Xylem GL500 User Manual

Global Water

800-876-1172 • globalw.com

GL500-7-2 Data Logger

Global Water

Instrumentation, Inc.

11390 Amalgam Way

Gold River, CA 95670

T: 800-876-1172

Int’l: [phone], F: [phone]

[e-mail]

11/30/09
01-401

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Global Water

800-876-1172 • globalw.com

Congratulations on your purchase of a Global Water GL500 Data Logger.
This instrument has been quality tested and approved for providing
accurate and reliable measurements. We are confident that you will find
the logger to be a valuable asset to your applications. Should you require
assistance, our technical staff will be happy to help.

Table of Contents

I. Checklist ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ 3
II. Inspection ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ 3
III. Warranty ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ 3
IV. GL500 Specification ▫

▫ ▫ ▫ 4

V. System Requirements ▫ ▫ ▫ 5
VI. Software Installation ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ 5
VII. Direct Connection ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ 8
VIII. Modem Connection ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ 10
IX. Main Screen ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ 12
X. On-Line Help Files ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ 16
XI. Get History ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ 17
XII. Setup Menus ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ 18
XIII. General Setup ▫

▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ 19

XIV. Analog Setup ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ 22
XV. Digital Setup ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ 25
XVI. Programming ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ 27
XVII. Connections ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ 28
XVIII. Modem Cable Diagrams ▫ ▫ ▫ 29
XIX. Maintenance ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ 30
XX. Troubleshooting ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ 30
XXI. Customer Support ▫ ▫ ▫

▫ 31

XXII. CE Certification ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ 32

Copyright © Global Water Inst rumentation, Inc. 2005

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I. Checklist:

a. GL500 Data Logger
b. GL500 Data Logger Manual
c. RS-232 Serial Cable
d. USB Cable, Type A to B
e. Global Logger Interface Software CDROM

II. Inspection:

a. Your Data Logger was carefully inspected and certified by our Quality

Assurance Team before shipping. If any damage has occurred during
shipping; please notify Global Water Instrumentation, Inc. and file a
claim with the carrier involved.

III. Warranty:

a. Global Water Instrumentation, Inc. warrants that its products are

b. The warranty begins on the date of your invoice.

Global Water

800-876-1172 • globalw.com

free from defects in material and workmanship under normal use
and service for a period of one year from date of shipment from
factory. Global Water’s obligations under this warranty are
limited to, at Global Water’s option: (I) replacing or (II) repairing;
any products determined to be defective. In no case shall Global
Water’s liability exceed the products original purchase price.
This warranty does not apply to any equipment that has been
repaired or altered, except by Global Water Instrumentation, Inc.,
or which has been subject to misuse, negligence or accident. It
is expressly agreed that this warranty will be in lieu of all
warranties of fitness and in lieu of the warranty of
merchantability.

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Global Water

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IV. GL500 Specification:

Power Supply: Voltage: 4.2 VDC Min. to 24.0 VDC Absolute Maximum
Standby Current: 70uA Typical
Logging Current: 5mA Typical + sensor current

Operating Temperature Industrial, -40ºC to +85ºC (Battery may not apply)

Analog Sensor Inputs: 4-20mA (0-5VDC as factory option)
Resolution: 12-Bit, 4096 Steps
7 Input channels + battery voltage monitor
Sensor Warm-up Time: Programmable, 0-60 Seconds

Digital Inputs: 2 Independent pulse counters

Maximum Input Voltage: 24VDC
Maximum Frequency: 100Hz
Minimum Pulse Width: 2mS
Maximum Count: 65,535 (16-Bit)

Sample Now Input: Sample-on-Demand input, software enabled

Maximum Input Voltage: 24VDC
Minimum Pulse Width: 2mS

Sample Modes: Fixed Interval: Programmable from 1 Sec. to >1 Year
High Speed: 10 Samples per second
Logarithmic Sample Rate (Approximation)
Exception (Log only on deviation from previous reading)

Storage Capacity: 40,879 Recordings for all inputs plus time stamp

Communication Ports: RS-232 DB9 or USB Type B
Selectable Baud Rates: Auto Detect or Fixed Rates at

9600, 19200, 28800, 38400, 57600, 115200

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Global Water

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V. System Requirements:

Desktop or Laptop computer with:

1) Windows 98, ME, 2000, XP Vista or Windows 7 Operating Systems

2) CDROM Drive

3) RS-232 or USB Port

Note that the software provided with the GL500 data logger is for running on
desktop and laptop computers only. Software for many popular Handheld
PDA devices is available from Global Water. Special cables may be required.

VI. Software Installation:

Global Logger Installation: This software is for use on Windows based desktop

and laptop computers only. Insert the software installation CD and run the Setup

program. This will install the Global Logger application in the Program Files folder
and automatically put the Global Logger icon on the desktop.

Serial communication: If you are using the RS-232 serial port to access the data

logger, no further action is needed. You can start using the logger by opening the
Global Logger application program. If you plan to use the USB port, you must install
the driver. You may consider installing the driver now, even if you plan to use the
serial port.

USB Driver Installation: With the installation CD in the CDROM drive and DC

power applied to the logger, plug the USB cable into the data logger to open the

ADD New Hardware Wizard. The menus that follow will look different for different

operation systems but the procedure is the same. Do not allow the Hardware
Wizard to automatically search for the driver. Instead, specify the location
(CDROM). If a generic driver gets, or has been previously installed, it must be

uninstalled before proceeding by using the Add or Remove Programs section of the
Control Panel. Instead, click the Search External Media box or Specify a Location
box and install the driver from the CDROM. Running the Setup program that installs
the Global Logger software also installs a folder with the driver in it. This location
can also be specified if the CDROM is not available; although, it is recommended
that the driver be installed at the same time the Global Logger is installed.

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Global Water

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The following menus apply to the Windows XP operating system.

1) Do not let Windows search
for software. Click “No, not
at this time” when asked if
Windows Update can search
for software.

Click Next.

2) Do not let Windows automatically
install the software. Click “Install
from a specific location”.

Click Next.

3) Specify the location of the driver.
Make sure the Global Logger CDROM
is in the CD drive and click “Search
removable media” only.

Click Next.

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Global Water

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4) The Hardware Wizard searches
for the driver.

If Windows advises that the software
is not certified, click:

“Continue Anyway”.

This only means that Microsoft has not
licensed the software. Second party
software is allowed and no harm will
come to your computer.

5) The first half of the installation is
complete. The Hardware Wizard
may need to make two passes.

Click Finish.

6) Two drivers are sometimes required so the Hardware Wizard may repeat the
exact same process again. As before; a: do not let the Windows Update do a
search, b: tell Windows to search from a specific location instead of automatically
installing software, c: tell Windows to search from removable media (CDROM).

7) The installation is complete.

Click Finish.

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Global Water

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8) To confirm the installation, look in the
Device Manager and find the USB Serial
Port. The COM setting following that will
show the virtual COM port that has been
automatically assigned to the driver. As
you will see in the following section, this
COM port will be automatically detected
by the Global Logger software so it is not
necessary to note which port is being
used by the driver.

VII. Direct Connection:

Important: This data logger supports an Auto Baud Rate Mode which automatically

detects the communication speed. However; this communication software also

supports loggers which may be programmed in a Fixed Baud Rate Mode. This is

useful in telemetry applications, particularly when using Global Water data loggers
with our Global Access radio modem software. The upcoming discussion assumes
that the logger is programmed in auto detect mode. If you cannot connect to the
logger and suspect that the logger may be using a fixed rate mode; try each
connection speed separately, especially 38400 which is required when using the
Global Access software.

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Global Water

800-876-1172 • globalw.com

There are 3 ways to connect to the GL500 data Logger, direct connection through
the RS-232 serial port or USB port and dial out through an installed modem.

To make a direct connection to the logger, click the “Direct” option and from the
“Port” menu, select the port you wish to use. For USB access select the USB serial
port at the COM port the driver was assigned, which is automatically shown in the
list. Serial connection is generally done through the 9-pin COM1 connector although
COM2 can also be used. When an external modem or other device is assigned to
COM1, the port can still be used for accessing the logger, but the external device
must be disconnected. Both the serial and USB ports can be connected to the
logger at the same time but you must select which of them is to be used. No
difference will be noticed by the user except while downloading historical data.
Because of the excessive handshaking done by the USB port, the serial port will run
about 50% faster at the same baud rate. Next, select the desired baud rate from the
“Baud Rate” menu. Generally, the fastest rate of 115,200 is used although; long
cables or other factors may require a slower setting. Click “Connect” to make the
connection. If a connection is not made, a message will appear. Check the power
connection, communication cable, driver installation and COM port settings.

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Global Water

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VIII. Modem Connection:

Access to the GL500 can be made through dial-out to a remote modem by clicking
the “Modem” option. The connection from modem to logger requires an RS-232
serial modem, USB modems are not supported as an interface to the logger. Also,
some switch settings must be made to the remote modem and an initialization string
may be required to properly configure the host modem.

Two baud rates are supported 9600 and 19200. Should you experience difficulty
establishing a reliable connection at 19200, use the slower connection speed. Note
that due to the slower baud rates and the additional handshaking performed during
modem communication, The Global Logger software will operate significantly slower
than during a direct connection.

The Global Logger software will remember the last 4 numbers dialed and has a
provision for using a stored text file (.txt extension) for initialization of the host
modem using standard AT commands. Some experience may be required to
configure your modem but a sample command file and some useful tips follow.

Select the baud rate

Type in or find the phone number

Use initialization file

Browse

Select the modem’s COM port

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