By Jamie Martin
Gill Instruments has launched the TruMet PW100, an infrared optical rain gauge designed to address long-standing challenges in rainfall measurement. Traditional tipping bucket rain gauges have been widely used for decades, but they often require frequent maintenance and can lose accuracy during intense rainfall events.
The TruMet PW100 takes a different approach by using optical measurement rather than mechanical collection. A beam of light created by LEDs passes through a defined sensing area. When raindrops interrupt the beam, the system analyses their size and speed to calculate rainfall amounts accurately.
This advanced method allows the instrument to filter out non-rain elements such as insects and debris, ensuring clean and dependable data. Since there are no moving parts or collection funnels, the risk of mechanical failure is greatly reduced. This makes the sensor reliable for long-term use with minimal servicing.
The optical rain gauge provides accuracy comparable to traditional systems while eliminating common problems such as clogging and calibration drift. As a result, users benefit from consistent rainfall data and lower operating costs over time.
“Rainfall is changing, yet the industry relies on legacy mechanical technology,” said Greg Koch, Product Manager at Gill. “We didn’t set out to reinvent rain measurements for novelty’s sake. We set out to remove the weakest link. This optical rain gauge delivers trusted accuracy without moving parts and minimal maintenance, which fundamentally changes how rain data can be collected at scale.”
Typical agriculture applications include precision irrigation scheduling, rainfall modelling in agriculture, and asset protection across solar and wind assets on farms. Accurate rainfall information supports better water management and helps protect farm infrastructure from weather-related risks.
The TruMet PW100 is designed for easy integration. It outputs the same standard pulse signal used by existing rain gauges, allowing it to replace older instruments without system changes or retraining. This makes it practical for upgrading current monitoring networks.
Gill Instruments will offer the TruMet PW100 as a standalone sensor and as part of its MaxiMet weather station range. Future updates will expand data capabilities, supporting modern agricultural and environmental monitoring needs with a simple and dependable solution.
Gill Launches TruMet PW100 Rain Sen
Categories: National