METER Apogee Instruments SU-221 Instruction Manual

: June 6, 2024
: METER

Table of Contents

METER Apogee Instruments SU-221
INTRODUCTION
INSTALLATION
- SET UP MOUNTING ASSEMBLY
- CONNECT TO METER ZENTRA SERIES LOGGER
DATA INTERPRETATION
TROUBLESHOOTING
CUSTOMER SUPPORT
- NORTH AMERICA
- EUROPE
References
Read User Manual Online (PDF format)
Download This Manual (PDF format)

METER Apogee Instruments SU-221

INTRODUCTION

Apogee Instruments SU-221 Ultraviolet (UV) Radiation sensors are designed for continuous UV radiation measurement in either indoor or outdoor environments. The Apogee UV sensor detects UV radiation from 300 to 400 nm, which lies primarily in the UV-A portion of the UV spectrum (315 to 400 nm).
The information in this document explains how to install the required hardware to mount Apogee UV sensors that have been preconfigured by METER Group to work seamlessly with METER ZENTRA series data loggers. Details of how the ZENTRA system handles the data are also included. Please read this document carefully in its entirety before going out to the field.
For more information on Apogee sensors, please review the Ultraviolet-A Radiation Sensor User Manual or visit the Apogee UV sensor product page (apogeeinstruments.com/uv).

INSTALLATION

Follow the steps listed in Table 1 to install Apogee sensors in the field. A cable, mounting bracket, leveling plate, and screws are included with the sensor. Other tools will need to be provided.

Tools Needed| Flathead screwdriver

Mounting post 33.0 to 53.3 mm (1.3 to 2.1 in) diameter post, pole, tripod, tower, or other similar infrastructure that extends above the canopy

Mounting bracket + leveling plate Model AL-120 (included).

Nylon screw #10-32 x 3/8 in (included)

METER ZENTRA series data logger ZL6 or EM60

METER ZSC Bluetooth ® Sensor Interface (optional)

METER ZENTRA software ZENTRA Utility, ZENTRA Utility Mobile, or ZENTRA Cloud

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Preparation| Conduct System Check

METER strongly recommends setting up and testing the system (sensors and data loggers) in the lab or ofﬁce.

Inspect and verify all components are intact.

Visit the data logger product page for the most up-to-date software and ﬁrmware. Verify all sensors are functional and read within expected ranges.

Consider the Surroundings

Choose a location that allows the hemispherical view UV sensors to be above the plant canopy or in a position with an unobstructed view of the sky (such as a large canopy gap or forest clearing).

Ensure the sensor is not shaded from nearby objects (weather stations, mounting posts, etc.).

Mounting| Install on Mounting Post

Use the U-bolt to mount the mounting bracket and sensor assembly (Section 2.1). The U-bolt is compatible with most meteorological stands, poles, tripods, and other mounts.

Ensure the sensor is oriented so the cable points toward true North (in the Northern hemisphere) or true South (in the Southern hemisphere) to reduce azimuth error.

Secure the System

Tighten the U-bolt nuts by hand until hand-tight, and then tighten with a wrench.

CAUTION: Do not overtighten U-bolt.

Adjust the three machine screws on the leveling plate until the integrated bubble level indicates that the sensor is level.

Secure and Protect Cables

NOTE: Improperly protected cables can lead to severed cables or disconnected sensors. Cabling issues can be caused by many factors such as rodent damage, driving over sensor cables, tripping over cables, not leaving enough cable slack during installation, or poor sensor wiring connections.

Install cables in conduit or plastic cladding when near the ground to avoid rodent damage.

Gather and secure cables between the sensors and the data logger to the mounting post in one or more places to ensure cable weight does not pull the plug free from its port.

Connect to Data Logger

Plug the sensor into a data logger.

Use the data logger to make sure the sensor is reading properly. Verify these readings are within expected ranges.

For more instructions on connecting to data loggers, refer to Section 2.2.

SET UP MOUNTING ASSEMBLY

Apogee UV sensors must be level to accurately measure UV irradiance incident on a horizontal surface. Each Apogee UV sensor purchased from METER comes with an AL-120 Solar Mounting Bracket with Leveling Plate. The AL-120 can be mounted to either a horizontal or vertical post, depending on which set of holes is used.

Align the cable M8 connector pins with the sensor M8 connector holes and seat connectors fully.
Tighten the cable screw until hand-tight.
M8 connectors are easy to overtighten. Do not use pliers or other tools to tighten this connector.
Mount the sensor to the leveling plate with the included nylon screw.
Attach the leveling plate to the mounting bracket using the included three machine screws.
Attach the mounting bracket either to a horizontal arm or vertical post using the included U-bolt.

CONNECT TO METER ZENTRA SERIES LOGGER

Apogee UV sensors are preconfigured by METER and work seamlessly with METER ZENTRA series data loggers. The sensors come with a 3.5-mm stereo plug connector to facilitate easy connection with the data loggers. Apogee sensors come standard with a 5-m cable.

3.5-mm stereo plug connector wiring

Check the METER download webpage for the most recent data logger firmware. Logger configuration may be done using either ZENTRA Utility (desktop and mobile application) or ZENTRA Cloud (web-based application for cell-enabled ZENTRA data loggers).

Plug the stereo plug connector into one of the sensor ports on the logger.
Connect to the data logger via ZENTRA Utility with a laptop and USB cable or ZENTRA Utility Mobile app with a mobile device supporting Bluetooth® communication.
Use ZENTRA Utility to scan the ports and make sure the sensors were properly identiﬁed by the logger and are reading properly.
METER data loggers should automatically recognize the Apogee sensor.
Use ZENTRA Utility to set the measurement interval.
Use ZENTRA Utility to conﬁgure communication settings for data transfer to ZENTRA Cloud.

Sensor data can be downloaded from METER data loggers using either ZENTRA Utility or ZENTRA Cloud. Refer to the logger user manual for more information.

DATA INTERPRETATION

Apogee UV sensors used with the ZENTRA system report UV-A irradiance in energetic flux density units of watts per square meter (W/m2). Additionally, the sensor orientation information is provided in the metadata tab of ZENTRA Cloud and ZENTRA Utility file downloads (Microsoft® Excel® spreadsheet). Sensor orientation is reported as the zenith angle in units of degrees, with a zenith angle of 0° indicating a sensor oriented straight upwards.

TROUBLESHOOTING

This troubleshooting section details possible major problems and their solutions. If the problem is not listed or these solutions do not solve the issue, contact Customer Support.

Problem

|

Possible Solution

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Sensor not responding| Check power to the sensor and logger.
Check sensor cable and stereo plug connector integrity.
Check that the SDI-12 address of the sensor is 0 (factory default). Check this with ZENTRA Utility by going to Actions, select Digital sensor terminal, choose the port that the sensor is on, and send the ?I! command to the sensor from the dropdown menu.
Sensor values are not reasonable| Verify the sensor is not shaded.
Verify the orientation angle of sensors.
Cable or stereo plug connector failure| If the stereo plug connector is damaged or needs to be replaced, contact Customer Support for a replacement connector or splice kit.
If a cable is damaged refer to the METER wire-splicing guide for cable repair.

It is recommended that Apogee UV sensors are returned for factory recalibration every 2 years. Visit Apogee repairs (apogeeinstruments.com /recalibration-and-repairs) or contact Apogee Technical Support (techsupport@apogeeinstruments.com) for details.