Data logger is ideal for museums and galleries

Edited by the Buildingtalk editorial team Oct 25, 2006

Low cost miniature RH and temperature data logger from Signatrol is ideal for museums and galleries

Data logging experts Signatrol are introducing the latest member of their SL50 series of miniature portable data loggers.

The low cost, self-contained SL54TH is designed for recording both temperature and relative humidity in a wide range of storage and transportation applications.

Measuring only 17 mm in diameter and 6 mm thick, this data logger is ideally suited for discrete monitoring in museums, art galleries and stately homes.

Competitive units are typically too large and expensive for this purpose, but the battery powered SL54TH can be placed unobtrusively in display cabinets or on the back of paintings and other sensitive fine arts and artefacts.

The unit can operate in the temperature range from -20C to +85C and up to 100%RH.

A maximum of 8,000 data points can be recorded, with sample rates programmable from one second to 24 hours.

Configuration and data down load to a PC or lap top can be carried out quickly and efficiently using the dedicated SL 50 Button Reader via the RS232 or USB port.

As with all Signatrol data loggers, the SL54TH is compatible with the company's Temp-IT common platform software.

The Temp-IT Lite version, which offers full set-up configuration, data down load and basic graphical capabilities, is available free of charge from the Signatrol web site.

For a nominal cost this can be upgraded to the comprehensive Temp-IT Pro version, which includes features such as data export to spread sheets and emailing of graphs.

The SL54M MiniTag version is designed for travelling with valuable and delicate cargoes - in fact anything from Monets to manuscripts.

The logger simply clips securely into the high visibility bright yellow tag, which, in addition to the mounting hole, has a powerful built-in magnet so that it can be easily attached to metal trays, trolleys or racking.

The data can be downloaded without the need to remove the logger from the tag.

The delayed start feature allows units to be set up ahead of the prescribed monitoring period, thereby preserving logging capability.

This can be set for up to one year ahead or can be 'event' initiated whereby the start will be triggered if temperature or humidity levels go outside predetermined thresholds.

Software alarms can also be set for particular tolerance levels for both parameters.