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    Oregon PCR800

    Hi All,

    Recently purchased a Oregon PCR800 rain gauge. It was picked up straight away by the RFXCOM and easily added into HS3.

    I need help understanding the devices. So far my total is showing 0.2mm of rain with a 2.79mm/hr rate. It's not rained here for over 2 hours, but it's still reporting this. I had assumed the rate would change to 0mm/hr but the 0.2mm total would remain.
    Looking at the debug output I can see the sensor sending the following information regularly..
    Code:
    Feb-09 14:49:06	 	RFXCOM	Battery = OK
    Feb-09 14:49:06	 	RFXCOM	Signal level = 5
    Feb-09 14:49:06	 	RFXCOM	Total rain = 2 mm
    Feb-09 14:49:06	 	RFXCOM	Rain rate = 2.79 mm/h
    Feb-09 14:49:06	 	RFXCOM	ID = 8704
    Feb-09 14:49:06	 	RFXCOM	Sequence nbr = 4
    Feb-09 14:49:06	 	RFXCOM	subtype = RAIN2 - PCR800
    Even two hours after the rain stopped, it's still showing 2.79mm/h.. should that not have gone to 0?

    I had also assumed to reset the accumulated total, I would simply set the device value and string to 0, but if the sensor keeps sending total = 2mm, then the next update would just set it back to 2mm?

    Any guidance appreciated.

    #2
    Which RFXCOM receiver is used?
    If the RFXtrx/RFXrec is used please check with RFXmngr what is received from the PCR800.
    If it is a RFXLAN or an old USB receiver check with RFreceiver.

    Total rain is a value stored in the sensor. Reset the sensor.

    Comment


      #3
      Hi There,

      Thanks for the reply. It's an RFXtrx433. The following is received.

      Rain Rate Rose Cottage Sensors - Weather PCR800 Rain Rate I5 RAIN2[8704]O mm/Hr 0 1 0 0 0 0 250 5
      14
      Rain Total Rose Cottage Sensors - Weather PCR800 Rain Total I6 RAIN2[8704]R mm 0 1 0 0 0 0 250 5
      15



      Feb-09 14:53:01 RFXCOM 29 (display_L) Battery dvref: 10 value:75
      Feb-09 14:53:01 RFXCOM 29 (getHSdevice) input device 'RAIN2[8704]L' found
      Feb-09 14:53:01 RFXCOM 29 (display_O) Rainmeter Device:I5 Value:2.79
      Feb-09 14:53:01 RFXCOM 29 (getHSdevice) input device 'RAIN2[8704]O' found
      Feb-09 14:53:01 RFXCOM 29 (display_R) Rainmeter Device:I6 Value:0.2
      Feb-09 14:53:01 RFXCOM 29 (getHSdevice) input device 'RAIN2[8704]R' found
      Feb-09 14:53:01 RFXCOM Battery = OK
      Feb-09 14:53:01 RFXCOM Signal level = 5
      Feb-09 14:53:01 RFXCOM Total rain = 2 mm
      Feb-09 14:53:01 RFXCOM Rain rate = 2.79 mm/h
      Feb-09 14:53:01 RFXCOM ID = 8704
      Feb-09 14:53:01 RFXCOM Sequence nbr = 27
      Feb-09 14:53:01 RFXCOM subtype = RAIN2 - PCR800
      Feb-09 14:53:01 RFXCOM 29 (RecTRXChar) transceiver #1 packet: 0B55021B2200011700000259

      I cannot see anywhere in total rain device to reset?

      Comment


        #4
        I feel your pain/confusion as I also have a PCR800 and couldn't believe it didn't report a daily rain total!

        To reset the total rain amount you actually need to physically push a reset button inside the battery casing which is a highly impractical thing to do if you want to regularly get a measurement of daily daily rainfall.

        I solved this issue by creating virtual devices (one "Previous Day's Rain Total" and the other "Today's Daily Rain Total"). I then created a script that runs every ten minutes that calculates "Today's Rain Total" by simply subtracting yesterday's total rain from the PCR800's current total rain amount. I then created a script that runs each night at midnight and updates the "Previous Day's Rain Total" device with the sensors current rain total.

        Not exactly a simple solution, but it works well.

        If you would like me to post the scripts for this, I am happy to do so (they are very simple).

        BTW, I did this A) because I wanted to know the daily rain totals B) I have a personal weather station on WUnderground and it will track daily rain totals if you report them, so I needed a way to calculate the daily total.

        Oh and as to the device reporting heavy rainfall when it isn't raining, I would check the sensor to make sure that a leaf or other debris is not weighting down the sensor.

        Comment


          #5
          Hey Billburn,

          Wow, I wasn't expecting that.. so you actually have to physically access the device to reset the total.. wow.

          If you could send me the script, that would be much appreciated

          Comment


            #6
            As you can see in the logging, the Rain rate and Rain total are values transmitted by the PCR800.

            Note that the plug-in has 2 Virtual Rain devices that can be configured:
            Today Rain Fall & Today Rain Rate High

            Comment


              #7
              Yeah, wow is right.

              Here are the instructions and the scripts:

              1. Create two new virtual devices, one for "Yesterday's Total Rain" and the other for "Daily Rainfall". Note the Reference ID#s for these devices (on the advanced tab of the device configuration) as you will need them for the scripts.

              2. Create two scripts: CalculateDailyRain.txt and ResetPreviousDayTotal.txt. (or whatever you would like to name them). Paste the code below into their respective files.

              3. Create a new event called "Calculate Daily Rain" and have it trigger the CalculateDailyRain script at whatever regular interval you desire.

              4. Create a "Reset Previous Day Rain Total" event and it trigger the ResetPreviouslDayTotal script at around midnight every day.

              That should do it.

              The "Daily Rainfall" device will now keep track of rainfall amount during the day and you can use that device value for whatever reports/displays/graphs you want to do. As I said, I actually use a separate script to report all the weather data to my personal weather station on WUnderground which has a very nice set of graphs and I also use Device History plugin to create local charts of temp, rainfall, etc. that I can put into HSTouch screens.

              Let me know if you have any questions.


              CalculateDailyRain script:

              Code:
              sub Main()
              
              Dim PriorTotal
              Dim TodayTotal
              Dim DailyTotal
              
              PriorTotal = hs.DevicevalueEx ("[REFERENCE ID# FOR YESTERDAY'S TOTAL RAIN HERE]")
              
              TodayTotal = hs.DevicevalueEx ("[REFERENCE ID# FOR PCR800 TOTAL RAIN HERE]")
              
              DailyTotal = TodayTotal - PriorTotal
              
              hs.SetDeviceValueByRef "[REFERENCE ID# FOR DAILY RAIN VIRTUAL DEVICE HERE]]", DailyTotal, True
              hs.SetDeviceString "[REFERENCE ID# FOR DAILY RAIN VIRTUAL DEVICE HERE]", DailyTotal & " inches", True
              
              end sub

              ResetPreviousDayTotal script:

              Code:
              sub Main()
              
              Dim TodayTotal
              
              TodayTotal = hs.DeviceValueEx ("[REFERENCE ID# FOR PCR800 TOTAL RAIN HERE]")
              
              hs.SetDeviceValueByRef "[REFERENCE ID# FOR YESTERDAY'S RAIN TOTAL VIRTUAL DEVICE HERE]",TodayTotal, True
              hs.SetDeviceString "[REFERENCE ID# FOR YESTERDAY'S RAIN TOTAL VIRTUAL DEVICE HERE]",TodayTotal & " inches", True
              
              end sub

              Comment


                #8
                Fantastic! Thank you soo much for your help. I'll get working on this asap!

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by b_weijenberg View Post
                  As you can see in the logging, the Rain rate and Rain total are values transmitted by the PCR800.

                  Note that the plug-in has 2 Virtual Rain devices that can be configured:
                  Today Rain Fall & Today Rain Rate High
                  Does the plug in for HS2 work with PCR800?

                  Comment


                    #10
                    The PCR800 is supported by the HS2 plug-in.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Originally posted by b_weijenberg View Post
                      The PCR800 is supported by the HS2 plug-in.


                      That's great. Thanks.

                      I don't need the entire weather station package, just the tipping bucket sensor is that correct?

                      I poked around the plug in, couldn't find the setting for the virtues device for today rain fall and today max rate. Is it only visible after you add PCR800 as a device?

                      Comment


                        #12
                        you only need the PCR800.

                        For the configuration of Virtual sensors please see chapter 10 in the RFXCOM User Guide (this pdf is in the HS Docs directory)

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Battery measurement with Oregan Scientific sensors

                          I have installed a set of Oregan Scientific sensors. They were all found easily on my RFXLan and picked up by the plugin. They all transmit battery details on a regular basis, however the plugin has created a battery device that is basically a day counter with an initial 365 days placed in the counter. Why does it not use the battery information communicated by the sensors?

                          Comment


                            #14
                            The battery device is not a day counter but a status indicator of the battery.
                            The battery device is set to hidden if the status is normal and made visible at the moment the status becomes battery low.

                            The day counter is used to create a reminder in the message panel to replace the battery.
                            At start you can configure the battery life time to 5 year for example. The first time you get a battery low you know the battery life time. With the battery change you configure the number days used - 10% to receive an early warning before the battery is exhausted.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Hey BillBurn, thanks so much for the scripts. Saved me some time. I've been wanting to do this for a long time. -Rick

                              Comment

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