Sea-Bird Electronics SBE 45 MicroTSG, User Manual

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Section 7: Troubleshooting SBE 45
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Section 7: Troubleshooting
This section reviews common problems in operating the MicroTSG, and
provides the most common causes and solutions.
Problem 1: Unable to Communicate with MicroTSG
The S> prompt indicates that communications between the MicroTSG and
computer have been established. Before proceeding with troubleshooting,
attempt to establish communications again by clicking Connect on
SEATERM’s toolbar or hitting the Enter key several times.
Cause/Solution 1 : The I/O cable connection may be loose. Check the cabling
between the MicroTSG and computer (or optional Interface Box) for a
loose connection.
Cause/Solution 2 : The instrument type and/or its communication settings may
not have been entered correctly in SEATERM. Select the SBE 45 in the
Configure menu and verify the settings in the Configuration Options dialog
box. The settings should match those on the instrument Configuration Sheet.
Cause/Solution 3 : The I/O cable may not be the correct one. Verify the cable
is the correct one.
Problem 2: Nonsense or Unreasonable Data
The symptom of this problem is data that contains nonsense values (for
example, 9999.999) or unreasonable values (for example, values that are
outside the expected range of the data).
Cause/Solution 1 : A data file with nonsense values may be caused by
incorrect instrument configuration in the .xmlcon or .con file. Verify the
settings in the configuration file match your system.
Cause/Solution 2 : Unreasonable values may be caused by incorrect calibration
coefficients programmed into the MicroTSG. Verify the coefficients match the
instrument Calibration Certificates, using
DC .
Problem 3: Salinity Lower than Expected
Cause/Solution 1 : A fouled conductivity cell will report lower than correct
salinity. Large errors in salinity indicate that the cell is extremely dirty, has
something large lodged in it, or is broken. Proceed as follows:
1.
Clean the conductivity cell as described in Cleaning and Storage in
Section 6: Routine Maintenance and Calibration .
2. Remove larger droplets of water by blowing through the conductivity cell.
Do not use compressed air , which typically contains oil vapor.
3. Running the MicroTSG in air, use TSR to look at the raw conductivity
frequency. It should be within 1 Hz of the zero conductivity value printed
on the conductivity cell Calibration Sheet. If it is significantly different,
the cell is probably damaged.
Note:
See the PN 90402 – SBE 45 Power,
Navigation, and Remote Temperature
Interface Box
manual for additional
troubleshooting steps when
interfacing with the Box.
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