How to Update info

Still having some difficulties with my OS Rain Gauge. According to the states, the last reading was yesterday at 3:30pm. It's been raining since midnight and on and off showers so far this morning. Still nothing on my current day total.

I purchased a 16 ft usb extension cable with repeater and moved the RFXrec433 to my basement window. It has a clear view of the PCR800 which is only 15 feet away.

Is there a way I can get it to update more frequently?

It's been raining all day with no updates to the data. Indigo still showing 0 rain for the day.

I updated the firmware of the RFXrec to 66 from 45. Still nothing.

So far this has been the only updates seen the RFXcom plugin:

Code: Select all

Apr 29, 2013 4:04:00 PM
  RFXCOM Debug                    processing: 11 85 2 8 98 0 0 0 0 0 0 121 (0B 55 02 08 62 00 00 00 00 00 00 79)
  RFXCOM Debug                    Rainsensor 98 values updated rate:0.000000 total:0.000000
  RFXCOM Debug                    Rainsensor 98 in list
  RFXCOM Debug                    check if new day: last date 2013/04/29, new date 2013/04/29
  Trigger                         Rain
  RFXCOM Debug                    saving plugin props
  RFXCOM Debug                    ++++++++++++++
  RFXCOM Debug                    <<-- entering deviceUpdated: Rain Gauge
  RFXCOM Debug                    deviceStop called. Removed device Rain Gauge.
  RFXCOM Debug                    deviceStart called. Adding device Rain Gauge, type: Rainsensor
  RFXCOM Debug                    Adding sensor 98.

Apr 29, 2013 4:05:34 PM
  RFXCOM Debug                    processing: 11 85 2 9 98 0 0 0 0 0 0 121 (0B 55 02 09 62 00 00 00 00 00 00 79)
  RFXCOM Debug                    Rainsensor 98 values updated rate:0.000000 total:0.000000
  RFXCOM Debug                    Rainsensor 98 in list
  RFXCOM Debug                    check if new day: last date 2013/04/29, new date 2013/04/29
  Trigger                         Rain
  RFXCOM Debug                    saving plugin props
  RFXCOM Debug                    ++++++++++++++
  RFXCOM Debug                    <<-- entering deviceUpdated: Rain Gauge
  RFXCOM Debug                    deviceStop called. Removed device Rain Gauge.
  RFXCOM Debug                    deviceStart called. Adding device Rain Gauge, type: Rainsensor
  RFXCOM Debug                    Adding sensor 98.

Apr 29, 2013 4:11:04 PM
  RFXCOM Debug                    processing: 11 85 2 10 98 0 0 0 0 0 0 121 (0B 55 02 0A 62 00 00 00 00 00 00 79)
  RFXCOM Debug                    Rainsensor 98 values updated rate:0.000000 total:0.000000
  RFXCOM Debug                    Rainsensor 98 in list
  RFXCOM Debug                    check if new day: last date 2013/04/29, new date 2013/04/29
  Trigger                         Rain
  RFXCOM Debug                    saving plugin props
  RFXCOM Debug                    ++++++++++++++
  RFXCOM Debug                    <<-- entering deviceUpdated: Rain Gauge
  RFXCOM Debug                    deviceStop called. Removed device Rain Gauge.
  RFXCOM Debug                    deviceStart called. Adding device Rain Gauge, type: Rainsensor
  RFXCOM Debug                    Adding sensor 98.


Hi Midd,


You should check your rain sensor, the positions 7-11 represent the amout of rain, they are all 0 in your log!

I thought it might be the OC sensor. Just yesterday I took it apart and cleaned it. New batteries and all. Hit the reset key a dozen times, changing the ID. I have thought about ordering another just in case it went bad.

I have a sort of similar issue in that on occasion my rain gauge will not update the time stamp or rain collected for several hours, especially if it is raining. In other words the rest of my sensors show updating but the rain gauge seems stuck. The interesting part is that after a while, the rain gauge registers again and when it does, it appears to register *all* of the rain that it had collected. There are a ton of rain gauges in my area that I check mine against via WunderGround, and mine is consistently within the range despite the apparent pauses.

I think that somehow the information is coming into the RFX unit and is being recorded but for some reason is not being displayed. I thought about taking a screen shot the other day and should have done it.... the gauge leapt from .41 inches to .71 inches after it had come back online. Doesn't seem to me to be a communication failure between the unit and the RFXCOM receiver.

I have seen this problem before with the Oregon PCR800. The antenna is inside the cover and if the cover becomes wet it reduces the RF signal too much.
Solution: install an antenna on the outside of the rain sensor.

Sounds good. How do you do that? Is there a kit to mount an extra lantana or does one have to wire it up?

Remove the antenne in the rain sensor and connect a SMA cable to the antenna connection point.

You can use this for example:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/SMA-Female-Stra ... 5ae0084853

http://www.ebay.com/itm/433MHz-SMA-male ... 5ae0010e1d

Still, that would suggest that the rain sensor is not transmitting to the RFXrec. I think in fact it is transmitting to the RFXrec but is not being recorded. How else would it jump in the rain total? There is no feedback between the RFXrec and the rain sensor, so the rain sensor just transmits.

No I don't think so, the total rain count is a value transmitted by the rain sensor. If the sensor is received the correct total value is received even if the sensor was not received for a long period.

well I just ordered another PCR-800. Once I get it, I will play around with my current one and add the antenna. I don't get any data recorded but I'll try it anyway.

Suppose I took put my Dremel tool, cut a window in the unit and sealed it with packing tape. Would that improve transmission vs the hassle of moving the antenna? Or put tin foil behind the antenna to make it more directional?

where exactly is the antenna in the rain sensor? Do I have to remove the circuit board to get to it?

Still no luck after setting up my new rain gauge. I'm not seeing any updates. I deleted the old Rain Gauge (id 177) and set up a new one (id 153). When I run debug mode, I still see info for id 177.

I went back and completely disabled and deleted the plugin. WEnt to the plugins preference folder and deleted the RFXCOM preference file.Restarted Indigo and my web server. I even downgraded the plugin to 1.14 just to see. Now I will wait.

I'm still seeing this tho in my event log: Not sure why because I deleted id 177:

Code: Select all

May 12, 2013 7:58:35 AM
  RFXCOM Debug                    processing: 11 85 2 1 177 0 2 173 0 0 30 121 (0B 55 02 01 B1 00 02 AD 00 00 1E 79)
  RFXCOM Debug                    Rainsensor 177 values updated rate:0.240000 total:0.120000
  RFXCOM Debug                    ++++++++++++++