Dwyer GDL User Manual

DwyerLog Logger Interface

Software

USER’S GUIDE

Version 1.2x

March 4, 2008

Dwyer Instruments, Inc

102 Indiana Hwy 212

Michigan City, IN 46360

Phone: [phone] Fax: [phone]

http://www.dwyer-inst.com

Table Of Contents

Quick Start.....................................................................................................................4

Overview........................................................................................................................4

Connecting the Logger to Your PC................................................................................ 4

Setting Up the Logger To Record Data ......................................................................... 5

Custom Interval Setup ................................................................................................... 6

Alarm Setup ................................................................................................................... 6

Using the Software to Check Logger Status.................................................................. 7

General Logger Status and Data In Memory Pane .................................................................. 7

Alarm Status Pane .................................................................................................................... 8

Last Sample Pane..................................................................................................................... 9

Ending the Logging Session.......................................................................................... 9

Powering Down the Logger ........................................................................................... 9

Loading Logger Data ..................................................................................................... 9

Automatic Data Retrieval ............................................................................................. 10

Working With the Data Graph...................................................................................... 10

Using the Zoom Feature .............................................................................................. 12

Data Listing Window.................................................................................................... 12

Using the Data Filter.................................................................................................... 13

Hiding or Viewing Channels......................................................................................... 14

Exporting Logger Data................................................................................................. 14

Printing the Logger Data.............................................................................................. 15

Calibrating the Logger ................................................................................................. 15

Setting the Calibration Password................................................................................. 16

Setting the Logger Real Time Clock ............................................................................ 16

Data Security ............................................................................................................... 17

Specifications............................................................................................................... 17

MTL-30 Temperature Humidity Logger........................................................................ 18

Replacing the MTL-30 Battery..................................................................................... 18

MTL-30 Specifications ................................................................................................. 19

MTL-30 Logger Status LED ......................................................................................... 19

MTL-20 Temperature Logger....................................................................................... 19

Replacing the MTL-20 Battery..................................................................................... 20

MTL-20 Logger Status LED ......................................................................................... 20

MTL-20 Specifications ................................................................................................. 21

GDL Temperature Humidity Logger with Display ........................................................ 21

Turning the GDL On and Off........................................................................................ 21

GDL Sample Screen.................................................................................................... 22

The GDL Summary Screen ......................................................................................... 23

GDL Graph Screen ...................................................................................................... 23

GDL Buttons ................................................................................................................ 24

Replacing the GDL Battery .......................................................................................... 24

GDL Specifications ...................................................................................................... 25

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Quick Start

Follow the procedure below to start using your data logger:

1. Connect the data logger to a free USB port on your computer.

2. Start the DwyerLog Interface Program.

3. From the Logger menu, select Setup.

4. Select the "Logging starts immediately when setup is complete" option.

5. Click Continue to start logging.

The logger is now logging data. You can click on the
has been logged.

icon on the toolbar to download and view the data that

Overview

The Dwyer USB data loggers are versatile devices that can be used for a wide range of logging applications. Each
logger is capable of sampling data as fast as once per second or as slow as once every 18 hours. Each logger can
stop recording when memory becomes full, or rollover for continuous recording. The start of recording is software
selectable to be immediate, delayed, or initiated when the Start button is press.

The loggers can also be used to monitor high and low alarm events, that indicate if the recorded data passed above
and/or below the user selected threshold. The loggers have a visual indication of an alarm condition.

Each USB logger has an internal real time clock/calendar. This real time clock is used to record the time stamps for
data samples. This real time clock is independent of your computer clock, and can be set separately, or set to match
your computer clock.

The USB loggers are extremely low power. Under normal operating conditions, the battery will last several years.

Connecting the Logger to Your PC

Your logger comes complete with the software and the USB interface cable. To connect the logger to your
computer, follow these steps:

1. Connect the USB cable to the logger and to a free USB port on your computer.

2. If you are connecting the logger to the PC for the first time, the logger will automatically be recognized and
installed on your computer.

3. Start the DwyerLog program and click on the

The logger status screen should now be displayed.

Note: The Windows operating system can not handle USB devices being unplugged and replugged too fast. When
unplugging the logger, wait for about 5 seconds before plugging it (or any other USB device) in again. If you
unplug and replug a device too quickly, the computer may stop recognizing any USB devices on that port. If this
happens, the only solution is to restart the computer. This is a Windows USB problem and is not related to the
DwyerLog software.

If more then one logger is connected to your computer at the same time, the program will ask you to select one of
the loggers:

icon on the toolbar.

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To select a logger click on one of the loggers on the list, and click the Connect button.

Setting Up the Logger To Record Data

To set your logger to start recording data, select Setup from the Logger menu. The setup options window is shown
below.

• Sample Interval (Total Recording Length): Select the sample interval from a predefined list of intervals.

• Custom Interval: Add your own interval to the sample interval list.

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• Enable Data Rollover: Check this box to have the logger continuously record the data, overwriting earliest
recorded data. When this box is not checked, logging is stopped when the logger memory becomes full.

• Logging Control: Logging can start in three ways depending on the selection you make:

• Logging starts when the Start button is pushed: Logging will start when the Start button is pushed for about 3

seconds.

• Logging starts immediately when setup is complete: Logging will start immediately once the Continue button
is clicked.

• Logging starts at this time: Logging will start at the user specified time. There is no limit how far in the future
you can set the logging to start.

• Channels to Log: You can elect to disable unused logger channels. When a channel is disabled, its memory is
allocated to the other channels, increasing the total logging time. The total logging time will be reflected in the
Sample Interval window. Depending on the logger, some channels are required and cannot be disabled. Channels
that can not be disabled are grayed out and can not be unchecked. For instance, in the picture above, the
Temperature channel is required to record Realative Humidity, so the Temperature channel cannot be disabled. At
least one channel must be enabled for logging.

• User Information: Enter any text you like in this box. This field is used to identify the logger to the user. You
can enter descriptive location, serial number, etc.

• Alarm Setup: Click this button to open the Alarm Setup Window.

Custom Interval Setup

Commonly used intervals are predefined in the Sample Interval box in the Logger Setup screen. If needed, a
custom interval can be defined by the user. This is done by clicking on the Custom Interval button in the Logger
Setup screen. The custom interval window will popup, as shown below. You can select a custom logging interval
using this window.

In the window above, the sampling interval was set to 1 minute, 24 seconds, to allow a 3 week recording.

Alarm Setup

Alarms are used to indicate whether or not the data inside the logger exceeded a user specified threshold. This can
be an indication that an important event has occurred and the data is worth downloading and looking at. The alarm
status is indicated visually by pressing the Check button and watching the LED light. The LED will flash green
when no alarms occurred. The LED will flash red when an alarm has occurred and is stored in logger memory.

To get to the Alarm Setup window, click the Alarm Setup button in the Logger Setup screen. The Alarm Setup
windows allows you to set high and/or low alarm thresholds for each logger channel, or disable these alarms.
Alarms are set by entering the thresholds as shown in the window below.

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The checkbox to the left of the low/high alarms enables the alarm when checked, and disables the alarm when clear.

Using the Software to Check Logger Status

Selecting Status from the Logger menu brings up the Logger Status window. You can also bring up the status

window by pressing the

button on the toolbar. The logger status screen is separated into three panes:

General Logger Status and Data In Memory Pane

Logger State shows the internal state of the logger:

o Power Save Mode: This mode is entered when the battery is replaced, or the user powered down the

logger. The logger battery is not used in this mode and can last for up to 10 years. The logger's real time
clock is not running in this mode.

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o Idle, waiting for setup: The logger is not logging. It is waiting for a setup from the user. The logger's

real time clock is active in this mode.

o Logging will start on button press: Logging has been setup to start when the logger's Start button is

pressed.

o Logging will start at xxxx: Delayed logging. Logging has been selected to start at a future time. The

logger is waiting for this time to arrive to start logging.

o Logging in Progress: The logger is currently logging data.

o Logger ID: An ID that is unique for each logger. This ID can be used to ensure that the logged data has

not been tampered with. See the Data Security section for more details.

o Recording #: Indicates the number of times the logger has been setup to log. This counter can be used to

ensure that the logged data has not been tampered with. See the Data Security section for more details.

o Logger Time: Shows the date and time of the logger's real time clock.

o Battery Level: Shows the current level of the logger's battery. It is recommended that the battery is

replaced when this indicator reaches yellow. When this indicator reaches red, it is imperative that the
battery is replaced before logging becomes unpredictable.

• Logging Started At: Shows at what time the logging has started.

• Logging Duration: Shows how long the logging session has been active.

• Sample Rate shows how often the logger is recording the data.

• Data Rollover shows how many times the sample memory wrapped around after becoming full.

• Samples in Memory: Shows information on how many samples are currently stored in the logger memory, and

how much space remains free. Note that if rollover occurs, this value will always be 100%.

Alarm Status Pane

The Alarm Status pane displays the alarm thresholds for the active channels. If a high alarm occurred the threshold
is displayed in red. If a low alarm occurred, the threshold is displayed in blue.