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The Hydreon RG-15 Solid State Tipping Bucket is a rainfall measuring device intended to replace conventional tipping buckets. The RG-15 is rugged, reliable, maintenance-free and features a nominal accuracy of within 10%. The RG-15 is designed to replace tipping bucket rain gauges in many applications where their maintenance requirements make them impractical. 
The RG-15 uses beams of infrared light within a plastic lens about the size of a tennis ball. The round surface of the lens discourages collection of debris, and the RG-15 has no moving parts to stick, and no water-pathways to clog. The device features an open-collector output that emulates a conventional tipping bucket, as well as serial communications that provide more detailed data and allow for configuration of the device.
The RG-15 may be configured through the serial port, or optionally via DIP switches. Power consumption of the RG-15 is very low, and the device is well-suited to solar-power applications.
Dip Switches can control the units (inches or millimeters) and resolution (0.01″/0.2mm or 0.001″/0.02mm) of the device. Commands can also be sent via the RS232 serial port to override them.
| Parameter | Value |
| Nominal Accuracy | ±10%1 |
| Input Voltage | Range 5-15 VDC 50V surge on J1 Reverse polarity protected to 50V Alternative 3.3VDC through pin 8 on J2 |
| Current Drain | 110 μA nominal. (No outputs on, dry not raining) 2-4 mA when raining |
| Output | NPN Open Collector Output 100 mA / 80V Max |
| Operating Temperature | -40°C to +60°C (Will not detect rain when freezing) |
| Output Resolution | 0.01in / 0.2mm Alternative 0.001in / 0.02mm |
| RS232 Port | 3.3V |
| Supported Baud Rates | 1200, 2400, 4800, 9600, 19200, 38400, 57600 |
Technical Document can be found here
For RG Sensor comparison, click here