GE Hygromaster Instruction Manual

GE

Sensing

Hygromaster

Protimeter Thermo-Hygrometer

Instruction Manual

®

Table Of Contents

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

1 Hygrostick® and Quikstick Humidity Probe Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

2 Function Buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

3 Standard Functions – Humidity and Temperature Measurements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

4 Function Tables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

5 Logging Functions - PC Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

6 Logging Functions - Manual Logging (Recording) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

7 Logging Functions - Reading the Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

GE Protimeter Hygromaster Page 2

Introduction

The GE Protimeter Hygromaster is a handheld hygrometer with data logging capability. Spot
measurements of relative humidity, dew point, mixing ratio and ambient temperature are shown
on a split display at the touch of a button. Surface temperature can also be measured using an
optional surface temperature sensor.

When used as a data logger, the instrument is set to record measurements as required and is left
in place for the required period of time. The memory contents are then downloaded to a PC,
using optional software, where the logged measurements are displayed in tabular and graphical
form for quick and simple analysis.

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1Hygrostick® and Quikstick Humidity Probe Options

The Hygromaster is used with a detachable humidity probe to measure relative
humidity and ambient temperature. Two humidity probes are available, the
Hygrostick and the Quikstick. The Hygrostick is optimized for measuring
humidity in the 30-100 %rh range and may be used with Protimeter humidity
sleeves for measuring the equilibrium relative humidity of solid walls and
floors. The Quikstick is a general purpose sensor, with a measurement range of
1-100 %rh, making it more suitable for general air quality applications.

Table 1 below lists the specifications for both Humidity Probes, which are shown in the
photograph above and are distinguished only by the color difference.

Table 1: Humidity Probe Dimensions

Nominal

Temperature

Range

Humidity Probe Color Dimensions

Nominal

rh Range

Hygrostick Grey Ø8 mm x 50 mm 30 to 100 %rh 0 to 50 °C

Quikstick Black Ø8 mm x 50 mm 1 to 100 %rh -10 to 70 °C

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2 Function Buttons

The Hygromaster has four buttons (see Table 2 below) that are used individually or in pairs to
take measurements, log readings and set-up the instrument. When pressed individually they
perform the following standard functions:

Table 2: Function Buttons

Buttons Function

ON, OFF and hold

 Upper level display scroll

 Lower level display scroll

Stores measurement in memory

For details of all button combinations, refer to Table 3 through Table 8.

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3 Standard Functions – Humidity and Temperature Measurements

Measure humidity and temperature as follows:

1. Connect the Hygrostick or Quikstick probe to the Hygromaster instrument either directly

into the socket on the top of the instrument or indirectly with the optional extension lead.

2. Switch the Hygromaster instrument ON by pressing briefly.

3. Press  successively to display relative humidity (%rh), dew point (TD) or mixing

ratio/absolute humidity (ppmw/gpp) on the upper display.

4. Press  successively to display air temperature (TA), surface temperature (TS), surface

to dew point temperature difference (Δ-T), time and date, probe serial number.

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To switch OFF, press and hold until display shows ‘OFF.’ Alternatively, the instrument

5.

will switch itself OFF after a user-settable interval (default 2 minutes) from the last button
press or RS232 activity.

Note: The battery status will be shown for 3 seconds each time the instrument settings are

changed. Change the batteries immediately when 1 bar is shown, as < 10% of life
remains. See note below regarding clock.

Note: Ts and Δ-T will only be displayed if the auxiliary surface temperature sensor is

connected to the socket in the right hand side of the instrument and this later is set to
“ON” (see above). Otherwise, the lower display will show “OFF” changing to “—” after
3 seconds

Note: Should successive readings on both halves of the display not change, the upper display

.

decimal is flashed to show that new readings are still being taken.

4Function Tables

See Table 3 on the next page for Spot Measurements.

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Table 3: Spot Measurements

Button Function Display Symbols Explanation

ON, OFF, Hold II (pause) Switch ON - quick press

Switch OFF- press and hold for 3 sec
Hold value - quick press and release,

pause symbol flashes.

 Humidity, dew point,

mixing ratio/absolute
humidity, air temp.

 Surface temperature,

surface - dew point
temperature difference,
time and date, probe
serial number

Stores measurement in
the instrument memory

%rh TD
°C or °F

ppmw/gpp

TA
Ts

Δ- T

Primary display scroll.
To change units see Instrument Set

Up (Table 7).

Secondary display scroll.
Time is shown on upper display as
HH:MM. Date is shown on lower
display as MM:DD. Probe serial
number is scrolled across.

Log Press and hold for 3 seconds to store

all measurements. Momentarily
displays the log record number and
stored data.

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See Table 4 below for Setup Functions.

Table 4: Setup Functions

Button Function Display Symbols Explanation

Enter logging

parameters set
up mode

&



&



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Enter
instrument set
up mode

Short cut to
Surface
Temperature set
up modes

(RS 232 mode)

When the instrument is ON, press
and hold buttons for 2 seconds to
enter data logger mode - see
Logging Set Up (Table 6).

When the instrument is ON, press
and hold buttons for 2 seconds to
enter instrument set up mode - see
Instrument Set Up (Table 7).

Switches surface temperature
socket ON, OFF (RS232 mode) or
Auto mode.

See Table 5 below for Common Functions in Setup Modes.

Table 5: Common Functions in Setup Modes

Button Function Explanation

 Slow incremental advance Increment the active parameter

 Fast incremental advance Fast increment the active parameter

Advance to next parameter Accept the selected parameter and advance

to next parameter. After final parameter,
save the settings.

Abandon set up Returns instrument to normal operation

without saving new settings.

&  Zeroes current parameter

settings

Resets the active parameter to minimum
value

(none) Timeout If no button is pressed for 5 seconds setup

mode exits without saving changes.

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See Table 6 below for Logging Setup.

Table 6: Logging Setup

Upper

Display

Note: The logger settings are unaffected by powering down, but if the batteries are removed

Lower

Display

PC Setup

Definitions

Meaning Minimum Maximum

and replaced, all settings will be cleared to ‘0’, making the logging disabled.
The Logging Setup parameters are presented in the following order:

SEE L09 Entering Logger setup mode

(display is frozen until buttons
released)

15 InT Logging Logging interval is set to

0 (OFF) 24 hr

15 minutes (example)

0 dEL WB First Delay before logging is set to

none (take a log immediately

0 (no

delay)

24 hr

when settings accepted)

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Table 6: Logging Setup (cont.)

Upper

Display

0 Cou No. Rem If not zero, count this many

Lower

Display

PC Setup

Definitions

Meaning Minimum Maximum

logs and stop

0

(no

400

logs

count)

2

Job

1

Job No User job number - to be stored

015

with all following readings

1

If is pressed after ‘job’, the logging settings will be accepted. If the interval is set other

than ‘0’, logging will be active and the icon set. Pressing , or not pressing any key at
all for five seconds at any point in the process will exit immediately without making any

changes.

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See Table 7 below for Instrument Setup.

Table 7: Instrument Setup

Upper

Display

Note: The Instrument Setup parameters  & are presented in the following order:

Lower

Display

Meaning Default Minimum Maximum

SEE USr Entering Instrument (User) setup

mode (display is frozen until
buttons released)

0 dEF Reset all instrument parameters to

0 (no) 0 (no) 1 (yes)

factory Default

2 Sdt Set automatic ShutDown Time.

2 mins 0 9 mins
0 = stay on until turned-off
manually

C dE9 Select °C and ppmw, or °F and

°C °C °F

gpp

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Table 7: Instrument Setup (cont.)

Upper

Display

OFF Sur

Lower

Display

Set side-port

Meaning Default Minimum Maximum

1

surface temperature

OFF OFF ON

ON or OFF

2

bu2

2

Set buzzer level: 0 = OFF (silent),

02

1 = minimum, and 2 = maximum2 (max)

1

The side-port temperature sensing function reverts to the default OFF mode when the

instrument is switched OFF. If is pressed during the set-up procedure, or there is a delay of

more than 5 seconds in confirming a set-up parameter by pressing , then the instrument
returns to normal operating mode without changing the set-up parameters.

2

If is pressed after ‘bu2’, the new settings are accepted; except, the settings are retained

when the instrument is switched OFF.

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See Table 8 below for Surface Temperature Port Selection.

Table 8: Surface Temperature Port Selection

Upper

Display

Note: This short-cut parameter  & allows you to set the Surface Temperature port

Lower

Display

Meaning Default Minimum Maximum

without using the instrument setup menu. Each time the key-pair is pressed, the lower
display switches between ON and OFF

- Sur Set side-port surface

OFF OFF ON

temperature ON or OFF

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5 Logging Functions - PC Setup

To log the functions and setup the PC, do the following:

1. Connect the sensors as described previously and confirm correct operation.

2. Unplug the surface temperature sensor, if fitted. Connect the instrument to the serial port on

the host PC, using the supplied cable.

3. Switch ON the instrument and ensure that the side socket is set to RS232 mode and the

computer icon is lit.

4. Start the PC software and select Tools Setup (if the setup dialogue has not started

automatically).

5. Confirm that the instrument serial number has been read correctly (not shown as “-”). This

would indicate that the communications have been established. If not, check settings under
the “Communication” tab.

6. Click on “Set Time” to set the instrument clock to the PC clock time.

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7.

Enter the required logging parameters as follows:

Note: Be sure to enter the Logging Interval, Wait Before First Log, Number of Logs and Job

No in the appropriate boxes.

a. Press “Set Interval” button to send to the instrument.
b. Confirm that the logging parameters are set correctly by pressing the “Check Interval”

button, and ensure that the settings you require have appeared in the appropriate
parameter boxes.

c. Finally, check that the ‘logging’ icon is lit on the instrument display.

Note: It does not matter whether the above is set from the PC or in “Logging Setup” mode, as

described in Logging Set-up Function (Table 6).

8. Remove the RS232 serial cable from the instrument port and place it in the environment that

is to be monitored. Ensure that a Hygrostick or Quikstick sensor is plugged into the top of
the instrument.

9. Press and hold until the display shows OFF.

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6 Logging Functions - Manual Logging (Recording)

Note: It is recommended that the clock is checked before performing manual logging.

1. Use  as described above to scroll to the time/date display. The clock must be set from

the PC as described above whenever the batteries are replaced.

2. With the instrument OFF, press and hold for 3 seconds to take a manual log point.

This behaves exactly as if the logging were performed using the timer as above. There is no
requirement for logging to have been enabled first, although it may be useful to set the job
number.

3. Similarly, with the instrument ON, press and hold for 3 seconds to take a manual log

point. In this case, note that the side port must be previously set in “surface temperature”
mode if this input is to be used. Again there is no requirement for logging to have been
enabled first, although it may be useful to set the job number.

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7 Logging Functions - Reading the Data

1. Switch ON the instrument and ensure that the side socket is set to RS232 mode and the

computer icon is lit.

2. Start the PC software and select Tools Setup (if the setup dialogue has not started

automatically).

3. Confirm that the instrument serial number has been read correctly (not shown as “-”). This

indicates that the communications have been established. If not, press “Get Serial Number”
before checking settings under the “communication” tab.

4. Confirm that “Number of records used” is as expected (refresh the data with the “Get Log

Data” button) and close the setup dialogue using “OK”.

5. Select the fourth tool button (shows two computers, tool-tip “Download data”) and “All

new records” in the download dialogue. Use “Latest specified number of records” to

recover older data if desired.

6. When the download completes, click on OK then save as prompted.

7. Use the graphing tool for a quick inspection (select a subset of the records first, if required)

or open the saved data file in a spreadsheet for further manipulation.

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The information contained in this leaflet is given in good faith. As the method of use of the instrument
(and its accessories) and the interpretation of the readings are beyond the control of the
manufacturers, they cannot accept responsibility for any loss, consequential or otherwise, resulting
from its use.

USA

1100 Technology Park Drive
Billerica, MA 01821-4111
Web: www.gesensing.com/protimeterproducts

Ireland

Sensing House
Shannon Free Zone East,
Shannon, County Clare
Web: www.gesensing.com/protimeterproducts

Protimeter Hygromaster® and Hygrostick® are registered trademarks of GE Sensing.

INS7700, Rev. B

August 2007