Gill Instruments WindObserver II User Manual

WindObserver II

Ultrasonic Anemometer

User Manual

Doc No. 1390-PS-0004

Issue 18

APPLIES TO UNITS WITH

SERIAL NUMBERS 901001 ONWARDS

Gill Instruments Limited

Saltmarsh Park,

67 Gosport Street,

Lymington, Hampshire. SO41 9EG

Tel: +44 (0) 1590 613500 Fax: +44 (0) 1590 613501

E-mail: anem@gill.co.uk

Web site: www.gill.co.uk

Gill Instruments Ltd

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Doc. No. 1390-PS-0004 January 2009

WindObserver II Anemometer

Gill Instruments Ltd

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Doc. No. 1390-PS-0004 January 2009

Contents

1. FOREWORD............................................................................................6

2. INTRODUCTION......................................................................................6

3. FAST TRACK SET-UP ............................................................................6

4. SPECIFICATION .....................................................................................7

5. PRE-INSTALLATION ..............................................................................8

5.1. Equipment supplied .......................................................................................... 8

5.2. Installation requirements................................................................................... 8

6. INSTALLATION.....................................................................................10

6.1. Installation Guidelines..................................................................................... 10

6.2. Bench system test .......................................................................................... 11

6.3. Cabling ........................................................................................................... 11

6.4. Connections.................................................................................................... 12

Default Settings....................................................................................................... 13

Connecting to a PC with a RS422 or RS485 input ................................................. 14

Networking units ..................................................................................................... 15

Connecting to a PCI Unit with RS422 input ............................................................ 16

Indoor Power and Communications Interface (Part 1189-PK-021) ........................ 16

PCI Electrical Power Requirements........................................................................ 16

PCI Connector Pin and Cable assignments ........................................................... 17

Anemometer connector – 15 way ........................................................................... 17

Auxiliary Analogue Outputs – 9 way ....................................................................... 17

DC Supply – 4 way ................................................................................................. 17

RS 232 Output – 9 way........................................................................................... 18

RS422 Network In – 9 way Skt ............................................................................... 18

RS422 Network Out – 9 way Plg ............................................................................ 18

6.5. Analogue connections..................................................................................... 19

Analogue Voltage Output Connections (5v or ± 2.5v) ............................................ 19

Analogue Connections for 4-20mA output.............................................................. 19

6.6. Power supplies ............................................................................................... 20

6.7. Mechanical installation.................................................................................... 21

Location................................................................................................................... 21

Orientation .............................................................................................................. 21

Mounting bracket .................................................................................................... 21

Alignment ................................................................................................................ 23

Figure 2b WindObserver II outline dimensions....................................................... 24

7. USING WITH THE GILL WINDDISPLAY ..............................................25

Connecting to a Gill WindDisplay ........................................................................... 26

8. MESSAGE FORMATS & OPTIONS......................................................27

8.1. Wind Speed format......................................................................................... 27

8.2. Output formats................................................................................................ 27

Low wind speeds .................................................................................................... 27

8.3. Networking...................................................................................................... 28

8.4. Units ............................................................................................................... 29

8.5. Output rate...................................................................................................... 29

Sample Average ..................................................................................................... 29

8.6. Averaging (Digital Data).................................................................................. 29

8.7. Options ........................................................................................................... 29

Speed of Sound (SOS) and Temperature .............................................................. 29

Gill Instruments Ltd

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Heating (If fitted) .................................................................................................... 30

45° Offset ................................................................................................................ 30

Vertical Output Padding .......................................................................................... 30

8.8. ASCII message format (UV and Polar) ........................................................... 31

ASCII UV format .................................................................................................... 31

ASCII Polar format .................................................................................................. 32

8.9. Binary message format (UV, Polar and Tunnel).............................................. 33

Binary UV format..................................................................................................... 33

Binary Polar format ................................................................................................. 33

Binary Tunnel format............................................................................................... 34

8.10. NMEA Format................................................................................................. 35

8.11. Analogue outputs and options......................................................................... 36

Output modes ......................................................................................................... 36

Channel outputs ...................................................................................................... 36

Status ...................................................................................................................... 36

Temperature ........................................................................................................... 36

Tunnel mode ........................................................................................................... 36

Scaling .................................................................................................................... 36

Averaging ................................................................................................................ 36

Polar mode direction wraparound ........................................................................... 37

Low wind speeds .................................................................................................... 37

9. CONFIGURING......................................................................................38

9.1. Entering Configuration mode .......................................................................... 38

9.2. Returning to Measurement mode.................................................................... 38

9.3. Checking the configuration ............................................................................. 39

9.4. Changing settings ........................................................................................... 39

9.5. Configuration Settings..................................................................................... 39

Ax - Speed of Sound (SOS) and Temperature ....................................................... 39

BX - Baud Rate ....................................................................................................... 40

Cx- Analogue Output Polar Mode Direction Wraparound....................................... 40

Dx- Diagnostic and Configuration Command (see also Section 10.6) ................... 40

Ex - Full Duplex/Half Duplex Mode........................................................................ 41

Fx- Data and Parity Options ................................................................................... 41

Gx to Gxxxx - Averaging (Digital Outputs only) ...................................................... 41

Hx - Heating (If fitted) ............................................................................................. 41

Jx - Analogue Power-up Tests................................................................................ 41

Kx – NMEA Settings ............................................................................................... 42

Lx - ASCII Message Terminator ............................................................................. 42

Mx to Mxx - Message Format ................................................................................. 42

Nx - Node Address.................................................................................................. 42

Ox – ASCII Output Format (Output String Padding)............................................... 43

Px - Output Rate ..................................................................................................... 43

Q- Measurement Mode ........................................................................................... 43

Tx - Analogue Output Voltage or Current settings (if fitted).................................... 43

Ux – Digital Output Units......................................................................................... 43

Vx- Vertical Output Padding.................................................................................... 43

Xx - 45° Alignment Offset/Inverted Operation ........................................................ 44

Yx – Analogue Output, Channel 3 (if fitted). ........................................................... 45

Zx – Analogue Output Scaling (if analogue outputs fitted). .................................... 45

10. MAINTENANCE & FAULT-FINDING ....................................................46

10.1. Cleaning and Handling.................................................................................... 46

10.2. Servicing......................................................................................................... 46

10.3. Fault-finding.................................................................................................... 46

10.4. Returning unit ................................................................................................. 47

Gill Instruments Ltd

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10.5. Status (error) codes ........................................................................................ 47

10.6. Bench test....................................................................................................... 47

Integrity Check Chamber (ICC) .............................................................................. 48

Integrity & Zero Wind Check................................................................................... 48

11. APPENDICES........................................................................................49

11.1. Glossary & Abbreviations................................................................................ 49

11.2. Guarantee....................................................................................................... 50

11.3. Principle of operation...................................................................................... 51

11.4. Electrical Conformity....................................................................................... 52

Gill Instruments Ltd

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Doc. No. 1390-PS-0004 January 2009

1. FOREWORD

Thank you for purchasing the WindObserver II manufactured by Gill Instruments Ltd. The unit has no customer serviceable parts and requires no calibration or maintenance. To achieve optimum performance we recommend that you read the whole of this manual before proceeding with use. Do NOT remove black “rubber” transducer caps.

Gill products are in continuous development and therefore specifications may be subject to change and design improvements without prior notice.

The information contained in this manual remains the property of Gill Instruments and should not be copied or reproduced for commercial gain.

2. INTRODUCTION

The Gill WindObserver II wind sensor is a very robust, lightweight unit with no moving parts, outputting wind speed and direction. The units of wind speed, output rate and formats are all user selectable.

The WindObserver II is available with or without de-icing heating (recommended if icing is likely), and with or without analogue outputs.

The WindObserver II can be used in conjunction with a PC, data logger or other device, provided it is compatible with the RS422 output or the analogue outputs. Multiple units can be networked if required.

Alternatively, the WindObserver II is designed to connect directly to the Gill WindDisplay unit to provide a complete wind speed direction system without any configuration required by the user.

The output message format can be configured in Polar, UV (2-axis), NMEA (0183 Version 3), Tunnel formats, and as either a Continuous output or Polled (requested by host system), detailed in full in Section 8 Message Formats & Options.

WindObserver II may be configured using WindCom software which is available, free of charge, from the Gill website www.gill.co.uk, or by using standard communications software on a PC. This is explained in Section 9 Configuring.

3. FAST TRACK SET-UP

If you are in a hurry to try out the WindObserver II, are familiar with Gill equipment, and coupling to a PC using RS422, go to the following sections:

Section 6 Installation

Section 8 Message Formats & Options

Section 9 Configuring

After you have successfully set up the WindObserver II, we strongly advise that you then go back and read the rest of the manual to ensure that you get the best results from the WindObserver II.

Gill Instruments Ltd

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4. SPECIFICATION

Measurement

Output 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 10Hz Parameters UV, Polar, NMEA, Tunnel Units m/s, Knots, MPH, KPH ft/min Averaging Flexible 1-3600 seconds

Wind Speed

Range 0 - 65m/s (0-145mph) Accuracy ±2%@12m/s Resolution 0.01m/s Offset ±0.01m/s

Direction

Range 0 - 359° Accuracy ± 2° Resolution 1°

Sonic Temperature Output

Range -40°C to + 70°C

Anemometer Status Supplied as part of standard message

Starting Threshold 0.01 m/s

Dead Band Wind Direction None

Power Requirement

Anemometer only 9-30 V DC (40mA @ 12VDC), reverse voltage protected Heating - Optional Allow 3A @ 22v to 30v (max) AC rms or DC

Digital Output

Communication RS422, full duplex, network facility Baud rates 1200, 2400, 4800, 9600, 19200, 38400 Formats 8 data, odd, even or no parity

Analogue Output - Optional

Quantity 3 (speed, direction, status, SOS or Sonic Temperature) Scale Multiples of ± 10m/s up to ± 70m/s Type ± 2.5V, 0-5V or 4-20mA V output resistance 60 Ohms 4-20mA loading 10-300 Ohms

Dimensions

Size 405mm x 210mm Weight 1.5kg

Materials

External Construction Stainless Steel 316

Environmental

Moisture protection IP66 (NEMA4X) Operating temperature -55°C to +70°C (heated version) Humidity 5% to 100% RH Precipitation 300mm/hr EMC BS EN 50081-1: 1992 (Emissions class B) BS EN 50082-2: 1992 (Immunity) FCC class A Icing MILSTD810E Method 521.1 Procedure 1

Standards Traceable to UK national standards

Site Calibration None required. (See Section 10.6 Zero Wind Check)

Gill Instruments Ltd

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Doc. No. 1390-PS-0004 January 2009

5. PRE-INSTALLATION

5.1. Equipment supplied

WindObserver II Option 1 RS422 output or WindObserver II Option 2 RS422 output and analogue outputs or WindObserver II Option 3 RS422 output and de-icing or WindObserver II Option 4 RS422 output, analogue outputs and de-icing and Installation kit (comprising a gasket and four Stainless Steel screws) and WindObserver II Quick Start Guide and WindObserver II User Manual (this manual) and Integrity Check Chamber (ICC) (Optional)

5.2. Installation requirements

Host system - One of the following:

 PC with an internal or external interface compatible with the RS422 output from

the WindObserver II.

 Gill WindDisplay.  Other equipment with I/O compatibility to the WindObserver II option selected.

For example if the unit has Analogue outputs, a Data Logger, Chart Recorder, or PC

fitted with an ADC card.

 Networking - Multiple WindObserver II units can be networked

Software - One of the following:

 WindCom – A user-friendly package providing easy configuring of the

WindObserver II, for use on PCs running under Windows™ 98, 2000 or XP. Available to customers as a free download from www.gill.co.uk.

 HyperTerminal (for Windows™ 9x and later), or Terminal (Windows™ 3.n),

normally already installed on a PC.

 Other Terminal Emulation software packages

Cable and Junction box

To connect between the WindObserver II and the host system. The unit is supplied with a 2m or 10m flying cable, requiring a mast mounted junction box (not provided) for onward connection.

See Section 6.4 for connection details

The flying cable must be retained with a cable tie within 150mm of the base of the anemometer.

Gill Instruments Ltd

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Mounting Bracket

A mounting bracket is required (not provided) which will attach to the WindObserver II via the four tapped holes in the base of the unit. Always ensure that the gasket supplied is fitted to the base of the anemometer.

It is important that the gasket supplied forms a watertight seal on the base of the anemometer.

In the event that the mounting bracket supplied by the customer is not flat or does not form complete support for the anemometer base; the customer must fit a mounting ring as shown in Figure 2.

See Section 6.7 for mounting details.

Gill Instruments Ltd

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Doc. No. 1390-PS-0004 January 2009

6. INSTALLATION

Do NOT remove the black “rubber” transducer caps. Take care not to knock

the four Transducer arms. All the time the WindObserver II is not in its final

location, it should be protected from damage by keeping it in the original

packaging as long as possible, treating it as a delicate instrument.

If an Intrinsically Safe (IS) device is required, the I.S. WindObserver must be

used - the WindObserver II is NOT an IS device.

Warranty is void if the unit case is removed.

6.1. Installation Guidelines

The WindObserver II has been designed to meet and exceed the stringent standards listed in its specification. Operating in diverse environments all over the world, WindObserver II requires no calibration or adjustment whatsoever.

As with any sophisticated electronics, good engineering practice should be followed to ensure correct operation.

 Always check the installation to ensure the WindObserver II is not affected by

other equipment operating locally, which may not conform to current standards,

e.g. radio/radar transmitters, boat engines, generators etc. Guidelines –

 Avoid mounting in the plane of any radar scanner – a vertical separation of

at least 2m should be achieved.

 Radio transmitting antennas, the following minimum separations (all round)

are suggested

• VHF IMM – 1m

• MF/HF – 5m

• Satcom – 5m (avoid likely lines of sight)

 Ensure the product is correctly earthed in accordance with this manual  Use cables recommended by Gill, keeping the length below the maximum allowed

(See Section 6.3) Where the cables are cut and re-connected (junction boxes, plugs and sockets) the cable screen integrity must be maintained, to prevent the EMC performance being compromised.

 Earth loops should not be created – earth the system in accordance with the

installation guidelines. (See Section 6.4)

 Ensure the power supply operates to the WindObserver II specification at all times.

Avoid turbulence caused by surrounding structures that will affect the accuracy of the WindObserver II such as trees, masts and buildings. The World Meteorological Organisation makes the following recommendation:

 The standard exposure of wind instruments over level open terrain is 10m above

the ground. Open terrain is defined as an area where the distance between the sensor and any obstruction is at least 10 times the height of the obstruction.

When installing the unit degrease the unit and hold with lint free gloves to reduce the build up of deposits.

Gill Instruments Ltd

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6.2. Bench system test

Note: Prior to physically mounting the WindObserver II in its final location, we strongly recommend that a bench system test be carried out to confirm the system is configured correctly, is fully functional and electrically compatible with the selected host system and cabling (preferably utilising the final cable length). The required data format, units, output rate, and other options should also all be configured at this stage. If an Integrity Check Chamber (ICC) has been purchased refer to Section 10.6.

6.3. Cabling

Cable type

A RS422 compatible cable should be used, with the number of twisted pairs matching the application. If both the (optional) Heating and Analogue outputs are utilised, then a 9 pair cable is required.

Generic description – Twisted pairs with drain wire, screened with aluminised tape,

with an overall PVC sheath. Wire size 7/0.2mm (24 AWG) The table shows some suitable manufacturers’ references; other manufacture’s equivalents

can be used.

Table 1

No. of pairs Gill ref.

Belden ref.

Batt electronics ref.

2 - 9729 3 026-02660 9730 91030 4 026-03156 9728 91199 9 026-02663 8774 91009

Cable length

The typical maximum length at 9600 baud is 1km (3200ft), using the recommended cable. If any problems of data corruption are experienced (due to, for example, a high local electrical ‘noise’ level), then a lower baud rate should be used. Alternatively, a thicker or higher specification cable can be tried. See also Section 6.1

Cabling and junction box

The WindObserver II unit is fitted with a flying 9 pair cable attached (2m or 10m long). This must be terminated in a suitable terminal box to IP66 or better, fitted with glands to prevent moisture ingress.

The cable type from the terminal box to the host system must be as specified above. If any cable is likely to be exposed to mechanical damage, it must be enclosed in a suitable conduit or cable tray. The cable must be securely fixed with cable clamps or equivalent, such that the cable is not under stress at the cable glands.

The gland area at the base of the WindObserver II should not be directly exposed to moisture, as whilst the gland is sealed when mated, the anemometer is vented to air at the base to avoid pressure build up. If an IP66 rating is essential or the unit is mounted other than ‘right way up’ use the gasket provided in the mounting kit.

Gill Instruments Ltd

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6.4. Connections

Important Do NOT join any of the cores of the cable together. Joining cores could damage the unit permanently. Any cores not used should be isolated.

Do NOT connect the unit’s 0V, heating –ve, analogue output 0V or digital 0V to the screen or earth.

The screens of each pair are joined together inside the anemometer - these should be joined to the cable screen(s) of any further cable run. Avoid long grounding loops. Digital OV should be used in conjunction with RS422 TX RX lines in order to improve noise immunity. Each pair in the cable is labelled with its pair number.

Table 2

Conductor colour Designation

Pair 1 green RS422_TXB (+) black RS422_TXA (-) Pair 2 white RS422_RXB (+) black RS422_RXA (-) Pair 3 red Supply V+ black Supply VPair 4 blue Digital 0v black Analogue 0v Pair 5 yellow Heater + *1 black

Heater – *1

Pair 6 brown Analogue Ch 3 output *2 black Analogue 0v *2 Pair 7 orange Not used (isolate) *2 black Not used (isolate) *2 Pair 8 white Analogue Ch 1 output *2 red Analogue Ch 2 output *2 Pair 9 green Not used (isolate) *2 red Not used (isolate) *2 Screens Chassis ground

1 and 2

Note may not be functional - check model number and options fitted.

NOTE Analogue connections change on units from serial number XXXXXX.

Earthing or grounding

To ensure correct operation, and for maximum protection against lightning, the anemometer MUST be correctly earthed (grounded) via its mountings. Inadequate Earthing will degrade anemometer performance, particularly in the presence of radio frequency interference. See Fig 1 Suggested mounting bracket and Earthing (grounding) arrangements

The unit MUST be connected to an appropriate grounding point with a minimum of 6mm² copper wire, via the M5 base screws. The cable screens must be joined with any cable screen continuing from the unit’s cable via a junction box. The primary earth for the anemometer must be provided via the base screws and not via the cable screens.

Gill Instruments Ltd

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Default Settings

The factory default settings are:

Non - heated units

A0 B3 C1 E1 F1 G0000 J1 K1 L1 M2 NA O1 P1 T1 U1 V1 X1 Y1 Z1

Heated units

A0 B3 C1 E1 F1 G0000 H1 J1 K1 L1 M2 NA O1 P1 T1 U1 V1 X1 Y1 Z1

Note that Heating (H command) is not enabled as a default condition. If heating is required enabled then the H command must be set for H2.

See Section 9 Configuring for further details

Gill Instruments Ltd

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Connecting to a PC with a RS422 or RS485 input

The PC requires either an internal RS422 interface card, or an external RS422/485 to RS232 converter, which will plug into the standard 9 way or 25 way RS232 serial port of the PC or host equipment.

RXB (+) RXA (-)

WindObserver II

9 pair cable

Signal names

Pair

Colour

TXB (+) TXA (-)

RXB (+) RXA (-)

Digital OV

CONNECTED INTERNALLY

PC with RS422 or RS485 input

Signal names

Signal Ground

Ground (Earth)

TXB (+) TXA (-)

Supply V+

Supply V-

red

black

Heater + *

Heater - *

yellow

black

DC Power

supply 9-30V

see section 6.6

Heated power

supply

see section 6.6

* If unit is fitted with a heater

Cable - 3 or 4

twisted pairs

Screen and drain wires

green black

white black

blue

Gill Instruments Ltd

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Networking units

Before coupling units into a network:

 Each device must be configured with a unique Unit Identifier (letter A to Z)

however in multi drop systems it could be advised to avoid using letters A-F, KMN and P as they could appear in the data string.

 Unit must be set for half duplex mode (E2 setting) see Para 8.3).

 It must be configured to a tri-state polled mode M3 or M4.

Gill Instruments WindObserver II User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual