Application note 72

Sea-Bird Electronics Products Support Software Sales Service Search/Sitemap

APPLICATION NOTE NO. 72

Setting Up WET Labs ECO-FL Fluorometer with Bio-Wiper™
May 2005

This application note applies to the following models of the WET Labs ECO-FL Fluorometer with Bio-Wiper:

ECO-FL-NTUS chlorophyll and turbidity sensor
ECO-FLS chlorophyll sensor

These sensors can be configured to operate in profiling mode or in moored mode:

Profiling mode – The sensor opens the bio-wiper when power is applied and keeps it open continuously, even when power is removed. The fluorometer samples continuously when powered, and outputs a voltage that changes as the data changes.
Moored mode – The sensor opens the bio-wiper when power is applied, takes a sample, outputs a voltage, closes the bio-wiper, and holds the voltage until power is removed.

When Sea-Bird integrates the sensor with one of our CTDs, we set up the sensor to operate in the mode appropriate for the CTD. However, you may want to change the mode in the future, if:

You purchased the sensor for use with an SBE 19plus, which can be field configured to operate in either profiling or moored mode.
You wish to use the sensor in the future with another CTD; for example, you purchased the sensor for use with an SBE 25 profiling CTD and now want to use it with an SBE 16plus moored CTD.

Changing the ECO-FL Setup

To change the ECO-FL configuration, connect the ECO-FL directly to the computer and to a 12 V power source, using the cable supplied by WET Labs. Configure the ECO-FL using a terminal program (WET Labs provides a graphical interface program, ECOView, which can be used instead of a terminal program – see the WET Labs website [www.wetlabs.com] for details).

The required comm port settings are: 19200 baud, 8 data bits, no parity.

Configure ECO-FL for Profiling Mode

Configure ECO-FL for Moored Mode

Send the following commands:
!!!!!
$set 0
$pkt 0
$sto

Send the following commands:
!!!!!
$set 1
$pkt 1
$sto

Notes:

Five exclamation points (!!!!!) accesses the sensor command set.
For the $set and $pkt commands, the space between the command and the number is important. For example, make sure that there is a space between $set and 0.
The $sto command stores the settings in memory. If you omit this line, the sensor defaults to its last stored settings.

After you have configured the ECO-FL for your CTD, reconnect the ECO-FL to the CTD.

Setting Up/Using the CTD in Moored Mode

General

Delay before sampling sets the amount of time to wait after switching on external voltages before sampling. The ECO-FL requires approximately 3.5 seconds to sample, if set up to take a single measurement for each sample (longer time is required for multiple measurements per sample). Therefore, set:

DelayBeforeSampling= (16plus RS-232 version or 19plus in moored mode), or

#iiDelayBeforeSampling= (16plus RS-485 version or 16plus-IM)

to greater than the expected time required for the ECO-FL to sample.

Older CTD firmware

SBE 16plus (RS-232) firmware version < 1.6c,
SBE 16plus (RS-485) Digital firmware version < 1.0a,
SBE 16plus-IM Digital firmware version < 1.1,
SBE 19plus firmware version < 1.4d

In older CTD firmware versions, power was not provided for enough time for the Bio-Wiper to close after the status command (DS for 16plus RS-232 version and 19plus; #iiDS for 16plus RS-485 version and 16plus-IM) was sent if the Bio-Wiper was in Moored mode. If the user did not notice that the Bio-Wiper was still open, and then deployed the CTD on a mooring with a delayed start time, the ECO-FL could become fouled, because the Bio-Wiper would not close until after the first sample was taken.

For these older firmware versions, after sending the status command:
Send the TV, TVR, or TS command (#iiTV, #iiTVR, or #iiTS for 16plus RS-485 version and 16plus-IM) and then wait at least 10 seconds to cycle the Bio-Wiper open/closed. Verify that the Bio-Wiper has closed before deploying.

Newer CTD firmware

SBE 16plus (RS-232) firmware version > 1.6d (October 2004 and later)
SBE 16plus (RS-485) Digital firmware version > 1.0c (May 2005 and later),
SBE 16plus-IM Digital firmware version > 1.1b (May 2005 and later)
SBE 19plus firmware version > 1.4f (May 2005 and later)

Sea-Bird added a Bio-Wiper command to the command set, to ensure that the Bio-Wiper automatically closes after sending the status command:

Command Description

Biowiper=x
(16plus RS-232 version and 19plus)
or

#iiBiowiper=x (16plus RS-485 version and 16plus-IM)
x=Y: Configuration includes WET Labs ECO-FL fluorometer with Bio-Wiper. CTD is powered longer (a total of 8 seconds) for status command, providing 4 seconds for Bio-Wiper to open and then shut again if in Moored mode.
Note: 4 seconds for the Bio-Wiper to open and shut is sufficient for the typical application, with the ECO-FL set up to take a single measurement for each sample. However, the ECO-FL can be user-programmed to take and average a number of measurements for each sample; if averaging multiple measurements, 4 seconds may not provide sufficient time for the Bio-Wiper to close. Use the TV, TVR, or TS command (#iiTV, #iiTVR, or #iiTS for 16plus RS-485 version and 16plus-IM) after the status command, as described above for older CTD firmware, to ensure the Bio-Wiper closes for these applications.
x=N (default): Configuration does not include ECO-FL with Bio-Wiper.

Last modified: 06 Apr 2007

Sea-Bird Home Phone: 425-643-9866 Fax: 425-643-9954 E-mail: seabird@seabird.com