Hi,
This is more of a QA/QC data processing question. I assume many of you have tipping buckets deployed in the field, many remotely. We often come across these buckets clogged with debris. We then use a stick to clear the debris causing the built up precip to flow through the bucket and be recorded by the logger. This creates at least 3 issues.
1. precip may evaporate before we get to the bucket
2. tipping buckets may underestimate the high volume of precip
3. timing of precipitaion is inaccurate.
So how do others deal with this QA/QC issue? Null it out? Flag it? Average it over some period, etc.?
Thanks for any info.
Brian
It kinda invalidates your data, your best bet is to fix the problem.
I found that putting a smaller screen on top of the supplied one would keep the little bits from dropping thru and clogging things up in the first place.
The design assumption seemed to be that if the screen holes were just barely smaller than the funnel orifice that anything that fell thru the screen would pass completely thru the funnel, but many small floating things can clog up the funnel as well.
Put a piece of (metal) window screen cut to size on top of the supplied screen, and this problem should be mitigated. You'll still need to clean the bucket regularly, but it shouldn't clog up any more.