Precipitation Measurement System Hotplate

DRI: HotPlate%u2122 ADVANCED PRECIPITATION-MEASURING SYSTEM
This is an interesting piece of technology. If one has ever experienced a tipping bucket rain gauage getting frozen, you will readily see the advantages of this system.

While I’m not totally convinced that this is as accurate for the long haul compared to a tipping bucket, considering the benefits of no moving parts and freeze up protection, it seems a great compromise.

In addition, it would also seem to be easy to pick up relative wind speed inferred by the power consumed by the bottom plate.

I had initially been concerned with the affects of solar heating, and thus causing an error. However, since the surface appears to have a low absorbtion coefficient, at least when its new and clean, that probably is minimal. They do however have as an option, a solar sensor for compensation. My biggest concern at that point, is going to be contamination. Some bird dung buildup over time, would seem to be problematic. Both from the standpoint of increased thermal mass, but also, as an absorber of thermal radiation.

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For more information, the device is described in US patent # 6,751,571