Here
are some frequently asked questions (and answers!) concerning our Dataloggers...
Is
the Datalogger waterproof?
The Datalogger has a precise,
well fitting plastic case, and while it could perhaps be called 'splashproof'
it is definitely not waterproof. The best idea is to place the Datalogger
inside a plastic bag for wet environments.
Many manufacturers like to say that their products are waterproof. To us,
'waterproof' means a competely sealed case, sealed connectors and so on. For
example, many products advertised as 'waterproof' have exposed contacts and
connectors which will corrode and fail if immersed in water.
Can
I power the Datalogger from a vehicle battery?
Yes. The Datalogger will safely
accept external power from 10V to 32V, making it suitable for both 12V and
24V vehicle power supplies.
Can
I leave the battery connected if external power is used?
Yes. The battery is isolated from
the external power supply. The external power will not force-charge the battery,
and the battery will not drain into the external power supply.
We recommend that the battery be left inside the Datalogger, so the Datalogger
can still operate in the event of a power failure.
Will
the Datalogger be damaged if I reverse the battery?
Definitely not!
No damage! All of our Dataloggers have reverse polarity protection and can
withstand reverse power on the battery or external power input.
We consider reverse polarity protection to be an essential requirement for
any field-replaceable battery application.
Many products available today have no such protection, and could be destroyed
by reversing their battery.
What
happens if I remove power during operation?
All of our Dataloggers will preserve
data right up to the moment of power removal.
Removing power during operation will not result in loss of stored data. The
Datalogger is designed to save data and shut down in a controlled fashion,
in the event of a surprise power failure. Don't try this with your laptop
or PC!
Is
data preserved during power failure?
All of our Dataloggers made since
July 2001 use non-volatile flash memory. Data will be retained for many years,
even in the event of total power failure.
Our older Dataloggers, using RAM, will preserve data for at least 10 minutes,
to allow battery change.
Can
I transfer tracks from the Datalogger directly to the GPS?
You'll need to download the logger
to a PC, then upload to your GPS using mapping software.
There are many reasons for this, the main one being that the Datalogger track
file is much larger than the track capacity of the GPS. You'll need to 'select'
a portion of the file small enough for your GPS to handle.
How
many days storage?
This is a good question. The total
logging time depends upon capacity, save interval, memory save modes and so
on.
As
an example, let's take a popular model, the DGPS-XM2, and do some calculations.
Assume the Datalogger is in a vehicle.
Assume the vehicle is actually moving for only 8 hours per day.
We'll activate the Speed Check function, so the Datalogger won't waste memory
when the vehicle is stationary.
Date and Time will be stored, as that is the most common setting. Capacity
is 196000 timestamped points.
We won't activate 'Automatic Save', 'cos that would be cheating! Auto may
improve efficiency by up to 50%.
Below, We'll provide some logging times, with various Timed Save intervals
for DGPS-XM2:
1 second save interval: 6.8 days
2 second save interval: 13.6 days
10 second save interval: 68 days (2.25 months)
1 minute (60s) save interval: 408 days (13.4 months)
5 minute (300s) save interval: 2041 days (67 months, 5.5 years)
15 minute (900s) save interval: 6125 days (200 months, 16 years)
Formula:
LoggerCapacity/(SecsPerHour/3/saveintervalsecs)/24 = days
196000/(1200/saveintervalsecs)/24 = days
We've divided the 3600 secs per hour by 3 because we're only logging 8 hours
per day.
We've assumed that 1 month = 30.5 days.
Which
model would you recommend?
We have many models, and the choice
can be confusing.
The ultimate answer to this question depends on your intended use,
however we believe the DGPS-XM2-ALT
and DGPS-XM4-ALT provide the best
combination of functionality and storage capacity. You may store position,
date and time only, or you may store position, date, time and altitude. So,
these models are useful for both 2D and 3D tracking.
Back
