General Tools HWA4214SD User Manual

HWA4214SD

USER’S MANUAL

HOT WIRE ANEMOMETER-THERMOMETER

WITH DATALOGGING SD CARD

Please read this manual carefully and thoroughly before using this product.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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

Key Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Operating Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 – 10

What’s in the Case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 –5

Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 –7

Normal Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 –9

Holding and Storing Measurements. . . . . . . . . . 9

Automatic vs. Manual Datalogging . . . . . . 9 – 10

Transferring Data from the SD Card

to a Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Maintenance & Troubleshooting Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Optional Accessories. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Warranty Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Return for Repair Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

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INTRODUCTION

Thank you for purchasing General Tools & Instruments’ HWA4214SD Hot Wire Anemometer­Thermometer with Datalogging SD Card. Please read this user’s manual carefully and
thoroughly before using the instrument.

The HWA4214SD is a general-purpose handheld instrument that can make two kinds of
measurements:

• Air (wind) speed and temperature (simultaneously)

• Surface temperature, as measured by an optional Type K or Type J thermocouple

All hot wire anemometers, including the HWA4214SD, have at their heart a very thin metal
wire that the instrument electrically heats up above ambient temperature. Air flowing past
the wire cools it. The speed of the air flow can be calculated from the relationship between
the metal’s electrical resistance and temperature. In the HWA4214SD, the hot wire is
located at the end of a telescoping probe, where it is paired with a tiny glass bead
thermistor that measures air temperature.

Compared to other types of anemometers, hot wire anemometers have superior
performance. For this reason, they are commonly used for precise measurement of
low-speed air flows, turbulent flows, or of any flow in which rapid velocity fluctuations
are of interest. Applications include:

• Environmental testing

• Maintenance and repair of air conveyors and flow hoods in clean rooms

• Measurement of air velocity produced by fans and blowers

• Balancing velocity profiles in furnaces and refrigerated cases

• Operating paint spray booths

The HWA4214SD comes with a telescoping air speed-temperature probe. Air speeds can
be displayed in m/s (meters/second), fpm (feet per minute), km/h (kilometers/hr), knots
(nautical miles per hour), or mph (miles per hour). Temperatures can be displayed in oF
(Fahrenheit) or oC (Celsius) units.

Several features and capabilities enhance the instrument’s versatility. Among them are
automatic temperature compensation for measurements made by the telescoping probe
or by Type K or J thermocouples, the ability to hold readings and display maximum and
minimum readings, and an automatic power off function that extends battery life.

Because it is microprocessor-based, the HWA4214SD can make full use of the portability,
reliability and large storage capacities that SD memory cards offer. Measurements can be
made automatically at any sampling rate between one second and one hour. After storing
and time-stamping the measurements on an SD card plugged into the instrument (a
process called datalogging), the user can remove the card and plug it into to a laptop or
desktop computer either directly or via a USB card reader. The data logs are stored on the
card as files with the .xls extension, which can be opened by Microsoft’s Excel application.

The HWA4214SD has a backlit 2.5 in. diagonal display and is powered by six “AA” Alkaline
batteries or an optional 9-VDC AC adapter.

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KEY FEATURES

• Includes telescoping air speed-temperature probe

• Displays air (wind) speed in meters/second, feet per minute, kilometers/hr, knots
(nautical miles per hour), or miles per hour

• Measures air speeds down to 0.2 m/s with 0.01 m/s resolution (down to 40 ft/min
with 1 ft/min resolution)

• Displays temperature in ºF or ºC

• Big (2.5 in. diagonal) front-panel green backlit LCD is easy to read

• Displays maximum and minimum readings and holds any reading

• Automatically logs measurements at sampling time settable from one second to
one hour

• Also supports manual datalogging and changing of SD card storage location

• Outputs Excel-compatible data logs

• Accepts SD memory cards of up to 16 GB capacity

• Auto power off function

• Powered by six “AA” batteries or optional 9V AC/DC adapter

OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

WHAT’S IN THE CASE

The HWA4214SD comes fully assembled in a hard carrying case along with a telescoping
air speed-temperature probe, a 2 GB SD memory card and this user’s manual.

Optional accessories available from General Tools & Instruments include:

• Type K and Type J thermocouples

• A 9VDC adapter for a 110V power supply

See the Optional Accessories section of this manual for more details.

Figure 1 shows all of the controls and indicators on the front, right side, back, top and
bottom of the HWA4214SD. It also shows the main components of the included telescoping
probe. Familiarize yourself with the positions and functions of these controls, indicators and
connectors before moving on to the setup procedure.

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FRONT

TOP

BOTTOM

RIGHT

SIDE

BACK

TELESCOPING

PROBE

Fig. 1. The HWA4214SD’s controls and indicators and other physical features

1-1 Liquid-crystal display
1-2 POWER/ESC button
1-3 FUNC./HOLD/NEXT button
1-4 REC/ENTER button
1-5 SET ▼ button
1-6 LOGGER ▲ button
1-7 Socket for combination air

speed-temperature probe

1-8 Socket for optional

Type K or J thermocouple

1-10 RS-232 output jack
1-11 RESET button
1-12 Socket for 9VDC AC adapter
1-13 Battery compartment cover
1-14 Battery compartment cover screws
1-15 Kickstand
1-16 Tripod attachment nut
1-17 Telescoping probe plug
1-18 Telescoping probe handle
1-19 Telescoping probe sensing head/cover

1-9 SD card socket

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