18 inches of rain today!

Posted on
Sun Jul 22, 2012 7:43 pm
hamw offline
Posts: 1212
Joined: Mar 31, 2008

18 inches of rain today!

Not really. Had little if any. But RFX says the Oregon Scientific rain gauge measured nearly 19". I checked outside and the rain gauge is sitting level and undisturbed. How would RFX generate this obviously wrong value? Perhaps if we could find out when this data was recorded we could see if there was something going on with Indigo.
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Posted on
Tue Jul 24, 2012 11:41 am
Dewster35 offline
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Joined: Jul 06, 2010
Location: Petoskey, MI

Re: 18 inches of rain today!

What is the firmware on the RFX receiver?

Posted on
Tue Jul 24, 2012 12:29 pm
hamw offline
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Joined: Mar 31, 2008

Re: 18 inches of rain today!

How would I get that?

Posted on
Tue Jul 24, 2012 1:14 pm
Dewster35 offline
Posts: 1030
Joined: Jul 06, 2010
Location: Petoskey, MI

Re: 18 inches of rain today!

disconnect the plugin and then enable it. The firmware version will show up in the event log.

Posted on
Tue Jul 24, 2012 4:02 pm
hamw offline
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Joined: Mar 31, 2008

Re: 18 inches of rain today!

Firmware version 41.

Posted on
Tue Jul 24, 2012 6:00 pm
Dewster35 offline
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Joined: Jul 06, 2010
Location: Petoskey, MI

Re: 18 inches of rain today!

There were calculation issues with older firmware, but I don't think that is this problem. Hopefully someone else has a better solution.

Posted on
Tue Jul 24, 2012 8:46 pm
hamw offline
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Re: 18 inches of rain today!

Thanks for your input. I did check with my daughters and they *deny* pouring water down the gauge. Hopefully there will be some other ideas.

Posted on
Sun Jun 02, 2013 6:05 pm
hamw offline
Posts: 1212
Joined: Mar 31, 2008

Re: 18 inches of rain today!

Rain gauge is throwing a crazy value, 52 inches, today. Gauge hasn't been touched in a week. On firmware 41, RFX 1.2.3

Any ideas? Can this value be corrected, or, since it is generated by the rain gauge (I think) I am stuck with it?

Posted on
Mon Jun 03, 2013 5:14 am
midd offline
Posts: 372
Joined: Apr 18, 2010

Re: 18 inches of rain today!

Not sure if it would help, but I noticed your version of the plug in is outdated. I think the most recent version is 1.3.5. What is your signal strength of the rain gauge? It's the next to Last line in the states window.

When was the last time you replaced the batteries in the rain gauge?

Indigo 7, Monterey (12.1) on a 2009 Mac Pro..

Posted on
Mon Jun 03, 2013 8:02 am
durosity offline
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Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne, Ye Ol' England.

Re: 18 inches of rain today!

I'd say try updating the firmware of the device.. they did fix some rain sensor issues in firmware 46 so it might be connected, and indeed as Midd said it'd be a good idea to update the plugin too.

Computer says no.

Posted on
Sat Jul 27, 2013 8:43 pm
hamw offline
Posts: 1212
Joined: Mar 31, 2008

Re: 18 inches of rain today!

Thanks for everyone's advice. I emailed OS a few times re the issue; apparently there is no way to upgrade the firmware in the field. However, I was advised to go thru a reset procedure for the rain gauge, which I wouldn't have minded doing except that the warranty on the unit was about to expire July 8. I finally called, and fortunately the service agent understood that I didn't have time to work this out unless she could guarantee they would extend my warranty period, so she told me about the RMA process. Eventually..... I got a new one.

As it turns out it was just in time. The original rain gauge has now completely pooped out. Batteries good, reset performed, no signal. Doesn't register at all with RFXRec. Fortunately I had the new one.

Any one else heard of short lived rain gauges, or is this the exception?

Posted on
Sun Jul 28, 2013 12:22 pm
midd offline
Posts: 372
Joined: Apr 18, 2010

Re: 18 inches of rain today!

Well actually we were referring to the firmware of the Rfxrec, not the rain gauge. I had some problems this spring with my OS rain gauge. I was getting sporadic readings. I ordered a new one as well. I also went with the Radio Shack external antenna for the RFX receiver and that seemed to clear things up.

I even sold my old OS rain gauge about a month ago. The buyer has not complained about it at all. He said it works good. So it led me to believe that it was crappy reception using the stock RFXrec antenna.

hamw wrote:
Thanks for everyone's advice. I emailed OS a few times re the issue; apparently there is no way to upgrade the firmware in the field. However, I was advised to go thru a reset procedure for the rain gauge, which I wouldn't have minded doing except that the warranty on the unit was about to expire July 8. I finally called, and fortunately the service agent understood that I didn't have time to work this out unless she could guarantee they would extend my warranty period, so she told me about the RMA process. Eventually..... I got a new one.

As it turns out it was just in time. The original rain gauge has now completely pooped out. Batteries good, reset performed, no signal. Doesn't register at all with RFXRec. Fortunately I had the new one.

Any one else heard of short lived rain gauges, or is this the exception?

Indigo 7, Monterey (12.1) on a 2009 Mac Pro..

Posted on
Sun Jul 28, 2013 12:25 pm
Dewster35 offline
Posts: 1030
Joined: Jul 06, 2010
Location: Petoskey, MI

Re: 18 inches of rain today!

midd wrote:
Well actually we were referring to the firmware of the Rfxrec, not the rain gauge. I had some problems this spring with my OS rain gauge. I was getting sporadic readings. I ordered a new one as well. I also went with the Radio Shack external antenna for the RFX receiver and that seemed to clear things up.

I even sold my old OS rain gauge about a month ago. The buyer has not complained about it at all. He said it works good. So it led me to believe that it was crappy reception using the stock RFXrec antenna.


Curious if you have a model number or link to this antenna?

Posted on
Mon Jul 29, 2013 2:00 am
b_weijenberg offline
Posts: 172
Joined: Jun 14, 2006

Re: 18 inches of rain today!

I have seen other problem calls about the PCR800 rain sensor. The antenna is inside the PCR800 and not the optimum condition.
http://board.homeseer.com/showpost.php? ... stcount=13
It can easily be modified to use an external antenna. Remove the coil antenna from the PCR800, cut the SMA connector from the cable and connect the cable to the PCR800.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antenna-433MHz- ... 3f2678e638

To increase the receiving range of the RFXrec433 and RFXtrx433 you can connect for example a www.conrad.com 433MHz ground plane antenna with BNC coax cable (order nr 190073)
Or a http://www.radioshack.com/product/index ... PerPage=60 scanner antenna. This antenna needs a coax cable with PL-259 and SMA or BNC connector.

This adapter can be used for SMA- to BNC
http://www.ebay.com/itm/BNC-female-SMA- ... 2a03ea8391

The location of the sensor and the RFXCOM is also important if the RF signal has to pass through walls.
See chapter 2.5 in the RFXtrx User Guide
http://www.rfxcom.com/documents/RFXtrx% ... 0Guide.pdf

Some general RF information:
It is expected that RF interference is happening if sensor signals disappear for several hours. RF interference will occur if sensors of the same type are configured to the same channel.

If sensors disappear for a longer period the source can be another transmitter that is transmitting continuously or with short intervals. If X10 MS13 sensors are in use check the battery in this sensor because when the battery becomes almost empty the MS13 starts transmitting a weak continuous RF signal but just enough to disturb the sensitive RFXCOM receiving.

Posted on
Mon Jul 29, 2013 6:32 am
midd offline
Posts: 372
Joined: Apr 18, 2010

Re: 18 inches of rain today!

Yeah I bought the antenna and cable from Radio Shack.

I then bought a 3 foot SMA" to PL-259 Adapter Cable from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004280GQ4/ref ... 1_ST1_dp_1

It eliminates the need the for bnc to SMA adapter.

The cable is actually $4 cheaper than when I bought it. Same place.

You will still need to mount the external antenna in a high place. I had an old rain sensor mounted on my gutter. I was able to slip the mounting hardware around it and it's been working great since.

Indigo 7, Monterey (12.1) on a 2009 Mac Pro..

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