"It's Raining" Mode
Simple, Reliable, and Versatile Rain Detection
Do you have a process or device that needs to know that it is raining? The RG-10 produces an output that turns on when it is raining, and off when it stops. The threshold for turn-on can be set at any of four rain intensity levels, including, likely the one you need. In its most sensitive setting, the RG-10 will turn on the output at the first detected rain drop. In the least sensitive setting, the output will turn on when the RG-10 detects a real down pour. Levels in between are, well, in between.
The RG-10 Optical Rain Gage can save you a great deal of expense, time and frustration. You might think that it would be simple to come up with a sensor that just lets you know whether or not it is raining. It isn't. There are several simple technologies on the market, each with serious drawbacks:
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Conductive rain sensors, for example, are prone to contaminants shorting out the sensing contacts, rendering them stuck on. Plus, they generally will not let you set a rain intensity level. They know only that one or more drops have fallen.
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Tipping buckets are bulky and fragile.
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Irrigation-style, absorbent disks trip after a substantial accumulation-- typically at least one eighth inch. That is far too much water for any number of applications. All of these sensor approaches require that you write appropriate software or devise some control strategy that makes use of the sensor information.
The RG-10 makes it easy for you to incorporate rain sensing into your system. All of the complexity of rain detection is taken care of for you. An algorithm within the RG-10 determines the rainfall intensity, so you can predictably and repeatably set an appropriate intensity threshold. You can set the output to remain on for 15 minutes after the last rain has stopped. Use this, for example, in order to prevent equipment from constantly turning on and off or opening and closing during changing rain conditions.
Bonus Features: Dark and Freeze Sensing
The RG-10 also has an aux output that can to be set to detect darkness. Use this, for example, to retract a sun-shield awning at night, when it is not needed. The aux output may be configured as a freeze sensor (subject to the limitations of the RG-10 temperature sensing) for process control applications.
Applications:
- Opening and closing:
- Skylights
- Louvers
- Windows
- Process Control
- Retracting Awnings
- Enabling / Disabling equipment
- Data Collection