Development of procedures for calibration of meteorological sensors. Case study: Calibration of a tipping-bucket rain gauge and data-logger set

The mechanical assembly of a tipping-bucket rain gauge is often calibrated as a stand-alone instrument. However, the measurement accuracy depends on the associated data-logger as well, especially in case the rainfall intensity is derived from the measurement. This paper reports the calibration of a set comprising the tipping-bucket rain gauge assembly and the associated data-logger. The case study of a specific commercial rain gauge is presented. We conclude that the response time of the data-logger directly affects the measurement of rainfall intensity and that the greatest contribution to the uncertainty budget may arise from the accuracy of the clock of the data-logger.