260-700 Ultrasonic Snow/Water Depth Sensor
The 260-700 Ultrasonic Snow Depth Sensor provides an inexpensive way to measure snow depth or water levels remotely. The sensor works by measuring the time taken for an ultrasonic pulse to travel to and from a target surface. An integrated temperature probe, complete with a solar radiation shield, provides an air temperature measurement to ensure accurate distance compensation. An embedded microcontroller calculates the temperature-compensated distance and performs an error-checking routine.
The 260-700 Ultrasonic Snow Depth Sensor provides an inexpensive way to measure snow depth or water levels remotely. It can operate in 'free running' (always on) mode or switched mode, provided the data logger or control system can delay measurement of the output for at least three seconds after powering up.
Analog Output (Models 260-700-2.5 and 260-700-5)
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- Free Run Mode: The distance measurement is output and updated approximately every one second.
- Switched Analog Output Mode: When switched on, the temperature measurement is output for a short period of time, followed by the distance measurement.
Digital Output (Model 260-700-D)
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- The digital version outputs the temperature, the time taken for the ultrasonic pulse to travel, the calculated distance and the number of attempts in each message.
- Sample measurement: 595 1674 2904 0
- Value 1: Air temperature in degrees Kelvin * 2
- Value 2: The time in tens of microseconds that it took for the ultrasonic pulse echo to return
- Value 3: The distance measurement in millimeters, calculated from the first two parameters
- Value 4: The number of tries the retry/error checking algorithm was used beyond the first pass
Specifications
- Power: +12 to 24 Vdc, 50 mA (maximum sample time 2.4 seconds)
- Analog output: 0 to 2.5 or 0 to 5 Vdc
- Digital output: 1200 baud serial ASCII
- Range: 0.5 to 10 meters (1.6 to 32.8 feet)
- Beam width: 22 degrees
- Accuracy: ±1 cm or 0.4% distance to target
- Resolution: 3 mm (0.12 inches)
- Temperature range: -40 °C to +70 °C (-40 °F to +158 °F)
- Mounting: 1/2″ galvanized threaded pipe
- Size: 8 x 8 x 13 cm (3 x 3 x 5 inches)
- Weight: 0.6 kg (1.3 lbs)
- Cable length: 7.6 meters (25 feet)
- Maximum cable length: 304 meters (1000 feet) for analog output, 76 meters (250 feet) for digital output
- Temperature Sensor Specifications
- Accuracy: 1 °C, -40 °C to +85 °C
- Resolution: 0.5 °C
