APPLICATION NOTE NO. 83
Deployment of Moored Instruments
Revised
February 2014
This Application Note applies to Sea-Bird instruments intended to provide time series data on a mooring or fixed site:
We have developed a check list to assist users in deploying moored instruments. This checklist is intended as a guideline to assist you in developing a checklist specific to your operation and instrument setup. The actual procedures and procedure order may vary, depending on such factors as:
Instrument serial number | |
Mooring number | |
Date of deployment | |
Depth of instrument | |
Intended date of recovery | |
Capture file printout(s) attached, or file name and location (showing status command, calibration coefficients command if applicable, any other applicable commands) | |
Actual date of recovery | |
Condition of instrument at recovery | |
Notes |
Task | Completed? |
If applicable, upload existing data in memory. Perform preliminary processing / analysis of data to ensure you have uploaded all data, that data was not corrupted in upload process, and that (if uploading converted data) instrument EEPROM was programmed with correct calibration coefficients. If there is a problem with data, you can try to upload again now. Once you record over data in next deployment, opportunity to correct any upload problem is gone. |
|
Initialize memory to make entire memory available for
recording. If memory is not initialized, data will be stored after last recorded sample. |
|
Calculate battery endurance to ensure sufficient power
for intended sampling scheme. See instrument manual for example calculations. |
|
Calculate memory endurance to ensure sufficient memory
for intended sampling scheme. See instrument manual for example calculations. |
|
Install fresh batteries. Even if you think there is adequate battery capacity left for another deployment, cost of fresh batteries is small price to pay to ensure successful deployment. |
|
Establish setup / operating parameters.
|
|
Get conductivity sensor ready for deployment:
As applicable, remove protective plugs that were placed in Anti-Foulant
Device caps or remove label that was placed over inlet / outtlet
or remove Tygon tubing that was looped end-to-end around
conductivity cell to prevent dust / dirt from entering cell. |
|
Install fresh AF24173 Anti-Foulant Devices for
conductivity sensor. Rate of anti-foul use varies greatly, depending on location and time of year. If you think there is adequate capability remaining, and previous deployment(s) in this location and at this time of year back up that assumption, you may not choose to replace Anti-Foulant Devices for every deployment. However, as for batteries, cost of fresh Anti-Foulant Devices is small price to pay to ensure successful deployment. |
|
For instrument with external pump (16plus, 16plus-IM,
16plus V2, 16plus-IM V2,
19plus, 19plus V2), verify that system plumbing is correctly installed. See instrument manual for configuration. |
|
Start sampling (if you did not set up instrument with a
delayed start command), or verify that sampling has begun (if you set up
instrument with a delayed start command).
Note: For instrument with pump (external or integral), avoid running pump dry for extended period of time. |
|
If instrument has pressure sensor, record atmospheric pressure with barometer. You can use this information during data processing to check and correct for pressure sensor drift, by comparing to instrument’s pressure reading in air (from above). | |
If cable connectors or dummy plugs were unmated,
reinstall cables or dummy plugs as described in
Application Note 57: Connector Care and Cable Installation. Failure to correctly install cables may result in connector leaking, causing data errors as well as damage to bulkhead connector. |
|
Install mounting hardware on instrument. Verify that hardware is secure. |
** Note: Actual instrument command is dependent on communication interface and instrument.
Immediately upon recovery
Task | Completed? |
Rinse instrument with fresh water. | |
Remove locking sleeve on dummy plug or cable, slide it up cable (if applicable), and rinse connection (still mated) with fresh water. | |
For instrument with pump (external or integral), stop
sampling. Connect to instrument in terminal program and send command to stop sampling (Stop or #iiStop). Stop sampling as soon as possible upon recovery to avoid running pump dry for an extended period of time (for some instruments, pump turns off automatically when conductivity frequency is below programmed minimum value). ** |
|
If instrument has pressure sensor, record atmospheric
pressure with barometer. You can use this information during data processing to check and correct for pressure sensor drift, by comparing to instrument’s pressure reading in air. |
|
Gently rinse conductivity cell with clean de-ionized
water, drain, and gently blow through cell to remove larger water droplets.
|
|
For instrument with external pump (16plus, 16plus-IM,
16plus V2, 16plus-IM V2,
19plus, 19plus V2): Remove Tygon tubing from pump head’s hose barbs, and rinse
inside of pump head, pouring fresh water through a hose barb. If pump head is not rinsed between uses, salt crystals may form on impeller. Over time, this may freeze impeller in place, preventing pump from working. |
|
As applicable, install protective plugs in Anti-Foulant Device caps,
install label over inlet / exhaust, or
loop Tygon tubing end-to-end around conductivity cell for long term
storage. This will prevent dust / dirt from entering
conductivity cell. |
|
Upload data in memory.
|
** Note: Actual instrument command is dependent on communication interface and instrument.
Later
Task | Completed? |
Clean conductivity cell, as needed:
For all instruments except MicroCATs with oxygen sensors, see Application Note 2D: Instructions for Care and Cleaning of Conductivity Cells. For IDO MicroCATs, see Application Note 64: SBE 43 Dissolved Oxygen Sensor. For ODO MicroCATs, see MicroCAT manual. |
|
For instrument with external pump (16plus, 16plus-IM, 16plus V2, 16plus-IM V2, 19plus, 19plus V2): Clean pump as described in Application Note 75: Maintenance of SBE 5T, 5P, and 5M Pumps. | |
(Annually) Inspect and (if applicable) rinse pressure
port. See instructions in instrument manual. |
|
Send instrument to Sea-Bird for calibrations / regular
inspection and maintenance. We typically recommend that instrument be recalibrated once a year, but possibly less often if used only occasionally. We recommend that you return instrument to Sea-Bird for recalibration. In between laboratory calibrations, take field salinity samples to document conductivity cell drift.
Notes: |
Date | Description |
December 2005 | Initial release. |
April 2006 | - Add information on cleaning
instrument exterior before shipping for calibration. - Add reference to document governing shipping instruments with lithium batteries. |
March 2008 | - Add information on V2 SeaCATs. - Make references to terminal program more generic (Seaterm not used with V2 SeaCATs). |
October 2010 | - Add references to Application Note
64 for cleaning IDO MicroCATs
(37-SMP-IDO, SIP-IDO, IMP-IDO). - Update address. |
October 2012 | Update for OCO MicroCATs |
February 2014 | - Update for SBE 39plus and
56. - Add information on removing label covering pumped MicroCAT inlet and exhaust. |
Sea-Bird Home Phone: (+1) 425-643-9866 E-mail: seabird@seabird.com