Campbell Scientific 380, 385, 380M, 385M Met One Rain Gages - Manual (Page 5)

Met One Rain Gage Models 380 and 385
1. Introduction
Met One's tipping bucket rain or snow gage is used to measure rain or snow
water equivalent on a continuous basis. The Model 380 rain gage is intended
to measure rainfall during above freezing conditions. The Model 385 AC
heated rain gage provides year round measurement of either rain or snow. In
the standard versions Model 380/385, precipitation is measured in increments
of 0.01 inches.
The Model 380 rain gage works by collecting rainfall in the 12 inch collection
funnel and metering the rain into the tipping bucket assembly. When 0.01
inches of rainfall are collected, the tipping bucket assembly tips and activates a
mercury switch. The switch closure is recorded by the datalogger pulse
channel. When the bucket tips, the water drains out the screened base of the
gage. In the case of the Model 385 heated rain gage, snowfall is captured in
the collection funnel and melted by the heater element. After melting, the
snow water is metered into the tipping bucket assembly for measurement of the
snow water equivalent.
FIGURE 1-1. 385 Met One Rain and Snow Gage
The 385 ships with:
(1) Calibration Sheet
(1) Instruction Manual
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