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1. What type of wind screen can be used for a tipping bucket rain gage?

   The 260-953 Alter-type rain gage wind screen consists of 32 heavy metal leaves that hang freely and swing as the wind moves past them. The swinging leaves act as a wind damper and help minimize the effect of wind on the rain measurements without adding additional turbulence.

2. What can cause a tipping bucket rain gage to be out of calibration?

   When a rain gage is out of calibration, it is usually because of the buildup of dirt and grime on the internal surfaces of the tipping bucket mechanism. Cleaning the internal surfaces usually brings the rain gage back into calibration. It is also possible that a rain gage is out of calibration because it is no longer level.

   To minimize the possible occurrence of calibration errors, perform routine cleaning and maintenance of the rain gage at least once every three months. The environmental conditions at a particular site may require a facility to perform cleaning, leveling, and maintenance on a much more frequent schedule.

3. What are the most common errors with a tipping bucket rain gage?

   The most common errors are either that the rain gage appears to have drifted out of calibration or that the tips are not being correctly recorded by the datalogger. 

4. Can a sensor cable be shortened?

   Sometimes, an old cable can be replaced with a new, shorter cable.

   Sometimes, an existing cable can be shortened by cutting the ends off. However, there are a few issues that could be encountered when doing this:

   • Some sensors have bridge completion resistors at the pigtail end.
   • Some sensors are calibrated to length.
   • Sometimes the color in the insulation may not be the same as that visible at the pigtail end.

   Because of the potential issues, do not cut the ends off any sensor cable without first contacting Campbell Scientific to discuss the sensor in detail.

5. Can a sensor cable be replaced?

   Many times, but not always, a sensor’s cable can be replaced with a new cable. This is helpful if the original cable was damaged or if its length needs to be changed.

   If the cable is attached to the sensor using a connector, Campbell Scientific will sell a replacement cable. For example, a 05106CBL-L is a replacement cable for a 05106-L. Replacement cables are listed in the “Replacement Parts” section of the Ordering information area of the product page.

   If the cable is attached to a sensor through a user-accessible terminal block, a raw cable can be purchased to replace it. For example, to replace the cable on a 05103-L Wind Monitor, order the desired length of pn 9721, 24 AWG 3 Twisted Pair Shielded Santoprene Cable. As another example, the raw cable for a TE525-L Rain Gage is pn 9661, 22 AWG 1 Twisted Pair Shielded Santoprene Cable.

   If the cable is an integral part of the sensor, the cable cannot be user replaced, and the sensor must be returned to Campbell Scientific. Some examples of sensors that fall into this category include the 107-L, 109SS-L, 229-L, CS547A-L, and CS650-L. For the process of returning equipment to Campbell Scientific, refer to the Repair and Calibration page.