MODEL 05106
WIND MONITOR-MA
WIND SPEED SPECIFICATION SUMMARY:
Range 0 to 100 m/s (224 mph)
Sensor 18 cm diameter 4-blade helicoid propeller
molded of polypropylene
Pitch 29.4 cm air passage per revolution
Distance Constant 2.7 m (8.9 ft.) for 63% recovery
Threshold Sensitivity 1.1 m/s (2.4 mph)
Transducer Centrally mounted stationary coil,
2K 0hm nominal DC resistance
Transducer Output AC sine wave signal induced by rotating
magnet on propeller shaft. 80 mV p-p at
100 rpm. 8.0 V p-p at 10,000 rpm.
Output Frequency 3 cycles per propeller revolution
(0.098 m/s per Hz)
WIND DIRECTION (AZIMUTH) SPECIFICATION SUMMARY:
Range 360° mechanical, 355° electrical (5° open)
Sensor Balanced vane, 38 cm (15 in) turning radius.
Damping Ratio 0.25
Delay Distance 1.3 m (4.3 ft) for 50% recovery
Threshold Sensitivity 1.1 m/s (2.4 mph) at 10° displacement
Damped Natural
Wavelength 7.4 m (24.3 ft)
Undamped Natural
Wavelength 7.2 m (23.6 ft)
Transducer Precision conductive plastic potentiometer, 10K
ohm resistance (±20%), 0.25% linearity, life
expectancy 50 million revolutions, rated 1 watt
at 40° C, 0 watts at 125° C
Transducer Excitation
Requirement Regulated DC voltage, 15 VDC max
Transducer Output Analog DC voltage proportional to azimuth angle
with regulated excitation voltage applied across
potentiometer.
GENERAL:
INTRODUCTION
The Wind Monitor-MA measures ho ri zo nt al wi nd sp ee d a nd
direction. Originally developed for ocean data buoy use, it is rugged
and corrosion resistant yet accurate and light weight. The main
housing, nose cone, propeller, and other internal parts are injection
mol ded U.V. stabilized plastic. Both the propeller a nd vertical
shafts use stainless steel precision grade ball bearings. Bearings
have light contacting teon seals and are lled with a low torque
wide temperature range grease to help exclude contamination and
moisture.
Propeller rotation produces an AC sine wave signal with frequency
pr op ortio na l to wind s pe ed. Th is AC si gnal i s in du ced in a
stationary coil by a six pole magnet mounted on the propeller shaft.
Three complete sine wave cycles are produced for each propeller
revolution.
Vane position is transmitted by a 10K ohm precision conductive
plastic potentiometer which requires a regulated excitation voltage.
With a constant voltage applied to the potentiometer, the output
signal is an analog voltage directly proportional to azimuth angle.
Th e i nstrument mo unts on s ta ndard on e i nch pipe , o utside
diameter 34 mm (1.34"). An orientation ring is provided so the
instrument can be removed for maintenance and reinstalled without
loss of wind direction reference. Both mounting post assembly and
orientation ring are secured to the mounting pipe by stainless steel
band clamps. A 3 meter (9.8 ft) pigtail cable assembly is supplied
for electrical connections. For longer cable lengths a user supplied
junction box or connector may be used. A variety of devices are
available for signal conditioning, display, and recording of wind
speed and direction.
INITIAL CHECKOUT
When the Wind Monitor-MA is unpacked it should be c hec ked
carefully for any signs of shipping damage. Remove the plastic
nut on the prope ller shaft. Install the propeller on the shaft so
the letter markings on the propeller face forward (into the wind).
Engage the propeller into the molded ribs on the propeller shaft
hub. The instrument is aligned, balanced and fully calibrated before
shipment, however it should be checked both mechanically and
electrically before installation. The vane and propeller should easily
rotate 360° without friction. Check vane balance by holding the
instrument base so the vane surface is horizontal. It should have
near neutral torque without any particular tendency to rotate. A
slight imbalance will not degrade performance.
The potentiometer requires a stable DC excitation voltage. Do
not exceed 15 volts. When the potentiometer wiper is in the 5°
deadband region, the output signal is "floating" and may show
varying or unpredictable values. To prevent false readings, signal
conditioning el ectronic s shoul d clamp the signal to excitation
or refer ence l evel w hen th is o cc urs. NOT E: You ng s ignal
con ditioning devices cl amp the s ignal to excitation level.
Avoid a short circuit between the azimuth signal line and either the
excitation or reference lines. Although there is a 1K ohm current
limiting resistor in series with the wiper for protection, damage to
the potentiometer may occur if a short circuit condition exists.
Before installation, connect the instrument to an indicator as shown
in the wiring diagram and check for proper wind speed and azimuth
values. Position the vane over a sheet of paper with 30° or 45°
crossmarkings to check vane alignment. To check wind speed,
temporarily remove the propel ler and connec t the shaft to an
Anemometer Drive. Details appear in the CALIBRATION section of
this manual.
Operating Temp: -50 to 50°C (-58 to 122°F)
05106-90(J)
Page 1
INSTALLATION
CALIBRATION
Proper placement of the instrument is very important. Eddies from
trees, bu ildings, or other structures can greatly influence wind
speed and wind direction observations. To get meaningful data for
most applications locate the instrument well above or upwind from
obstructions. As a general rule, the air ow around a structure is
disturbed to twice the height of the structure upwind, six times the
height downwind, and up to twice the height of the structure above
ground. For some applications it may not be practical or necessary
to meet these requirements.
FAILURE TO PROPERLY GROUND THE WIND
MONITOR-MA MAY RESULT IN ERRONEOUS SIGNALS
OR TRANSDUCER DAMAGE.
Grounding the Wind Monitor is vitally important. Without proper
ground ing, static electrical cha rge can build up during certain
atmospheric conditions and discharge through the transducers.
Th is d is charg e ca n pot en tia ll y ca us e er roneo us s ig nals or
tr ans duc er fai lur e. To dir ect t he d isc har ge away fro m the
transducers, the mounting post assembly in which the transducers
are mounted is made with a special antistatic plastic. The Wind
Monitor should be mounted on a metal pipe which is connected to
earth ground. The mounting pipe should not be painted where the
Wind Monitor is mounted. Towers or masts set in concrete should
be connected to one or more grounding rods.
If it is difficult to ground the mounting post in this manner, the
following method should be used. The sensor cable shield wire
is internally connected to the antistatic mounting post. This shield
wire should be connected to an earth ground. (Ref er to wiring
diagram)
Initial installation is most easily done with two people; one to adjust
the instrument position and the other to observe the indicating
device. After initial installation, the instrument can be removed
and returned to its mounting without realigning the vane since the
orientation ring preserves the wind direction reference. Install the
Wind Monitor-MA following these steps:
1. MOUNT WIND MONITOR-MA
a) Place orientation ring on mounting post. Do Not tighten
band clamp yet.
b) Place Wind Monitor-MA on mounting post. Do Not tighten
band clamp yet.
2. CONNECT SENSOR CABLE
a) Route cable carefully to avoid strain.
b) Use of a waterproof connector or junction box is
recommended.
3. ALIGN VANE
a) Connect instrument to an indicator.
b) Choose a known wind direction reference point on the
horizon.
c) Sighting down instrument centerline, point nose cone
at reference point on horizon.
d) While holding vane in position, slowly turn base until
indicator shows proper value.
e) Tighten mounting post band clamp.
f) Engage orientation ring indexing pin in notch at instrument
base.
g) Tighten orientation ring band clamp.
05106-90(J)
The Win d Mo nitor-MA is fully c alibr ated before shipment and
should require no adjustments. Recalibration may be necessary
after some maintenance operations. Periodic calibration checks
are desirable and may be necessary where the instrument is used
in programs which require auditing of sensor performance.
Accurate wind direction calibration requires a Model 18112 Vane
Angle Bench Stand. Begin by connecting the instrument to a
signal conditioning circuit which has some method of indicating
azimuth value. This may be a display which shows azimuth values
in angular degrees or simply a voltmeter monitoring the output.
Orient the base with the junction box at 180°. Visually align the
vane with the crossmarkings and observe the indicator output. If
the vane position and indicator do not agree within 5°, adjust the
potentiometer coupling inside the main housing. Details for making
this adjustment appear in the MAINTENANCE, potentiometer
replacement outline, step 7. It is important to note that while full
scale azimuth on signal conditioning electronics may be 360°,
full scale azimuth signal from the instrument is 355°. The signal
conditioning electronics must be adjusted accordingly. For
example, in a circuit where 0 to 1.000 VDC represents 0° to 360°,
the output must be adjusted for 0.986 VDC when the instrument is
at 355°. (355°/360° X 1.000 volts = 0.986 volts)
Wind speed calibration is determined by propeller pitch and the
output characteristics of the transducer. Calibration formulas
showing wind speed vs. propeller rpm and output frequency are
included below. Standard accuracy is ± 0.3 m/s (0.6mph). For
greater accuracy, the device must be individually calibrated in
comparison with a wind speed standard. Contact the factory or
your supplier to schedule a NIST (National Institute of Standards &
Technology) traceable wind tunnel calibration in our factory.
To calibrate wind system electronics using a signal from the
instrument, temporarily remove the propeller and connect an
Anemometer Drive (18802 or equiv.) to the propeller shaft. Apply
the appropriate calibration formula to the calibrating motor rpm and
adjust the electronics for the proper value. For example, with the
propeller shaft turning at 3600 rpm adjust an indicator to display
17.6 meters per second (3600 rpm X 0.00490 m/s/rpm =17.6
m/s).
CALIBRATION FORMULAS
Model 05106 Wind Monitor-MA w / 08234 Propeller
WIND SPEED vs PROPELLER RPM
m/s = 0.00490 x rpm
knots = 0.00952 x rpm
mph = 0.01096 x rpm
km/h = 0.01764 x rpm
WIND SPEED vs OUTPUT FREQUENCY
m/s = 0.0980 x Hz
knots = 0.1904 x Hz
mph = 0.2192 x Hz
km/h = 0.3528 x Hz
MAINTENANCE
Given proper care, the Wind Monitor-MA should provide years
of service. The only components likely to need replacement
due to normal wear are the precision ball bearings and the wind
direction potentiometer. Only a qualied instrument technician
should perform the replacement. If service facilities are not
available, return the instrument to the company. Refer to the
drawings to become familiar with part names and locations. The
asterisk* which appears in the following outlines is a reminder that
maximum torque on all set screws is 80 oz-in.
Page 2
POTENTIOMETER REPLACEMENT:
The potentiometer has a life expectancy of fty million revolutions.
As it becomes worn, the element may begin to produce noisy
signals or become nonlinear. When signal noise or non-linearity
becomes unacceptable, replace the potentiometer. Refer to
exploded view drawing and proceed as follows:
1. REMOVE MAIN HOUSING
a) Unscrew nose cone from main housing. Set o-ring aside for
later use.
b) Remove 4 screws attaching housing.
c) Gently push main housing latch.
d) While pushing latch, lift main housing up and remove It from
vertical shaft bearing rotor.
2. UNSOLDER TRANSDUCER WIRES
a) Remove screws securing cable and strain relief assembly to
mounting post.
b) Slowly pull strain relief away from mounting post exposing
circuit board with transducer wire connections.
3. REMOVE POTENTIOMETER
a) Loosen set screw on potentiometer coupling and remove it
from potentiometer adjust thumbwheel.
b) Loosen set screw on potentiometer adjust thumbwheel
and remove it from potentiometer shaft.
c) Loosen two set screws at base of transducer assembly
and remove assembly from vertical shaft.
d) Unscrew potentiometer housing from potentiometer
mounting & coil assembly.
e) Push potentiometer out of potentiometer mounting &
coil assembly by applying firm but gentle pressure on
potentiometer shaft. Make sure that the shaft o-ring
comes out with the potentiometer. If not, then gently push
it out from the top of the coil assembly.
4. INSTALL NEW POTENTIOMETER
a) Push new potentiometer into potentiometer mounting & coil
assembly making sure o-ring is on shaft.
b) Feed potentiometer and coil wires through hole in bottom
of potentiometer housing.
c) Screw potentiometer housing onto potentiometer
mounting & coil assembly.
d) Gently pull transducer wires through bottom of
potentiometer housing to take up any slack. Apply a small
amount of silicone sealant around hole.
e) Install transducer assembly on vertical shaft allowing 0.5
mm (0.020") clearance from vertical bearing. Tighten set
screws* at bottom of transducer assembly.
f) Place potentiometer adjust thumbwheel on potentiometer
shaft and tighten set screw*.
g) Place potentiometer coupling on potentiometer adjust
thumbwheel. Do Not tighten set screw yet.
6. REPLACE MAIN HOUSING
a) Place main housing over vertical shaft bearing rotor. Be
careful to align indexing key and channel in these two
assemblies.
b) Place main housing over vertical shaft bearing rotor until
potentiometer coupling is near top of main housing.
c) Turn potentiometer adjust thumbwheel until potentiometer
coupling is oriented to engage ridge in top of main housing.
Set screw on potentiometer coupling should be facing the
front opening.
d) With poten tiomete r coup ling properly oriente d, con tinue
pushing main housing onto vertical shaft bearing rotor until
main housing latch locks into position with a “click”.
e) Replace 4 screws.
7. ALIGN VANE
a) Connect excitation voltage and signal conditioning electronics
to terminal strip according to wiring diagram.
b) With mounting post held in position so junction box is facing
due south, orient vane to a known angular reference. Details
appear in CALIBRATION section.
c) Reach in through front of main housing and turn potentiometer
adjust thumbwheel until signal conditioning system indicates
proper value.
d) Tighten set screw* on potentiometer coupling.
8. REPLACE NOSE CONE
a) Screw nose cone into main housing until o-ring seal is seated.
Be cert ain threads are properl y en gaged to av oid crossthreading.
FLANGE BEARING REPLACEMENT:
If anemometer bearings become noisy or wind speed threshold
increases above an acceptable level, bearings may need
replacement. Check anemometer bearing condition using a Model
18310 Propeller Torque Disc. Without it, a rough check can be
performed by adding an ordinary paper clip (0.5 gm) to the tip of
a propeller blade. Turn the blade with the paper clip to the "three
o'clock" or "nine o'clock" position and gently release it. Failure to
rotate due to the weight of the paper clip indicates anemometer
bearings need replacement. Repeat this test at different positions
to check full bearing rotation. If needed, bearings are replaced as
follows.
1. REMOVE OLD BEARINGS
a) Unscrew nose cone. Do not lose o-ring seal.
b) Loosen set screw on magnet shaft collar and remove
magnet.
c) Slide propeller shaft out of nose cone assembly.
d) Remove front bearing cap which covers front bearing.
e) Remove both front and rear bearings from nose cone
assembly. Insert edge of a pocket knife under bearing ange
and lift it out.
5. RECONNECT TRANSDUCER WIRES
a) Using needle-nose pliers or a paper clip bent to form a small
hook, gently pull transducer wires through hole in mounting
post.
b) Solder wires to cable assembly. Apply small amount of
silicone sealant to solder connections. Observe color code.
c) Secure cable & strain relief assembly removed in step 2A.
*Max set screw torque 80 oz-in
Page 3
2. INSTALL NEW BEARINGS
a) Insert new front and rear bearings into nose cone.
b) Replace front bearing cap.
c) Carefully slide propeller shaft through bearings.
d) Place magnet on propeller shaft allowing 0.5 mm (0.020")
clearance from rear bearing.
e) Tighten set screw* on magnet shaft collar.
f) Screw nose cone into main housing until o-ring seal is
seated. Be certain threads are properly engaged to avoid
cross-threading.
05106-90(J)