electronic rain gauge??

[jerfude]

does anyone out there know how to build an electronic rain gauge?
i badly needed a circuit for it to complete our project weather monitoring station..
thanks.

 

[Electric Rain]

Give me more detail and I'll get you something. :wink: How many levels do you want? Do you want it to be displayed on a bargraph? A 7-segment LED? LCD? Interfaced to your CPU? LEDs? I'll be able to help you with more detail for sure.

 

[Ali Sajjad]

this could be implemented in 2 ways ( if my understanding of measuring rain is correct).
first way is to use metal probes at diferent heights, so that they successively gets conducting as the level of water increases. Any conventinal circuit could be used afterwards.
the second way is to measure the weight of the rain drops accumulated within a certain period of time.
the second is a little complex and needs to be tricky with ciruicts, but may prove to be the best.

Sajjad

 

[jerfude]

i think we need around 15 to 20 levels. and this is to be interfaced in
the PC. we already have a circuit for the PC interfacing, so i guess
we need a circuit that gives an output voltage relative to the rain level.
thank you guys for the reply..

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

i think we need around 15 to 20 levels. and this is to be interfaced in
the PC. we already have a circuit for the PC interfacing, so i guess
we need a circuit that gives an output voltage relative to the rain level.
thank you guys for the reply..

The usual way is a 'see-saw' device, which tips backwards and forwards as the rain fills it, generating a pulse each time. The main problems are mechanical, not electronic really.