General HWA4214SD User manual

Please read this manual carefully and thoroughly before using this product.
HWA4214SD
USER’S MANUAL
HOT WIRE ANEMOMETER-THERMOMETER
WITH DATALOGGING D CARD
99 Washington Street
Melrose, MA 02176
Phone [phone]
Toll Free 1-800-517-8431
Visit us at www.TestEquipmentDepot.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Key Fe tures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Oper ting Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 – 10
Wh t’s in the C se . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 –5
Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 –7
Norm l Oper tion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 –9
Holding nd Storing Me surements. . . . . . . . . . 9
Autom tic vs. M nu l D t logging . . . . . . 9 – 10
Tr nsferring D t from the SD C rd
to Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Specific tions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
M inten nce & Troubleshooting Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Option l Accessories. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
W rr nty Inform tion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Return for Rep ir Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
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INTRODUCTION
Thank you for purchasing General Tools & Instruments’ HWA4214SD Hot Wire Anemometer-
Thermometer with Datalogging SD Card. Please read this user’s manual carefully and
thoroughly before using the instrument.
The HWA4214SD is a general-purpose handheld instrument that can make two kinds of
measurements:
• Air (wind) speed and temperature (simultaneously)
• Surface temperature, as measured by an optional Type K or Type thermocouple
All hot wire anemometers, including the HWA4214SD, have at their heart a very thin metal
wire that the instrument electrically heats up above ambient temperature. Air flowing past
the wire cools it. The speed of the air flow can be calculated from the relationship between
the metal’s electrical resistance and temperature. In the HWA4214SD, the hot wire is
located at the end of a telescoping probe, where it is paired with a tiny glass bead
thermistor that measures air temperature.
Compared to other types of anemometers, hot wire anemometers have superior
performance. For this reason, they are commonly used for precise measurement of
low-speed air flows, turbulent flows, or of any flow in which rapid velocity fluctuations
are of interest. Applications include:
• Environmental testing
• Maintenance and repair of air conveyors and flow hoods in clean rooms
• Measurement of air velocity produced by fans and blowers
• Balancing velocity profiles in furnaces and refrigerated cases
• Operating paint spray booths
The HWA4214SD comes with a telescoping air speed-temperature probe. Air speeds can
be displayed in m/s (meters/second), fpm (feet per minute), km/h (kilometers/hr), knots
(nautical miles per hour), or mph (miles per hour). Temperatures can be displayed in oF
(Fahrenheit) or oC (Celsius) units.
Several features and capabilities enhance the instrument’s versatility. Among them are
automatic temperature compensation for measurements made by the telescoping probe
or by Type K or thermocouples, the ability to hold readings and display maximum and
minimum readings, and an automatic power off function that extends battery life.
Because it is microprocessor-based, the HWA4214SD can make full use of the portability,
reliability and large storage capacities that SD memory cards offer. Measurements can be
made automatically at any sampling rate between one second and one hour. After storing
and time-stamping the measurements on an SD card plugged into the instrument (a
process called datalogging), the user can remove the card and plug it into to a laptop or
desktop computer either directly or via a USB card reader. The data logs are stored on the
card as files with the .xls extension, which can be opened by Microsoft’s Excel application.
The HWA4214SD has a backlit 2.5 in. diagonal display and is powered by six “AA” Alkaline
batteries or an optional 9-VDC AC adapter.
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KEY FEATURE
• Includes telescoping air speed-temperature probe
• Displays air (wind) speed in meters/second, feet per minute, kilometers/hr, knots
(nautical miles per hour), or miles per hour
• Measures air speeds down to 0.2 m/s with 0.01 m/s resolution (down to 40 ft/min
with 1 ft/min resolution)
• Displays temperature in ºF or ºC
• Big (2.5 in. diagonal) front-panel green backlit LCD is easy to read
• Displays maximum and minimum readings and holds any reading
• Automatically logs measurements at sampling time settable from one second to
one hour
• Also supports manual datalogging and changing of SD card storage location
• Outputs Excel-compatible data logs
• Accepts SD memory cards of up to 16 GB capacity
• Auto power off function
• Powered by six “AA” batteries or optional 9V AC/DC adapter
OPERATING IN TRUCTION
WHAT’S IN THE CASE
The HWA4214SD comes fully assembled in a hard carrying case along with a telescoping
air speed-temperature probe, a 2 GB SD memory card and this user’s manual.
Optional accessories available from General Tools & Instruments include:
• Type K and Type thermocouples
• A 9VDC adapter for a 110V power supply
See the Optional Accessories section of this manual for more details.
Figure 1 shows all of the controls and indicators on the front, right side, back, top and
bottom of the HWA4214SD. It also shows the main components of the included telescoping
probe. Familiarize yourself with the positions and functions of these controls, indicators and
connectors before moving on to the setup procedure.

1-1 Liquid-crystal display
1-2 POWER/ESC button
1-3 FUNC./HOLD/NEXT button
1-4 REC/ENTER button
1-5 SET ▼button
1-6 LOGGER ▲button
1-7 Socket for combination air
speed-temperature probe
1-8 Socket for optional
Type K or thermocouple
1-9 SD card socket
1-10 RS-232 output jack
1-11 RESET button
1-12 Socket for 9VDC AC adapter
1-13 Battery compartment cover
1-14 Battery compartment cover screws
1-15 Kickstand
1-16 Tripod attachment nut
1-17 Telescoping probe plug
1-18 Telescoping probe handle
1-19 Telescoping probe sensing head/cover
TOP
RIGHT
SIDE
BACK TELESCOPING
PROBE
BOTTOM
FRONT
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Fig. 1. The HWA4214SD’s controls nd indic tors nd other physic l fe tures

SETUP
1. Choose the power source. Before using the HWA4214SD, make sure it is powered by
fresh batteries or an optional 9VDC AC adapter plugged into the bottom jack on its right
side (callout 1-12).
To remove the battery compartment cover (callout 1-13), remove the two screws holding it
in place (callout 1-14). Then install six AA batteries in the correct orientation, using the
polarity marks on the inside of the compartment as a guide. Replace the cover by replacing
the two screws.
2. Inst ll n SD c rd. To prepare for setup, also install an optional SD memory card of
1 GB to 16 GB capacity in the socket on the bottom of the instrument (callout 1-9). When
installing the card, make sure its gold contacts are facing front and push the card into
the socket until you hear a click. To remove the card, push it in until you hear a click and
the card pops out.
Now power on the instrument by pressing the POWER/ESC button (callout 1-2) to generate
a short beep. (To power off the HWA4214SD, press the POWER/ESC button and hold it until
the instrument responds with a long beep.)
When the instrument powers on, a series of transient startup screens will briefly appear.
Once the display has stabilized, perform the following eight setup steps in the order
presented.
3. Set the d te nd time. Press the SET ▼button (callout 1-5) and hold it for at least
five seconds, until the word “dAtE” appears in the center of the display, along with the
flashing value “00.00.00” at the lower left, above “yy.mm.dd”.
Set the current year by pressing the SET ▼or LOGGER ▲button repeatedly until the
correct value appears above “yy”. Quickly (within three seconds), press the REC/ENTER
button to store the setting. The next screen that appears will have the value above “mm”
flashing. Use the SET ▼or LOGGER ▲button to navigate to the current month and press
the REC/ENTER button to store the setting. When the next screen flashes the value above
“dd”, again use the SET ▼or LOGGER ▲button to navigate to the current day and press
the REC/ENTER button to store the setting.
(If you press buttons too slowly in setup mode, the screen will revert to the normal display.
To return to the setup sequence, press and hold the SET ▼button again. To move ahead to
the next field in the sequence or to the next parameter, press the FUNC./HOLD/NEXT
button.)
Once you have set the date, the display will prompt you to set the hour, minute and second
of the current time. Again use the SET ▼or LOGGER ▲buttons to navigate to the correct
values, and the REC/ENTER button to store the settings.
4. Choose decim l point or comm to represent the decimal division between integers
and fractions (for example, American-style 20.88 vs. European-style 20,88). Once you
have set the date and time, the display will show the word “bASIC” above the phrase
“dEC”. Press the SET ▼button to make “bASIC” (American style) or “Euro” appear in the
upper display, as desired. Press the REC/ENTER button to store the selection as the
default.
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5. En ble or dis ble uto power off. Once the format of decimal point divisions has been
set and stored, the display will show the word “yES’ over the term “PoFF”. Press the
SET ▼button until the desired automatic power off management scheme (“yES” for
enable; “no” for disable) is displayed. Press the REC/ENTER button to store the
selection. If enabled, the power off function shuts off the HWA4214SD after a period
of inactivity of ten minutes.
6. En ble or dis ble the beeper. Once the auto power off function has been enabled or
disabled, the display will show the word “yES” over the word “bEEP”. Press the
SET ▼button until the desired setting (“yES” or “no”) is displayed, and then press the
REC/ENTER button to store the selection as the default.
7. Select the thermocouple type. Once the beep sound has been enabled or disabled,
the lower part of the display will show the term “tYPE”. Press the SET ▼or LOGGER ▲
button until your thermocouple’s type (K or ) appears on the display. Then press the
REC/ENTER button to store the selection.
8. Select the temper ture unit. Once the thermocouple type has been selected and
stored, the lower part of the display will show the term “t-CF”. Press the SET ▼or
LOGGER ▲button until the unit you prefer (“F” for Fahrenheit, “C” for Celsius”) is
displayed. Then press the REC/ENTER button to store the selection as the default.
9. Set the d t logging s mpling time. Once the default temperature unit has been set
and stored, the display will show a value above the letters “SP-t”. Press the SET ▼or
LOGGER ▲button to decrease or increase the value until the desired sampling time
appears above “SP-t”. The options are 0, 1, 2, 5, 10, 30, 60, 120, 300, 600, 1800 and
3600 seconds (0 seconds to 1 hour).
10. Form t the SD c rd. Once the sampling time has been set and stored, the term “Sd-F”
will appear in the lower half of the display. Press the REC/ENTER button.
Pressing the REC/ENTER button causes the word “no” or “yES” to appear over the term
“Sd-F”. Press the ▼button to make a selection. Choose “yES” whenever a new SD card is
being used, or when a used card is being repurposed (from use with another SD card
instrument or a camera, for example) and all data on it is to be erased. Choose “no” to
preserve any data on a card previously used with this instrument.
If you choose “yES”, after you press the REC/ENTER button the instrument will prompt you
to confirm that decision by displaying the term “Ent” below “yES” and sounding three
beeps. To confirm that you want to begin the erasure/formatting procedure, press the
REC/ENTER button. “Ent” will then flash several times and the instrument will sound
another three beeps to confirm that the SD card has been erased and formatted.
Once the SD card has been set up, the display will then either return to the first of the eight
steps in the setup sequence—setting the current date and time—or show the term “ESC”.
If “ESC” appears, press the POWER/ESC button to exit the setup procedure and enter
normal operating mode.
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NORMAL OPERATION
1. To prep re to m ke me surements, power on the HWA4214SD and make sure an
SD card is firmly seated in the socket on the bottom of the instrument.
The meter can make and display two kinds of measurements:
• Air speed and temperature (simultaneously)
• Surface temperature, as measured by an optional Type K or Type thermocouple
2. To select the me surement mode, use the FUNC./HOLD/NEXT button. Pressing the
button repeatedly toggles between the two modes. When the FUNC./HOLD/NEXT button is
released, the selected mode becomes the default until the button is pressed again.
By default, the HWA4214SD uses Celsius units for temperature measurements. If you wish
to make Fahrenheit units the default, press the SET ▼button to enter the setup procedure
and perform Step 8.
3. To me sure ir velocity nd temper ture simult neously:
a. Seat the telescoping probe plug (callout 1-17 of Fig. 1) in its socket (callout 1-7) on
the top of the instrument.
b. Press the FUNC./HOLD/NEXT button until the display shows the term “Air”.
c. Holding the probe by its handle, slide the sensor cover (callout 1-19) on its end down
to expose the sensor. Do not touch the sensor with tools or your fingers; the thin hot
wire and thermistor inside it are easily damaged.
d. Extend the probe to a convenient length.
e. Rotate the probe until the mark on top of the sensor head faces the wind or the
flow of air whose speed/temperature you wish to measure. The upper part of the
display will show the air speed while the lower part will show the temperature
(as “ºF” or “ºC”).
To ch nge the unit of ir speed, use the REC/ENTER button (which has the word “Unit”
stenciled below it). Repeated presses of the button cycle through the five options for air
speed units: m/s (meters/second), fpm (feet per minute), km/h (kilometers/hr), knots
(nautical miles per hour), and mph (miles per hour). Release the REC/ENTER button when
the unit you wish to use appears, making it the default until changed.
4. To me sure surf ce temper ture using thermocouple, make sure the multi-function
probe is not in its socket. Plug an optional Type K or Type thermocouple into its dedicated
socket (callout 1-8 of Fig. 1). Then press the FUNC./HOLD/NEXT button until the display
shows the term “tP”.
Touch the wire end of the thermocouple to the surface whose temperature you wish to
measure. The display will show its temperature (as “ºF” or “ºC”).
By default, the HWA4214SD is configured for a Type K thermocouple. To use a Type
thermocouple, press the SET ▼button to enter the setup procedure and perform Step 7.
Whenever the instrument is operating in measurement mode, you can turn off the backlight
(which is on by default) by briefly pressing (but not holding) the POWER/ESC button. To
reactivate the backlight, briefly press the button again.
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Whenever the HWA4214SD is in either measurement mode, you also can check the current
date and time by briefly pressing the SET ▼button (which has the words “Time check”
stenciled below it). Doing so causes both values to appear briefly at the lower left of the
display.
HOLDING AND STORING MEASUREMENTS
1. To hold me sured v lue, press the FUNC./HOLD/NEXT button during the
measurement. Doing so will cause the word “HOLD” to appear at the top of the display.
Pressing the FUNC./HOLD/NEXT button again releases the hold.
2. To record nd rec ll re dings, press the REC/ENTER button while making
measurements. This will make the term “REC” appear at the top of the display. Pressing
the REC/ENTER button again, briefly, will make the term “MAX” appear to the right of
“REC” and switch the display to the maximum value stored in memory during the last
recording session. Pressing the REC/ENTER button again, briefly, will make the term
“MIN” appear to the right of “REC” and switch the display to the minimum value stored
during the last session.
3. To exit recording mode, press the REC/ENTER button and hold it for at least three
seconds, until the term “REC” disappears from the top line of the display. The display will
then revert to showing the current reading.
AUTOMATIC VS. MANUAL DATALOGGING
The HWA4214SD can automatically log data at a user-selected sampling period from
1 second 3,600 seconds (one hour). To view the sampling time that the instrument has
been set up to use, press the LOGGER ▲button (which has the words “Sampling check”
stenciled below it) once. To change the sampling time, perform Step 9 of the setup
procedure.
1. To st rt utom tic d t logging, press the REC/ENTER button once. The top line of the
display will then show the term “REC”. Pressing the LOGGER ▲button at this point will
make REC flash and add the flashing term “LOGGER” at the top right of the display. This
indicates that the instrument is currently storing measured values and their time stamps
in memory.
2. To p use utom tic d t logging, press the LOGGER ▲button once; this action makes
the flashing term “LOGGER” disappear from the top right of the display and changes the
term “REC” from flashing to constant. Pressing the LOGGER ▲button again resumes
automatic datalogging.
3. To end utom tic d t logging, press the REC/ENTER button and hold it for at least two
seconds. This action causes the “REC” message to disappear.
4. To log d t m nu lly, set the sampling time to zero using the procedure detailed earlier.
Then press the REC/ENTER button once. The display will show the term “REC” on the
top line, a value in the middle, and below it the letter “P” on the left and a number from
1 to 99 on the same line to the right. The number indicates the position on the SD card
that will be used to store manually logged data.
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Now press the LOGGER ▲button. This will cause the beeper to sound and the term
“LOGGER” to briefly appear at the upper right of the display. As in automatic datalogging
mode, in this mode the instrument is storing measurements and their time stamps on the
SD card.
In manual datalogging mode, however, measurements are being stored continuously
(with a sampling time of zero), and their locations on the card can be changed.
5. To ch nge the stor ge loc tion of m nu lly logged d t , press the SET ▼button
once; this causes the “P” to disappear from the left side of the display and the value on
its line to begin flashing. Once the flashing begins, you can use the SET ▼and LOGGER
▲buttons to change the flashing value to any number between 1 and 99. Once you have
chosen the storage location, press the REC/ENTER button to save the setting. This causes
the value to stop flashing and the “P” to return.
6. To end m nu l d t logging, press the REC/ENTER button and hold it for at least three
seconds. This action causes the “REC” message to disappear from the top line of the
display.
TRANSFERRING DATA
FROM THE SD CARD
TO A COMPUTER
After automatic or manual
datalogging of measurements,
remove the SD card from the
instrument and plug it into your
computer either directly (if it has
an SD card slot) or through an
SD card reader.
Because the files containing time-
stamped data logs have the file
extension .xls, they open in
Microsoft’s Excel application.
Figures 2 and 3 show two kinds
of Excel presentations: a data-only
screen and a graphics-only screen.
Fig. 3. Typic l Excel gr phics-only screen
Fig. 2. Typic l Excel d t -only screen