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RainBal

RainBal - Weighing Principle Self-Emptying Rain Gauge

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KISTERS' RainBal is a rain gauge that combines the highly accurate weighing principle with a self-emptying bucket mechanism. Equipped with a load cell, purpose built electronics and dedicated firmware, the rain gauge reliably delivers accurate high-resolution…  Read more

Brochure
Type RainBal 200  RainBal 314
Orifice Area / Diameter / Height 200 cm2 / ∅ 160 mm / H 320 mm 314 cm2 / ∅ 200 mm / H 355 mm
Weight 4.6 kg 5.2 kg
Range of Precipitation Unlimited
Intensity 2000 mm/h
Accuracy of Amount ±0.025 mm or ±1 % ±0.016 mm or ±1 %
Accuracy of Intensity ±1.5 mm/h or ±1 %
Threshold of Amount 0.025 mm/40 min 0.016 mm/40 min 
Threshold of Intensity 0.025 mm/min 0.016 mm/min
Resolution Amount: 0.001 mm; Intensity: 0.1 mm/h
Measuring Element Strain-gauge bridge (hermetically sealed and temperature compensated)
Power Supply 
  • 5 to 30 VDC (max 40 mW, typ 1.2 mA@12 VDC)
  • Heating (optional): 10-28 VDC, 5-35 Watt
Pulse Output by Relay Contact                         1 / 0.1 / 0.01 mm (1 / 0.1 / 0.01 / 0.001 inch)
Serial Output                              SDI-12 by default / RS 485 selectable
Output Parameters   Intensity, cumulative precipitation, weight (metric and imperial units)
Connector and Cable         M12 8-pin; M12 4-pin (for optional heater); 10 m PUR cable
Pole Mount    Diameter: 50-60 mm (2’’); by TB 334 mounting bracket (see below)
Operating Measuring Temperature Range                          0 to 70 °C (with heating: -20 to 70 °C)
Operating Deployment Temperature Range                                                  -40 to 70 °C
Operating Humidity Range                                                   0 to 100 %
Degree of Protection                                                       IP65

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KISTERS' RainBal is a rain gauge that combines the highly accurate weighing principle with a self-emptying bucket mechanism. Equipped with a load cell, purpose built electronics and dedicated firmware, the rain gauge reliably delivers accurate high-resolution real-time data.


RainBal combines the advantages of weighing rain gauges and tipping bucket rain gauges while avoiding their disadvantages (like clogging, intensity and resolution issues of tipping bucket rain gauges, and overflooding or manual drain-off issues and massive weight and dimension of totalizator weighing gauges). Regarding the bucket orifice different versions are available (200 and 314 cm2).

RainBal meets the requirements of the WMO guidelines. Via serial interfaces and via the RainBal app one-minute intensity and cumulative rain are available.


RainBal is designed for easy installation and low-maintenance: large aperture to provide inflow, load cell and simple mechanical design. The advanced high-resolution load cell turns the Rainbal into a balance determining rain mass rather than volume achieving a higher accuracy. Due to its low power consumption RainBal is ideal for remote stations powered by battery or a small solar panel. 

RainBal achieves very high levels of accuracy by means of correcting the data to eliminate the influence of wind vibration, particles, unrealistic weight variations, evaporation, and temperature fluctuation.

Low power consumption, low maintenance and high accuracy in a self-emptying device provide reduced operational costs, less staff deployment in the field, better data and high data availability. In addition to our KISTERS data loggers, RainBal is compatible with other data loggers and ideal for setup and expansion of rainfall measurement networks.

  • Extreme rain intensity measuring range of 2000 mm/h according WMO guideline No 8
  • Low power consumption of typical 1,2 mA@12 VDC suitable for self contained rain monitoring station
  • Low maintenance for remote and unat-tended sites
  • Reliable and highly accurate rain sensor with embedded load cell technology
  • Self-emptying, no bucket overflow, fast emptying time of 500 ms
  • Drift-free and life-time calibrated
  • High MTBF, low total costs of ownership
  • SDI-12 and RS485 interface with stan-dardized protocols
  • Optional heater
  • Bluetooth communication
  • App for smart phones (IOS and Android)
  • Metric and imperial units
  • Automatic Weather Stations - Synoptic/Climatology
  • Flood Warning Systems
  • Urban and Municipalities
  • Water Utilities and Boards