Tipping Bucket Rain Gauge for HT DN 110 pipe

thingiverse

This is a rain gauge based on the tipping bucket design where rainfall is collected in the funnel until one half of the seesaw fills up with water, causing it to tip over, emptying the full half and putting the other half under the funnel. Approximately 2.5 cubic centimeters of water are needed in the top bucket for each tip. To reduce costs and simplify production, a partial enclosure is used instead of a full one, sitting on top of an HT DN110 pipe that's typically employed for sewage or rainwater installations due to its affordability and durability. Measurement is taken by detecting the proximity of the magnet inside the small cavity of the seesaw as it moves in front of a hall sensor attached to a small post. A 5x5x2 mm neodymium magnet and a low-cost A3144 hall switch are used for stable detection. Instead of monitoring the exact moment of the flip, this design delivers a steady signal when the seesaw is in position A and no signal when it's in position B. This allows for regular readings (or interrupt-driven) by a microcontroller. It may be beneficial to insect-proof the unit, possibly with gauze over the top and bottom of the finished device.