Kipp&Zonen LOGBOX SD User Manual

LOGBOX SD

Datalogger

Instruction Manual

2

DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY

Manufacturer:
Kipp & Zonen B.V.
Delftechpark 36
2628 XH Delft
the Netherlands
T [phone]
F [phone]

[e-mail]
http://www.kippzonen.com

Description of the product:

Ultra-low power data logger

Type:

LOGBOX SD

The indicated product corresponds to the regulation of the following European Directives:

204/108/EEC

This is provided by the compliance with the following standards:

EN 61000-6-3, EN 61000-6-2, EN61000-4-6, EN 61000-4-4, EN 61000-4-2.

Date:

11.1.2008

Issued by:

B.A.H. Dieterink
President
KIPP & ZONEN B.V.

3

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY ...................................................................................................................................... 2

!

LOGBOX SD ................................................................................................................................................................................ 2!

TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................................................................................ 3!

1! NOTES .................................................................................................................................................................................. 4!

2! WARRANTY AND LIABILITY ........................................................................................................................................ 5!

3! INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................................... 6!

4! SPECIFICATIONS .............................................................................................................................................................. 7!

5! OVERVIEW .......................................................................................................................................................................... 8!

6! HARDWARE ....................................................................................................................................................................... 9!

7! QUICK START ................................................................................................................................................................ 13!

8! CONNECTING MULTIPLE SENSORS DIFFERENTIAL ........................................................................................ 15!

9! CONNECTING A PT-100 ............................................................................................................................................. 16!

10! CONNECTING A THERMISTOR. ......................................................................................................................... 17!

11! PC CONFIGURATION SOFTWARE ..................................................................................................................... 18!

11.1! Toolbar ............................................................................................................................... 19!

11.2! Sensor configuration. (Analog) ............................................................................................ 20!

11.3! Polynomial section. ............................................................................................................. 22!

11.4! Baud rate settings. .............................................................................................................. 23!

11.5! Logging options. ................................................................................................................. 24!

11.6! Sensor configuration. (Digital) ............................................................................................. 25!

11.7! Writing options to memory card. ......................................................................................... 26!

11.8! Sending or reading the entire configuration. ....................................................................... 27!

11.9! Downloading logdata. ......................................................................................................... 28!

12! POLYNOMIALS CALCULATION FOR SENSORS ............................................................................................ 31!

13! POLYNOMIALS CALCULATION FOR PT100 AND THERMISTOR .......................................................... 32!

14! FIRMWARE ................................................................................................................................................................. 39!

15! SERVICE MODE ........................................................................................................................................................ 40!

16! APPLICATION EXAMPLES .................................................................................................................................... 47!

17! FAQ .............................................................................................................................................................................. 49!

4

1 NOTES

Reading this entire manual is recommended for a full understanding of this product.

The exclamation mark within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the
presence of important operating and maintenance instructions in the literature
accompanying the instrument.

KIPP & ZONEN reserve the right to make changes in the specifications without prior notice.

5

2 WARRANTY AND LIABILITY

KIPP & ZONEN guarantees that the product delivered has been thoroughly tested to ensure
that it meets its published specifications. The warranty included in the conditions of delivery
is valid only if the product has been installed and used according to the instructions
supplied by KIPP & ZONEN. This product is under warranty for 24 months from the date of
purchase.
Modifications made by the customer or on customer request can affect the validity of the CE
declaration.

KIPP & ZONEN shall in no event be liable for incidental or consequential damages, including
without limitation, lost profits, loss of income, loss of business opportunities, loss of use
and other related exposures, however caused, arising from the faulty and incorrect use of
the product.

COPYRIGHT 2008 KIPP & ZONEN

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system or transmitted in any form or by any means, without permission in written form from
the company.

In the case you have questions, comments or need technical support, please contact us at
the following address:

Kipp & Zonen B.V.

Delftechpark 36
2628 XH Delft
the Netherlands
T [phone]
F [phone]

[e-mail]

www.kippzonen.com

Note: in case technical support is required please add the configuration file of the
Software interface, the log files in TXT or XLS format, add the serial number of the
Logbox SD, and please describe your inquiry in as much detail as possible.

Version: 1012

6

3 INTRODUCTION

LOGBOX SD is a data logger for slow varying signals and accepts low voltage signals. It
features low noise, high resolution and low power consumption.

LOGBOX SD is a universal data logger, configurable by software, suitable for mobile as well
as permanent installation used in laboratory and in the field. It can be used under all
weather conditions. A mounting plate for installation on a mast is provided.

The LOGBOX SD was designed with the above criteria in mind. Employing latest high
technology we are proud to present you a measuring system, which is simple in use, offers
high precision measurement and all features which are expected from today’s data loggers.
It is configurable by the user by PC configuration software or a set of simple serial
commands. The applications range from meteorology, metrology, environmental monitoring,
industry, research, at schools and laboratory.

7

4 SPECIFICATIONS

8

5 OVERVIEW

LOGBOX SD is designed for measuring, processing, recording (data logging) of measured
data in real time for the needs of meteorology and slow signals analyses.
It employs eight analogue inputs, which can be configured by software as unipolar inputs
with 12 bits resolution or as unipolar/bipolar differential inputs with 24 bit resolution.
With definition of polynomial coefficients (of the 3-rd order) measured values are converted
to engineering units.
Four digital inputs are configurable by software for measuring frequency, time (logical level)
or as counters. Again, with definition of polynomial coefficients (of the 3-rd order) the
measured values are converted to engineering units.

For data logging 128kB of memory is available. This EEPROM type memory will keep data
even after total disconnection of the battery. Additionally, user can insert the SD memory
card for long time data storage. Hardware and software support for temperature sensors like
PT100 and thermistor are provided.

For communication the LOGBOX SD uses either RS232 or RS485 communication port.
Selection is made by the jumper on the board. Supported communication speeds are in the
range from 300bps up to 115200bps.

The Real Time Clock circuit keep track of time and date. There is lithium battery of standard
size and with ultra low power design. Operational life is more than 10000 hours.
For signalling and switching external devices the LOGBOX SD has built-in relay ports capable
to handle currents up to 300mA and voltages up to 60Vdc
Additionally a reference voltage of 2.5Vdc is available.

9

6 HARDWARE

Mechanical solution of LOGBOX SD is based on single board design with minimal
dimensions and weight.

Fi

Outer dimensions 115mm (width), 90mm (height) a 50mm (depth) makes it suitable for
mobile applications, too. Connectors inside are located on left and right side, from the
bottom there are inputs for sensor cables. Thanks to clear layout the user can easily
connect relatively large number of sensors. For better access to input connections,
connectors are divided by three.

The mounting plate can be used to connect the LOGBOX SD to a mast of 40 mm or
smaller. Unused cable glands are closed with an inside plug. The user can mount extra
cable glands to support more cable entries.

10

For permanent installation it is possible to use four screws M4 for fixing, while achieving
IP65 class protection.

Fig.8 Inside view – description of connectors

LOGBOX SD board has the following components:

Lithium battery, CR2032 - It is power supply reserved for real time clock.
During normal operation the RTC is powered by the available power supply.

Jumper RESET – by shorting the jumper you will reset the instrument. It is not necessary to
use it by the user – it is reserved for production purposes.

Selector of serial line – selects one of RS232 or RS485 by jumper. Output pins on the
connector on the right side are following: RS232 include signals RX, TX and GND.
RS485 include signals A and B.

SLEEP switch – small switch for turning LOGBOX SD to transport mode (sleep except real time
clock). It is used for exchanging the SD card, during transportation for saving main battery
or when data logger is not used.

EXC jumper – this jumper serves as excitation for PT100 sensors. It is connected with a

6.8kohm resistor from power supply to AIN1. If PT100 is not used, do not connect it.

SD memory card – any SD memory card larger than 128MB can be used. If the card is more
than 512MB, LOGBOX SD will format the card for maximum of 512MB. The card is used only
for data storage and is not intended for more manipulation (deleting or other operations).
Deleting and moving files are much faster on a PC computer.
When using the SD card the logging to memory should be set to Circular. Otherwise the
logging stops after the (internal memory is full.

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Connector for main battery – the user can connect any type of battery (ZnMn, alkaline, NiCd,
NiMH, lithium, Pb accu, solar panel, mains adapter) with output voltage in the range of 4Vdc
– 20Vdc.

LED jumper – when jumper is closed, LED diode will indicate the operation. For maximum
power savings open the jumper. The LED indicates also when communication with SD card
can be performed. So, if LED is on, do not manipulate (remove or insert) SD card.

Otherwise, data could be either lost or partially damaged.

If the SD card is not used it should be removed to extend battery life.

Relay output RE+ and RE- – this is optically isolated polarized solid relay output, primary
used for switching external devices. These contacts can be used for switching power
supplies for external sensors that do not share a common ground with the LOGBOX SD.
The relay contacts are normally open and close during measurement interval. The LOGBOX
SD then takes after the programmed delay a measurement. After that the relay opens again
to switch off the sensor and limit the power consumption.
The relay can handle 60 VDC @ 300 mA.

PWR OUT output – switched battery output for powering local sensors or instruments.

VREF output – switched reference voltage of 2.5V for bridge or similar instruments.

The instrument is mounted in a plastic enclosure (IP65 protection class) allowing outdoor
installations. For smaller measuring systems it is possible to use 4 pieces of AA battery
(mignon) inside the battery compartment which is attached to the lid of the enclosure. This
results in a compact and portable solution of the LOGBOX SD.

The electronic design of the LOGBOX SD allows precision measurements with high
resolution. For this purpose it is equipped with two types of analog to digital converters.
They differ in resolution (12 bits or 24 bits), configuration options, speed of conversion and
applications for which they are used. Inputs for both converters are physically the same and
are configured by the software. It is possible to setup 8 unipolar inputs or 3 differential
inputs and 2 unipolar inputs or combinations.
Data logger has one ground potential (referenced to power supply GND. There are three
connectors with GND potential – all are internally connected and allow comfortable
connection of battery, RS232 serial line and analog and digital inputs.

For setting up configuration of analog inputs there are few basic rules.
The highest priority is for 24 bits differential measurements, then 12 bit single ended
measurements. Depending on priority it is necessary to configure analog inputs from AIN1
to AIN8. Practically it means that if the user wants to measure differential signal with 24 bits
resolution, this input must be located on AIN1, AIN2 (pair). If the user wants to measure two
differential inputs, they must be located on AIN1, AIN2 and AIN3, AIN4 (pairs). Only after the
differential inputs there can be single ended 12 bit resolution inputs (if any).
Digital inputs can be configured for measuring frequency, time (when digital input is in high
logical state) or as a counter. After defining polynomial coefficients of the 3-rd order it is
converted to engineering units. The advantage is that measuring of digital inputs is active
also during sleep time (during whole period of logging). That means if logging is configured
every minute, frequency represents mean value over one minute. If it is configured as
counter, it will measure number of counts per one minute and if it is configured for time
measurement, it represents number of seconds when input was in logical high level over one
minute. The same applies to all logging intervals over one minute.
With logging intervals of 10s, 20s and 30s only counter and time options are available.

12

When long time data recording is required, it is possible to use the SD memory card.
LOGBOX SD can accept any memory size above 128MB. After inserting the card in the data
logger, processor checks size of the card and proper formatting. If necessary, LOGBOX SD
will format the card (its own format) and starts to write data to SD memory card. If the user
wants to remove the card, it is recommended to put the data logger to sleep mode first
and wait until indication LED turns off. Then the file is correctly closed and the card can
be removed. It is possible to read it directly in your card reader in the PC. In the case the
user will remove the card during run mode (but LED must be off), files on the card will
remain, but the last file will be not correctly closed but still readable on the PC.

The whole design is oriented to ultra-low power consumption (design of power management
circuitry). During logging interval (which can be selected from 10 seconds to 60 minutes) it
is necessary to switch the instrument to sleep mode when measurements are not active. This
way it maximizes battery life. Power consumption during measurement is less than 5mA, in
the sleep mode it is about 20uA (without SD card). This periodical switching is performed by
the power management circuitry itself and user does not need to care for it. Measuring on
digital inputs is active during all the time.

As many sensors have a start up-time after power on, it is necessary to make measurements
after their outputs are fully settled. The delay has to be adjusted to the slowest sensor. This
feature is included in LOGBOX SD. The delay parameter sets the time after power up from
sleep mode to actual measurements. It can be in the range from 0 to 9 seconds. There is
built in solid state relay and battery switch for switching power to the sensors. No other
switching devices are necessary.
For the real time circuit there is a separate clock battery. It is a lithium battery with 3V
nominal voltage, type CR2032. Exchange is simple for the user. After change of the battery,
it is necessary to readjust time and date.

LOGBOX SD is working in three basic modes: measuring, sleep and transport. During
measuring period all components are active; all measurements based on actual configuration
are performed, measured values are converted to engineering units. Then record of output
values is stored in the memory and SD card and data are sent to the serial line (both RS232
and RS485). Finally, LOGBOX SD goes to sleep mode.
In sleep mode there is activity only in real time circuit, digital inputs measurements and
serial line (RS232) input. This situation lasts for the whole logging period. During sleep
mode it is also possible to switch to service mode (to setup configuration). After pressing
CTRL+BREAK once (on PC in terminal mode) it is activated. Escape back to sleep mode is
done with the Q command.

Transport mode is equivalent to switch off. It is intended for use during transport or long
time storage. During this period only real time (clock) circuitry runs and all other parts are
not functional. In transport mode it is necessary to remove SD card for power saving.

13

7 QUICK START

LOGBOX SD is supplied ready for use. After unpacking it is necessary to open the case with
four screws.

After removing the cover switch the instrument from transport mode to measuring mode by
switch (from position SLEEP to position ON).

Now connect main battery to power terminals. Battery must be in the range 4...20Vdc.
For power supply there is holder for four AA type batteries. You can use them, or use
different appropriate (external) power supply.

14

Last step is to connect the (supplied) serial cable RS232 with the computer. The LOGBOX SD
software can be used to setup the logger and related sensors. Or setup your communication
software on your computer (e.i. HyperTerminal) for standard speed 115200bps, 8 data bits,
1 stop bit, parity none and handshaking none. Then you will see measured data from
LOGBOX SD.

LOGBOX SD is ready to operate. Depending on saved configuration LOGBOX SD performs
measurement, logging and printout of measured data on serial line, which can be seen on
the computer. Setting up the hardware and software configuration is described in the
next chapters.

15

8 CONNECTING MULTIPLE SENSORS DIFFERENTIAL

This configuration allows you to connect up to 3 sensors on the analog input 1-6 which have
an output up to 2500mV.

-AIN1 & AIN2 (first sensor)

-AIN3 & AIN4 (second sensor)

-AIN5 & AIN6 (third sensor)

And it’s possible to connect up to two sensors on the analog inputs 7 and 8 which have an
output up to 3000mV. (Only 12 bits, 3V range)

-AIN7 & GND

-AIN8 & GND

Please note that AIN7 and AIN8 can only be used to connect sensors which have a slightly
higher voltage output up to 3Vdc (Like our UVS sensors) or for 10K thermistors.

How to configure the software will be explained in chapter 14

16

9 CONNECTING A PT-100

This configuration allows you to connect up to one PT100 temperature sensors:

-AIN1 & AIN2 (100R reference resistor)

-AIN3 & AIN4 (current)

-AIN2 & GND (measuring PT100)

Besides the Pt-100 it’s possible to connect up to one sensor on the analog input which has
an output up to 2500mV between AIN 5 and AIN 6.

-AIN5 & AIN6 (only sensor)

And it’s possible to connect up to two sensors on the analog inputs 7 and 8 which have an
output up to 3000mV. (Only 12 bits, 3V range)

-AIN7 & GND

-AIN8 & GND

Please note that AIN7 and AIN8 can only be used to connect sensors which have a slightly
higher voltage output up to 3Vdc (Like our UVS sensors) or for 10K thermistors.

How to configure the software will be explained in chapter 11