System Operation Manual
SAT-DN-00434, Rev. B
LOBO
2017-05-16
Page 22 of 86
Copyright
2017 Sea-Bird Scientific. All rights reserved.
Normally, the STOR-X simply switches the input voltage to the instrument ports to power the attached
sensors. However, the voltage ranges for all sensors in the system may not be compatible with the power
source. For example, the WET Labs WQM requires a 12
–
18 Vdc source, while the STOR-X itself can safely
operate over a 6
–
18 Vdc range. The typical power source in a RiverLOBO system is a 15 V alkaline battery
pack; over the life of the pack, the battery voltage will range from greater than 16 V to 10 V or less, and
during high-power operation the voltage can sag even further. To accommodate these variations in supply
voltage requirements, the LOBO STOR-X can be equipped with an internal DC-DC converter to provide a
regulated voltage to the appropriate sensor ports. The configuration of the DC-DC configuration depends
on the system requirements and LOBO platform. Normally, a high-efficiency 6
–
18 V input, 13 V output
converter is used for systems operating from an alkaline battery pack (e.g. RiverLOBO), while a high-power
10
–
20 Vdc input, 13.6 V output converter is better suited for some DockLOBO configurations.
Please refer to the appropriate documentation (such as a technical note) for configuring the STOR-X for use
with a specific instrument.
4.2
Nortek Acoustic Sensors
At the time of writing of this document, two types of Nortek current profilers have been integrated and
tested with the LOBO platform, the Continental and Aquadopp. These sensors are described below.
4.2.1
Continental Profiler
The Continental Profiler is a sensor manufactured by Nortek AS, used for water current profiling. The
Continental uses the Doppler Effect to measure water current velocity by transmitting short pulses of
sound, listening to their echo and measuring the change in frequency of the echo. The Continental is
available in both 2-D and 3-D versions. The 2-D model is intended for profiling along a horizontal segment.
Due to its longer measurement range and correspondingly higher power consumption, and larger size (as
compared to the Aquadopp), the Continental is best suited for the DockLOBO or BenthicLOBO platforms.
Example specifications from a 2-D Continental model can be seen in the table below. Please refer to the
manufacturer’s documentation for complete specifications.
Table 1: Example 2D Continental Specifications
Manufacturer
Nortek AS
Model
Continental
Input Voltage
12
–
18 Vdc
Transmit Power
2 W
–
120 W
Operating Power
1 W + Transmit Power
Operating Temperature
-5°C to +35°C
Acoustic Frequency
470 kHz
Maximum Profiling Range
100-150 m
Cell Size
1
–
10 m
Number of Cells
1
–
128
Velocity range
±10 m/s
Accuracy
1% of measured value
Max. Sampling Rate
1 Hz
Ancillary sensors
Temperature, compass, tilt, pressure
Serial Interface
RS-232 at 9600 bps (configurable)
Dimensions (approx)
8.5” high x 7.5” diameter
Weight (in air)
16.5 lbs (7.5 kg)
