Nanometrics Trillium Compact User manual

User Guide
November 12, 2020
Strategic Intelligence Fueled by Science

© 2020 Nanometrics Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Trillium Compact User Guide. Applies to model numbers
Product Name Model Number Part Number
Trillium Compact, 120 second TC120-SV1 16838
Trillium Compact, 20 second TC20-SV1 16838-20
Trillium Compact Posthole,
120 second, 300 m
TC120-PH2 17327
Trillium Compact Posthole,
20 second, 300 m
TC20-PH2 17327-20
Trillium Compact Posthole,
20 second, 300 m, Polar Environment
TC20-PH2-XC 17327-20XC
Trillium Compact Posthole,
120 second, 300 m, Polar Environment
TC120-PH2-XC 17327-01
The information in this document has been carefully reviewed and is believed to be reliable.
Nanometrics Inc. reserves the right to make changes at any time without notice to improve the
reliability and function of the product.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any
form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the
prior written permission of Nanometrics Inc.
Nanometrics Inc.
250 Herzberg Road
Kanata, ON K2K 2A1
Canada
Toll free: [phone] (within North America)
Tel [phone]
Fax [phone]
Email [e-mail]
www.nanometrics.ca
Part number: 16889R10
Release date: 2020-11-12

About This Document
Document Conventions
Essential and Supplementary Information
(WARNING) Explains a risk of irreversible damage to data, software, or equipment and
provides recommendations for preventive action.
(CAUTION) Explains a risk of damage to data, software, or equipment where recovery is
likely to be troublesome and provides recommendations for preventive action.
(NOTE) Provides additional information related to the current text.
(TIP) Explains a best practice or provides helpful information related to the current text.
Text Conventions
bold text Identifies referenced elements in the graphical user interface (GUI)
(forexample,“click Cancel to discard the changes”).
italic text Identifies variables such as parameter names and value
placeholders (for example, “select Configuration > Sensor Name”).
courier text Identifies commands that must be entered exactly as shown
(forexample,“type mkdir $APOLLO_LOCATION/config”).
Revision number 16889R10 includes the following changes:
lAdded content for Polar Environment product model TC20-PH2-XC. See "About the Trillium
Compact" on page9
lModernized instructions for "Installing a Trillium Compact Posthole Seismometer" on
page18
lUpdated available accessories listing including a new lifting cable kit and compact holelock
kits. See "Cables and Accessories" on page12.
lGeneral updates to specifications including additional performance specifications and
environmental specifications. See "Specifications" on page68.
lFormatting and typographical changes

Contents
Part 1 - Installation 8
Chapter 1 - Getting Started 9
1.1 About the Trillium Compact 9
1.2 Unpacking and Handling a Trillium Compact seismometer 11
1.3 Cables and Accessories 12
1.4 Technical Support and Maintenance 16
1.4.1 Recording Your Serial Number and IP Address 17
Chapter 2 - Installing a Trillium Compact Posthole Seismometer 18
2.1 Installing a Trillium Compact Posthole 18
2.2 Selecting a Site for a Trillium Compact Posthole seismometer 18
2.3 Pre-Installation Preparation 19
2.4 Preventative Maintenance of Connectors 19
2.5 Connecting the Centaur digital recorder and the Trillium Compact 20
2.6 Verifying connection with the Centaur digital recorder 21
2.7 Installing a Trillium Compact Posthole Seismometer 21
2.7.1 Installing a Trillium Compact Posthole in an Uncased Hole (Direct Burial) 22
2.7.2 Installing a Trillium Compact Posthole in a Cased Hole 24
2.7.3 Lowering the Seismometer into a Deep Cased Hole 25
2.8 Aligning a Trillium Compact Posthole to North 27
2.8.1 Aligning the Trillium Compact Posthole using a Surface Line 27
2.8.2 Aligning the Trillium Compact Posthole using a Surface seismometer 28
2.9 Installation Checklist for the Trillium Compact Posthole seismometer 29
Chapter 3 - Installing a Trillium Compact Vault Seismometer 30
3.1 Installing a Trillium Compact surface vault seismometer 30
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3.2 Preparing for a Vault Installation 30
3.3 Selecting a Site for the Trillium Compact Vault 31
3.4 Preparing the Site for a Vault Installation 32
3.4.1 Common Types of Surface Installations 32
3.4.2 Performing a Vault Installation 34
3.4.3 Performing a temporary installation on Rock 34
3.5 Recommendations for Pier Construction 35
3.5.1 Choosing the Right Concrete 35
3.5.2 Decoupling the Pier and Vault Walls 36
3.6 Alignment, Leveling, and Placement Features 36
3.7 Aligning and Leveling a Trillium Compact in a Vault Installation 39
3.8 Theory and Practice of Insulation 40
3.9 Insulation Options 42
3.9.1 Insulating a Trillium Compact Vault with the Insulating Cover 42
3.9.2 Installing a Trillium Compact Vault in the Insulating Cover 43
3.9.3 Insulating a Trillium Compact Vault with a Rigid Foam Box 45
3.10 Connecting the Centaur digital recorder and the Trillium Compact 46
3.11 Verifying connection with the Centaur digital recorder 47
3.12 Installation Checklist for the Trillium Compact Vault seismometer 48
Chapter 4 - Post-Installation Activities 49
4.1 Troubleshooting Your Installation 49
Part 2 - Operation 52
Chapter 5 - Input &Output Signals 53
5.1 UVW and XYZ Output Signals 53
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5.2 Serial RS-232 Communications 54
5.3 Digital Control Input Signals 55
5.4 Calibration Input Signal 55
5.5 State-of-Health Output Signal 56
5.6 Power Consumption 56
Chapter 6 - Configuring Your System 58
6.1 Configuring the Centaur for the Trillium Compact 58
6.2 Seismometer System Sensitivity Guidelines 58
Chapter 7 - Configuring Serial Communications 60
7.1 About Serial Communications 60
7.2 Connecting through a Nanometrics Digitizer 60
7.3 Calculating the IP Address 61
Chapter 8 - Using the Web Interface 62
8.1 About the Web Interface 62
8.2 Accessing Trillium Compact Web pages 63
8.3 Viewing the Current State-of-Health 63
8.4 Viewing Seismometer Control 64
8.5 Control Lines 65
8.6 Upgrading the Seismometer Firmware 65
8.7 Hardware Information 66
Part 3 - Reference 67
Chapter 9 - Specifications 68
Chapter 10 - Performance 72
10.1 Frequency Response for 120 s and 20 s models 72
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10.2 Self-Noise 75
Chapter 11 - Connectors and Cables 79
11.1 Pin-out for 14-Pin Trillium Compact Connector 79
11.2 Pin-out for 16-Pin Trillium Compact Connector 80
11.3 Cable Design Guidelines 81
Chapter 12 - Features and Dimensions 82
12.1 Trillium Compact - models TC120-SV1 and TC20-SV1 82
12.2 Trillium Compact Posthole - models TC120-PH2, TC120-PH2-XC, TC20-PH2 and
TC20-PH2-XC 84
12.3 Trillium Compact Features and Dimensions - Optional 70 mm spikes 86
Appendix A - Site Record 87
Appendix B - Grounding guidelines 89
Appendix C - Carrying Case 94
C.1 Transporting a Trillium Compact in the Carrying Case 94
Appendix D - Leveling Cradle and Spike Kit 96
D.1 Using the Leveling Cradle 96
D.2 Using the Leveling Cradle and Spike Kit 97
Appendix E - Open Source Attributions 100
Glossary 101
Unit Abbreviations and Symbols 102
About Us 103
Contact Us 103
Contact Technical Support 103
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Part 1 - Installation
lGetting Started
lInstalling a Trillium Compact Posthole Seismometer
lInstalling a Trillium Compact Vault Seismometer
lPost-Installation Activities
Part 1 - Installation
16889R10 • 2020-11-12 Page 8

Chapter 1 - Getting Started
1.1 About the Trillium Compact
Trillium Compact is extremely simple to deploy with no mass lock and no mass centering
required. The exceptionally small size significantly reduces the time and effort required for site
preparation and installation. Continuous quality data are available within minutes of
deployment with no requirement for further intervention.
All Trillium Compact seismometers are observatory-class three-component, very broadband,
low-noise seismometers with extended low frequency range useful out to beyond 1000 s, low
noise, and a high clip level that is ideal for teleseismic, regional, and local studies.
lLow-noise broadband seismometer performance
lBroadband performance, 20 or 120 second to 100 Hz, with improved noise floor at
high frequency
lExceptionally high clip level of 26 mm/s permits on scale recording of larger events
closer to the source
lUltra low power consumption of just 180 mW for low operating costs and higher
station reliability
lEase of deployment through no mass lock, no mass centering and wide tilt range
lIntegrated web server for efficient instrument management
lExtended operating temperature range for Polar Environment models TC20-PH2-XC
and TC120-PH2-XC
Trillium Compact seismometers are available with 20 s or 120 s low corner period. The 20 s
variants have a wide operational tilt range of ±10° and are suitable for down-hole installations
where the seismometer cannot be leveled, or for rapid deployments where a quick settling
time is needed. The 120 s variants have lower long-period noise and a narrower tilt range of
±2.5° and are suitable for installations where the seismometer can be manually leveled or
placed on a level surface (in a vault or at the bottom of a suitably prepared borehole).
Featuring low sensitivity to both tilt and temperature, Trillium Compact seismometers do not
require mass centering under normal operation. With the wide tilt range, leveling is simple and
if additional leveling is required, the seismometer can be leveled in seconds by seating it in its
Chapter 1 - Getting Started
16889R10 • 2020-11-12 Page 9

optional leveling cradle, which corrects an uneven installation surface by up to ±9º. See
"Leveling Cradle and Spike Kit" on page96 for more information.
The Trillium Compact has an integrated Web server that is accessible using a standard Web
browser and the RS-232 serial interface available on the connector. A desktop computer with a
serial port configured with serial-over-Internet-Protocol (SLIP) can be used to browse into the
Trillium Compact and configure optional features, check factory information or state-of-
health, and update firmware. Current generation Nanometrics digitizers support this interface
so users can access the Web-based features of the Trillium Compact remotely, even with the
unit in service.
The symmetric triaxial arrangement of the sensing elements ensures uniformity between
vertical and horizontal outputs. The ability to remotely select either the raw (UVW) or resulting
horizontal-vertical (XYZ) outputs allows for the calibration of each axis separately. For some
studies, it may be preferable to use UVW mode instead of XYZ mode for recording seismic
data.
Trillium Compact is available in several variants to facilitate vault, surface, or buried downhole
deployments:
Model TC120-SV1 A surface vault seismometer in an aluminum enclosure with a
l14-pin MIL-C-26482 Series I connector
lbandwidth of -3 dB points at 120 s and 108 Hz
Model TC20-SV1 A surface vault seismometer in an aluminum enclosure with a
l14-pin MIL-C-26482 Series I connector
lbandwidth of -3 dB points at 20 s and 108 Hz
Model TC120-PH2 A posthole seismometer in a submersible stainless steel enclosure that
lhas a 16-pin marine-class connector
lis suitable to a depth of 300 m
lhas a bandwidth of -3 dB points at 120 s and 108 Hz
Model TC20-PH2 A posthole seismometer in a submersible stainless steel enclosure that
lhas a 16-pin marine-class connector
lis suitable to a depth of 300 m
lhas a bandwidth of -3 dB points at 20 s and 108 Hz
Chapter 1 - Getting Started
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Model TC120-PH2-XC A posthole seismometer in a submersible stainless steel enclosure that
lhas a 16-pin marine-class connector
lis suitable to a depth of 300 m
lhas a bandwidth of -3 dB points at 120 s and 108 Hz
lis suitable for installation in Polar environments
Model TC20-PH2-XC A posthole seismometer in a submersible stainless steel enclosure that
lhas a 16-pin marine-class connector
lis suitable to a depth of 300 m
lhas a bandwidth of -3 dB points at 20 s and 108 Hz
lis suitable for installation in Polar environments
1.2 Unpacking and Handling a Trillium Compact seismometer
The shipping box and packing material for the Trillium Compact seismometers have been
designed and tested to protect the seismometers against the impact of accidental drops
during hand-carrying and from vibration and shock during shipping. To maintain warranty
protection, Trillium Compact seismometers must always be transported in packaging
approved by Nanometrics. Save the original packaging and reuse it any time you are
transporting a Trillium Compact seismometer. If custom packaging is required for a particular
application, please consult Nanometrics (see "Contact Us" on page103).
After delivering a Trillium Compact seismometer to its installation site, you can safely remove it
from the packaging and handle it without any special precautions other than taking care not
to drop it or bang it against hard surfaces. Trillium Compact seismometers do not require any
mass lock mechanisms or mass centering. These seismometers are ready to operate right out
of the box and can withstand shocks of up to 100 gwith no degradation in performance or
service life.
Chapter 1 - Getting Started
16889R10 • 2020-11-12 Page 11

1.3 Cables and Accessories
Nanometrics offers optional equipment, that can be purchased separately, that add
convenience to the installation and use of your Trillium Compact seismometer. This section
describes a number of these options.
Name Part number Descriptions
Surface vault models TC120-SV1, TC20-SV1
Trillium Compact Carrying
case/ Insulating cover
16862 Dual-purpose enclosure that serves as both a
carrying case when transporting the Trillium
Compact and as an insulating cover.
As a carrying case, this enclosure provides
cushioning protection during transport.
When installed as an insulating cover, this
enclosure thermally insulates the seismometer
and protects it from external air currents.
See "Carrying Case" on page94 for information
and instructions on using this product to
transport your Trillium Compact.
See "Installing a Trillium Compact Vault
Seismometer " on page30 for instructions on
using this product as an insulating cover in an
installation.
Foam Plug for Trillium
Compact Carrying case/
Insulating cover
MEC16852R1 A foam plug specially designed for the carrying
case. This plug prevents movement of the
Trillium Compact and leveling cradle when a
cable is not packed in the case.
Cable – Trillium
seismometer to
Nanometrics digitizer
16777–3M
16777–5M
16777–10M
16777–15M
16777–25M
Double-shielded, ultra-flexible cable with
Trillium Compact right-angled connector on one
end and Nanometrics digitizer connector on the
other end.
In addition to connecting the analog inputs,
power, and control line signals to the digitizing
and data logging features of the digitizer, this
cable also provides access to the Web interface
of the seismometer through the Web interface
of the digitizer.
Standard cable lengths are 3 m, 5 m, 10 m, 15
m, and 25 m.
Custom cable lengths are available upon
request.
Table 1-1 - List of cables and accessories
Chapter 1 - Getting Started
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Name Part number Descriptions
Cable – Trillium
seismometer to open end
16865–3M
16865–5M
16865–10M
16865–15M
16865–25M
Double-shielded, ultra-flexible cable with
Trillium Compact right-angled connector on one
end and open-ended at the other end for
attaching the connector of a third-party digitizer.
In addition to connecting the analog inputs,
power, and control line signals to the digitizing
and data logging features of the digitizer, this
cable also provides access to the Web interface
of the seismometer through the Web interface
of the digitizer.
Standard cable lengths are 3 m, 5 m, 10 m, 15
m, and 25 m.
Custom cable lengths are available upon
request.
Cable – Trillium
seismometer to third-party
digital recorder
Contact
Nanometrics
Double-shielded, ultra-flexible cable with
Trillium Compact right-angled connector on one
end and a connector for a common third-party
digital recorder, such as a Q330 or REFTEK
D130, on the other end.
Contact Nanometrics (see "Contact Us" on
page103 for a full listing of cables with
connectors to third-party digital recorders.
Cable – Serial
communications and power
cable, molded
16978–2M A cable that provides serial communications and
power to the Trillium Compact. The cable has a
Trillium Compact connector on one end and
splits into two 2 m lengths. One end of the cable
split has a DB-9 serial connector that connects
to the serial port of a computer, and the other
end has a two-prong banana plug for power.
Standard cable length is 2 m.
Custom cable lengths are available upon
request.
Posthole models TC120-PH2, TC120-PH2-XC, TC20-PH2 and TC20-PH2-XC
Bubble Level MSC0225 For applications where precise leveling is
required, the bubble level is placed on top of the
Trillium Compact seismometer during
installation.
Table 1-1 - List of cables and accessories (Continued)
Chapter 1 - Getting Started
16889R10 • 2020-11-12 Page 13

Name Part number Descriptions
Cable –Trillium Compact
Posthole to Nanometrics
Digitizer, Molded
17768-10M
17768-30M
A cable with a molded neoprene connector on
one end that connects to the Trillium Compact
Posthole connector and a connector on the
other end for connecting to a Nanometrics
digitizer. The cable features a robust neoprene
cable jacket that is suitable for buried
deployments.
In addition to connecting the analog inputs,
power, and control line signals to the digitizing
and data logging features of the digitizer, this
cable also provides access to the Web interface
of the seismometer through the Web interface
of the digitizer.
Cable – Trillium Compact
Posthole to Open End,
Molded
18005-5M
18005-10M
18005-30M
18005-70M
A cable with a molded neoprene connector on
one end that connects to the Trillium Compact
Posthole connector and is open-ended on the
other end.
In addition to connecting the analog inputs,
power, and control line signals to the digitizing
and data logging features of the digitizer, this
cable also provides access to the Web interface
of the seismometer through the Web interface
of the digitizer.
Adjustable Feet Kit 17245 A kit including three adjustable locking feet that
should be used on model numbers TC120-PH2,
TC20-PH2, TC120-PH2-XC and TC20-PH2-XC
instead of the default fixed studs in a surface
vault installation.
Lifting Cable Kit,
Compact/Titan Posthole
and Borehole, 1/8" 316SS,
Harsh Env
19251-xxM
where xx refers
to the cable
length in meters.
Compact/Titan Posthole and Borehole, 1/8"
316SS, Harsh Env.
For use when installing the Trillium Compact
Posthole in a deep cased hole. This kit includes a
lifting cable, cable clamps, cable ties. See Table
1-2 for a detailed component list.
Compact Holelock Kit (T-
CHL1)
18884 To adapt the Trillium Compact Posthole for
installation in a 107 mm to 129 mm borehole. Kit
includes holelock assembly for 107 mm to 129
mm borehole, adapter plate and mounting
screws. See instruction sheet Installing a
Nanometrics Sensor with a Cam Holelock (19026).
Table 1-1 - List of cables and accessories (Continued)
Chapter 1 - Getting Started
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Name Part number Descriptions
Compact Holelock Kit (T-
CHL2)
18884-01 To adapt the Trillium Compact Posthole for
installation in a 132 mm to 174 mm borehole. Kit
includes holelock assembly for 132 mm to 174
mm borehole, adapter plate and mounting
screws. See instruction sheet Installing a
Nanometrics Sensor with a Cam Holelock (19026).
Compact Holelock Kit (T-
CHL3)
18884-02 To adapt the Trillium Compact Posthole for
installation in a 144 mm to 185 mm borehole. Kit
includes holelock assembly for 114 mm to 129
mm borehole, adapter plate and mounting
screws. See instruction sheet Installing a
Nanometrics Sensor with a Cam Holelock (19026).
Compact Holelock Kit (T-
CHL4)
18884-03 To adapt the Trillium Compact Posthole for
installation in a 197 mm to 241 mm borehole. Kit
includes holelock assembly for 197 mm to 241
mm borehole, adapter plate and mounting
screws. See instruction sheet Installing a
Nanometrics Sensor with a Cam Holelock (19026).
All models
70 mm Spike Kit 17247 Spikes that attach to the base of the
seismometer for installations in soft soil.
Leveling cradle 16863 Tripod deployment cradle for rapid leveling.
See "Leveling Cradle and Spike Kit" on page96
for information and instructions for using this
product.
Leveling cradle spike kit 16874 Kit containing three types of spikes that attach to
the leveling cradle. Use the spikes to stabilize
the cradle in soil, gravel, or sand.
See "Leveling Cradle and Spike Kit" on page96
for information and instructions for using this
product.
Table 1-1 - List of cables and accessories (Continued)
Qty Part Number Description
1 19250-xxM Lifting cable, Compact/Titan Posthole and Borehole, 1/8"
316SS, Harsh Env
1 17938 Lifting Bail, Meridian Compact or Trillium/Titan Posthole,
13.3 cm
1 17312 Wellhead Cable Clamp, for 1/8” Stainless Steel Lifting
Cable
1 15251 Wellhead Cable Clamp for Seismometer Cable
Table 1-2 - List of Contents for Lifting Cable Kit
Chapter 1 - Getting Started
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Qty Part Number Description
1 HDW1397 Shackle, Stainless Steel, 1/4" diam.
* MSC0360 Cable Tie, Harsh Env, 8”
*Quantity depends on cable length. 1 tie wrap around
seismometer cable and wire rope every 5 m.
Table 1-2 - List of Contents for Lifting Cable Kit (Continued)
1.4 Technical Support and Maintenance
If you need technical support, please submit your request by email. Include a full explanation
of the problem and any supporting information (such as a screen capture of the observed
problem, mass position readings, photographs of the site, operating input voltage and
current) to help us direct your request to the most knowledgeable person for reply. Before
returning a unit for repair, contact Nanometrics Technical Support to obtain an RMA (Return
Merchandise Authorization) number. Email us at [e-mail] or see "Contact
Technical Support " on page103.
The mechanical and electronic elements of the Trillium Compact seismometers have been
designed to be robust and reliable, to ensure there is no need to open units for on-site
maintenance. The internal reverse-voltage protection and over-current protection
automatically resets when the fault is removed, so there are no fuses to replace.
Contents may be under pressure, please contact Nanometrics technical support
before servicing. See "Contact Technical Support " on page103.
When servicing the Trillium Compact, be aware that if the unit has failed in a buried or
underwater environment there is a small possibility that water may have leaked in
under pressure, compressing the air inside. If the unit has been submerged beyond its
rated depth of 10 m there is some risk of hazardous trapped pressure.
For safety, air pressure must be relieved before opening the unit. To do this, undo the
top connector jam nut and push the connector down to break the seal and relieve any
pressure trapped inside.
Chapter 1 - Getting Started
16889R10 • 2020-11-12 Page 16

1.4.1 Recording Your Serial Number and IP Address
Before installing your Trillium Compact seismometer, it is important to record both the serial
number and the IP address of the unit. Both numbers are located on the label.
Keep this information readily available. You will need to reference the serial number when
contacting Technical Support. You will need the IP address of the unit to access its Web
interface. See "Configuring Serial Communications" on page60 for more information.
If the IP address of the unit is not recorded, it can be calculated later using the serial
number. See "Calculating the IP Address" on page61.
Chapter 1 - Getting Started
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Chapter 2 - Installing a Trillium Compact Posthole
Seismometer
The contents of this chapter are applicable to Trillium Compact Posthole, model
numbers TC120-PH2, TC120-PH2-XC, TC20-PH2 and TC20-PH2-XC.
2.1 Installing a Trillium Compact Posthole
1. "Selecting a Site for a Trillium Compact Posthole seismometer" below
2. "Pre-Installation Preparation" on the next page
3. "Preventative Maintenance of Connectors" on the next page
4. "Grounding guidelines " on page89
5. "Connecting the Centaur digital recorder and the Trillium Compact" on page20
6. "Verifying connection with the Centaur digital recorder" on page21
7. Installing a Trillium Compact either by:
a. "Installing a Trillium Compact Posthole in an Uncased Hole (Direct Burial)" on
page22 or by
b. "Installing a Trillium Compact Posthole in a Cased Hole" on page24
Once you have completed the installation of your Trillium Compact Posthole, you can proceed
to configure the digital recorder. Refer to the Centaur User Guide (17935).
2.2 Selecting a Site for a Trillium Compact Posthole
seismometer
There is no substitute for a geological survey when it comes to site selection. A survey provides
knowledge of the structures over which the seismometer seismometer will be installed.
Where possible, seismometers should be installed on bedrock and as far away as possible
from sources of cultural noise such as roads, dwellings, and tall structures.
Use the worksheet "Site Record" on page87 to record information about the structure,
cultural environs, and climatic conditions of the site; as well as information about the type and
length of the installation.
Chapter 2 - Installing a Trillium Compact Posthole Seismometer
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2.3 Pre-Installation Preparation
Advanced planning and preparation for the installation of your Trillium Compact seismometer
will ensure that you have a properly prepared site and the tools and materials you need readily
available. Follow these recommendations when preparing for your installation:
lGather your installation tools and materials. At a minimum you should have the
following on-site when installing your seismometer:
lDigging tools for direct burial installation
lPower source
lDigitizer and cable. See "Cables and Accessories" on page12 for information on
cables and other accessories.
lCompass for alignment. See "Aligning a Trillium Compact Posthole to North" on
page27.
lA laptop or mobile device with software and cables required to connect to and
communicate with the digitizer.
To save time during installation, the Trillium Compact and the Nanometrics digital recorder can
be pre-configured for deployment. See "Configuring Your System" on page58.
2.4 Preventative Maintenance of Connectors
For the Trillium Compact Posthole, prior to each deployment, inspect the cable
connectors and grease them if needed. Once greased and mated the connectors will
be well protected and will not need to be serviced during the course of a field
deployment.
For the Trillium Compact Vault there are no special handling requirements.
For Trillium Compact Posthole seismometers, prior to each deployment, cable connectors
should be inspected and, if necessary, greased using the following guidelines:
lInspect, grease and mate the connectors at a warm temperature (above -20ºC) prior to
deployment if possible. (Below -20ºC connectors become stiff and cannot be mated.
However, once mated connectors can be used to -40ºC or lower.)
lFor standard temperature deployments, use Molykote 44, Molykote 111, or Dow
Corning 111 grease
Chapter 2 - Installing a Trillium Compact Posthole Seismometer
16889R10 • 2020-11-12 Page 19

lFor extremely low temperature deployments, (below -40ºC) use Molykote 33 or Uniflor
8911 grease
To apply the grease:
1. Apply a layer of grease to the seismometer end of the cable connector as follows:
1. If the connector is dry, apply a layer of grease approximately 2 mm thick.
2. If the connector is already wet (for example, in the field), apply a layer of grease
approximately 8 mm thick.
2. To distribute the grease into the socket holes and onto the connector prongs, push
together the two ends of the connector, then pull them apart again to verify that the
grease has been distributed sufficiently.
3. Once the grease distribution has been verified, reconnect the ends and tighten the red
locking sleeves to prevent the connectors from coming apart.
For more information, see the video, SubConn ® greasing and mating above water (dry mate),
published by MacArtneyGroup (2013). Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vp_cbGtSsXI
2.5 Connecting the Centaur digital recorder and the Trillium
Compact
Use the guidelines in this section to connect the Centaur digital recorder and the Trillium
Compact.
1. Ground the system using the guidelines in "Grounding guidelines " on page89.
2. Power up the digital recorder. You can continue with the steps in this procedure while
the digital recorder is booting up.
3. Using the appropriate seismometer to digitizer cable, see "Cables and Accessories" on
page12, attach the seismometer connector to the Trillium Compact making sure that
the guides on the cable connector align with the notches on the Trillium Compact.
4. Attach the other end of the cable to the digital recorder, making sure that the guides on
the cable connector align with the notches on the digital recorder
Once powered up, the digital recorder will provide pass-through power to the seismometer as
well as feedback regarding seismometer operation.
Chapter 2 - Installing a Trillium Compact Posthole Seismometer
16889R10 • 2020-11-12 Page 20