Rain sensor

Discuss your home observatory!
User avatar
KathyNS Canada
Co-Administrator
Co-Administrator
Articles: 0
Online
Posts: 2584
Joined: Thu Apr 25, 2019 11:47 am
4
Location: Nova Scotia
Status:
Online

TSS Awards Badges

TSS Photo of the Day

Rain sensor

#1

Post by KathyNS »


I have been using a wet-leaf water sensor to detect rain, in order to auto-close my dome if the weather tanks. It is reliable and sensitive, and it responds instantly. It is too sensitive, as it turns out, because it triggers on dew. I don't need dew protection, since I have a solid-tube Newtonian in a dome. So I am looking for a rain detector that discriminates between rain and dew.

I have had recommendations of the RG11 from Hydreon, and the M152 from Kemo. The simple solution of putting a heater under the wet leaf sensor turns out not to be competitive with these units. The Kemo unit is basically that, pre-assembled.

The down side of the Kemo unit is that it comes from Germany, and covid-19 has totally messed up transatlantic shipping. It could take months to get here. On the other hand, its performance is what I want. The Hydreon unit is high-tech. I have seen its sensitivity and response time questioned.

So, any other recommendations? Any opinions about the options I have mentioned? Thanks.
Image
DSO AP: Orion 200mm f/4 Newtonian Astrograph; ATIK 383L+; EFW2 filter wheel; Astrodon Ha,Oiii,LRGB filters; KWIQ/QHY5 guide scope; Planetary AP: Celestron C-11; ZWO ASI120MC; Portable: Celestron C-8 on HEQ5 pro; C-90 on wedge; 20x80 binos; Etc: Canon 350D; Various EPs, etc. Obs: 8' Exploradome; iOptron CEM60 (pier); Helena Observatory (H2O) Astrobin
User avatar
turboscrew
Inter-Galactic Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 3233
Joined: Sat Jun 20, 2020 9:22 am
3
Location: Nokia, Finland
Status:
Offline

TSS Awards Badges

Re: Rain sensor

#2

Post by turboscrew »


How about https://octopart.com/m152-kemo-47247821

Octopart, Inc.
29 West 38th St.
14th Floor
New York, NY 10018
- Juha

Senior Embedded SW Designer
Telescope: OrionOptics XV12, Mount: CEM120, Tri-pier 360 and alternative dobson mount.
Grab 'n go: Omegon AC 102/660 on AZ-3 mount
Eyepieces: 26 mm Omegon SWAN 70°, 15 mm TV Plössl, 12.5 mm Baader Morpheus, 10 mm TV Delos, 6 mm Baader Classic Ortho, 5 mm TV DeLite, 4 mm and 3 mm TV Radians
Cameras: ZWO ASI 294MM Pro, Omegon veLOX 178C
OAG: TS-Optics TSOAG09, ZWO EFW 7 x 36 mm, ZWO filter sets: LRGB and Ha/OIII/SII
Explore Scientific HR 2" coma corrector, Meade x3 1.25" Barlow, TV PowerMate 4x 2"
Some filters (#80A, ND-96, ND-09, Astronomik UHC)
Laptop: Acer Enduro Urban N3 semi-rugged, Windows 11
LAT 61° 28' 10.9" N, Bortle 5

I don't suffer from insanity. I'm enjoying every minute of it.

Image
User avatar
KathyNS Canada
Co-Administrator
Co-Administrator
Articles: 0
Online
Posts: 2584
Joined: Thu Apr 25, 2019 11:47 am
4
Location: Nova Scotia
Status:
Online

TSS Awards Badges

TSS Photo of the Day

Re: Rain sensor

#3

Post by KathyNS »


Useful link. Thanks!
Image
DSO AP: Orion 200mm f/4 Newtonian Astrograph; ATIK 383L+; EFW2 filter wheel; Astrodon Ha,Oiii,LRGB filters; KWIQ/QHY5 guide scope; Planetary AP: Celestron C-11; ZWO ASI120MC; Portable: Celestron C-8 on HEQ5 pro; C-90 on wedge; 20x80 binos; Etc: Canon 350D; Various EPs, etc. Obs: 8' Exploradome; iOptron CEM60 (pier); Helena Observatory (H2O) Astrobin
User avatar
ic_1101 Canada
Orion Spur Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 968
Joined: Sat May 11, 2019 1:19 pm
4
Location: Canada
Status:
Offline

TSS Photo of the Day

Re: Rain sensor

#4

Post by ic_1101 »


Just in case you have not looked at these Arduino options Kathy.


As I said in my other post I know nothing about Arduino so this may be way off base.
Alex
Scope: SW Esprit 120ED, Askar FRA300
Mount: ZWO AM5
Cameras: QHY268M/C, QHY183M/C, ASI290MM
Software: Pixinsight, AstroPixelProcessor, SGP
Observatory: Exploradome with Nexdome rotator
https://www.astrobin.com/users/ic_1101/
User avatar
KathyNS Canada
Co-Administrator
Co-Administrator
Articles: 0
Online
Posts: 2584
Joined: Thu Apr 25, 2019 11:47 am
4
Location: Nova Scotia
Status:
Online

TSS Awards Badges

TSS Photo of the Day

Re: Rain sensor

#5

Post by KathyNS »


Thanks, Alex. That is pretty much what I have now. It doesn't distinguish between rain and dew. It only sees wet or dry.
Image
DSO AP: Orion 200mm f/4 Newtonian Astrograph; ATIK 383L+; EFW2 filter wheel; Astrodon Ha,Oiii,LRGB filters; KWIQ/QHY5 guide scope; Planetary AP: Celestron C-11; ZWO ASI120MC; Portable: Celestron C-8 on HEQ5 pro; C-90 on wedge; 20x80 binos; Etc: Canon 350D; Various EPs, etc. Obs: 8' Exploradome; iOptron CEM60 (pier); Helena Observatory (H2O) Astrobin
User avatar
ic_1101 Canada
Orion Spur Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 968
Joined: Sat May 11, 2019 1:19 pm
4
Location: Canada
Status:
Offline

TSS Photo of the Day

Re: Rain sensor

#6

Post by ic_1101 »


Any way to mitigate just the dew, such as putting the sensor in the bottom of a short acrylic or aluminum tube and putting a dew strap around the tube. Having a short tube (2” or so) the rain would still reach the sensor.
Alex
Scope: SW Esprit 120ED, Askar FRA300
Mount: ZWO AM5
Cameras: QHY268M/C, QHY183M/C, ASI290MM
Software: Pixinsight, AstroPixelProcessor, SGP
Observatory: Exploradome with Nexdome rotator
https://www.astrobin.com/users/ic_1101/
User avatar
KathyNS Canada
Co-Administrator
Co-Administrator
Articles: 0
Online
Posts: 2584
Joined: Thu Apr 25, 2019 11:47 am
4
Location: Nova Scotia
Status:
Online

TSS Awards Badges

TSS Photo of the Day

Re: Rain sensor

#7

Post by KathyNS »


ic_1101 wrote: Mon Nov 09, 2020 4:56 pm Any way to mitigate just the dew, such as putting the sensor in the bottom of a short acrylic or aluminum tube and putting a dew strap around the tube. Having a short tube (2” or so) the rain would still reach the sensor.
Interesting idea, and it would probably work. However, I am not set up for dew heaters; I don't really need them with a solid-tube Newt in a dome. Getting set up with the straps and power controller would cost more than a good rain detector. I think I will order the Kemo unit.
Image
DSO AP: Orion 200mm f/4 Newtonian Astrograph; ATIK 383L+; EFW2 filter wheel; Astrodon Ha,Oiii,LRGB filters; KWIQ/QHY5 guide scope; Planetary AP: Celestron C-11; ZWO ASI120MC; Portable: Celestron C-8 on HEQ5 pro; C-90 on wedge; 20x80 binos; Etc: Canon 350D; Various EPs, etc. Obs: 8' Exploradome; iOptron CEM60 (pier); Helena Observatory (H2O) Astrobin
User avatar
UlteriorModem
Local Group Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 2112
Joined: Sat May 11, 2019 1:32 am
4
Location: Florida
Status:
Offline

TSS Photo of the Day

Re: Rain sensor

#8

Post by UlteriorModem »


They have these things for automated sprinkler systems.

https://cheapsprinklers.com/products/ra ... 20%2422.98
Tom

Current Equipment:
Mount: Celestron CGX-L
Scope: 130mm f7 APO
Cam: ASI071mc-pro
User avatar
KathyNS Canada
Co-Administrator
Co-Administrator
Articles: 0
Online
Posts: 2584
Joined: Thu Apr 25, 2019 11:47 am
4
Location: Nova Scotia
Status:
Online

TSS Awards Badges

TSS Photo of the Day

Re: Rain sensor

#9

Post by KathyNS »


Update. I eventually went with the Hydreon RG-11 unit. I received it a couple of months ago, and was able to engineer a mounting bracket for it. But the weather was too cold to wire it up until yesterday.

We had a little sprinkle overnight, just enough that you could see individual drops of rain on the otherwise dry deck. I checked, and the RG-11 was reporting rain. Yay!

Just to be safe ("She who laughs last made a backup."), I kept the wet-leaf sensor. I have a switch now that selects between rain sensing (RG-11) and dew sensing (wet leaf), as well as a power switch to disable both sensors if I am getting nuisance detections.
Image
DSO AP: Orion 200mm f/4 Newtonian Astrograph; ATIK 383L+; EFW2 filter wheel; Astrodon Ha,Oiii,LRGB filters; KWIQ/QHY5 guide scope; Planetary AP: Celestron C-11; ZWO ASI120MC; Portable: Celestron C-8 on HEQ5 pro; C-90 on wedge; 20x80 binos; Etc: Canon 350D; Various EPs, etc. Obs: 8' Exploradome; iOptron CEM60 (pier); Helena Observatory (H2O) Astrobin
User avatar
UlteriorModem
Local Group Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 2112
Joined: Sat May 11, 2019 1:32 am
4
Location: Florida
Status:
Offline

TSS Photo of the Day

Re: Rain sensor

#10

Post by UlteriorModem »


Ah that is cool. I did not even know an 'optical' rain sensor existed!

Probably real important to keep it clean though.
Tom

Current Equipment:
Mount: Celestron CGX-L
Scope: 130mm f7 APO
Cam: ASI071mc-pro
User avatar
KathyNS Canada
Co-Administrator
Co-Administrator
Articles: 0
Online
Posts: 2584
Joined: Thu Apr 25, 2019 11:47 am
4
Location: Nova Scotia
Status:
Online

TSS Awards Badges

TSS Photo of the Day

Re: Rain sensor

#11

Post by KathyNS »


UlteriorModem wrote: Fri Mar 12, 2021 4:17 pm Ah that is cool. I did not even know an 'optical' rain sensor existed!

Probably real important to keep it clean though.
If it's dirty enough to need cleaning, it probably hasn't rained in a while. Conversely, if it is raining, it is self-cleaning. ;)
Image
DSO AP: Orion 200mm f/4 Newtonian Astrograph; ATIK 383L+; EFW2 filter wheel; Astrodon Ha,Oiii,LRGB filters; KWIQ/QHY5 guide scope; Planetary AP: Celestron C-11; ZWO ASI120MC; Portable: Celestron C-8 on HEQ5 pro; C-90 on wedge; 20x80 binos; Etc: Canon 350D; Various EPs, etc. Obs: 8' Exploradome; iOptron CEM60 (pier); Helena Observatory (H2O) Astrobin
User avatar
UlteriorModem
Local Group Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 2112
Joined: Sat May 11, 2019 1:32 am
4
Location: Florida
Status:
Offline

TSS Photo of the Day

Re: Rain sensor

#12

Post by UlteriorModem »


Here in the deep south this time of year it only takes one day to get a thorough coating of pollen! :D
Tom

Current Equipment:
Mount: Celestron CGX-L
Scope: 130mm f7 APO
Cam: ASI071mc-pro
Gulf Coast Guy
Mars Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 190
Joined: Fri Jun 14, 2019 2:00 am
4
Location: East Shore, Mobile Bay AL, USA
Status:
Offline

Re: Rain sensor

#13

Post by Gulf Coast Guy »


Kathy, That unit is the one I think NexDome resells. You started your search around the time I retired (finally). Now my wife and I are about to move into a new home with a good backyard(clear views 360 Bortle 5). I always had plans for an OB so I was looking around back then when I found it at Rainsensors.com . Still have plans but a moderate stroke and a grand mal seizure have modified them somewhat ( never giving up). Anyway, congrats on finding the solution. GCG
OTA's: 203mm f10 Meade SCT (LXD75); Antares 80mm Refractor w/William Optics APOGrade f6.9 objective; Orion Starseeker 80 f11.2 Refractor
Mount/tripod's: Meade LXD-75 EQ; Orion Starseeker IV ALT/AZ; Celestron Heavy Duty ALT/AZ Farpoint UBM (Universal Binocular Mount)
Eyepieces:Meade - 26mm plossl, 12mm Astrometric; GSO (OPT badge) 2" Superview 50mm & 30mm 1.25" 15mm; TMB Planetary Series 9mm, 6mm, & 4mm: 10mm & 23mm 60° that came with the 80mm f11.2
Barlows: Orion 2x Shorty; Meade 4000 Series 3x
Binoculars:Brunton 10x50 Celestron Skymaster 15x70 Oberwerk 25x100 IF delux
User avatar
Lenny
Earth Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Jun 19, 2021 3:18 pm
2
Location: America/Maryland
Status:
Offline

Re: Rain sensor

#14

Post by Lenny »


I've ordered a NexDome with the rain sensor. How does it react to frost? Wouldn't that be similar to rain on the small dome?
User avatar
KathyNS Canada
Co-Administrator
Co-Administrator
Articles: 0
Online
Posts: 2584
Joined: Thu Apr 25, 2019 11:47 am
4
Location: Nova Scotia
Status:
Online

TSS Awards Badges

TSS Photo of the Day

Re: Rain sensor

#15

Post by KathyNS »


Lenny wrote: Sat Jun 19, 2021 3:41 pm I've ordered a NexDome with the rain sensor. How does it react to frost? Wouldn't that be similar to rain on the small dome?
I haven't yet had mine operational through a winter, so I don't know how it reacts to frost. It might or might not detect it. And it might depend on the device settings. It includes a built-in dew heater, so that might prevent some frost.

If I record unexpected "rain" closures on frosty nights, I'll know it is detecting frost.
Image
DSO AP: Orion 200mm f/4 Newtonian Astrograph; ATIK 383L+; EFW2 filter wheel; Astrodon Ha,Oiii,LRGB filters; KWIQ/QHY5 guide scope; Planetary AP: Celestron C-11; ZWO ASI120MC; Portable: Celestron C-8 on HEQ5 pro; C-90 on wedge; 20x80 binos; Etc: Canon 350D; Various EPs, etc. Obs: 8' Exploradome; iOptron CEM60 (pier); Helena Observatory (H2O) Astrobin
User avatar
KathyNS Canada
Co-Administrator
Co-Administrator
Articles: 0
Online
Posts: 2584
Joined: Thu Apr 25, 2019 11:47 am
4
Location: Nova Scotia
Status:
Online

TSS Awards Badges

TSS Photo of the Day

Re: Rain sensor

#16

Post by KathyNS »


Re-visiting this thread after a few months of fairly intense use. Obviously, I still haven't used the Hydreon sensor in winter, but I did give it a good summer workout.

I initially had it set to "first drop" detection. The built-in dew heater was supposed to prevent dew, and for the most part, it did. However, the dew heater is only about 0.25 watts, and is not up to the challenge of heavy dew. I got a couple of nuisance dew detections that prematurely closed the dome on nights of heavy dew. To be fair, on those nights where it detected dew as rain, even my sky cam, with 2.5 watts of dew heat, got dewed over, while confirming that it was not in fact rain.

I have switched the RG-11's sensitivity to "light rain". That has prevented further nuisance detections, and it seems to respond well to actual rain.
Image
DSO AP: Orion 200mm f/4 Newtonian Astrograph; ATIK 383L+; EFW2 filter wheel; Astrodon Ha,Oiii,LRGB filters; KWIQ/QHY5 guide scope; Planetary AP: Celestron C-11; ZWO ASI120MC; Portable: Celestron C-8 on HEQ5 pro; C-90 on wedge; 20x80 binos; Etc: Canon 350D; Various EPs, etc. Obs: 8' Exploradome; iOptron CEM60 (pier); Helena Observatory (H2O) Astrobin
User avatar
UlteriorModem
Local Group Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 2112
Joined: Sat May 11, 2019 1:32 am
4
Location: Florida
Status:
Offline

TSS Photo of the Day

Re: Rain sensor

#17

Post by UlteriorModem »


Would it not be such a bad idea to button things up when the dewpoint is so high ?
Tom

Current Equipment:
Mount: Celestron CGX-L
Scope: 130mm f7 APO
Cam: ASI071mc-pro
User avatar
KathyNS Canada
Co-Administrator
Co-Administrator
Articles: 0
Online
Posts: 2584
Joined: Thu Apr 25, 2019 11:47 am
4
Location: Nova Scotia
Status:
Online

TSS Awards Badges

TSS Photo of the Day

Re: Rain sensor

#18

Post by KathyNS »


UlteriorModem wrote: Mon Oct 25, 2021 2:38 pm Would it not be such a bad idea to button things up when the dewpoint is so high ?
With a solid-tube Newt in a dome, dew is not really a factor inside the observatory. On the heavy dew nights, stuff outdoors was soaking, but the scope stayed dry.
Image
DSO AP: Orion 200mm f/4 Newtonian Astrograph; ATIK 383L+; EFW2 filter wheel; Astrodon Ha,Oiii,LRGB filters; KWIQ/QHY5 guide scope; Planetary AP: Celestron C-11; ZWO ASI120MC; Portable: Celestron C-8 on HEQ5 pro; C-90 on wedge; 20x80 binos; Etc: Canon 350D; Various EPs, etc. Obs: 8' Exploradome; iOptron CEM60 (pier); Helena Observatory (H2O) Astrobin
User avatar
OzEclipse Australia
Moderator
Moderator
Articles: 2
Online
Posts: 2327
Joined: Sat May 11, 2019 8:11 am
4
Location: Young, NSW, Australia, 34S, 148E
Status:
Online

TSS Awards Badges

TSS Photo of the Day

Re: Rain sensor

#19

Post by OzEclipse »


KathyNS wrote: Mon Oct 25, 2021 2:57 pm
UlteriorModem wrote: Mon Oct 25, 2021 2:38 pm Would it not be such a bad idea to button things up when the dewpoint is so high ?
With a solid-tube Newt in a dome, dew is not really a factor inside the observatory. On the heavy dew nights, stuff outdoors was soaking, but the scope stayed dry.
Even a Cassegrain open at the top doesn't have any problem. I've had my Vixen VC200L outside on nights with water dripping off everything, finder completely dewed over but the VC200L optics are bone dry. I have never bought any sort of dew strap for it, and never will by the looks of it.
Joe
Image
Amateur astronomer since 1978...................Web site : http://joe-cali.com/
Scopes: ATM 18" Dob, Vixen VC200L, ATM 6"f7, Stellarvue 102ED, Saxon ED80, WO M70 ED, Orion 102 Maksutov, ST80.
Mounts: Takahashi EM-200, iOptron iEQ45, Push dobsonian with Nexus DSC, three homemade EQ's.
Eyepieces: TV Naglers 31, 17, 12, 7; Denkmeier D21 & D14; Pentax XW10, XW5, Unitron 40mm Kellner, Meade Or 25,12
Cameras : Pentax K1, K5, K01, K10D / VIDEO CAMS : TacosBD, Lihmsec.
Cam/guider/controllers: Lacerta MGEN 3, SW Synguider, Simulation Curriculum SkyFi 3+Sky safari
Memberships Astronomical Association of Queensland; RASNZ Occultations Section; Single Exposure Milky Way Facebook Group (Moderator) (12k members)
User avatar
SparWeb Canada
Jupiter Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 292
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2019 3:16 am
4
Location: Irricana, Alberta, Canada
Status:
Offline

TSS Photo of the Day

Re: Rain sensor

#20

Post by SparWeb »


Hi Kathy,
I read this one originally, but never thought of following up on last winter's experience with the sensor until stumbling across this thread again.
How well did the Hydreon work in winter?
Steven Fahey
51.248N, 113.53W, 995m ASL
Image
https://www.wunderground.com/dashboard/pws/IALBERTA147
Canon 6D (unmodified) + Lunt 4" (102mm) achromat refractor (7.1 focal ratio) + Celestron AVX mount
Post Reply

Create an account or sign in to join the discussion

You need to be a member in order to post a reply

Create an account

Not a member? register to join our community
Members can start their own topics & subscribe to topics
It’s free and only takes a minute

Register

Sign in

Return to “Home observatories”