WatchDog 525, 600, 700, 550, 900et Operation Manual

Operation

Manual

Model #’s

525, 550, 600,

700 and

900et

This manual will familiarize you with the features and operation of

your new WatchDog Weather Station. Please read this manual

thoroughly before using your instrument. For customer support, or to

place an order, call Spectrum Technologies, Inc. at [phone] or

[phone] between 7:30 am and 5:30 p.m. CST, FAX at (815)

436-4460, or E-Mail at [e-mail].

Spectrum Technologies, Inc

23839 W Andrew Rd.

Plainfield, IL 60544

CONTENTS

General Overview 2

Internal Sensors 2

External Sensors 3

Anemometer Setup 3-4

LCD Display Panel 4-5

Connecting to Computer 5-6

Weather Bulletin 6

Mounting the Weather Station 7

SpecWare Software 7

Battery Replacement 8

Trouble Shooting 8

Service and Support 9

Warranty 9

2

General Overview

This manual describes how to use your WatchDog Weather Station
and how to keep it working accurately for many years. Read this
manual thoroughly in order to make effective use of your weather
station.

The WatchDog Weather Station will allow you to record and monitor
real-time local weather information at remote sites. Your weather
station can also be connected to as many as 4 additional sensors via
the external sensor ports. Through the software, simply configure the
weather station to record the appropriate sensors.

Download the accumulated data at your convenience using the
powerful SpecWare software. SpecWare will present the data in
graphical and tabular form. Use the software to calculate growing
degree days and chill hours, leaf wetness, temperature and RH hours,
or view daily, monthly, and yearly reports. Optional disease and
insect models aid the user with Integrated Pest Management decisions.
Evapotranspiration calculations to aid in irrigation scheduling are also
available with the 900ET station.

Sensor Measurement Range Accuracy

Wind Speed 0-175 mph ±5%

Wind Direction 2o increments ±7o

Temperature

(Wind Chill)

-30° to 100°C

-22° to 212° F

-40° to 104°C

-40° to 40° F

±0.7°C
±1°F

±4

o

F

±2

o

C

Relative Humidity*

(Dew Point)

20% to 100%
@5° to 50° C

-99

o

F to 140oF

-73

o

FC to 60oC

±3%

±4

o

F

±2

o

C

Rainfall 0.01” (0.25cm)

resolution

±2%

Solar Radiation

**

1-1250 W/m2 ±5%

•

RH and Dew point available on model 550, 700 and

900ET stations only.

**

Included with 900ET station. An option on model

525, 550, 600 and 700 stations

Each channel has a data capacity of 3100 measurements. Therefore, a
30 minute measurement interval will allow the datalogger to record
for 64 days.

internal Sensors

3

WatchDog Weather Stations have external ports available for external
sensor input (Models 525, 550, 600 and 700 have 4, Model 900ET has 3).
The following table lists the available optional sensors. All sensors include
a 6-foot cable with pin-type connector.
To connect an external sensor to the logger, plug the sensor cable into the
logger port that has been programmed for that particular sensor. If the
sensor is not connected, the message “sensor error” will appear on the LCD
display for the respective logger port until the sensor is connected.

External Sensors

Item #

Sensor

Description

Measurement

Range

Max #

per

station

Accuracy

3666 Leaf Wetness 0(Dry) - 15(Wet) 2 N/A

3667 (6ft)
3667-20 (20ft)

External (Soil)
Temperature

-30° to 100°C

-22° to 212° F

3 ±0.7°C

±1°F

3670 Silicon

Pyranometer

1-1250 W/m2 1 ±5%

3668 Quantum Light 0-2500 µmol/m2/s 2 ±5%

3669,
3669LT

Soil Moisture
Transducer

0-100 kPa (R-type)
0-40 kPa (LT-type)

2 ±2%

6450WD (6ft)
6450WD20

Watermark Soil
Moisture Sensor

0-200 kPa (WM-type)

3 N/A

3664 20 ft. Extension

Sensor Cable

N/A N/A N/A

6451 Irrigation Sensor Switches at 5 psi 1 ±1 psi

6471 Barometric

Pressure Sensor

26 - 32 in Hg
660 - 810 mm Hg

1 ±0.05”

±1.3 mm

3673
3674

Input Cable for
User Supplied
Sensor

0 - 2.5V
4 - 20mA

3 N/A

Program each port to a specific sensor through the Launch Options Screen in
SpecWare software.

Anemometer setup

Apart from the
anemometer, the
WatchDog Weather Station
comes fully assembled and
ready to mount. The
anemometer arm is
attached to the enclosure
back plate with two
clamps. After positioning
the arm, the screws should
be tightened to secure it in
place.

Push the wind cups onto the bottom
of the shaft flush with the bottom of
the assembly and tighten the set
screw. When released, the cups
should drop slightly. If the cups do
not spin freely, loosen the set screw
and lower the cups slightly. The gap
between cup hub and assembly
should be about 1/16 inch.

Push the wind vane onto the top of
the shaft and calibrate (see next page
for calibration procedure).

Anemometer clamped to back plate