EKO MS-321LR User manual

Instruction Manual
I-EKO-MS-321LR-2014-03-18
Thank you very much for using EKO products.
Before operating this system, you should first thoroughly read this manual.
Keep this manual on hand to read when necessary.
Sky Scanner
MS-321LR
１．Safety Precautions 1
２．Contents 2
３．General Description 3
４．Description of Components 4
５．Installation 5
６．Settings 7
７．Software 7
８．Maintenance 19
９．Trouble Shooting 19
１０．Specifications 20
１１．After-sales Service 23

1
1.
Safety Precautions
Our products are designed and manufactured in consideration of safety, however, they
would invite unexpected accident according to the circumstances of users. You should
thoroughly read this manual and operate the system according to the directions.
Warnings/Cautions
Neglecting this sign will invite serious or fatal
accidents.
Prohibitions
This sign notifies that you must not do it.
Obligations
This sign notifies that you must do it.
Warnings
Installation
Installation Base or Mast should have enough load capacity to set the Sky Scanner.
Fix the main body firmly to the base or mast with bolts and nuts. Without fixing, Gale
or earthquake etc. will drop the scanner and invite unexpected accidents.
Accidents or injury could occur if you install the scanner in a site where it is hard to
perform maintenance.
Cautions
Power Supply
Turn the power on after checking to make sure that a voltage of the instrument is
suited to a voltage and type (AC, DC) of provided power.
Approaching
If you touch or approach to the running instrument, your body or clothing will be
involved or caught in it.
Instruments can start running with unexpected time when performing schedule
measurement.
Be very careful with instruments under operating.
Instruction Manual
This manual contains instructions for the basic and critical operation of the system.
Before operating this system. Before operating this system, you must thoroughly read
and understand this manual.
!
!
!
1

2 2.
Contents
1. Safety Precautions 1
2. Contents 2
3. General Description 3
3-1. General Description 3
3-2. Characteristics 3
3-3. Block Diagram 3
4. Description of Components 4
5. Installation 5
5-1. Location 5
5-2. Installation 6
5-3. Connection 7
5-4. Connection of optional extension cable 8
6. Settings 9
7. Software 9
7-1. How To Install 9
7-2. How To Uninstall 9
7-3. Name of Data File 9
7-4. Format of Data File 10
7-5. How To Use The Software 11
8. Maintenance 21
8-1. Daily Maintenance 21
9 Trouble Shooting 21
10. Specifications 22
10-1. Specifications 22
10-2. List of Standard Equipment 24
11. After-sales service 25
Contact Address 25
Renewal Record 25
2

3 3.
General Description
3-1. General Description
Sky Scanner MS-321LR is designed to measure Luminance and radiance of 145
points of sky hemisphere. The sensor with aperture angle at 11 degrees and the
tracker having two-axis control measure distribution of both luminance and radiance.
Sky Scanner MS-321LR has improved tracking mechanism that achieves high
durability of driving.
In addition, the renewed software increases its user friendliness. There is no change
in the specification of optical head equipped with luminance and radiance sensors.
3-2. Characteristics
１
Sky Scanner MS-321LR tracks 145 points of sky hemisphere. The sensor with
aperture angle at 11 degrees and the tracker having two-axis control measure
distribution of both luminance and radiance in 4.5 minutes.
Measurements of 145 points are based on the CIE108-1994 recommendation. (CIE -
International Lighting Commission, IDMP - International Daylight Measurement
Programme)
Sensors must be calibrated before shipment. Luminance value can be measured per
kcd/m2and radiance value per W/m2/sr.
２
The renewed software is capable of color and text display of luminance and radiance
values.
Besides, it can produce animation display showing data of the same date.
If the user presets site parameters, solar position that is altitude or azimuth angle
will be calculated and displayed on the screen. Also the data can be stored.
The data of the previous MS-301LR can be loaded and displayed on the screen.
3-3. Block Diagram
Block diagram of Sky Scanner MS-321LR is shown below.
Figure 1．Block Diagram
Power Supply：100-240V,
50/60Hz
PC Power supply : depends
Tracker
Optical Unit
PC
(Optional)
RS232C
3

4
4. Description of Components
List 1 shows the names and functions of each section. See Figure 2.
List 1. Names and functions of each parts
No.
Name
Function
①
Optical Sensor
It measures both luminance and radiance at each
point.
②
Luminance Sensor
It measures luminance.
③
Radiance Sensor
It measures radiance.
④
Tracker
It directs optical sensor to the 145 measurement
points that are defined by altitude and azimuth angle
of sky hemisphere.
⑤
Installation Base
It installs Sky Scanner. Direct the base with a level to
North.
⑥
Spirit Level
To places Sky Scanner in a flat, use this Spirit Level.
⑦
Leveling Screws
Leveling screws should be used to put Sky Scanner in
a horizontal position. Adjust the leveling foot to
place an air bubble in the center of the level’s circle.
⑧
Fixing holes for
anchor bolt
They will be used to fixe Sky Scanner. Use the bolt
M8 to attach Sky scanner to the installation base
after leveling adjustments.
⑨
Installation Base of
Optical Sensor
It installs optical sensor. Mount optical sensor on
V-block and fix the fixing ring of the sensor.
⑩
Communication
Connector
It is a connector for cable to conduct data
communication with PC.
⑪
Sensor Connector on
the sensor’s side
It is a connector for cable to conduct data
communication between optical sensor and tracker.
⑫
Sensor connector on
the tracker’s side
It is a connector for cable to conduct data
communication between optical sensor and tracker.
⑬
Connector for power
supply
It is a cable for power cable of optical sensor and
tracker.
4

Figure 2. Names and functions of each section
5
5. Installation
5-1. Location
１
Total weight of Sky Scanner is 14kg. Place Sky Scanner on the stable installation
base that carries a load of 14kg.
２
Since Sky Scanner measures luminance and radiance of sky hemisphere, install it to the place
where nothing obstructs a view of optical sensor.
Avoid areas that subject to shadows of trees, artificial materials and buildings.
⑪
⑨
⑦
⑬⑫
⑧
⑤
③
⑩
⑥
④
①
②
⑥N
N
N
5

5-2. Installation
１
Put Sky Scanner on the installation base in the right direction.
You must direct the base with a level should to True-North.
True-North is a direction to the Astronomical North Pole.
The North pointed by magnetic needle of compass is called magnetic north.
Magnetic north has a deviation of from several to ten degrees from True-north. Since
this deviation subject to areas, you should check the deviation of magnetic north in
your measurement site in advance. When installing Sky Scanner, you should search
for true-north by correcting deviation of magnetic north.
You can search true-north by compass as mentioned above, having object according
to the accurate map of terrain, and solar noon.
When turning on Sky Scanner, tracker should point to South. Then adjust the
true-north direction of the tracker as mentioned above.
２
Screw the leveling foot and place the installation base in a horizontal position.
Adjust the leveling foot to place a bubble in the center of the level’s circle.
３
After completing the adjustments of directions and leveling as mentioned above, fix
Sky Scanner and installation base with M8 bolt.
４
Attach optical sensor to the installation base of Optical Sensor.
After mounting the sensor on the installation base, fix it with the fixing ring.
５
Install personal computer in a safe and suitable area on the user’s own authority.
6

5-3. Connection
１
Connect sensor connector on the sensor’s side to sensor connector on the tracker’s
side by using the attached cable. Make sure the cables are routed with sufficient
length when Sky Scanner is running. Avoid cable from wrapping around, getting
tangle or putting an extra strain on the sensor.
Fig.2-1 Connect the sensor cable
２
Connect communication connector to RS232C connector of PC with the cable.
Make sure the cables are routed with sufficient length when Sky Scanner is running.
Avoid cable from wrapping around, getting tangle or putting an extra strain on the
sensor.
３
Connect power connector to AC power supply with the cable. Make sure the cables
are routed with sufficient length when Sky Scanner is running. Avoid cable from
wrapping around, getting tangle or putting an extra strain on the sensor.
Fig.2-2 Connect the power cable and the sensor cable
Hang the sensor cable
on the a
ltitude angle
axis before connection.
Be careful not to rap the
sensor cable around
leveling screws when
tracker is running.
Connect the powe
r cable
and the sensor cable with
sufficient length
as shown
in the left picture.
7

5-4. Connection of optional extension cable
For the connection with the optional communication cable longer than 20m, connect
RS422/RS232C exchanger as shown in the following Fig.3.
Standard communication cable is RS232C, but the extended communication cable is
RS422. In this case, RS422/RS232C exchanger is necessary.
Fig.3-1 Wiring of RS422/RS232C exchanger for extended communication cable
(Caution) The label of cable is a kind of the signals from MS-321LR.
Fig.3-2 Figure indicating the flow of the signal
Power supply:100VAC, 50/60H
Optical unit
TXD+(Red)
TXD-(Black)
RXD+(White)
RXD-(Green or Blue)
Communication
cable
RS422 ●TXD+
●TXD-
●RXD+
●RXD-
●FG
●
Tracker
AC adapter
5VDC
PC
RS422/RS232C
exchanger
Communication
cable
RS232C
8

6
6. Settings
１
There are no settings regarding the hardware of Sky Scanner.
２
Parameter setting should be performed as installation procedures of the software.
See “7. Use of Software”.
7
7. Software
7-1. How To Install
Create a folder and name it as you like on hard disk. Copy the program files named
SkyScanner.exe (hereinafter called the software) and paste them on the created
folder. The CD-ROM labeled “SkyScanner MS-321LR Software SkyScanner.exe”
contains this file.
7-2. How To Uninstall
To uninstall the software, delete the program files named “SkyScanner.exe”.
Since this software does not use system files such as DLL(Dynamic Link Library),
deleting the program file complete uninstall.
7-3. Name of Data File
The data file will be stored by the software after automatic measurement and named
“SSyymmdd.csv”.
“SS” stands for Sky Scanner, “yy” does year (ex. 03 means the year of 2003), “mm”
does month and “dd” does day. For example, the data obtained on February
23,2003 will be stores in the data file named SS030223.CSV.
Besides, the users can freely select the file name when storing data files of manual
measurement.
9

7-4. Format of Data File
The data files of measurement and positioning created by the software will be stored
in CSV(Comma Separated Value) format of ASCII form. This format can be easily
loaded by spreadsheet software such as EXCEL of Microsoft.
Figure 2 below shows format of the data.
Figure 2. Format of the data files
Line
Contents
Format (Data Example)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
Title Line
Firmware Version
Measurement Date
Comment
Longitude
Latitude
Time Zone
Unit
Channel Number
Luminance Value of l.1
Radiance Value of l.1
Luminance Value of l.2
Radiance Value of l.2
Title, Sky Scanner MS-321LR Sky Luminance and Radiance
distributions
Firmware,1.00
Date,2002/12/25
Comment,test measurement
Longitude,+140 d 8.0 m
Latitude,+36 d 3.0 m
Timezone,UTC +9:00
Unit,kcd/m^2, W/(sr*m^2)
,,,1,2,・・・,145,,
L,10:20:00,10:24:18,0.01,0.03,･･･,0.02,-20.56,+27.67
R,10:20:00,10:24:18,0.00,0.00,･･･,0.00,-20.56,+27.67
L,10:40:00,10:24:18,0.01,0.03,･･･,0.02,-20.56,+27.67
R,10:40:00,10:24:18,0.00,0.00,
･･･
,0.00,-20.56,+27.67
The header is shown in from 1st to 9th line. Data part will be added successively
from 10th line.
The following items are described in the header part; title line, version of firmware,
measurement date, comment, longitude, latitude, time zone, unit, and channel
number.
The followings will be added one by one in 10th line; measurement date of
Luminance Value in 1st line, measurement time, measurement values of channel
number from 1 to 145, solar azimuth angle, solar altitude.
11th line shows the above items of the radiance value in 1st line. Then luminance
and radiance values of 2nd and 3rd line will be described one after another.
10

7-5. How To Use The Software
1 Start-up Screen
The screen as shown in the Figure. 3 will appear when stating up the software
“SkyScanner.exe”.
Figure 3. Start-up screen
The software can invoke and carry out every command by designating a menu item
shown in the menu bar.
The menu bar does not have hidden mode.
Tool bar places tool buttons that allow easy starting up of well-used functions.
Control bar displays various information about data of active windows.
In the status bar, diverse information will be displayed whenever necessary.
Control Bar
Menu Bar
Tool Bar
Status Bar
11

２Menu Bar
List. 3 shows all the command, shortcut key and functions that can be designated
from the menu bar.
List 3. The Commands executed from the menu bar
Menu Command (1) Command
(2) Short cut Key Function
File(F) Measurement(N) Ctrl+
N It opens measurement window.
Open(O) Ctrl+
O
It selects data file and open
explore window.
Store(S) Ctrl+
S
It stores the data displayed on
the measurement window.
Close(C) It closes active windows.
Print(P) Ctrl+
P
It prints the data displayed on
active windows.
Preview a page(V)
It previews a page of the data
displayed on active windows.
Setting of a
printer(R)
It opens the screen of printer
setting.
Termination of the
application(X) It terminates the application.
Display
(V)
Tool Bar(T)
It selects whether to display the
tool bar or not.
Status Bar(S)
It selects whether to display the
status bar or not.
Control Bar(B) It select
s whether to display the
control bar or not.
Value(V) Luminan
ce
(L)
Ctrl+L
It limits the display of
measurement and explore
window to luminance data.
Radiance
(R) Ctrl+ R
It limits the display of
measurement and explore
window to radiance data.
Luminan
ce and
Radiance
(W)
Ctrl+
W
It limits the display of
measurement and explore
window to data of luminance and
radiance.
Format(F)
Color(C) Ctrl+
C
It limits the display of
measurement and explore
window to distribution of color.
Value(V) Ctrl+
V
It limits the display of
measurement and explore
window to distribution of text.
12

Display
(V)
Format(F)
Value+
Color(B) Ctrl+ B
It limits the display of
measurement and explore
window to distributions of color
and text.
Measur
ement
(O)
Setting(P) It opens t
he dialog of
measurement setting.
Start manual
measurement(M) It starts manual measurement.
Start automatic
measurement(A)
It starts automatic
measurement.
Setting of automatic
measurement is subject to dialog
of measurement setting.
Stop measurement
(S) It stops measurement.
Window
(W) Superposed(C)
It superposes and arranges the
opened windows.
Aligned(T)
It aligns and arranges the
opened windows.
Arrangement of
icons(A) It arranges icons.
Measurement
window- It displays the n
ame of the
opened window.
Help(H) Version
information of
SkyScanner(A)
It displays version information.
３Tool Bar
The following tool bars are prepared as shown in Figure 4.
①②③④⑤⑥⑦⑧⑨⑩⑪⑫⑬⑭⑮
Figure 4. Tool Bar
You can simplify the following operations by clicking each buttons.
①File(F)－Measurement(N)
②File(F)－Open(O)
③File(F)－Store(S)
④File(F)－Preview(V)
⑤File(F)－Print(P)
⑥Display(V)－Displayed value 値(V)
－Luminance(L)
⑦Display(V)－Displayed value(V)－
Radiance(R)
⑧Display(V)－Displayed value(V)－
Luminance + Radiance(W)
⑨Display(V)－Format(F)－Color(C)
⑩Display(V)－Format(F)－Value(V)
⑪Display(V)－Format(F)－Value +
Color(B)
⑫Measurement(O)－Setting(P)
⑬Measurement(O)－Start manual
measurement(M)
⑭Measurement(O)－Start
automatic measurement(A)
⑮Measurement(O)－Stop
measurement(S)
13

４Control Bar
The following control bars are prepared as shown in Figure 5.
①Date : Measurement date of data displayed on the active windows.
②Time : Measurement time of data displayed on the active windows.
Time of data displaying the distribution of measurement value
will be displayed in reversed style.
③
PLAY :Data on the active windows will be displayed automatically one by
one per second.
④STOP :It stops automatic display previously described in③.
⑤Numb
er of position :It displays channel number that shows information
on control bar.
By clicking the cell shown in a distributed
display, channel number can be changed.
⑥
Azimuth angle :It displays the azimuth angle of the specified channel
number.
⑦Altitude
angle :It displays the altitude angle of the specified channel
number.
⑧Luminance :It displays luminance of the specified channel number.
⑨Radiance :It displays radiance of the specified channel number.
⑩Solar azimuth angle：It displays solar azimuth angle
of measurement
time of the data displayed at latitude and longitude of the site.
⑪Solar altitude angle：
It displays solar altitude angle of measurement
time of the data displayed at latitude and longitude of the site.
⑫Latitude :It displays latitude of th
e site set by measurement setting
dialog.
⑬
Longitude :It displays latitude of the site set by measurement setting
dialog.
⑭time-zone differences :It displays time-
zone differences of system clock
of PC.
⑮Comment :It displays the comment set by measurement setting dialog.
※Azimuth angle：It can be obtained if we take south as 0°, clockwise as
plus and counterclockwise as minus. (-180°～+180°)
※Altitude angle：It can be obtained if we take a horizontal surface as 0°
and vertical direction as plus.(0
°～
90
°
)
Figure 5. Explanation of control bar
５Measurement Method
(1) Start the software
Start “SkyScanner.exe”.
(2) Measurement setting
In order to perform measurement setting, select “measurement(0)-setting(P) from
file menu or click ⑫tool button of the tool bar. Then measurement setting dialog will
open as shown in Figure. 6. You should see List. 4 and input measurement setting.
①
②
③④
⑤
⑥
⑦
⑧
⑨
⑩
⑪
⑫
⑬
⑭
⑮
14

Figure 6. Measurement setting dialog
List 4. Values of measurement setting dialog
Display
Type
Description
Data folder
Textbox
It selects a folder to store data.
Browse…
Button
Click this button before selecting a folder to store
data.
Then the dialog ”Reference of folder” will be displayed
and you can easily input folder to store data. It is
recommended that you use this button
to correctly
input the pass name to folder.
COM Port
Radio button
It specifies COM number of RS232C interface
connected to Sky Scanner.
Start Time
Textbox
It specifies starting time, stop time, and interval of
automatic measurement schedule. You can select
interval among 10, 15, 20, 30 minutes and 1 hour.
Finish Time
Textbox
Interval
List box
Site
parameters
Lat.
Lon.
Textbox
It inputs latitude and longitude of the site.
It inputs north latitudes and east longitude as plus,
south latitude and west longitude as minus.
Calibration
Change
Button
It displays a dialog to change calibration value of the
sensor.
Change the value into one we issue if necessary.
See below (3).
Comment
Textbox
It can input the comment to record in the header of
the data file.
OK
Button
It stores the setting of the setting dialog.
Cancel
Button
It goes back to the previous screen.
(3)Input and change calibration value
Calibration value is inherent in luminance and radiance sensor. It is a constant to
convert output voltage from the sensor to a physical value. (Luminance: kcd/m2,
Radiance :W/m2/sr) Figure 7 will be displayed when you click “Change” as shown in
Figure.6 to input or change calibration value.
15

Figure 7. Edit screen of calibration value
Input calibration value of luminance sensor in the upper box and a value of radiance
sensor in the lower box.
If you click “OK”, calibration value will be stored as a new one.
You can go back to the previous screen by clicking “Cancel”.
The calibration values are noted on a calibration certificate at our factory.
Since calibration value is a very important constant, clerical error should not be
taken.
Moreover, do not use this function when performing general operation.
ATTENTION :
The calibration values are stored into a registry of PC for measurement. In
case of following condition, the values should be set/change. When the
values are not set from this menu, data will not be transformed into correct
physical value (luminance and radiance).
- First use of the skyscanner and PC.
- When a PC is changed.
- Calibration values are changed (by manufacture).
(4) Open measurement window
Selest “File(F)-Measuremnt(N) “ from the file menu to open measurement window.
You can also open “ measurement window-on standby” by clicking ①tool button of
the tool bar as shown in Figure. 4.
In the display of measurement data, you can select from among “ only luminance”,
“ only radiance” and “luminance and radiance” as shown in Figure. 4 from ⑥to ⑧.
Furthermore, you can select from among “only distribution of color” ,”only
distribution of text” and “distribution of color and text” as shown in Figure.4 from ⑨
to ⑪.
This concludes a preparation for measurement.
Go to (5) to perform manual measurement and (6) to conduct automatic
measurement.
16

(5)Manual Measurement
Select “Measurement(0)-Start manual measurement” from the file menu to carry out
manual measurement. You can also start manual measurement by clicking ⑬tool
button of the tool bar. Measurement value will be displayed in real time as shown in
Figure 8.
※This screen displays “only luminance” and “ distribution of color and text”.
Figure 8. Screen of measurement
See below (7) to stop manual measurement.
In order to store measurement data when completing measurement, select
“File(F)-Store(S)” from the file menu. Also dialog to store will be opened if you click
③tool button of the tool bar as shown in Figure 4. Store the data according to the
instructions.
(6) Automatic Measurement
Select “Measurement (0)-Start automatic measurement (A)” from the file menu to
carry out manual measurement. You can also start automatic measurement by
clicking ⑭tool button of the tool bar. Measurement value will be displayed in real
time as shown in Figure 8. Measurement data will be stored automatically in the
name of data file as mentioned in “7-3 Name of Data File”. This mode performs
automatic measurement from the start time to stop time of “Automatic Measurement
Schedule” every interval. The next measurement date and time will be displayed on
the title bar during automatic measurement. See below (7) to stop automatic
measurement
17

(7) Stop Measurement
Select “Measurement (O)-Stop(S) from the file menu to stop measurement.
Also Figure.9 can be displayed by clicking ⑮tool button of the tool bar as shown in
Figure. 4. Click the appropriate button according to the instructions.
Figure 9. Screen for stop measurement
(8) Others
You can select from among “only luminance”, “only radiance”, “luminance and
radiance”, “only distribution of color”, “only distribution of text” and “distribution of
color and text” during manual and automatic measurement. Select the suitable
display for your purposes.
Information about the latest data will be displayed on the control bar at any time.
You can display measurement value of the channel number on the control bar by
clicking cells of distribution display.
Contents of communication error will be described on the title bar of measurement
program when power fails or is shut down by cut cable. Also it will be displayed when
the sensor in incapable of communicating by cut sensor cable and communication
cable. In this case, data will be stored as one lacks measurement.
(9) Print
Select “File(F)-Print(P)” to pint out the data displayed in measurement window. Also
you can display the print dialog and print the screen on the paper in A4 size by
clicking ⑤tool button of the tool bar as shown in Figure 4.
Preview screen will be displayed if you select “File(F)-Preview(P)” or click ④tool
button of the tool bar as shown in Figure 4.
(10) Terminate the applications
Select “File(F)-Terminate application(X) from the file menu to finish the applications.
18

６How to display the data
(1) Start up the software
Start up “SkyScanner.exe”.
(2) Open data file
Select “File(F)-Open(O)” to open data file. You can also specify a name of data file by
clicking ②tool button of the tool bar.
The window will be opened and the data will be displayed as shown in Figure 10.
※This screen displays “luminance and radiance” and “ only distribution of color”.
Figure 10. Screen displayed during measurement
(3) Change displaying method of data
In the display of measurement data, you can select from among “only luminance”,
“only radiance” and “luminance and radiance” described on the tool bar from ⑥to ⑧
as shown in Figure 4.
In addition, you can select from among “only distribution of color”, “only
distribution of text” and “distribution of color and text” described on the tool bar
from ⑨to ⑪as shown in Figure 4.
Figure 10 shows the screen displaying “luminance and radiance” and “only
distribution of color”.
19