TPC-3000Total PrecipitationCollectorInstallation and User GuideVersion 1.7

Rev M 2/21/2006www.yesinc.com

ii

Copyright © 2002-2006 Yankee Environmental Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

The information in this document is subject to change without notice. Company andproduct names used herein may be the trademarks or registered trademarks of theirrespective companies.

Yankee Environmental Systems, Inc.Airport Industrial Park101 Industrial Blvd.Turners Falls, MA 01376 USA

Phone: 413-863-0200FAX: 413-863-0255E-mail: info@yesinc.comhttp://www.yesinc.com

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Contents Contents .............................................................................................................. iii In This Manual .................................................................................................... vi

1 Overview ...................................................................1-1 Development History....................................................................................1-3

Specifications......................................................................................................1-4 Additional Features......................................................................................1-5

Principle of Operation.........................................................................................1-6 Power Management......................................................................................1-7 General Sequence of Operation ...................................................................1-8

2 Installation ................................................................2-1 Mechanical Assembly.........................................................................................2-2

Step 1: Unpacking ........................................................................................2-3 Step 2: Optional Stand Setup .......................................................................2-4 Step 3: Bolting the Mainframe to the Stand .................................................2-4 Step 4: Bucket Bracket and Counterbalance Weights..................................2-6 Step 5: Mount Motor Control Box and Sensor Arm.....................................2-7

Mounting on a Legacy ACM Stand..................................................................2-10 Preliminary Checkout .......................................................................................2-11 Permanently Installing the System at the Site...................................................2-12 Making Battery Electrical Connections ............................................................2-13

Understanding the Standby Battery ...........................................................2-13 Installing the Standby Battery Box.............................................................2-14

Making AC Electrical Connections ..................................................................2-16 AC line power connection ..........................................................................2-16 Connecting to Earth Ground......................................................................2-17

Interfacing to a Data Management System.......................................................2-18 Connecting the Auxiliary Analog I/O.........................................................2-19 Configuring the Lid State Output ...............................................................2-19 Connecting the Lid State Data Cable.........................................................2-21

Interfacing the Serial Connection .....................................................................2-22 Serial Port Interface Command Reference.................................................2-23 Detailed Command Syntax .........................................................................2-23 Interpreting Event and Error Codes ..........................................................2-24

Breaking Down and Packing the System for Shipment....................................2-25

3 Using the System ......................................................3-1 Setting the Time..................................................................................................3-2 Interpreting TPC Events .....................................................................................3-4 Using TPC Manager ...........................................................................................3-5 Using the Trapping Column Option .................................................................3-10

Chemicals to be Determined on Precipitation Samples (XAD-2 Column withglass wool) .................................................................................................3-10

Sampling Protocol......................................................................................3-11 Sample Handling and Preservation ...........................................................3-12 Avoiding Chemical Interference.................................................................3-12 Safety ............................................................................................................3-2

TOC

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Equipment and Supplies .............................................................................3-12 Consumable Equipment..............................................................................3-13 Calibration and Standardization................................................................3-14 Filter Column Enclosure Heater and Fan .................................................3-14 Procedures .................................................................................................3-14 Initial Inspection ........................................................................................3-15 Measurement of Precipitation Volume.......................................................3-15 Rinsing the Precipitation Collection Surface.............................................3-15 Filter Column Removal and Labeling ........................................................3-16 Labeling Codes...........................................................................................3-17 Filter Column Packaging for Shipment......................................................3-18 Cleaning Collector Surface and Funnel Outlet..........................................3-18 Installation of a New Filter Column ..........................................................3-19 Waste Disposal Clean-up ...........................................................................3-19 Filter Column Sample Shipping .................................................................3-19 Quality Assurance Samples ........................................................................3-19 Summary Standard Operating Procedures ................................................3-20

4 Maintenance..............................................................4-1 Routine Maintenance ..........................................................................................4-2 Maintenance Checklist........................................................................................4-3 Specialized Service .............................................................................................4-5

Returning Parts to the Factory.....................................................................4-5 Replacing the Opti-Grid™ sensor and motor control box ...........................4-5 Replacing the lid seal ...................................................................................4-6 Working on the motor control box assembly................................................4-6

Re-Installing TPC Manager on the Palm Handheld............................................4-7 Packing for Shipment..........................................................................................4-9 Important Warranty and Product Safety information .......................................4-10 Documentation Feedback .................................................................................4-11

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In This ManualThe TPC-3000 Installation and User Guide describes how to set up and use theYankee Environmental Systems, Inc., Model TPC-3000 Total PrecipitationCollector.

This manual covers the following topics:

CHAPTER CONTENTS

1 Overview General information about the TPC-3000 Collector,including specifications and principle of operation

2 Installation Procedures for setting up the system

3 Using the System How to use the system

4 Maintenance Routine maintenance procedures that you shouldperform; information on servicing the system

Palm Inc. Palm™ Desktop User Guide. The TPC-3000 system includes TPCManager, a PalmOS™ application that enables you to wirelessly upload and viewTPC-3000 event data, permitting on site quality control. The Palm™ DesktopSoftware is documented and supported by Palm Inc. See www.palm.com andsearch for “desktop/HotSync” for more information.

If you have a question about operating the TPC-3000 and cannot find the answeryou need in this manual, contact YES Technical Support using any of thefollowing methods:

• E-mail: support@yesinc.com

• Web: www.yesinc.com (see the Support section)

• Fax: +1-413-863-0255

• Phone: +1-413-863-0200 (9AM-5PM EST Monday through Friday)

Warning: Please read this manual before using your system. Because theTPC-3000 contains moving parts than have the potential to pinch you, besure to keep hands and finger clear of moving components. The system isautomatic and the lid can open at any time due to the random nature ofprecipitation. Never operate the system around young children while theyare unattended.

What this manualcovers

Related manuals

Technical support

CHAPTER 1 Overview

The TPC-3000 Total Precipitation Collector is a state-of-the-art automatic wetdeposition sampler designed for remote operation. The system consists of amotor-driven cover and deposition bucket, normally kept covered during periodsof non-precipitation. A sophisticated microprocessor-controlled electronicprecipitation sensor, the Opti-Grid™, detects wet atmospheric deposition events.The internal CPU logs the date and time of precipitation onset. A human operatorperiodically physically the recovers accumulated precipitation for off-sitelaboratory chemical analysis.

The digital Opti-Grid™ dual sensor represents a major improvement over olderanalog detectors technology where very light precipitation events were oftenmissed. Often, the earliest phases of a precipitation event contains the highestconcentration of contaminants. Some scientists believe that historically, this lackof sensitivity tended to bias atmospheric deposition climatological data.

The TPC-3000 captures total wet atmospheric deposition. Wet depositionincludes liquid and frozen precipitation as well as aerosols/dust duringprecipitation events. The rugged design of the system ensures reliable operationduring long-term, unattended use in the field. Features include:

• State-of-the-art automated precipitation collection

• Compatible with most tipping bucket type rain gauges

• Lightweight and modular design permits rapid setup and service

• Can be powered from batteries or AC line power with battery backup

Includes Palm™ handheld device with TPC Manager application supportingquality control of geographically dispersed networks it TPC-3000 collectors.

Typical atmospheric wet deposition applications include:

• Environmental regulatory site compliance and baseline monitoring

• Scientific research on global climate change, mercury and “acid rain”

• Precipitation model validation and calibration

• Chemical/Biological/Nuclear agent dispersion research

Managing even a small network of precipitation collectors for an extended periodrepresents a formidable data management and quality control task. Data can becollected by physically visiting the site, or via telephone or cellular modems. For

Measures wetdeposition

Applications

Specifications

1-2

remote sites without connectivity, data can be wirelessly beamed to a Palmdevices that act as a physical data shuttle.

Often, the TPC-3000 is operated standalone and only the collected precipitationin the bucket is analyzed. If desired, the system logs event data and in addition toa conventional RS-232 port, a wireless Infrared Data Association® (IrDA) dataport permits the system to send recent operational event history to the includedPalmOS handheld.

Periodic maintenance includes cleaning the precipitation sensor surfaces andchecking standby battery electrolyte levels. TPC event data stored in the PalmDesktop. From there, text data can be imported into other applications formanaging a network of TPC-3000 collectors. Event logs can support network siteoperations and quality control audits.

Opti-Grid™ detectortechnology

Figure 1. Opti-Grid™ Precipitation Sensor uses both optical and impedance

measurement to sense the onset of precipitation. (IrDA port is on opposite side)

IrDA data portand status LEDs

Figure 2. TPC-3000 with lid closed (at left) and open (at right). The IrDA data portis located on the far side of the Opti-Grid™ sensor. With the lid open, an operator

can access and remove the bucket.

IrDAPort;StatusLEDs

Specifications

1-3

Development HistoryThe TPC-3000 was developed in partnership with the National Oceanic andAtmospheric Administration (NOAA), and incorporates many features suggestedby the US National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP) personnel whohave operated wet deposition precipitation collectors for several decades.

The US Department of Energy (DOE) developed the first wet/dry depositionsamplers during the 1950s to collect radioactive fallout from above groundnuclear weapons tests. This design was adopted in the 1970s for the newlydiscovered "acid rain" problem that still affects most of the aquifers in thenortheastern United States. These early collectors were manufactured by Aero-Chem Metrics (ACM) of Florida and MIC in Canada, forming the backbone ofthe NADP network. European manufacturers made still more complex collectors.

However, in the US, the vast majority of wet/dry deposition collectors wereACM units, based on the same 1950's DOE design. These were operated by theNADP, initially deployed by the Colorado State University/Ft. Collins NaturalResource Ecology Laboratory but later directed by the Illinois State WaterSurvey (ISWS). The NADP program operates over 200 sites and is funded bynine separate US government agencies, while a similar but smaller program isoperated in Canada funded by the Canadian government.

NOAA is one of the lead agencies in guiding the NADP’s scientific goals andevaluating the prime contractor. After nearly three decades of operation, theNADP program’s ACM precipitation collection equipment was showing its ageand NOAA contracted Yankee Environmental Systems to develop a next-generation wet deposition sampler. The result was the Model TPC-3000. Whilethere were many innovations over the original ACM design, the chief designdifferences are reduced splash, greatly enhanced sensitivity to detecting lightprecipitation events, digital event logging for quality control, and significantlyhigher motor torque to overcome heavy icing conditions. One feature notreplicated was the ACM’s dry deposition bucket, which for practical reasons wasnever used due to contamination from leaves and other wind blown debris.

Design ensuresuniform response

NADP Program

Figure 3. Front and side views with lid in open position (shown on optional stand).

Specifications

1-4

SpecificationsCHARACTERISTIC DESCRIPTION

Power Required 11-15 Vdc @3.1A (max, motor operating); 90mA(typical) w/heaters off, 1A w/heater on (no motoroperating; 1 mA disconnected. 2-12W heaterconfigurations. Average depends on duty cycle andheater configuration. Optional AC line supply alsoavailable, which float-charges customer supplieddeep cycle type RV/Marine battery.

Weight 38 lbs. (17 kg), without stand, battery or bucket

Materials Aluminum, 304 stainless steel, bronze, UV resistantplastics

Analog input Tipping bucket rain gauge switch contact

Operating Temp range ±35°C

Digital I/O Wired: RS-232, 9600 baud 8-N-1 9 pin serial D; 0-5Vdc TTL “lid state” output for loggersWireless: IrDA, via TPC Manager PalmOS app

Data Storage ≈75000 Precipitation events

Precipitation event types Open Lid, Close Lid, Precipitation start, Bucket tip,Precipitation stop, Reset, Suspend/Pause

Optical Sensor Wavelength 880 nm (near IR, invisible)

Onset of Precipitation start 3 to 20 drops per minute; (user settable)

Hold precipitation state 5 minute running average

Delay to Precipitation stop 0.5 to 5 minutes (user settable)

Electrical Connections Internal terminal strip, 2 wire battery cable pre-wired with 6’ (1.8m), terminated as 0.186” fast-on

Mechanical Line ReplaceableUnits / Modules

Mainframe; Motor/electronics enclosure;Opti-Grid™ sensor arm

Manual over-ride to open lid Quick disconnect pin or manually rotate motor arm

Reliability MTTF 100K cycles (no load);10K cycles (full load)

Splash Characteristics No horizontal surfaces; lid below and away frombucket at 45° angle

Opening Speed ≈6 seconds (closed to open)

Lid hold down force > 100 lbf (typical)

Lid rest breakout torque ≈ 300 in-lbf (typical)

Collection Bucket size Fits standard NADP 12” top diameter x 10” deepbucket; depth limited only by height from ground

Size 57.75" (146.7 cm) high; 41.75" (106 cm) long;41.65" (105 cm) deep

Specifications

1-5

Additional FeaturesCHARACTERISTIC DESCRIPTIONStandby battery voltage Readout via RS-232 (ASCII)DC input protection Inputs protected from polarity reversal, surges, &

over-voltage conditions.Current limiting on motor 3.1 A maximumBattery Protection Prevents damage from over-discharge of battery.

Low voltage cut-off is user settable to 11.0V,11.5V, or 12.0 V. Current drain while disconnectedis 1 mA. Normal operation resumes when thebattery voltage rises to the use settable cut-onvoltage of 12.5V, 13.0V, or 13.5V

Figure 4. Mechanical Interface Drawing.

Principle of Operation

1-6

Principle of OperationThe Model TPC-3000 Total Precipitation Collector represents the state-of-the-artin automated atmospheric wet deposition collection systems. Designed forreliable long term unattended collection of precipitation samples, it leverages thelatest advances in instrumentation technology.

The TPC-3000 is built from rugged aluminum and stainless steel components andconsists of a collection bucket, a sealing lid, a motor gearbox and an electronicprecipitation detector. Once power is applied, the CPU initiates a short delay andthen positions the lid in the appropriate position depending on precipitationconditions. After this initial start sequence, whenever the detector sensesprecipitation, it opens the bucket lid until the event is over.

To provide redundancy and reliability, the precipitation detector uses twoindependent gold-plated impedance/shorting grids, and an optical detector. Aninternal CPU measures the impedance of the grids constantly, looking for achange caused by any precipitation. The grids logically qualify the optical sensorto check for insects that might otherwise fool it into indicating a falseprecipitation event.

The impedance-based detector is implemented with two pairs of conductivegrids, one fine-mesh pair and one coarse-mesh pair. The optical detector isimplemented with a pair of infrared transmitters aimed at a pair of matchedreceivers. The impedance of the grid detectors is measured by the application of alow-voltage AC signal, eliminating corrosion due to electrolysis. The fine gridsare able to detect smaller diameter precipitation than the coarse grids, so thecoarse grids are used primarily for verification purposes. Ten-second averages ofthe fine grid impedance measurement are also used to increase reliability.

The optical sensor not only measures the presence of an object blocking theinfrared beam, but also the time duration of events. Internal firmware filters outunwanted electrical glitches that are too short to be caused by precipitation. Italso filters permanent blockage caused by foreign objects such as spider websthat are too long to be caused by precipitation. This helps provide exceptionalimmunity to false positives caused by events such as insect motion or webswafting through the optical beam. Events that do fall within the time durationexpected for precipitation are accumulated in ten second blocks. The past sixblocks are kept in a circular queue, thus providing an accurate characterization ofthe previous minute’s worth of precipitation.

Data from the grids and optical sensor are then fused to further enhancereliability. The optical sensor is able to trigger a precipitation event byexceeding a given threshold of the number of counts in the past minute. Thisdefault threshold is ten, but is user-adjustable. Note the optical sensor must beable to trigger a precipitation event independently from the grids, since manyforms of frozen precipitation will merely bounce off the surfaces of the grids.

For the grids to trigger a precipitation event, one of two conditions must occur:

• Grid measurements have fallen below a user-settable threshold, or

• A ten second average of the grid has fallen below this threshold.

Principle of Operation

1-7

This algorithm allows the sensor to react nearly instantaneously to a suddendownpour, while reacting to a light mist with an appropriate amount of caution.In order to react to the end of a precipitation event in a reasonable amount oftime, the grids are kept heated. When the grids are dry, they are held at 3°Cabove ambient temperature, in order to avoid triggering due to dew or fog. Thisrequires almost no power, as the grid surfaces are heated slightly from the co-located electronics directly beneath them. When the grids are wet, they are heldat 25°C above ambient. In addition, grid surfaces are never allowed to dropbelow freezing.

In the first few minutes of operation, internal heaters warm the surface of thedetector to slightly above ambient temperature (as measured by an airtemperature sensor). Each time a precipitation event is detected that exceeds thedetection threshold, the lid is opened. Once the precipitation event ends and theheaters dry the grids off, the lid is closed. Each open and close even is recordedin internal memory along with data taken from an optional co-located rain gaugethat is connected to the system, such as a YES Model TPS-3100.

While the TPC-3000 system is running, you can use the IrDA port to wirelesslyupload event data with the provided Palm handheld. This device acts as a datashuttle, also providing display of the event history. Used with a co-located raingauge you can identify quality control problems such as missed precipitationevents, and guide proactive corrective maintenance action while still at the site.

When the site operator returns the precipitation sample from the field to the labfor preliminary analysis, data from the PalmOS device can be synchronized tothe Palm Desktop running on their MS-Windows PC or Apple Macintosh1. Oncethe data file is created, it can then uploaded to a central networked database viaTCP/IP or manually via floppy disk.

Power ManagementThe DC power input voltage range is 11 to 14.5 Vdc. The maximum short termpower consumption is about 43.5 Watts (3 A @ 14.5 Vdc) and occurs only withthe motor at maximum torque (heaters are turned off briefly while the motor isrunning). The nominal current draw at 12 Vdc is 1.1 A with the heaters on, and0.09 A with the heaters off. The DC supply must be stable to provide reliableoperation.

If deployed at off-grid remote sites, a customer-supplied 12 Vdc deep-cycle typeRV/Marine battery powers the system. The battery must be recharged by a user-supplied solar panel and/or wind turbine. Note that sites with grid power stillneed a standby battery to keep the system running during brief local powerfailures. An optional internal AC supply is available, and also keeps the batteryfloat charged.

1 Support for the Palm™ Desktop Software is provided by Palm Inc. atwww.palm.com Support for TPC Manager is provided by YES. Please refer tothe documentation provided with the PalmOS™ device for more information.

Opti-Grid™ heating

Power regulation

Principle of Operation

1-8

During an AC power outage, the system shuts down when the battery reaches auser-settable minimum voltage threshold. Transient suppressors clamp inputvoltage spikes and regulators provide input power conditioning to help eliminatesupply voltage fluctuations often found in field installations.

General Sequence of OperationThe electronics are controlled by an internal microprocessor that continuouslymonitors the grid precipitation sensor impedance, ambient temperature, controlsthe motor and grid heaters, all while monitoring the IrDA port for commands.Under normal operation, the following operations are performed automatically bythe CPU:

1 Precipitation lowers the impedance across the grid precipitation sensors. Theoptical sensor is then used to determine precipitation.

2 The CPU drives the motor to open the lid, and monitors lid position to ensurethat lid actually opens. If lid fails to reach the open position, the CPU appliespower to the motor for 10 seconds out of every minute until it succeeds. Thisapproach helps preserve battery power during severe icing conditions.

3 During precipitation, the lid remains open and is stationed away and at anangle from the collection bucket to prevent splash back and contaminate thesample.

4 When precipitation stops, the heaters in the precipitation detector drive offthe moisture and dries out the grid.

5 The CPU drives the motor to close the lid, and monitors lid position to ensurethat lid actually closes. Like the opening sequence, if the motor fails to closethe lid, the CPU operates the motor for 10 seconds out of each minute until itsucceeds.

At any time during the above operations, operators can approach the system andinteract via the IrDA port (using the Palm device and TPC Manager), or via theinternal RS-232 serial port (using a serial cable and a terminal emulator). If theoptional modem is installed and connected to an active telephone line, the usercan dial in and connect to it via the telephone network.

Note: It is not possible to use the serial port and the IrDA port simultaneously,however the TTL output is independent of both.

CHAPTER 2 Installation

The TPC-3000 system consists of:

The Model TPC-3000 Total Precipitation Collector

The Palm Inc. handheld with the TPC Manager application pre-installed

Optional AC power supply inside the electronics enclosure

Optional stand

Save the shipping boxes in case you ever need to return the system for service.

The physical installation process consists of the following tasks:

1 Preliminary assembly and checkout (potentially done indoors)

2 Performing some checks to become familiar with the system

3 Mounting the system at your permanent site, including making necessarypermanent AC electrical connections

This chapter describes each task in detail.

Save the shippingcontainers

Installationprocess

Mechanical Assembly

2-2

Mechanical AssemblyFind an open dry location such as a lab area or a garage with an open floor towork on, and lay out the parts to be sure you have all the required components.For tools, you will need a medium sized Phillips screwdriver, an adjustable(crescent) wrench and a set of Allen wrenches.

Figure 5. Close up of Opti-Grid™ precipitation sensor arm. IrDA portand status LEDs are on the far side of the gold grid sensor. Thecylindrical end of sensor arm is oriented towards the nearest pole.

Figure 6. Completely assembled TPC-3000 system, shown here inthe lid open position to permit user access to the bucket.

Collector bucket insupport bracket

Optional mountingstand components

Opti-Grid™precipitationsensor armassembly

Collector bucket lid(shown resting on blackopen lid rest)

Motor control boxassembly

Lid control arms (3)

System status LEDs andIrDA data port (locatedon opposite side)

Mainframeassembly

TowardsEquator

Towardsnearestpole

Mechanical Assembly

2-3

Step 1: UnpackingDepending on options, your system may have been shipped disassembled orpartially assembled in two boxes. See Figure 6 to learn the names of variouscomponents and remove and identify the collector mainframe assembly, motorcontrol box and the Opti-Grid™ precipitation sensor arm. If included, also set outthe optional mounting stand parts.

Figure 7. Step 2: Assembly details of optional mounting stand components. Use flatwashers on the head side and flat washers and lock washers on the hex nut side. Theassembled stand is at lower right.

Mechanical Assembly

2-4

Step 2: Optional Stand SetupThe TPC-3000 must be held above suitably high enough above the ground toover than anticipated snow accumulation, and high enough such that liquidprecipitation won’t splash from the nearby ground or other surfaces up into thecollector bucket while it’s open.

Note: You can either mount the collector atop the optional mounting standor atop the four legs of a legacy Aero-Chem Metrics collector (seeMounting on a Legacy ACM Stand on page 2-10). The optional standrequires assembly before the mainframe can be attached to it.

Following Figure 7 on the previous page, begin by loosely bolting the two feet tothe lower horizontal brace. Set the front leg of the base facing downward. Fastenthe middle brace to the front leg using two ¼-20 x 1-1/2” socket head, hexscrews. Use flat washers on the head side and lock washers on the hex-nut side.

Note: Install the support bracket for the upright before the back leg.

Next, bolt the back leg and the upright to the middle brace, using six ¼-20 x 1-1/2” socket head screws. Use flat washers on the head side and lock washers onthe hex nut side. Next, use ¼-20 x 1-1/2” socket head hex screws to mount it.Again, use flat washers on the head side and lock washers on the hex-nut side.Once both legs are reasonably straight, tighten them securely. Place rear of mainassembly carefully over stand and insert and hand tighten bolts behind the motorbox and the bolts at the bottom of the collection bucket holder. Bolt the verticalpost to the horizontal center support.

Step 3: Bolting the Mainframe to the StandOnce the stand is built, bolt the mainframe assembly to it so that you can work ata convenient height. Have one or two assistants help hold the mainframe to thestand while you and fasten it using two ¼-20 x 1-1/2” socket head, hex screws.Use flat washers on the head side and both flat and split washers on the hex-nutside. See the following figures.

Mechanical Assembly

2-5

Figure 8. Step 3: Bolting mainframe to stand (top) and details of lid rest bracket (centerright), and open lid rest (lower). Note the lid rest is flexible to accommodate proper sealingwhile the lid is open. The small drain hole in lid rest should face downward.

Mechanical Assembly

2-6

Step 4: Bucket Bracket and Counterbalance WeightsIf the lid rest, arms and lid are already assembled on the mainframe assembly,you can skip to Step 5: Mount Motor Control Box and Sensor Arm on page 2-7.The bucket bracket, lid and lid rest brackets must be mechanically adjustedcarefully to ensure the lid is properly sealed while in both the open and closedpositions.

Figure 9. Step 4: Mounting the Bucket Bracket (top left), the two counterbalanced lidcontrol arms (upper right). Note two of the arms are longer; and one is motor-driven.Loosely bolt the lid to the three control arms so it can move.

Mechanical Assembly

2-7

Important: The black open lid rest tray acts as a lid rest and helps keepsthe bottom of the lid seal clean while the collector is open and collectingprecipitation. There’s a small drain hole in the flexible lid rest. Thedrainage hole should face towards the ground so any collected water drainsout.

If necessary, mount the black open lid rest tray. Install it to the mainframe usingtwo ¼-20 x 1-1/2” socket head, hex screws, flat washers and hex-nuts. Note thatone extra hex nut is used on each side of the lid rest tray to space it away fromthe lid rest bracket and provide room for it to flex and keep the lid sealed againstit when open. A hex nut then fastens it to the bracket, and be sure the lid restdrain hole faces downward.

Now fasten the bracket as shown using four ¼-20 x 1-1/2” socket head hexscrews. Use flat washers on the head side and lock washers on the hex-nut side.Do not tighten the bracket until later when we test that it meets the lid evenly.Next, secure the two heavy brass weights at the end of the two long arms. Beforeconnecting both arms, bolt each counterweight to the end of each arm, keepingthem weight outboard of the collector as shown. Once the weights are fastened toeach arm, mount the arms to the axle on the instrument base using a bolt/spacer.Next, loosely install the open lid rest arm to the mainframe side plates as shown.Install the lid as shown on its three arms. Fasten the arms on the inside of the lidwith the hex nut facing out.

Next, loosely install the open lid rest arm to the mainframe side plates as shown.Install the lid as shown on its three arms. Fasten the arms on the inside of the lidwith the hex nut facing out. Connect the arm on the control box to the weight-balancing arm using the pull pin.

Now remove the pull pin so the control arms are free to move, insert thecollection bucket and make necessary fine mechanical adjustments to both the lidrest and bucket brackets such that the lid comes to a secure rest in both positions.The goal is for the lid to be fully seated in each position, yet also permit fullrotary motion.

Step 5: Mount Motor Control Box and Sensor ArmAt this point, you should have the mainframe assembly bolted to the stand andthe lid assembled, such that it can move back and forth freely from the open toclosed position. Now bolt the motor control box as shown at the top of Figure 10using four ¼-20x1 Phillips flat head screws, flat washers, lock washers and hexnuts.

Next, open the motor control box door and mount the Opti-Grid™ sensor arm tothe control box as shown. Use care to thread the cables into the motor control boxwithout putting mechanical stress on them. Inside the motor control box,carefully align and insert the two connectors as shown in figure 10.

Important: The sensor connectors are keyed such that that they only insertin one orientation. Do not use excessive force when inserting these into thePCB or you may damage them.

Mechanical Assembly

2-8

Once you are satisfied the lid is seating properly, insert the pull pin. Finally,check the bucket and the Opti-Grid™ sensor arm using a bubble level.

Important: Reliable operation requires the lid and control arms to movefreely under motor control. Take a few minuets to get these adjustedcorrectly. The idea is to prevent precipitation from splashing up andcontaminating the underside o f the lid, and to prevent evaporation ofcollected precipitation. If the lid is adjusted too tightly, the motor may shutdown and operation will halt.

The following page shows exploded view illustrations of the system.

Figure 10. Step 5: Mount the motor control box using Philips flat head screws, and theOpti-Grid sensor arm. Feed cables through the hole and make connections inside themotor control box. Link control arm and tie the ring off to the side.

Tie pullring toside

Insert Opti-Gridconnectors here.The RS-232 port isthe DB9 connectorto the right

Mechanical Assembly

2-9

Important: The Opti-Grid™ sensor was aligned at the factory. Avoidloosening the set screw directly beneath the cylindrical section of the armor it will be very difficult to re-attain the original optical detectionsensitivity.

Mounting on a Legacy ACM Stand

2-10

Mounting on a Legacy ACM StandIn addition to its optional stand, the TPC-3000 is compatible with legacy Aero-Chem Metrics (ACM) collector legs, as shown below in Figure 11, in some casesused with suitable adapters. This can save you significant installation time if youare upgrading a precipitation collector network from ACM equipment.

Note: If you ordered the stand you can skip this section.

Remove the old ACM unit it from its four legs and bolt the TPC-3000 into place,

keeping the system level. There are several variants of the ACM collector, level itand drill holes in the stand if necessary that match TPC-3000 side plate holes. Asthere is some variability in ACM equipment, in some cases, you may need to trimtwo ACM collector legs and/or drill holes legs to line up with the TPC-3000mainframe holes, or use suitable adapters. Use stainless steel ¼-20 hardware,(available at hardware stores). Verify the bucket is level before tightening thehardware.

Figure 11. TPC-3000 system mainframe mounted on legacy ACM stand legs.

Preliminary Checkout

2-11

Preliminary CheckoutBefore installing the system permanently in the field, we recommend that youbecome familiar with it, and this section describes some tests you can perform totry out the system. For these tests, you will need AC power or a charged DCbattery. You can perform these tests indoors or outside.

Important: The optical sensor arm must be aimed towards the nearestpole. Partially sunlight reaching the optical detectors (located under thegrids), can cause false opening events if it is modulated by random leafmotion. Always install the system in an open area away from the shade. Inthe tropics you may wish to add a 1” light shield cone immediately aroundthe detectors if you experience false tripping. As such a shield is ideal forspider webs, always check for webs in it to avoid false tripping.

With power applied and after a short power-on delay, you should see a red LEDperiodically blink on the side of the Opti-Grid™ sensor indicating the CPU isoperating properly. Wave your hand between the optical emitter/detector andobserve the other blue LED flash. If you do not see any LED activity, suspectpower is not reaching the system.

Hold up four fingers and move them quickly through the beam. This should makethe system open the lid. In a minute or two the lid should close again (unless it israining or the gold grids are actually wet.

Note: The optical sensor is looking for very brief optical pulses indicatingprecipitation, to try to discern the presence of insects flying in the beam.You must move your fingers rapidly through the beam to trick it intoopening.

Now wet your fingers and touch the gold grids on the precipitation sensor toshort them. You should observe the lid open after a few seconds.

Next, move the system outdoors so that it is unobstructed from trees, buildings,etc. When precipitation is occurring, the lid should remain open. When it is notprecipitating, the lid should remain closed.

Note: The supplied Palm device is not required for operation of thesystem, but is useful for quality control diagnostics.

Observe status LEDoperation

Check Opti-Grid™

Permanently Installing the System at the Site

2-12

Permanently Installing the System at the SiteThe TPC-3000 is designed to operate in an open area away from trees,vegetation, and buildings that could cause obstructions from some precipitationangles. The area should have a clear view of the total sky, with as few obstacleson the horizon as possible. The middle of a large, open field is always a goodchoice. For more information on routine maintenance procedures that you shouldperform on a regular schedule, see Routine Maintenance on page 4-2.

Depending on the site you choose, the system is ideally installed in an open areamounted on a deck or concrete pad, via either the optional stand or legacy ACMcollector legs. Be sure that the platform is mechanically stable. A raised platformis especially desirable for areas in which deep snow can be encountered.

To keeps sunlight out of the optical detectors, position the system so that theOpti-Grid™ sensor arm is aimed towards the north in the Northern Hemisphere(or south in the Southern Hemisphere.)

Important: The optical sensor arm must be aimed towards the nearestpole. Partially sunlight reaching the optical detectors (located under thegrids), can cause false opening events if it is modulated by random leafmotion. Always install the system in an open area away from the shade. Inthe tropics you may wish to add a 1” light shield cone immediately aroundthe detectors if you experience false tripping. As such a shield is ideal forspider webs, always check for webs in it to avoid false tripping.

The TPC-3000 should be kept reasonably level and mechanically bolted intoplace using the mounting holes on the stand; otherwise strong winds could topplethe system and possibly damage it. The mounting holes are drilled for up to a1/2" (0.51 cm) diameter bolt clearance; see Figure 4 Mechanical InterfaceDrawing on page 1-5.

Once the system is level and mechanically secure, complete the installation byconnecting the power supply and if required, auxiliary I/O. These steps aredescribed in the next section.

Allow access formaintenance

Aim and Level thesensor

Bolt to platform

Making Battery Electrical Connections

2-13

Making Battery Electrical ConnectionsThis section explains how to connect the system to the Standby battery. TheTPC-3000 runs internally from 12 Vdc, typically provided by the optional AC-DC power supply or via a charged DC battery.

Ensure that all cables form a drip loop so that water drains away from theconnectors. Cables should also be secured and tied off to minimize motion in thewind. Refer to CHAPTER 4 for information on replacing fuses.

Understanding the Standby BatteryThe system will operate properly, provided that a power supply with a voltage inthe range of +11 to +14 VDC is connected to the red/black wires, however, westrongly recommend that you supply a DC standby battery. The standby batteryhelps to clamp incoming transients as its low impedance clamps spikes fromnearby lighting strikes. It also greatly improves system reliability as it providesthe ability to ride out short power outages, effectively creating an uninterruptiblepower supply (UPS) for the system.

Important: For best reliability we strongly suggest that you provide a DCstandby battery to keep the system running during brief AC power failures.The low internal source impedance of the battery provides line surgesuppression and helps protect the system from nearby lighting striketransients arriving from the AC grids. Without a standby battery, in somecases the system may halt operation during transient or power outages.

When connecting the standby battery wires, follow these “best practices”:

Always observe proper polarity; use red for positive and black for negative.

Make any splices to DC power supply leads within weatherproof crimp-typeslices, sealed with shrink fit tubing or RTV sealant.

Use heavy wire gauge to handle the current, at 14 AWG or heavier.

At the battery posts, clamp the wires using suitable clamps and then seal theconnection with an application of spray silicone sealant, available at mostautomotive supply stores.

The system shuts down when the battery reaches a low voltage threshold, whichis adjustable via jumpers on the system control board.

Make the necessaryelectrical connections

Considerations forconnecting standbybattery wires

Making Battery Electrical Connections

2-14

Important: The system is designed to operate powered on continuously,as the heaters help keep moisture out of the electronics enclosure.Prolonged exposure while powered off may damage the system. At remotesites, we recommend you connect a deep cycle Marine/RV type battery.We recommend that you relocate the system inside or cover it if you planto keep it powered off outside for a prolonged period of time.

Installing the Standby Battery BoxWithout the standby battery, whenever the system looses AC power, evenbriefly, all data will be lost. For reliable operation, a customer-supplied deepcycle RV/Marine type standby battery is required to run the system as shown inFigure 12. With AC applied, the system keeps the battery float charged.

Warning: Supplying the battery is not an option for off-grid use. Because thestandby battery has a low source impedance, it provides electrical as well as dataprotection. Also be sure to use a new battery as they have a limited, typically fiveyear life. Prolonged use of the system without the battery can result in damage tothe system electronics or the Opti-Grid Sensor.

The standby battery connects to the battery cable from the motor box. Youshould install the battery in a plastic marine/RV type battery box to protect itfrom the elements and in warmer climates that never experience freezing you cansimply place the battery box under the TPC-3000 on the ground. However, in allother cases you must keep the battery in a location the battery in a location thatwill never freeze.

Figure 12. Connections for a non-AC grid application using a solar panel/windgenerator charge controller. Place drip loops in all lines. Do not leave the batterybox exposed to freezing temperatures.

Chargecontroller

Making Battery Electrical Connections

2-15

Note: You need to locate the battery in a location where it will not freeze, suchas a heated equipment shelter. If that is not practical (and the site experiencesfreezing conditions), bury the box below the frost line in a covered below groundvault. If the battery becomes fully depleted and it experiences freezingtemperatures it will be permanently destroyed, that is, it will never hold a charge,or the battery case will crack and highly corrosive battery acid will leak out.

Periodically you will need to check the standby battery electrolyte levels so youmust provide a means of physical access to the battery. A simple solution is tocreate a vault by burying a heavy duty plastic trash barrel below grade as shownbelow.

Figure 13. In colder climates, you must prevent the deep cycle standby batteryfrom freezing solid by installing it below-grade in a suitable plastic vault or barrel.Even deep cycle marine/RV type batteries will suffer permanent damage if itfreezes when it is fully discharged. Do not omit the grounding rod.

Standby deepcycle 12VdcBattery (shown ina boat box atbottom of a vault).

Stand leg (showncemented in place)

Ground rod

Making AC Electrical Connections

2-16

Making AC Electrical ConnectionsOnce the system is level and mechanically secure, you can proceed to connectingthe AC power supply and optionally, a RS-232 link to your data managementsystem.

This section explains how to connect the system to a

AC power line

RS-232 serial data communications to a PC or

Data logger, such as a Yankee Environmental Systems Model YESDAS-2.

Important: Avoid the temptation to open the electronics enclosure and thesystem is designed to operate continuously with the power left on. This helps tokeep moisture out of the electronics. Prolonged exposure to the weather whilepowered off may damage the system electronics as water vapor may penetrate it.Bring the system inside if you plan to leave it powered off for an extended periodof time.

When running cable, place drip loops in cables so water drains away from anycable entry points. Avoid in-line cable connectors or splices and instead use fullruns of new cable. All cables should secured with electrical tape or and tied offwith cable ties to minimize repeated motion from the wind which can cause themto work harden and fail.

AC line power connectionTypically you will plug the system power cord into an outdoor outlet with a“code-keeper” weatherproof outlet cover. Alternatively, you can direct connect tothe internal terminal strip in the enclosure box, but we do not recommendopening the electronics enclosure and instead recommend that you splice the cordexternally.

Caution: Avoid connecting the RS-232 data ground to the AC power ground.Instead, connect it to a local ground rod driven into the earth. Tie the supportstand to the ground rod for safety protection, and use anti-corrosion grease at allexposed ground connections.

In rural areas, or wherever you anticipate wild animals (e.g. wolves or coy dogs)attacking and chewing on the cord, protect the cables from using a suitablearmored cable (such as Seal-tite™ or equivalent).

Although local electrical code may suggest or require the use of a ground faultcircuit interrupter (GFCI), we recommend you avoid GFCI breakers as they oftensuffer from false tripping due to nearby lightning and instead use a traditionalcircuit breaker. Instead, install commercial grade lighting surge suppression onthe AC outlet circuit.

Make the necessaryelectrical connections

Making AC Electrical Connections

2-17

Important: To help protect against lighting damage entering via the AC mains,always provide surge protection to the AC input line, either in the form of aMetal Oxide Varistor (MOV) and also a spark gap. Such permanently wired tothe mains protection devices are sold by electrical supply distributors (e.g.Grainger) as “whole house” electrical protection. Wire these devices in parallelwith the AC input line but outside the system electrical enclosure, in their ownNEMA enclosure or switch box. Always use a waterproof enclosure for theseprotection devices as they are not intended for use in wet, outdoor locations

Connecting to Earth GroundWhether or not the AC power supply is used, you need to attach the safetyground. This helps protect the system in the event of a nearby lighting strike.Connect the stand to a either a ground rod driven in the earth or a cold watersupply line. Although it can be work to do properly, do not skip grounding thesystem, as lightning can destroy the system.

Ideally, you should tie the ground wire to a copper-clad ground rod driven in thesoil immediately below where you are setting up the system. Attach the greenPVC-jacketed stranded wire from the stand to a nearby ground rod (or cold watermetallic supply pipe.)

If the system is installed on a roof and there is a rooftop lightning rod system, tiethe stand electrically to that system. If none is available, locate the nearest coppercold water supply line and tie to that using a suitable clamp.

The shorter you can make the cable the safer the ground will be. In very rocky

soil areas or at mountain top sites, you must bury multiple wires, in a radialpattern of at least eight ground wires at a radius of 10m. Place these wires aroundthe sensor near the surface and try to bury them in some soil so plants may grow.

Caution: Connect the stand to a ground rod, not the AC third prong!

#10 soft copper wire or heavycopper braid, binding strips tobrass ground terminal on stand

TPC-3000 on platform(overhead view)

#10 or 4-inch wide copper stripsburied in radial patternaround the system

Figure 14. Radial ground wire pattern used in rocky soil applications. Bury eachradial as deep as you can⎯if the area is solid rock, the radius should be at least10 m. Tie the far ends of all radial together using a large circle of wire. Use anti-corrosion clamps or thermal welds to avoid corrosion.

Interfacing to a Data Management System

2-18

Interfacing to a Data Management SystemThe TPC-3000 can be integrated into your existing weather station or dataManagement System (DMS) via its two hardware interfaces. You need to decidewhich integration method is best for you.

• The TTL (0 to 5 Volt) lid state output indicates in real time that lid iseither open or closed. This works with a co-located data logger (e.g. aYESDAS-2). with pulse input, and for isolation reasons cannot be run adistance more than a few feet (1m). A separate tipping bucket inputprovides for monitoring a co-located rain gauge.

• The RS-232 digital interface provides more detailed status informationand error event data. This interface must be connected to a terminalemulator program (e.g. running on a PC), or if the PC is located at somedistance away, the optional RS-232-to Ethernet (802.3 10/100 BaseT)media converter.

Note: Both outputs are independent and can be used at the same time, however,if you use the RS-232 interface you then cannot use the Palm IrDA interface.

Before deployment, thoroughly test the integration and verify the interface canrespond to all normal and error states. For RS-232 integration, follow the detailedguidelines in section on page 2-22. That section was specifically written as aspecification designed to aid systems integrators with interfacing the system. Ifyou are using the pulse output, the integration is far simpler, and you can still usethe Palm interface to check the system.

You will need to configure the serial port on your DMS to the proper baud rateand then capture and store all ASCII strings the system produces, eithertransmitting data to a remote system or data file. Note that the serial port cangenerally only be used to connect to a single device at a time.

Note: Due to the variety of data loggers and DMS in use around the world, wecannot provide free customized system integration support. Unless you haveadequate programming experience with the details of how your particular DMSsystem ingests and processes serial ASCII data, we strongly recommend that yousolicit the help of a trained systems integrator and/or electronics technician tointegrate the system. You essentially need to parse output strings following theguidelines on page 2-22.

As a simple functionality test to check the interface for the serial port use a PCwith a terminal emulator. For the pulse output, use a handheld DVM oroscilloscope. After the system is powered on, squirt water onto the grids via ahandheld water spray bottle, observe the lid open and the change in output.

Note: Avoid cycling the power to conserve battery life at remote sites. Thesystem has heaters within the OptiGrid and is designed to be powered onpermanently (hence the lack of any power switch). In those situations we suggestthe use of solar cells or a small wind turbine to keep the battery charged.

Interfacing to a Data Management System

2-19

Connecting the Auxiliary Analog I/OThere is one auxiliary input and one auxiliary output. The tipping bucket inputrecords each bucket tip from a co-located tipping bucket rain gauge as an event inthe event log (the event appears as “Btip” on TPC Manager). This data can beused to quality control whether the OptiGrid™ missed a precipitation event.

The tipping bucket rain gauge must have a momentary contact (typically a glassreed relay switch) that closes briefly during a tip. Analog gauges are notsupported. The TPC-3000 records one event per bucket tip. This data can be usedto quality control data by verifying that the TPC-3000 actually opened when therain gauge measured a precipitation event.

The Lid State output reflects the current status of the lid on the TPC-3000, andcan be used by a customer-supplied data logger or a YESDAS-2 to log whetherthe system opened during a precipitation event. The lid state output changes from0V to +5V when the lid stops on the lid rest. It stays at +5V until the lid closes onthe bucket, when it goes to 0V and stays there until the next lid open event.Figure 16 shows the location of the terminal strip on the printed circuit board inthe motor control box.

Configuring the Lid State OutputThis section covers connection of a the auxiliary I/O via the terminal screwconnector, to a local data acquisition system such as the YES Model YESDAS-2.While not required, a data logger can log the lid state data via any TTL-compatible pulse counting input. Note that the RS-232 interface can also be usedto acquire this same information simultaneously.

Figure 15. Sensor arm connectors (left, 10p/20p), the ambient temperaturesensor connector (center, 2p), and the RS-232 serial interface (right, 9p Sub-D).

Note that your PCB may appear slightly different depending on the version.

Opti-Grid™cables

Interfacing to a Data Management System

2-20

The digital lid state output interfaces directly to data logger or analog chartrecorder via customer-supplied foil-shielded, twisted pair wiring. When wiring toa co-located data acquisition system, the lid event output can be configured todrive either a classic pulse counting input or an analog input on your dataacquisition system.

The “lid open” signal is active high, that is, it is near zero Volts when the lid is inthe closed position (atop the bucket), and near five Volts when the lid comes torest in the open position (on the lower lid rest). The output goes low again uponreturning to the closed bucket position.

Note: The lid state signal is a voltage, not a switch contact, so no pull-up resistoris required. Verify your recording device can accommodate a 0–5 Vdc input. Ifnot (for example, it has only a 0-2.5 Vdc input span such as on the CSI CR-10),install a resistor divider to divide the output down to the appropriate voltagespan. A simple 2:1 resistive voltage divider steps 0-5 Vdc down to 0-2.5 Vdc.For example, using a pair of matched (50KΩ to 100KΩ) resistors placed betweenthe lid state output and ground.

You can also use an analog voltage logger input to log the voltage over time. Ifyou do, be sure to use a differential rather than a single ended input to avoid thepotential for grounds loops. Connect the output leads to the terminal inputs ofyour data logger, observing proper polarity. Connect the shield to a co-locatedground rod.

Finally, while not necessary, the TPS-3000 system can also log pulses from a co-located electronic precipitation gauge with a pulse output, such as a YES ModelTPS-3100. Having a rain gauge track accumulated precipitation allows forquality control in the event that the TPC-3000 misses a light precipitation event.

Note: If you want, the RS-232 serial interface conductors can be included in thesame PVC cable as the auxiliary I/O.

Figure 16. Location the Auxiliary I/O (located in the motor control box.)

Interfacing to a Data Management System

2-21

Connecting the Lid State Data CableUse two wires to connect the lid state data logger (suggested wire colors):

WIRE COLOR DESCRIPTION

Orange Lid state output signal (0 - 5 Vdc)

Green Lid state output signal return

Important: Be sure to completely close the electronics enclosure door when youleave the system to keep water out of the system electronics.

Interfacing the Serial Connection

2-22

Interfacing the Serial ConnectionWhile normally the Palm interface is sufficient to use the TPC-3000, in someapplications, you can connect the system to a data collection system via a directEIA RS-232C serial port.

Note: Using the serial port is optional and prevents the simultaneous use of thePalm IrDA interface (internally they both use the same hardware). You shouldalso consider carefully that wiring to the serial port increases the risk of failureby creating an additional pathway for lighting to enter the system and destroy it.

If you decide to connect to the serial port, we strongly recommend the use offiber optic RS-232 isolation equipment in all applications other than a very shorttemporary cable. B&B Electronics and Black Box are sources for mediaconverters for converting RS-232 to fiber or optically isolated differential RS-422. RS-422 permits separation up to 4000 ft (≈1300 m), while fiber optic linkscan be much longer. For wired differential RS-422 connections, be sure to selectmedia converters that provide “true optical isolation” to prevent lightningdamage. However, these converters require a source of AC power which mustalso be surge protected. Again we strongly recommend the use of fiber outdoors.

Next, media converters need power and remember the AC line input for themedia converters also needs surge protection! While they work on PCs, werecommend that your avoid media converters that try to obtain their power fromthe RS-232 port itself. That design feature actually helps prevent AC surges fromruining the equipment, but it expects the RS-232 device (in this case the TPC) topower it, which it is not designed to do. The manufacturer needs to provide apower supply for the media converter device located at the TPC.

The Female DB-9 serial port is a wired as a Data Communications Equipment(DCE) device, and the cable supplied can plug directly into a Data TerminalEquipment (DTE) DB-9 serial port on your PC. When connecting to a laptop orPC, use a straight RS-232 cable, not a null modem cable. If the serial port onyour data management system is wired for DCE and not DTE, you need a nullmodem cable to communicate between the two.

Note: The original EIA RS-232C “standard” is interpreted in various waysby different manufacturers and today, RS-232 cables come in many shapesand styles. Even if the cable connector physically mates properly (e.g. DB-9 pin male to DB-9 pin female), this does not guarantee the connection isproperly wired electrically. Most RS-232 problems are caused by incorrectcable wiring or lack of a null modem cable when one is required. If you arenot sure of the interface wiring to your data management system, refer toHorowitz & Hill's “The Art of Electronics” ISBN: 0521370957; 2ndedition (1989), for a useful tutorial on RS-232.

The EIA-RS232C serial specification has a 50’ (≈15m) limitation on cablelength. However, in practice, if you use high quality, low capacitance-per-footcable you can extend this limit up to about 200’ indoors. However, long wiresoutside are essentially antennas and create serious risk of lighting damage to thesystem, which is not covered by the warranty. Also, equipment at the other endof the line will likely be damaged as well. At a bare minimum, install MOV surge

Use fiber opticmedia converters

DB-9F is a DCEdevice

Interfacing the Serial Connection

2-23

suppression at both ends of the RS-232 hardwire connection. However, fiberoptic isolated converters will essentially prevent the risk of such damage.

Serial Port Interface Command ReferenceInside the motor control box is a DB-9 RS-232 serial port. Connected to asuitable terminal emulator, you can command the system to do certain operations.

C - Event log CountD - Debug, stack depthG - Opti-Grid™ voltagesL - Lid open/closed stateO - Optical countsP - Precipitation yes/noQ - Query suspend/resume stateR - ResumeS - Suspend (Caution: deactivates heaters)T - TransmitU - UTC TimeZ - Erase (Zap) event log buffer (clears event log)

Note: You can use either the serial port or the IrDA port to issue thesecommands, but you cannot use both at once. When using the IrDA port one thePalm device, you must provide a suitable terminal emulator as TPC Managerdoes not provide this function.

Detailed Command SyntaxIn each of the following examples, the format is “command: value returned”

C: event_count Number of events since reset

G: Vgc Vgf Vave Tgrid Tamb Fgrid_htr Vgc, Vgf in mV;Tamp = Grid ambient Temp (°C),Fgrid = Grid Heaters: 0=off, 1=on

L: n m p n: wants to be 1=open, 2=closedm: is 1=open, 2=closed;p: is 0=stopped, 1=moving

O: sum b1..b6 bshort bok blong Vagc opt_htr

Sum = sum of all bins b1..b6;bshort = Too short 10 ms;VagcOpt_htr=Optical Htrs: 0=off, 1=on

P: Fprecip STATEprecip Fprecip = Precipitating?: 0=noprecip, -1=precip;STATEprecip: 0=no precip,1=precip, 2=time delay

Q: suspend/resume state Returns “suspended” or “resume”

CommandSummary

Interfacing the Serial Connection

2-24

U: YYYY MM DD hh mm ss Shows time in format ofYYYY=year MM=month DD=dayhh=hour mm=minute ss=second

or set time:

U YYYY MM DD hh mm ss shows time in format ofYYYY=year MM=month DD=dayhh=hour mm=minute ss=second

Z: - erases event log

Interpreting Event and Error CodesThe TPC-3000 reports activity as event codes, indicated via a STATUS byte. It isconsidered a status event only if the highest bit is NOT set. In this case, thefollowing table indicates the particular Event.

If the highest bit in the STATUS byte is set, this indicates an error code, and thefollowing table indicates the Error.

128 =128 ok – no error128+1 =129 Optical error (either Vagc too high or no test pulse

found)128+2 =130 Lid error (failed to get to desired position)128+4 =132 Grid thermistor (open or shorted)128+8 =136 Ambient thermistor (open or shorted)128+16 =144 Battery voltage low (now set to 12.3 V)

Note: If you are using the serial port you cannot use the IrDA port andTCP Manager at the same time to interact with the system.

EVENTABBREVIATION

EVENT DESCRIPTION

Reset Occurs at system power-on

PStart Beginning of precipitation event

LOpen Lid has opened

PStop End of precipitation event

LClose Lid has closed

BTip One rain gauge bucket tip (e.g. 0.01”)

Suspend Stop normal operation and open lid, wait

Resume Resume normal operation and close lid

Table 1. TPC-3000 event descriptions

Breaking Down and Packing the System for Shipment

2-25

Breaking Down and Packing the System for ShipmentIf you are relocating the system to another location, or are returning the system tothe factory, it is very important to read this section carefully. Try to use theoriginal packing materials when you ship the system. If you no longer have theoriginal box, we recommend that you build a wooden crate to protect it.

Mechanical disassembly generally follows the reverse of the assembly stepssection.

1 Disconnect AC power, battery and communication cables. Tape up thebattery leads so they cannot short together.

2 Unbolt the flanges that separate the mainframe assembly from the stand.

3 Remove the mainframe from the stand and set the unit on a flat surface orworkbench.

4 The Opti-Grid sensor assembly is fragile and needs to be protected duringshipment. Disconnect it from the motor box using care to not stress theconnectors that tether it to the main controller board.

5 Separately bubble wrap the sensor assembly and the mainframe assemblyindividually. Again, do not put strain or stress on the wiring harnesses.

6 Now wrap the sensor assembly and mainframe assembly with several morelayers of bubble wrap.

7 Pack the rest of the voids in the box tightly with either bubble wrap or foam.

Figure 17. Pack the system broken down and protected by padding. Alwaysdisconnect the OptiGrid arm.

Breaking Down and Packing the System for Shipment

2-26

Take care to be gentle when removing the electrical connections on the Motorcontrol box internal printed circuit board and note their positions. While designedto be rugged and take field abuse, your system has a few fragile components thatcan be damaged if handled roughly. Always use the original packing materials ifyou need to ship the system. Due to its weight and sharp corners, if you no longerhave the original boxes we recommend that you buy a rigid flight case, build acustom plywood crate, or as a last resort, strap it to an open pallet and pad it well.

Caution: Freight carriers often must stack other boxes on palletizedshipments. To avoid damage, do not ship the system shrink-wrappedstrapped to an open pallet fully assembled. Ideally, you should crate thesystem. The Opti-Grid™ sensor assembly may be damaged if shippedbolted to the system mainframe. Always insure your shipment.

We strongly recommend that you insure your shipment using the carrier’s ownfreight insurance, as freight carriers take much better care of items when they areinsuring them directly. You need to insure it for the full replacement value.

Some entities such as the US government are self-insured. Government usersshould be wary of shipping on commercial carriers without paying for carrierinsurance. Freight carriers will expect that items can take extremely abusivetreatment, and are worth only the minimum default insurance coverage, often afew US dollars-per-pound. Carriers will not drop a carton several meters ontoconcrete when they know they are responsible for damages.

If you are returning the system for service or calibration, do not return systems toYES without first obtaining a valid Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA)number by following the RMA instructions listed at www.yesinc.com undersupport. Shipments arriving without freight prepaid (e.g. C.O.D.) will be refused,and those without valid a RMA number will experience a significant servicedelays and additional freight charges.

Note: If you are returning a system from an international location, you must shipfreight prepaid “door-to-door” (not to a “US Airport” or “US port of entry”.Failure to ship items directly to the factory will result in significant additionalfreight charges that you will then be responsible for. Follow the RMAinstructions carefully.

In summary:

Contact YES for a Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) number by anyof the methods in the section In this Manual located just after the table ofcontents. A detailed RMA procedure is at www.yesinc.com/support.html

Wrap the components in bubble plastic and place it in a wooden crate orheavy duty, reinforced cardboard box that is then strapped.

Insure the instrument for its full replacement cost and ship it freight andinsurance prepaid in accordance with the RMA Instructions provided at thesupport section located on www.yesinc.com

Note: YES does not accept freight-collect or COD packages. For internationalshipments, ship door-to-door, not to a “US port of entry”.

Do not ship withoutinsurance

Self-insuredCustomers

Obtain and RMANumber first

InternationalShipments must be“Door-to-Door”

CHAPTER 3 Using the System

The TPC-3000 was designed to be fully automatic and requires minimalinteraction. You will need to routinely visit the collector, probably once a week,and remove the collected precipitation so that it can be chemically analyzed an alaboratory according to the area of interest. The day-to-day or week-to-weekoperation of your collector may depend on your organization’s science, or thesponsor/regulatory agency interested in the collected data.

For example, in the Canadian atmospheric deposition network, plastic bags areused to line the buckets to help keep them clean. Each week the bags areremoved and sent with the collected precipitation to a central laboratory.However, in the United States National Atmospheric Deposition Network, plasticbags are not used and the entire bucket is removed and sent into a central facilityfor washing. Such protocol variations are topics of current scientific debate.

At a minimum, visit the system periodically to collect your precipitation sample.By waving your fingers in the optical path of the Opti-Grid™ sensor, you areboth testing the sensor and opening the lid to gain physical access to thecollection bucket. Note that the lid will close automatically after a delay of 1-2minutes, which depends on the current system delay setting.

If you happen to be changing the bucket or the collection bag and it startsclosing, stand back and let it close, then wave your hand in the optical path of theOptiGrid’s sensor to open it up.

Caution. Stay alert when replacing the collection bucket. The motor mayunexpectedly activate without warning and close the lid, whether or not you thinkit should be moving. If this occurs, do not try to block the lid and keep it frommoving. Obey all safety warning labels. If you are unsure of how the instrumentbehaves in certain circumstances, consult your supervisor for assistance.

Safety in the Field

3-2

Safety in the FieldAs with any field operation, emphasis should always be placed on your personalsafety. In addition to those cautions listed in Important Warranty and ProductSafety information on page 4-10, site operators should be aware of other safetyhazards and be prepared for emergency weather situations. Site operators areresponsible for safety from potential hazards including but not limited to:

• Travel: When traveling to the site, check on road conditions and weatheradvisories. Carry emergency supplies (warm clothing, food, water) whentraveling in the winter. Always let someone know where you're going andwhen you expect to be back. Always carry a first aid kit.

• Electrical: For obvious problems (fire, scorching, blown fuses), whenservicing the enclosure or motor control box turn off the power for the circuitinvolved and notify your network operation center. Unplug the system beforereplacing fuses or major assemblies such as circuit boards. Do not attemptother electrical repairs yourself. Be especially cautious if local weatherconditions are wet.

• Insect pests: If you are allergic to insect stings, you should carry a kitprescribed by a physician during warmer months. Be especially cautious ifnests or large numbers of stinging insects are present near the system.

• Sampling procedures: Never mechanically force the lid or glassware withunprotected hands. If a filter column arrives broken, return them to yournetwork operations center. Do not attempt to remove Teflon plugs.

• Chemicals: Cleaners such as methanol is toxic and should not be ingested,inhaled, or come into contact with your bare skin.

Setting the Time

3-3

Setting the TimeIf you are using the event time functions via the serial port or TPC Manager,periodically you may wish to verify and adjust the internal real time clock, whichwill drift over time.

Note: You can only adjust time via the RS-232 serial port connection.

With a PC cabled to the serial port and using a terminal emulator such asHyperTerminal type:

You should get the "hello:" prompt. Now type “U”:

hello: U

This returns the current time setting and shows you the proper format:

hello: U YYYY MM DD hh mm ss

At the prompt, type in the date/time, being careful to follow the above syntaxexactly. Here, YYYY is the year, MM is the month, etc., and there is a spacebetween each number.

Note: The hour, hh, uses the 24 hour format.

Finally, verify the time is set by typing the U command again to read the systemtime. If you mistype something, type to return to the "hello:" prompt

Note: The backspace key does not work from within the terminalemulator.

Interpreting TPC Events

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Interpreting TPC EventsYou can chose to monitor events or you can simply collect precipitation in thebucket. For diagnostics and quality control the TPC-3000 will accept a tippingbucket’s momentary-contact switch type output. Each tip is recorded as an event(event 5, or "BTIP" on TPC Manager), that can be transferred either via the PalmDesktop or a serial cable to a PC running a terminal emulator such as Hyperterm.Totaling the bucket tip events and multiplying by the gauge’s calibrationproduces the total integrated rainfall for the observation period.

Note: To avoid redundant Memopad files from being stored is advisable toback up and delete all Memopad files on the Palm before uploading moreevents. Synchronize the Palm with the Palm desktop and then edit out theheader lines from the Memopad files.

Following is an example of a short precipitation event:

TPS Events: 01-09 to 01-122004-01-09 14:28:52 Suspend2004-01-09 14:28:57 LOpen

Using TPC Manager

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Using TPC ManagerIf you are not using the serial port and wish to monitor system events, you canuse the Palm handheld. Low cost PalmOS devices are a compelling alternative toexpensive notebook computers and other physical memory modules due to theirsize, durability, simplicity and display capabilities. With sufficient memory fordata collection from remote sites, their graphical display permits at-site viewingand quality control of data. This eliminates the need to bring a notebookcomputer or cables to remote sites, also eliminating the need for a physical data

connector, and their reliability problems.

Note: The TPC-3000 will operate automatically without using the Palmand you only need it if you wish to log event data. You monitor events withTPC Manager. The Palm device essentially provides a read-only datadisplay and can optionally act as a shuttle for recorded lid, tipping bucketand error event data. This data is useful for supporting quality control inlarger, geographically distributed monitoring networks.

TPC Manager supports PalmOS devices with an IrDA port, running Palm OSversion 3.0 or later, and provides the following capabilities:

Figure 18. Typical Palm Device. Tap on the TPC Manager Icon to start it.

Figure 19. TPC Manager's Main Screen. Tap Connect to link to the TPC-3000 viaIrDA and upload data from it, or Export data to the Palm clipboard.

Using TPC Manager

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1 Instant feed back displays event failures and makes them immediatelyapparent, allowing more proactive system maintenance in the field

2 Browsing text data3 Data review on a desktop computer via memo pad, once data has been

synced via the PalmOS data conduit to the Palm desktop supplied with yourdevice

The Main Screen is the first screen presented, shown in Figure 19. Holding thePalm device close to the TPC-3000 IrDA port located near the blinking LED,you upload TPC-3000 logged events by tapping the “Connect” button.

Important: For IrDA communications to work the Palm handheld devicemust be held within a range of 2 to 12” (5 to 25 cm) of the IrDA data portwindow before tapping the Connect button. The IrDA port is near thestatus LEDs. There can be no optical obstructions between the Palm deviceand the IrDA port. If precipitation is occurring, the beam may beperiodically interrupted. If you are experiencing precipitation shadeprecipitation between the two ports using your free hand.

Once IrDA connectivity is successfully established, the Device Communicationsscreen appears, as shown in Figure 20. If you do not see the screen try again.

The Device Communications screen provides the user with a number of options:

1 You can suspend normal collector operation by tapping “Suspend”, which willopen the lid to expose the collection bucket, and also turn off sensor heaters. Notethat the collector lid will remain open indefinitely unless you tap the “Resume”button. You’ll usually do this each time you empty the bucket.

2 Once you have emptied the bucket, return the collector to normal operation bytapping “Resume”.

3 While it is not necessary to retrieve TPC-3000 event data, you can upload eventdata to the Palm handheld device by tapping the “Upload” button. This initiates acommunications session and all data is beamed over. During the data transferprocess TPC Manager will show the transfer progress in real time. Hold the unitaimed at the TPC-3000 IrDA port during these data upload sessions.

Figure 20. TPC Manager Device Communications screen

Using TPC Manager

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4 After uploading the data from the collector, you tap “Done” to return to theConnectivity Manager screen

5 From the Connectivity Manager screen, tap “Export” to save the data to a PalmOSMemo Pad file. You can then display the events in Memo Pad. Events mayinclude system failures, or precipitation start and stop events. (Note that due toMemo Pad’s file size limit, depending on the amount of data stored TPC eventdata may be split across one or more Memo Pad files). Each event is annotatedwith date and time information.

6 Once TPC-3000 event data is stored a Palm Memo Pad you view events with thePalmOS’ Memo Pad application. If you want to, you can transfer data from thePalm device to your PC or Macintosh via the Palm Desktop’s HotSync dataconduit. To do this, place the Palm device in its cradle and press the HotSyncbutton on the cradle to synchronize it to the Palm Desktop. (Note: your PC orMacintosh must have the Palm Desktop installed and running in order toHotSync).

7 Once data are in the Palm Desktop they can then be exported as various file typesas shown in the following figures.

Figure 21. Palm Memo Pad display of TPC events

Using TPC Manager

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Figure 22. Palm Desktop showing display of TPC events in Memo Pad

Using TPC Manager

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8 To delete data from the collector, simply tap the “Delete” button.

Caution: Be careful - once TPC Manager event data is deleted from thePalm device, it can no longer be retrieved – there is no undo function! Aswith any portable electronic device, always make routine backups of yourdata and keep the battery in your Palm handheld device well charged.

Figure 23. Palm Desktop can export TPC events from Memo Pad to files.

Using the Trapping Column Option

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Using the Trapping Column OptionThe Trapping Filter Column (TFC) option provides for filtering of toxic organiccompounds (TOCs) such as PCBs, pesticides and PAHs, in collectedprecipitation. In these networks, site operations differ significantly from normalwet deposition precipitation collection.

Note: If your system isn’t equipped with the TFC option, skip this section.

For example, the collected sample should not be allowed to freeze and an suitablefilter column (such as the XAD-2) is used for the actual collection of toxicorganics. The column is then sent to a central analytic laboratory for analysis.Specific analytes of interest that can be collected are listed in the Table below.

Chemicals to be Determined on Precipitation Samplesusing XAD-2 Column with glass woolCHLORINATED PESTICIDES PAHS

Alpha-HCH fluorene

Beta-HCH phenanthrene

Gamma-HCH anthracene

p,p'-DDT fluoranthene

o,p'-DDT pyrene

p,p'-DDD chrysene+triphenylene

o,p'-DDD benz[a]anthracene

p,p'-DDE benzo[b]fluoranthene

dieldrin benzo[k]fluoranthene

aldrin indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene

endrin dibenz[a,h]anthracene

alpha-chlordane benzo[ghi]perylene

gamma-chlordane retene

trans-nonachlor coronene

oxychlordane benzo[e]pyrene

methoxychlor benzo[a]pyrene

Heptachloroepoxide

Octachlorostyrene

HCB

Endosulfan I and II

Endosulfan sulfate

The data collected from analyses of filter columns is used within collectionprograms such as the Integrated Atmospheric Deposition Network (IADN). Thegeneral objective of these research programs is to determine the loading of

Using the Trapping Column Option

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persistent toxic contaminants from the atmosphere from both urban and regionalsources. Sites must be strategically located to provide representative estimates.

A typical sampling protocol is to operate the system continuously for four weeks.This interval is used because of the need to collect at least two liters ofprecipitation (equivalent to about one inch of rainfall) in order to get a reliablemeasurement of the target chemicals. Because of the low concentrations, theoperator must follow this protocol carefully to protect the integrity of the sample.

In the IADN network, samples are collected by passing the precipitation througha column containing a 11-14 cm bed of XAD-2 resin, prepared at IndianaUniversity. These prepared columns are shipped to sites for exposure to theprecipitation. Once exposed, the column is removed and physically returned to acentral analytical laboratory for extraction and analysis of chemicals, typicallydocumented in laboratory Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

The procedure below is a guideline for field operators to maintain the system,and to remove and replace columns in a manner that maintains sample integrity.Note that although samples will be collected every four weeks, the collector stillmust be checked weekly to ensure proper sensor operation and, if necessary, toempty the overflow container.

Sampling ProtocolSite operators will visit the site weekly on a prescribed day (typically onTuesday) to check for proper functioning of equipment and to ensure that theoverflow container is less than 75% full. Samples are collected on the prescribedday at, or as close to 10:00 am local time as possible. If it is raining or snowing,or hazardous conditions prevail, samples may be collected later in the day at thediscretion of the site operator. If the sample cannot be collected on the prescribedsampling day, the network operations center must be notified. The followingsampling activities take place in the order listed:

1 Inspect equipment

2 Measure precipitation volume of overflow container, empty if necessary.

3 Rinse and clean precipitation collection surface with de-ionized water.

4 Remove filter column and label it.

5 Package filter column and sample for shipment.

6 Clean collection surface with methanol.

7 Install a new filter column and set flow rate.

8 Dispose of waste and clean up.

9 Ship sample to central analytical laboratory.

Steps 1 and 2 are conducted weekly, while steps 3-9 are conducted only when afilter column is changed (on the fourth week). Each of these steps is describedbelow:

Using the Trapping Column Option

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Sample Handling and PreservationDue to the expense of sampling and analyzing filter columns, every sample isimportant and often represents a significant portion of the yearly expenditures.Any contamination through mishandling or lack of preservation could cause abias in program estimates. The filter column should remain moist with the waterlevel between the top of the resin bed and the top of the column. If the column isbroken or dry on arrival, contact your network operations center immediately. Ifthe column dries out during the sampling period, de-ionized water should beadded. This must be noted in the site log and on the sample data sheet. Beforeremoval, de-ionized water will be added to the column.

Once installed, the filter column should be wrapped in aluminum foil to excludelight and should remain wrapped for removal and shipment. Follow theprocedure for sample removal, packaging and shipment.

Avoiding Chemical InterferenceDue to the nature and low concentration of the chemicals being collected, allprecautions should be taken to avoid contamination of the sample and samplerduring weekly visits and sample collection. The primary collector function is tocollect precipitation samples only when it is raining or snowing. Therefore, thesample collection surface and the filter column should not be exposed more thannecessary. This minimizes contamination from dry deposition of atmosphericparticles. The sampler should be inspected weekly to ver