Tipping Bucket Rain Gauge vs Piezoelectric Rain Gauge

Comparison of tipping bucket rain gauge and piezoelectric rain gauge

 I. Introduction of tipping bucket rain gauge

Working principle of tipping bucket rain gauge

The tipping bucket rain gauge is a kind of precipitation measuring instrument based on mechanical principle. It collects rainwater through one or more tipping buckets. When the rainwater accumulates to a preset amount (e.g. 0.2 or 0.5 mm), the tipping buckets will turn over and pour out the water, and at the same time trigger a recording device to record a rainfall event. This design is simple and suitable for long-term continuous monitoring.

Main components of a tipping bucket rain gauge

- Receiver: Used to collect rainwater.

- Tipping bucket: has a certain capacity, when the amount of water reached will trigger the flip.

- Counter: Records the number of times the bucket is turned over, thus calculating the amount of precipitation.

Advantages of tipping bucket rain gauge

- Simple structure: easy to design and manufacture, low maintenance costs.

- High reliability: stable performance under normal weather conditions, not prone to failure.

- Affordable: low production costs, suitable for large-scale deployment.

- Wide measurement range: suitable for a wide range of precipitation types, including light, moderate and heavy rainfall.

Disadvantages of tipping bucket rain gauge

- Lower accuracy: As only a fixed amount of water can be recorded per tipping bucket, it may not be suitable for situations where precise measurements are required.

- Affected by external factors: Extreme weather conditions such as high winds, snow and ice may cause errors or affect the turning of the tipping bucket.

- Longer response time: under heavy precipitation conditions, the tipping bucket may not be turned over in time, resulting in missing data.

 Second, the piezoelectric rain gauge introduction

Piezoelectric rain gauge working principle

Piezoelectric rain gauge utilizes the characteristics of piezoelectric material, when a raindrop hits the sensor, the resulting impact force is converted into electrical signals. By processing these signals, the amount of precipitation can be calculated. Piezoelectric rain gauges are capable of capturing the weight of individual raindrops and are suitable for applications where high accuracy and fast response are required.

Piezoelectric rain gauge main components

- Piezoelectric Sensor: Used to detect the pressure of precipitation on the sensor.

- Signal Processor: Processes the electrical signal generated by the sensor and converts it into precipitation data.

Advantages of piezoelectric rain gauge

- 1. High sensitivity and accuracy:

- The sensor is highly sensitive to rainfall, even small drops.  It accurately captures the impact of raindrops, making it particularly suitable for monitoring light rainfall. 

2. Fast response time:

- The sensor has a very fast response time because it directly converts mechanical forces into electrical signals.  It can quickly reflect changes in rainfall intensity, making it ideal for short-term or fluctuating rainfall events. 

3. Simple construction and durability:

- Compared to other types of rain gauges (such as tipping bucket rain gauges), piezoelectric sensors have a simpler structure with fewer moving parts.  This increases durability and provides better protection against harsh weather conditions.

4. Low maintenance costs:

- Sensors are rugged and typically require minimal maintenance. With no moving parts, there is less chance of clogging or wear and tear, helping to ensure reliable long-term operation.

5. Suitable for high-precision measurements: Especially suitable for high-end applications such as scientific research, precision agriculture, and urban drainage system monitoring.

Disadvantages of piezoelectric rain gauge:

1. Accuracy in heavy rain:

- Piezoelectric electronic sensors are well suited for measuring rainfall in light to moderate rainfall, but may be less accurate in heavy rainfall.  The sensor measures the impact of the raindrops, so very heavy rainfall may result in less accurate readings.

2. Environmental disturbances:

- Sensors are sensitive to environmental noise such as wind or sand or vibration. If the sensor is not properly installed or shielded from these effects, this can occasionally lead to measurement errors. 

3. Sensitivity to droplet size:

- Changes in droplet size can affect the response of the sensor. Small raindrops may be detected as larger ones, which may lead to smaller errors under certain conditions.

4. Higher cost: Piezoelectric rain gauges are more expensive than traditional tipping bucket rain gauges.

Advantages and disadvantages of tipping bucket rain gauge & piezoelectric rain gauge comparison

 Rain gauge application scenarios and price comparison

Tipping bucket rain gauge application scenarios

- Meteorological monitoring: applicable to ordinary weather stations, common in small or low-cost weather monitoring network.

- Agricultural irrigation: widely used in farmland and horticultural irrigation, for real-time monitoring of precipitation and decide whether supplemental irrigation is needed.

- Environmental monitoring: In some environmental monitoring, tipping bucket rain gauge is widely used due to its economy.

- Flood warning: can be used in flood warning systems, although the accuracy is not high, but enough for the monitoring of a wide range of precipitation.

Price: The general price is between 500 hundred and 2000 RMB, depending on the manufacturer and the quality of the equipment.

Application Scenarios of Piezoelectric Rain Gauge

- High-precision meteorological monitoring: suitable for meteorological stations that require high-precision data, especially for scientific research meteorological monitoring and long-time data accumulation.

- Environmental research: In the study of environmental change and the impact of precipitation on the ecosystem, piezoelectric rain gauge can provide accurate precipitation data.

- Water resource management: In reservoir and river management, it can monitor and provide highly accurate precipitation data in real time.

- Scientific research and engineering projects: Piezoelectric rain gauges are the first choice for engineering research, climate change and other fields that require accurate precipitation data.

Price: Due to its high precision and technical requirements, the price is usually between 800 and 2000 RMB.

Summarize:

Tipping bucket rain gauge has a place in routine monitoring with its economy and reliability, which is suitable for long-term and large-area monitoring needs. Piezoelectric rain gauges, on the other hand, stand out for their high accuracy and fast response time for specific applications that require fine-grained data, albeit at a higher cost. Which type of rain gauge to choose depends on the specific application needs, budget, and requirements for data accuracy. Piezoelectric rain gauges may be more popular in areas such as precision agriculture and scientific research, while tipping bucket rain gauges are more common in basic weather monitoring and water management.

Whether it is a tipping bucket or piezoelectric rain gauge, the right type should be selected according to the specific needs in practical applications, and regular calibration and maintenance should be carried out to ensure the measurement accuracy and reliability.

Tipping bucket rain gauge data sheet

NBL-W-ARS-Tipping-bucket-rain-gauge-instruction-manual.pdf

NBL-W-RS-Rain-sensors-instruction-manual-V4.0.pdf

Piezoelectric Rain Gauge data sheet

NBL-W-PRS-Piezoelectric-Rain-Sensor-Operator's-Manual.pdf