HOBO U-Shuttle (U-DT-x) Manual
1-800-LOGGERS 5
2.
Follow the instructions in the
HOBOware User’s Guide
to
access the
Manage Shuttle
dialog. The
Manage Shuttle
dialog shows you how many datafiles are available for
offload.
3.
Offload and save the datafiles. Refer to the
HOBOware
User’s Guide
for details on saving datafiles offloaded from
the shuttle.
4.
Make sure the battery levels are good, and change the
batteries now if they are weak. Synchronize the shuttle’s
clock, if necessary, or relaunch to delete the datafiles from
the shuttle.
5.
When finished, disconnect the USB cable from the shuttle
and press the
on/off
button to turn the shuttle off.
Shuttle clock and time zone offsets
When you use HOBOware to launch a shuttle or logger, the
host computer’s time and time zone offset from UTC are used
to set the device’s clock. (UTC, or Coordinated Universal Time,
is similar to Greenwich Mean Time.) The time zone offset
makes it possible to determine objective, non-local time. This
prevents conflicts and confusion when you relaunch a logger
with a shuttle that may have been launched in a different time
zone, or before a Spring or Fall time change.
For example, if the shuttle reports a time of 2:00 at UTC -8
(Pacific Standard Time) and a logger reports a time of 5:00 at
UTC -5 (Eastern Standard Time), both devices are correct—both
are reporting 10:00 UTC. If you launch and deploy a logger in
Massachusetts, but relaunch it with a shuttle that was launched
in Oregon, the shuttle will still synchronize the logger’s clock to
the correct time, without interfering with the logger’s original
time zone offset.
Because the logger’s time zone offset is not changed by a
shuttle relaunch, the time zone offset in the datafile may be off
by one hour if you use the shuttle to relaunch a logger after a
Spring or Fall time change. You can manually adjust the time
zone offset in the
Plot Setup
dialog when you open the datafile
in HOBOware. The time stamps will be correct.
Keep the clock running
Normally, the shuttle’s clock is powered by the main (AA
alkaline) batteries. The clock backup (CR1225 lithium) battery
temporarily powers the shuttle’s clock when the main batteries
are removed or dead. This enables you to change the main
batteries in the field without stopping the shuttle’s clock.
If both the main batteries and the clock backup battery die or
are removed, the shuttle’s clock will stop. If the clock stops, the
shuttle will not communicate with loggers until you have
powered it with fresh batteries and relaunched it with
HOBOware. Relaunching synchronizes the shuttle’s clock and
deletes all of the datafiles from the shuttle’s memory.
(Remember to offload the datafiles on the host computer
before relaunching the shuttle.)
Shuttle Batteries
To avoid battery problems, always check the shuttle’s batteries
in HOBOware before going into the field, and make sure you
have another pair of fresh AA alkaline batteries with you when
the batteries start to run low.
When you are not using the shuttle, disconnect it from the
computer and detach any loggers and sensors. Leaving these
items attached will put additional strain on the batteries.
Leave the main batteries in the shuttle, even when it will not be
used for some time. As long as the batteries have some power
(even if they are running low), they can power the clock. The
clock backup battery is not intended to power the clock alone
(without the main batteries installed) for long periods of time.
If you will be storing the shuttle for many months and do not
want to leave the batteries in it, first offload the datafiles, then
remove ALL the batteries (including the clock backup battery).
When you are ready to use the shuttle again, reinstall all of the
batteries and launch the shuttle to synchronize the clock.
Important:
Once the main batteries are dead, you should
remove them as soon as possible to ensure that they do not
leak and damage the shuttle. Replace them soon to protect the
clock backup battery.
Replacing the Shuttle’s Main Batteries
If the shuttle’s main batteries run low (2.4 to 2.2 V), the shuttle
will display a warning (“Low Shut Battery”) when you power it
up, but you will still be able to use the shuttle for a limited
amount of time. If the batteries become too weak (less than
2.2 V) to power the shuttle, the shuttle will display another
warning (“Main Bat Too Low”) advising that the batteries must
be replaced before you can use it again.
Any logger data that is already in the shuttle will remain safe,
and the clock backup battery will continue to keep time.
However, the shuttle will not communicate until its main
batteries are replaced, and the clock backup battery may drain
prematurely.
The shuttle’s main batteries are easy to change, even in the
field. To change the shuttle’s main batteries:
1.
Turn off the shuttle and remove any cables or sensors.
2.
On the back of the case, slide the battery compartment lid
free.
3.
Remove the old batteries and install two new AA alkaline
batteries in the correct orientation, as shown in the battery
compartment.
Important:
Do not use lithium batteries to power the shuttle.
The shuttle cannot measure the voltage of AA lithium batteries,
and will not be able to report its battery level accurately.
4.
Turn the shuttle over and look at the display. The shuttle
should power up automatically and display a “Main Power
Reset” message, and ask if you want it to look for a device.
If it does not, press the
on/off
button. If the shuttle still
does not power up, try a new pair of batteries.
5.
Slide the lid onto the battery compartment until it snaps
into place.
Replacing the shuttle clock backup battery
The clock backup battery keeps the shuttle’s clock running
while you change the main batteries in the field. It cannot
support the U-Shuttle’s other functions, and it is not intended
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