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Rain Collector Heater

Installation Manual

The Rain Collector Heater may be

used to protect the Rain Collector’s

internal components from freezing

and/or to measure the moisture

content of snowfall. When the

heater is on, it is capable of

melting snow at a rate of 1/4''

(6 mm) of liquid precipitation per

hour. It may not be able to keep up

with larger rates of snowfall.

The rain collector heater warms

only the inside of the rain collector

and the cone itself.

Please note that we have made every attempt to design and manufacture a

safe product, but Davis Instruments assumes no liability for any injury or

damage caused directly or indirectly by the installation or use of this

product.

Note: Although the nominal heater voltage is not hazardous, a short in the wall

transformer could cause hazardous voltage to appear on the heater

wires. For safety, you should always turn the heater’s power unit to the

“OFF” position before removing the rain collector’s cone. We also

recommend that you unplug the wall transformer before removing the

rain collector’s cone.

This instruction manual is designed to take you step-by-step through the

process required to install and use your rain collector heater. Please take the

time to read through this manual before beginning the process.

Components

The rain collector heater includes the following components. Please make

sure you have all listed components before continuing.

• Heater Assembly — Includes heater element, thermostat, and terminal

block for power cable.

• Wall Transformer with Power Unit

• Insulation Blanket

• 50' (15 meter) Heater Cable

Summary of content (12 pages)

PAGE 1
Rain Collector Heater Installation Manual The Rain Collector Heater may be used to protect the Rain Collector’s internal components from freezing and/or to measure the moisture content of snowfall. When the heater is on, it is capable of melting snow at a rate of 1/4'' (6 mm) of liquid precipitation per hour. It may not be able to keep up with larger rates of snowfall. The rain collector heater warms only the inside of the rain collector and the cone itself.
PAGE 2
Components The Installation Hardware Kit includes: • Three Cable Ties • Two #6-32 x 3/4” Screws • Two #6-32 Hex Nuts • Two #6-32 Split Lock Washers • Two #4 x 3/8'' Self-tapping Screws Heater Cable 50' (15 meter) Heater Assembly Cable Ties (3) Insulation Blanket #4 x 3/8" Self-tapping Screws (2) Wall Transformer with Heater Power Unit #6-32 x 3/4" Screws (2) with Lock Washers and Hex Nuts Components Tools and Materials Needed for Installation In addition to the components listed above, you will nee
PAGE 3
Installing the Rain Collector Heater Choosing Cable for the Rain Collector Heater The rain collector heater comes with a 50-foot (15 m) length of 22 gauge cable. You may use 22 gauge, two-twisted pair wire for cable lengths up to 120 feet (36 m). If you want to use single pair cable, use the following table to determine the minimum wire size for the desired length of cable run. Length of Cable Run Minimum Wire Size Up to 60 feet (18 m) 22AWG (0.50 mm2) 60-100 feet (18-30 m) 20AWG (0.
PAGE 4
Installing the Rain Collector Heater Earlier versions of the rain collector did not come with built-in holes for the rain collector heater. If your rain collector does not have built-in holes you need to drill them yourself following the instructions below. Otherwise, skip to step 5. Marking screw holes 3. Using a drill with a 5/32” (4mm) or a 3/16” (4.8 mm) drill bit, drill holes in the marked locations. 4.
PAGE 5
Installing the Rain Collector Heater 5. Loosen the screw heads on the terminal block. You will eventually secure the heater cable wires underneath these screw heads.
PAGE 6
Installing the Rain Collector Heater 6. Secure the heater assembly to the rain collector. For stand-alone rain collectors (#7852), secure the heater assembly to the rain collector base using the #6-32 x 3/4” (19 mm) screws, a lock washer, and a hex nut, as shown below. Securing the heater in a stand-alone rain collector Note: 6 Stand-alone rain collectors are used with all Weather Wizard III, Weather Monitor II stations. Vantage Pro2 rain collectors are included with all Vantage Pro2 Weather stations.
PAGE 7
Installing the Rain Collector Heater For Vantage Pro2 rain collectors, secure the heater assembly to the rain collector base using two #4 x 3/8 self-tapping screws, as shown below. #4 x 3/8" Self-tapping Screws Heater Assembly Knock-out Hole for Heater Cable Securing the heater in an Vantage Pro2 rain collector 7. Using wire strippers or a knife, strip 3/8” (10 mm) of insulation from the heater cable wires. 8.
PAGE 8
Installing the Rain Collector Heater 10.Bend each bare wire into a U-shape and secure each one under a screw head on the terminal block as shown below. It does not matter which wire goes to each screw as long as only one wire goes to each screw.
PAGE 9
Installing the Rain Collector Heater 11.Secure the cable to the heater assembly by running a cable tie over the cable and through the hole as shown. You can cut off excess cable tie. Cable Tie Securing cable to heater 12.To provide strain relief for the cable, place a cable tie around the cable just above the hole through which this cable is running, as shown below. You may want to cut off the excess cable tie. 13.Re-attach (or attach) the rain collector to the mounting surface.
PAGE 10
Powering the Heater Powering the Heater Running the Cables Run the heater cable from the rain collector to the location at which you plan to plug in the wall transformer/power unit. To prevent fraying or cutting of the cable, secure it so that it does not whip about in the wind. Use cable clips or weather resistant cable ties to secure the cable underneath the eaves of your house/building, or in a location similarly shielded from rain.
PAGE 11
Using the Rain Collector Heater 6. To provide strain relief for the cable, place a cable tie around the cable just inside the hole through which this cable is running as shown below. You may need to cut off the excess cable tie in order to close the power unit. 7. Replace the base of the power unit. 8. You may now plug the wall transformer into an outlet. 9.
PAGE 12
When the temperature at the thermostat drops to about 85°F (30°C) power flow to the heater element will be resumed. Location of thermostat You can turn the heater on when you expect the temperature to drop below freezing, and turn it off again when you are no longer worried about freezing conditions. Product Number: #7720 Davis Instruments Part Number: 7395.096 Rain Collector Heater Installation Manual Rev.