Connecting the Hydreon RG11 digital rain sensor.

duke · **Posted:** Sun Jun 17, 2012 8:49 pm

After somewhat hijacking pete_c's thread on a similar subject, sorry Pete, I thought a new thread was required. This thread continues from HERE.

So, I've ordered the RG11

and after reading how Alan (apenwith) has connected his I have also ordered a DLP108G an A/D converter available here in the states andhere in the UK. I've gone this route as I want to be able to monitor and hopefully FTP the recordings from the RG11 24/7.

I assume in theory the DLP108G could actually support 8 of these or similar devices?

I'll be honest, when it comes to hooking these two guys together I have no idea. I assume Alan is using the RS232 and I'm hopeful he will now dive in and tell me and others how to do it

.

Duke

beteljuice · **Posted:** Sun Jun 17, 2012 11:53 pm

To be more precise, this is about connection as an additional sensor.

If it were a replacement it would in most cases be configured as a 'relay' switch and wired into the existing wx kit.

steve · **Posted:** Mon Jun 18, 2012 7:50 pm

I've had a go at adding support for the "It's Raining" mode of the RG-11. The download is here: http://nybbles.co.uk/downloads/Cumulus.zip - it's just the cumulus.exe file, unzip it into your existing Cumulus folder. You probably need to have installed the latest 1.9.3 beta first.

It assumes the RG-11 is set to "It's Raining" mode and is connected to a serial port (or via a serial/USB adapter) as described here: http://www.weather-above.com/usbnontiprain.html

To enable, edit cumulus.ini and add a line to the [Station] section specifying the serial port number, e.g.

RG11port=1

for COM1. This should enable a grey LED in the bottom right hand corner of the 'rainfall' panel on the Cumulus main screen which turns red when the RG-11 says it's raining. A new web tag <#IsRaining> gives 1 when the LED is lit and 0 when it isn't.

I have no idea whether this will work, I don't have an RG-11.

duke · **Posted:** Mon Jun 18, 2012 9:01 pm

Steve, thank you for your efforts. Mine should be here by end of the week.

Incidentally, a little under £53.00 shipped.

@beteljuice

Quote:

To be more precise, this is about connection as an additional sensor.

Not enough characters in the title for "Connecting the Hydreon RG11 as an additional digital rain sensor."

Duke

duke · **Posted:** Tue Jun 19, 2012 5:32 am

Any one know the value / wattage of the resistor shown on Micheals page.

He shows it in the pic soldered across pins 5 & 6 but makes no mention of it.

Duke

steve · **Posted:** Tue Jun 19, 2012 7:03 am

It looks more like a capacitor to me, not that one of those is mentioned either. Is it for debouncing the relay contacts, perhaps?

duke · **Posted:** Tue Jun 19, 2012 7:45 am

steve wrote:

It looks more like a capacitor to me, not that one of those is mentioned either. Is it for debouncing the relay contacts, perhaps?

I think you are right about it being a cap Steve. It was early this morning when I looked and probably did not have my glasses on;)

I have emailed Micheal to find out what it is and the spec.

Duke

Sent from my Nokia Lumia.

apenwith · **Posted:** Tue Jun 19, 2012 8:19 am

Hi

I realise now why it was difficult to find the DLP IO8g - it's not one zero but the letters.
Anyway it is a USB device not RS232 and I am using it in the tipping bucket mode although others have found that to be less than accurate. My friend Ole is the expert and provided me with the instructions and software to run the DLP. I'll contact him to see if he'll join the party - he might even be persuaded to issue the software for a small consideration.
I am using 4 core telephone cable to supply the 12V and the relay return which incidentally is set to NC for Ole's application.

Regards
Alan

steve · **Posted:** Tue Jun 19, 2012 8:49 am

Alan, I'm interested to know why you went for the DLP device when the sensor's relay contacts can (apparently) simply be connected to a serial port (via a USB adapter if required). What's the advantage of the A/D converter, and why that unit in particular?

apenwith · **Posted:** Tue Jun 19, 2012 8:54 am

Hi Steve

Largely because we already had one and my PC doesn't have an RS232 (although I do have a USB/RS232 adapter) and I wasn't aware at the time one could use the RS232.

Regards
Alan

steve · **Posted:** Tue Jun 19, 2012 9:24 am

Ah, fair enough. I just wondered if this was a common way for people to use the RG-11 and whether I should look at adding support for it. But I guess that most people would go for the 'direct' serial (or serial/USB) approach, assuming it works.

steve · **Posted:** Tue Jun 19, 2012 10:58 am

I've further enhanced the build I linked to so that it now offers the option of using the RG-11 in 'tipping bucket' mode as an alternative to "It's raining" mode (via the same hardware interface).

To enable tipping bucket mode, add the following lines to the [Station] section (in addition to specifying the COM port as above):

RG11TBRmode=1
RG11tipsize=0.01

The 'tip size' must be specified in the units that you have configured Cumulus to use for rain.

Cumulus should then display today's and yesterday's totals on the main screen, next to the 'normal' totals, and make them available via web tags <#RG11RainToday> and <#RG11RainYest>.

Note that of course you need to run Cumulus all the time for the totals to be correct, but it does store the values in today.ini and yesterday.ini so you can briefly stop and restart it.

pete_c · **Posted:** Tue Jun 19, 2012 11:59 am

Steve,

Great news!

Let me know if I can help you get an RG-11. The "deal" is to purchase one. After that one is installed; send the company a picture of it installed and they will send you a second one for free.

That said my first one is installed and using a Hobby board's dual counter connected to one 1-wire network.

I want to connect the second one (will install it next to the first one) via RS-232. I am guessing that the wiring that folks utilized is as specfied in the schematic listed above. I guess I am wanting to make sure that I am doing (wiring) in the same way such that I can utilize your updated Cumulus RG-11 application.

steve · **Posted:** Tue Jun 19, 2012 12:32 pm

pete_c wrote:

I am guessing that the wiring that folks utilized is as specfied in the schematic listed above. I guess I am wanting to make sure that I am doing (wiring) in the same way such that I can utilize your updated Cumulus RG-11 application.

Basically, the NO contacts of the relay are connected between DTR and DTS. All I am doing is setting DTR high and waiting for DTS to change, which it does when the relay opens and closes.

duke · **Posted:** Tue Jun 19, 2012 3:13 pm

steve wrote:

I've further enhanced the build I linked to so that it now offers the option of using the RG-11 in 'tipping bucket' mode as an alternative to "It's raining" mode (via the same hardware interface).

To enable tipping bucket mode, add the following lines to the [Station] section (in addition to specifying the COM port as above):

RG11TBRmode=1
RG11tipsize=0.01

The 'tip size' must be specified in inches.

Cumulus should then display today's and yesterday's totals on the main screen, next to the 'normal' totals, and make them available via web tags <#RG11RainToday> and <#RG11RainYest>.

Note that of course you need to run Cumulus all the time for the totals to be correct, but it does store the values in today.ini and yesterday.ini so you can briefly stop and restart it.

Blimey Steve you have been busy while I've been away from my PC

.

You say the tip size must be specified in inches so does that mean the display on Cumulus and the web tag is also inches not metric?

Duke

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Connecting the Hydreon RG11 digital rain sensor.

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