 white, negative power supply

2 brown, positive power supply

3 green, RS485_A

4 yellow, RS485_B

5 grey, not assigned

6 pink, Uout1

7 blue, GND reference potential for the digital outputs

8 red, Uout2


usb-11-adapter-1x-rs485-stekker-rs422-bus-1x-usb-11-stekker-a-zwart.jpg

Aside from a power supply for the sensor, the only connections you need for RS-485 serial comm with the PC are 3 & 4. That’s a 2 wire RS-485 interface (there’s also 4-wire RS-485). There’s not much info on the Conrad data sheet but I think the two connections you need are the T/R- and T/R+. T/R- is “A” (pin 3) and T/R+ is “B” (pin 4). You could ask Conrad how to connect this for 2-wire RS-485 or look for a different adapter specifically for that.

Hi Niko,

Thanks for the fast reply.
Yes ive seen alot of rs485 to usb with just 2 connections on the rs485 side.
See picture below.
Is it really that simple?
Ive heard it (rs485) probably needs a driver, or probably when plugged in, it detects the serial port and go from there ?


Looks like one of these. Should be OK but without a detailed spec sheet it’s hard to be sure :dontknow:

…for the price its worth a try :smiley:

Agreed :slight_smile:

Hi,

The R2S is working fine with my datalogger.
Im getting data but in not sure if the R2S is set to 0.01 0.1 or 1.0 mm.
Yesterday i got 0.07 mm in light rain, i have to connect the R2S to my pc and run the R2S software to see its settings, but i dont have the rs485 to usb converter yet.
Ive set my datalogger to 0.01mm a tip, but i have to be sure the R2S is set to 0.01 also.

May i ask WD to add a setting to have the amount of, -and rate, in 0.01 mm?
That would be great to have it run in WD.

With kind regards.

Im looking for a transformator 220v to 24vdc 30 amps.
Someone can advice me in the right direction or a link to one cheap?

Where are you?