WMS-16 Weather Station Operator’s Manual
4
Tripod Tower
The five foot tripod tower provided for the
WMS-16 is constructed of steel tubing for durability and
strength. Horizontal bracing is a feature of the tripod tower.
The tower’s foot brackets can be bolted onto a concrete
foundation or a wooden platform. The wind speed and
direction sensor mounts on top of the mast. The solar radiation
shield with 6” mast and coupling are made to clamp on the
five-foot aluminum mast. The rain gauge mounting arm is
supplied with a u-bolt to clamp onto this mast. For stability, it
is recommended that the mast be inserted into both of the
collar clamps. Guy kits are recommended for areas of high
winds and ground kits are recommended for areas with
lightning activity.
Lightning Protection and Grounding
Caution: When installing the wind sensor, make sure that the
sensor and cable are well clear of any power lines.
A lightning protection ground screw is located on the control
module’s rear panel. It is the path to ground for all of the
lightning protection circuitry in the WMS-16. Connect this
screw to a grounded outlet or water pipe. In areas subject to
sever lightning activity, we recommend that you install a
grounding rod.
Power Connections
The WMS-16 can be operated from either standard 110VAC
outlet, or from an external 12V battery.
Standard Outlet
A wall transformer is provided with the unit for operating
from an 110VAC outlet. An optional wall transformer is
available for operating from a 220V/50Hz power source. The
wall transformer provides a nominal 12VDC.
External Battery Power
An auxiliary power connection is provided on the rear panel of
the control module for connecting an external 12VDC battery.
This battery can be used as the main power source. Remember
though, that if the auxiliary power connector is used for main
power, there will be no backup power source. A fully charged
12V, 7 amp-hour battery will run the WMS-16 for three to
four days. With the backup battery in place, the WMS-16 will
continue collecting and logging data during a power outage.
The WMS-16’s main memory has a lithium battery back up
and the setup parameters and any stored data will be saved if
the primary power source is interrupted.
RS-232 Interface
The WMS-16 is an interactive device that not only outputs
data but is capable of responding to user commands. These
commands are entered through the computer which also
displays the current data and any additional data requested by
the user. Communications between the user and the WMS-16
is accomplished using RS-232 communications protocol
designed for short-distance use.
The interface cable that connects the control module to the
computer is terminated with a sub-miniature “D” connector.
Depending on the connectors available on your computer’s
serial port a 25-pin to 9-pin adapter may be required.
Connect the RS-232 cable between the control module and the
computer’s serial port. (number 1 or 2)
Certain communications parameters (number of data bits,
parity, etc.) must be specified in the computer to enable the
two devices to communicate with one another. They should be
set as follows:
Baud rate
9600
Data Bits
8
Stop Bits
1
Parity
None
Handshaking
Xon/Xoff
Under this protocol the computer sends ASCII character DC3
(19 decimal, 13H) to the WMS-16 to halt its transmission, and
DC1 (17 decimal, 11H) to resume.
Testing the Connection
Once the WMS-16 is connected to the computer, the
connection can be tested by briefly disconnecting and then re-
connecting the main power at the control module.
1.
Unplug the wall transformer from the control
module’s rear panel.
2.
Leave power disconnected for several seconds,
then plug the power cable in again.
If the RS-232 connection is sound, an Omega header and/or
the Software version will appear on the screen (Figure 2).
Omega WMS-16 Modular Weather Station
© Omega 2000
Software Version: 2.3.000102
Figure 2
