TPS
TPS is short for Total Precipitation Sensor. This page is the result of a few notes Bob put together while testing out one of the ARM TPS's from Barrow.
Testing goals:
See that accumulated precipitation is consistent between drip sessions.
Supplies
- A computer with a serial port. Choose a computer program or set up that allows received data to be redirected from the port to a file.
- A syringe with known volume
- A water source
Procedure:
- When the current precipitation rate is zero before any liquid has been poured on the sensor type '/R<Enter>' to reset the accumulated precipitation total.
/R Reset precip total? (Y/N): Y Total reset to zero.
- Put the sensor in automatic output mode by typing '/L<Enter>' followed by the output interval rate in seconds '60<Enter>'
- Add water. Be careful when sprinkling water on the sensor to keep all water in the center circle and be careful that the syringe doesn't squirt extra water out on its own (easy to do towards the end of the squirting operation).
Results from a Barrow TPS
Some results from the Barrow TPS 4/14/2009:
Water Added Accumulation miliLiters milimeters of water 6 0.55 10 0.9
Here's what the rate looks like for example (adding all the water, 6mL, to the sensor in two doses, not letting the sensor become dry):
001,1239731220,0000000,00.00,00000.00,023.8,032.7,00.0*526E 001,1239731280,0000000,00.00,00000.00,023.8,032.7,00.0*407C 001,1239731340,0000000,00.00,00000.00,023.8,032.7,00.0*1DA2 001,1239731400,0000000,02.27,00000.01,023.8,032.7,00.0*03B3 001,1239731460,0000000,01.04,00000.04,023.8,032.8,00.0*48AA 001,1239731520,0000000,00.86,00000.05,023.7,032.8,00.0*7F31 001,1239731580,0000000,00.96,00000.07,023.7,032.8,00.0*5581 001,1239731640,0000000,00.97,00000.08,023.7,032.8,00.0*1E16 001,1239731700,0000000,00.98,00000.10,023.7,032.8,00.0*119E 001,1239731760,0000000,01.00,00000.12,023.7,032.8,00.0*60DB 001,1239731820,0000000,01.00,00000.13,023.7,032.8,00.0*5C24 001,1239731880,0000000,01.02,00000.15,023.7,032.9,00.0*5328 001,1239731940,0000000,01.01,00000.17,023.7,032.9,00.0*7156 001,1239732000,0000000,01.73,00000.19,023.8,032.9,00.0*7DB1 001,1239732060,0000000,01.08,00000.21,023.8,032.9,00.0*858B 001,1239732120,0000000,00.93,00000.23,023.8,032.9,00.0*B7F6 001,1239732180,0000000,00.94,00000.25,023.8,032.9,00.0*60FB 001,1239732240,0000000,00.92,00000.26,023.8,032.9,00.0*3450 001,1239732300,0000000,01.02,00000.28,023.8,032.9,00.0*C510 001,1239732360,0000000,01.00,00000.29,023.8,032.9,00.0*72B0 001,1239732420,0000000,01.04,00000.31,023.8,032.9,00.0*2949 001,1239732480,0000000,01.01,00000.33,023.8,032.9,00.0*8AFA 001,1239732540,0000000,01.01,00000.34,023.8,032.9,00.0*A295 001,1239732600,0000000,01.04,00000.36,023.8,032.9,00.0*1A87 001,1239732660,0000000,01.04,00000.38,023.8,033.0,00.0*AA2A 001,1239732720,0000000,00.97,00000.40,023.8,033.0,00.0*613E 001,1239732780,0000000,01.09,00000.41,023.8,033.0,00.0*8696 001,1239732840,0000000,01.06,00000.43,023.8,033.0,00.0*3270 001,1239732900,0000000,01.12,00000.45,023.8,033.0,00.0*3A5A 001,1239732960,0000000,01.17,00000.47,023.8,033.0,00.0*85F5 001,1239733020,0000000,01.15,00000.49,023.8,033.0,00.0*BE89 001,1239733080,0000000,01.21,00000.51,023.8,033.0,00.0*79DC 001,1239733140,0000000,01.16,00000.53,023.9,033.0,00.0*D3A7 001,1239733200,0000000,01.05,00000.55,023.9,033.0,00.0*14F6 001,1239733260,0000000,00.42,00000.56,023.9,033.0,00.0*C2FC 001,1239733320,0000000,00.09,00000.56,023.9,033.0,00.0*583F 001,1239733380,0000000,00.18,00000.56,023.9,033.0,00.0*48D0 001,1239733440,0000000,00.14,00000.57,023.9,033.0,00.0*F1D1 001,1239733500,0000000,00.15,00000.57,023.9,033.0,00.0*F918 001,1239733560,0000000,00.14,00000.57,023.9,032.9,00.0*2029 001,1239733620,0000000,00.12,00000.57,023.9,032.9,00.0*E79B 001,1239733680,0000000,00.15,00000.58,023.8,032.9,00.0*6DB8 001,1239733740,0000000,00.11,00000.58,023.9,032.9,00.0*7865 001,1239733800,0000000,00.12,00000.58,023.8,032.9,00.0*BC37 001,1239733860,0000000,00.13,00000.58,023.8,032.9,00.0*30C7 001,1239733920,0000000,00.12,00000.58,023.8,032.9,00.0*380E 001,1239733980,0000000,00.15,00000.59,023.8,032.8,00.0*4BB3 001,1239734040,0000000,00.14,00000.59,023.8,032.8,00.0*2FC0 001,1239734100,0000000,00.15,00000.59,023.8,032.8,00.0*2709 001,1239734160,0000000,00.10,00000.59,023.8,032.8,00.0*2007 001,1239734220,0000000,00.17,00000.60,023.8,032.8,00.0*BFDC 001,1239734280,0000000,00.14,00000.60,023.7,032.8,00.0*7EDB 001,1239734340,0000000,00.11,00000.60,023.7,032.8,00.0*2A05 001,1239734400,0000000,00.13,00000.60,023.7,032.8,00.0*2142 001,1239734460,0000000,00.13,00000.60,023.7,032.8,00.0*2F4C 001,1239734520,0000000,00.16,00000.61,023.7,032.7,00.0*AF2A 001,1239734580,0000000,00.16,00000.61,023.7,032.7,00.0*BD38 001,1239734640,0000000,00.14,00000.61,023.7,032.7,00.0*269D 001,1239734700,0000000,00.11,00000.61,023.7,032.7,00.0*A5AA 001,1239734760,0000000,00.12,00000.62,023.7,032.7,00.0*2855 001,1239734820,0000000,00.14,00000.62,023.7,032.7,00.0*26FA 001,1239734880,0000000,00.14,00000.62,023.7,032.7,00.0*34E8 001,1239734940,0000000,00.15,00000.62,023.7,032.7,00.0*EBC8
