Nikon DTM-502 Series User manual

H162 E 02.10.VF.2
Total Station DTM-502 series
DTM-552
DTM-532
DTM-522
Instruction Manual

1 NOMENCLATURE
1-1
1
NOMENCLATURE
Carrying-handle
battery BC-80
Telescope focusing ring
Telescope eyepiece
Diopter ring
Plate level
Display
Face-left keyboard
Storage mark
Leveling base
clamp knob
Refer to p.3-1 ~ p.3-3 for
the key arrangement and
its major function.
Battery mounting
buttons
Main body/Battery
aligning mark
Upper plate
tangent screw
Upper plate clamp
Vertical tangent screw
Vertical clamp

1-2
1
NOMENCLATURE
Optical sight (Finder)
Lumi-guide transmitter
Objective
Face-right keyboard
Leveling base
Holizontal axis
indication mark
Optical plummet
Data output/External
power input connector
Circular level
Base plate Leveling screw
Input voltage
DC 7.2 – 11V

1
NOMENCLATURE
This page is intentionally left blank.

Thank you for purchasing the Nikon products. This
instruction manual was written for the users of the
Electronic Total Station DTM-502 series. To ensure
correct usage read this manual carefully before
operating the instrument.
Also read the Instruction Manual provided with the
Battery Charger and any other equipments used
together with the DTM-502 series.
Warning and Caution Symbols in This Manual
Though Nikon products are designed to provide you
utmost safety during use, incorrect usage or disregard of
the instructions can cause personal injury or property
damage. For your safety, read the instruction manual
carefully and thoroughly before usage. Do not discard
this manual but keep it near the product for easy
reference.
Inside this instruction manual, safety instructions are
indicated with the symbols shown below. Be sure to
follow the instructions marked with these symbols for
your safety.
WARNING
Disregarding instructions marked with this symbol
may lead to death or serious injury.
CAUTION
Disregarding instructions marked with this symbol
may lead to injury or property damage.
i

WARNING AND CAUTION Read This Section Before Use!
WARNING
 Never see the sun through the telescope. Doing so may cause
the loss of your eyesight.
 The DTM-502 does not feature explosion-protected construction.
Do not use in coal mines, in areas contaminated with coal dust, or
near other flammable substances.
 Never disassemble, modify or repair the instrument. Doing so
may cause fire, electric shock or burn.
 Use only the specified charger Q-75U/E for charging the battery
pack BC-80. Charging by the other types of chargers than
specified may cause fire or rupture. (BC-80 can not be charged
by using the charger Q-7U/E or Q7C.)
 While recharging the battery pack, do not cover the charger with
any blanket or clothing which can cause overheating. Make sure
the charger is able to dissipate heat adequately.
 Avoid recharging in humid or dusty places, in direct sunlight, and
near heaters. Do not recharge when wet. Doing so may cause
electric shock, overheating or fire.
 Although the battery pack BC-80 is equipped with an auto-reset
circuit breaker, care should be taken not to short the contacts.
Shorting may cause fire or burn.
 Never burn or heat the battery. Doing so may cause rupture or
injury.
 When storing the battery pack or charger, guard against a short
circuit by putting the insulating tape on the contact point or by doing
some other methods. Failure to do so may result in a short circuit,
causing a fire, burn or instrument damage.
ii

WARNING AND CAUTION Read This Section Before Use!
CAUTION
 The top of the tripod ferrule is very sharp and may injure your body.
Be careful in handling or carrying the tripod.
 Check the shoulder strap and its clasp before carrying the tripod or
the instrument encased in the carrying case. Damaged strap or
imperfect clasping may cause an accident of falling.
 Before setting up the tripod, check below to make sure no one’s
hands or feet are in the way. Failure to do so may result in injury if
hands or feet should be pierced by the legs of the tripod.
 Fasten firmly the thumb screws of the tripod legs after mounting the
instrument on the tripod. If not, the tripod may collapse, resulting
in injury or instrument damage.
 Be sure to fasten the clamp screw on the tripod securely after
installing the instrument on the tripod. Failure to do this may
cause the instrument to fall, resulting in injury or instrument
damage.
 Fasten securely the leveling base clamp knob. If the knob is not
securely fastened, the leveling base may fall when you grasp the
carrying handle battery, resulting in injury or instrument damage.
 Roughly moving the instrument by grasping the carrying handle
battery without first placing the battery mounting buttons in the
LOCK position may cause the main unit to come loose and fall,
resulting in injury or instrument damage. Make sure that the
battery pack is clamped securely in place and the mounting buttons
are set in the LOCK position.
 Do not stack up the plastic carrying case and do not use it as a
stool. Plastic carrying case is slippery and unstable. Doing
things like this may cause an accident and result in personal injury
or instrument damage.
 Do not swing or throw the plumb bob. It may hit and injure the
other person.
 Be sure to read the instructions of Quick Charger Q-75U/E before
starting charging operation.
iii

MAINTENANCE Read This Section Before Use!
 Avoid prolonged exposure to the sun or the heat of a closed vehicle.
Efficiency could be adversely affected.
 If the DTM-502 has been used in wet conditions, immediately wipe
off any moisture and dry it completely before replacing it in its
carrying case. The DTM-502 contains many sensitive electronic
assemblies which have been well protected against dust and
moisture. However, should dust or moisture be introduced into the
instrument, severe damage could result.
 Sudden changes in temperature may cloud the lenses and
drastically reduce the measurable distance, or initiate an electrical
system failure. Should this occur, leave the instrument in a warm
location with the case closed until the temperature of the instrument
returns to room temperature.
 Avoid storing the DTM-502 in hot humid locations. Especially, the
battery pack should be stored in a dry location at a temperature of
less than 30°C. Higher temperature and excessive humidity may
result in growth of mold on the lenses and deterioration of the
electronic assemblies, leading to instrument failure.
 Store the battery pack with the battery discharged.
 When storing the instrument in areas subject to extremely low
temperature, leave the carrying case open.
 Do not overtighten any of the clamp screws.
 When adjusting the vertical and upper plate tangent screws or the
leveling screws, stay as close as possible to the center of the
screw’s range, as indicated by a line on the screw.
Use a clockwise rotation of the tangent screws for final adjustment.
 If the leveling base is to be left unused for an extended period,
lock-down the leveling base clamp knob and tighten its safety
screw.
iv

MAINTENANCE Read This Section Before Use!
 Do not use organic solvents (such as ether or paint thinner) to
clean the non-metallic parts such as the keyboard, and the painted
or printed surfaces. Doing so could result in discoloration or in the
peeling of printed characters. Clean only with a soft cloth or tissue
lightly moistened with water or mild detergent.
 Optical lenses may be cleaned by lightly wiping them with a soft
cloth or lens tissue moistened with alcohol.
 Do not leave the carrying case exposed to rain for an extended
period of time, though it is designed to be watertight. If you
expose the carrying case to rain because of unavoidable
circumstances, place it with its “Nikon” nameplate upward.
 The BC-80 battery pack holds Ni-MH inside. Be sure to follow the
laws or rules of your municipal waste system when disposing of it.
v

2. PREPARATION
2-1
2
PREPARATION
2-1. Unpacking and Packing the DTM-502
NOTE •Handle gently the DTM-502 to guard against shocks or excessive
vibration.
•Encase the instrument with the battery pack attached.
•When packing the charger Q-75U/E in the plastic carrying case, make
sure the storing position referring to the sticker inside of the case. Be
careful not to pinch the cable of the charger when closing the case
cover.
1) Unpacking
Hold the carrying-handle and take the
instrument out of the case. The instrument
is placed in its carrying case as shown in the
figure.
2) Packing
Set the telescope in the horizontal “face-left”
position and align the storage mark () on
the bottom of the face-left keyboard and the
mark ( ) on the leveling base clamp knob.
Fasten lightly the clamp knobs and then
replace the instrument in its case.

2
PREPARATION
2-2. Recharging and Connecting the BC-80
WARNING
 Use only the specified charger Q-75U/E for charging the battery pack
BC-80. Charging by the other types of chargers than specified may
cause fire or rupture. (BC-80 can not be charged by using the
charger Q-7U/E or Q-7C.)
 While recharging the battery pack, do not cover the charger with any
blanket or clothing which can cause overheating. Make sure the
charger is able to dissipate heat adequately.
 Avoid recharging in humid or dusty places, in direct sunlight, and near
heaters. Do not recharge when wet. Doing so may cause electric
shock, overheating or fire.
 Although the battery pack BC-80 is equipped with an auto-reset circuit
breaker, care should be taken not to short the contacts. Shorting may
cause fire or burn.
 Never burn or heat the battery. Doing so may cause rupture or injury.
 When storing the battery pack or charger, guard against a short circuit
by putting the insulating tape on the contact point or by doing some
other methods. Failure to do so may result in a short circuit, causing
a fire, burn or instrument damage.
CAUTION
 Be sure to read the instructions of Quick Charger Q-75U/E before
starting charging operation.
 Roughly moving the instrument by grasping the carrying handle battery
without first placing the battery mounting buttons in the LOCK position
may cause the main unit to come loose and fall, resulting in injury or
instrument damage. Make sure that the battery pack is clamped
securely in place and the mounting buttons are set in the LOCK
position.
2-2

2
PREPARATION
NOTE •Recharge the battery pack indoors within an ambient temperature
range 0°C to +40°C. Charging outside this temperature range will
trigger a protective circuit which prevents normal recharging.
•Keep the charging plug clean to prevent misoperation.
•If the charging indicator blinks whenever charging starts, there is an
error in the battery pack. Stop using the battery pack and contact
your dealer or a Nikon representative.
•If the battery pack is recharged within the specified ambient
temperature range and the charging indicator stays lit for 3 hours or
longer, something is wrong. Contact your dealer or a Nikon
representative. (If an ambient temperature lowers than 0°C while
recharging the battery, the charger’s temperature sensor will stop the
charging operation. In such a case, it is normal for the charging
indicator to stay lit for 3 hours or longer. If the ambient temperature
increases to above 0°C, the quick charge operation will restart and the
charging will be completed within 2 hours.)
•After recharging the battery pack, do not recharge it again before using
or discharging it. This is to prevent the battery pack’s performance
from degrading.
•During the quick charging or discharging operation, the battery pack
and quick charger will become warm. This is normal.
•Temperatures of less than approx. -20°C will reduce the battery
capacity. This will result in a shortened working life compared to
operation at a normal temperature.
•The battery pack left disused for a long period might not be fully
recharged. In such a case, charge and discharge the battery pack
several times to restore its full recharging potential.
•BC-80 can be charged by using the charger Q-70U/E or Q-70C, but
not be fully charged.
2-3

2
PREPARATION
1) Recharging Procedure
(1) Insert the power plug of charger into an
AC outlet.
(2) Connect the charging plug to the battery
pack’s charging connector.
(3) Quick charging will then start
automatically. Check that the charging
indicator lights.
(4) When charging is completed, the
charging indicator goes out.
2) Discharging Procedure
(1) Insert the power plug into an AC outlet.
(2) Connect the charging plug to the battery pack’s charging connector.
(3) Press the discharge starting switch to start discharging. Check that the
discharging indicator will light.
(4) When discharging is completed, the discharging indicator goes out and quick
charging starts automatically. During charging, the charging indicator lights.
NOTE •To stop discharging before completion, press the discharge starting
switch again. The discharging will stop and quick charging will start
automatically. During quick charging the charging indicator lights.
•Discharging the battery pack once every 10 recharging cycles is
effective.
2-4
C
harging
I
ndicator Discharging indicator
Discharging starting swit
ch
Discharging Operation
The battery pack is designed for repetitive recharging and use. However, if the
battery pack is recharged while it still has enough power to operate the surveying
instrument, the battery power will last for shorter periods. (Memory effect) In such
a case, discharging the battery pack first can refresh its capacity for normal
performance.

2
PREPARATION
3) Detaching the BC-80
NOTE •Be sure to turn off the [PWR] key before attaching or detaching the
BC-80.
•Avoid touching the battery pack BC-80 contacts.
(1) Release the LOCK by turning the battery
mounting buttons in the opposite
direction of the arrow mark until they
stop in the horizontal position.
(2) Raise the battery pack while depressing
the battery mounting buttons to remove
the battery pack from the main body.
4) Attaching the BC-80
(1) Make sure that the battery mounting
buttons are turned in the horizontal
position (UNLOCKED position).
(2) Align the mark () on the battery
mounting button with the mark () on
the main body. Fit the battery pack
with the connecting pins on the top of
the main body while depressing the
battery mounting buttons. Release
your fingers from the buttons where the
battery pack settles in position.
(3) Turn the mounting buttons in the
direction of the arrow mark to the limit
(in the vertical position) after both
buttons are completely released from the
depressed position. Doing this enables
the LOCK to avoid the main body
falling.
There is a slight opening between the
BC-80 and the main body though the
BC-80 has been correctly mounted and
locked. This is due to the design to
keep the precision of the instrument.
Locked
p
osition
2-5

2
PREPARATION
CAUTION
 Roughly moving the instrument by grasping the carrying handle battery
without first placing the battery mounting buttons in the LOCK position
may cause the main unit to come loose and fall, resulting in injury or
instrument damage. Make sure that the battery pack is clamped
securely in place and the mounting buttons are set in the LOCK
position.
NOTE •An external battery (optional accessory) is available for use with the
DTM-502 series. When the external battery is connected and the
battery pack BC-80 is mounted on the DTM502, the DTM-502’s
electrical source will automatically be switched to the one with the
higher battery power.
2-6

2
PREPARATION
2-3. Setting up the Tripod
CAUTION
 The top of the tripod ferrule is very sharp and may injure your body.
Be careful in handling or carrying the tripod.
(1) Open the tripod legs sufficiently enough for the instrument to be stable.
(2) Assure that the station point is located directly beneath the center hole in the
tripod head.
(3) Firmly press the tripod ferrules into the ground.
(4) Level the top surface of the tripod head.
NOTE •Precise level is necessary when the plumb bob is used for the next
section “centering”.
(5) Fasten firmly the thumb screws on the tripod legs.
(6) Place the DTM-502 on the tripod head. Insert the tripod mounting screw into
the center hole of the DTM-502’s base plate and tighten
NOTE •Do not carry the instrument while it is attached to a tripod.
2-7

2
PREPARATION
2-4. Centering
“Centering” refers to the precise alignment of the instrument’s central axis over the
station point. This can be accomplished in two ways, through the use of a plumb
bob, or the optical plummet.
1) Using Plumb Bob
(1) Place the instrument on the tripod head. Insert the tripod mounting screw
into the center hole of the instrument’s base plate and tighten.
(2) Hang the plumb line on the hook of the tripod mounting screw and adjust the
length of the plumb line to the position the tip of the plumb bob at the height
approximately level with the station point.
(3) Slightly loosen the tripod mounting screw. Supporting the outer side of the
leveling base with both hands, carefully slide the instrument about on the
tripod head until the tip of the plumb bob is perfectly positioned over the
center of the station point.
NOTE •Confirm precise alignment by viewing from two directions at right
angles to each other.
2-8

2
PREPARATION
2) Using Optical Plummet
NOTE •Carry out the “CHECKING AND ADJUSTMENT of Optical
Plummet” (p.4-2) when the centering operation is performed at a
position higher than the station point.
•For high accuracy, carry out the “CHECKINGAND ADJUSTMENT
of Optical Plummet” (p.4-2) before the centering operation.
(1) Place the instrument on the tripod head.
Insert the tripod mounting screw into the
center hole of the instrument’s base plate and
tighten.
(2) Looking through the optical plummet, align
the station point image with the center mark
of the reticle by turning the leveling
screws.
(3) While supporting the tripod head with one
hand, loosen the tripod leg clamps and adjust
the lengths of the legs to center the air bubble
in the circular level. Then tighten the tripod
leg clamps.
(4) Using the plate level proceed to the leveling
procedures described in the next section
“Leveling”.
(5) Looking through the optical plummet,
reconfirm that the station point image is still
centered in the reticle mark .
(6) If the slight displacement is detected, loosen
the tripod mounting screw and correct the
instrument’s positioning with direct
movement (not rotational). If the
displacement is major, repeat Steps from (2).
2-9

2
PREPARATION
2-5. Leveling
“Leveling” refers to the precise vertical alignment of the instrument’s vertical axis.
The procedure for leveling by means of the plate level is described below.
(1) Loosen the upper plate clamp. Rotate the
alidade to position the plate level to a point
parallel with any two of the leveling screws B
and C (See Figure).
CB
A
1
(2) Using these two screws, move the bubble to
the center of the level.
(3) Rotate the alidade approximately 90°and
again move the bubble to the center of the
level by turning the leveling screw A, as
shown in Figure.
C
B
A
2
(4) Repeat Steps (1) through (3) to center the
bubble in both positions shown by the
Figures.
(5) Furthermore, rotate the alidade 180°. If the
bubble in the plate level remains centered,
leveling is complete.
(6) If the bubble moves off center, refer to p.4-1
“CHECKING AND ADJUSTMENT of Plate
Level” and adjust the plate level.
2-10

2
PREPARATION
2-6. Sighting
“Sighting” refers to the aiming of the telescope at
the target, bringing the target image into focus,
and aligning it with the center crosshairs of the
reticle.
Center
crosshairs
WARNING
 Never view the sun through the telescope. Doing so may cause the
loss of your eyesight.
Notes on sighting are as follows:
NOTE •Diopter Adjustment
Direct the telescope towards a blank area, such as the sky or a piece of
paper. Looking through the eyepiece, rotate the diopter ring to bring
the reticle crosshairs into sharp focus.
•Elimination of Parallax
Rotate the focusing ring to bring the target image into focus on the
reticle crosshairs. Move your eye vertically and laterally to see if the
target image moves in relation to the reticle crosshairs. If the target
image does not move, there is no parallax. If it moves, rotate the
telescope focusing ring to eliminate the parallax.
2-11