NIST Technical Note 1913

NIST Weather Station for

Photovoltaic and Building System

Research

Matthew T. Boyd

This publication is available free of charge from:

http://dx.doi.org/10.6028/NIST.TN.1913

NIST Technical Note 1913

NIST Weather Station for

Photovoltaic and Building System

Research

Matthew T. Boyd

Energy and Environment Division

Engineering Laboratory

This publication is available free of charge from:

http://dx.doi.org/10.6028/NIST.TN.1913

March 2016

U.S. Department of Commerce 

Penny Pritzker, Secretary

National Institute of Standards and Technology 

Willie May, Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and Director 
Certain commercial entities, equipment, or materials may be identified in this

document in order to describe an experimental procedure or concept adequately.

Such identification is not intended to imply recommendation or endorsement by the

National Institute of Standards and Technology, nor is it intended to imply that the

entities, materials, or equipment are necessarily the best available for the purpose. 

National Institute of Standards and Technology Technical Note 1913

Natl. Inst. Stand. Technol. Tech. Note 1913, 43 pages (March 2016)

CODEN: NTNOEF

This publication is available free of charge from:

http://dx.doi.org/10.6028/NIST.TN.1913
ii

Preface

This effort was conducted by the Energy and Environment Division in the Engineering Laboratory at the National 

Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). This document describes the meteorological instruments and data 

acquisition system (DAS) at a research-grade weather station on the NIST campus in Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA, 

including the rationale for the selected instruments, data loggers, control software, and supplementary devices. The 

intended audiences are researchers who wish to use the gathered data, including the compiled weather files, for 

analysis and modeling of photovoltaic (PV) systems, building energy, or meteorological values, as well as designers 

who are interested in building a similar research-grade weather station. Modelers and analysts who are interested in 

using the data in collaboration on new research before a public data portal is available can contact the author.

Author Information

Matthew T. Boyd

Mechanical Engineer

National Institute of Standards and Technology

Engineering Laboratory

100 Bureau Drive, Mailstop 8632

Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8632

Tel.: 301-975-6444

Email: matthew.boyd@nist.gov
iii

Abstract

A weather station has been constructed on the Gaithersburg, Maryland campus of the National Institute of Standards 

and Technology (NIST) as part of a research effort to assess performance of photovoltaic and building systems. This 

weather station includes research-grade instrumentation to measure all standard meteorological quantities plus 

various additional solar irradiance spectral bands, full spectrum curves, and directional components using multiple

irradiance sensor technologies. Reference photovoltaic (PV) modules are also monitored on site to provide 

comprehensive baseline measurements for the PV arrays on campus. Images of the whole sky are captured, along 

with images of the instrumentation and reference modules to document any obstructions or anomalies. Nearly all 

measurements are sampled and saved every 1 second, with monitoring having started August 1, 2014. This report 

describes the instrumentation approach to measure the meteorological and photovoltaic quantities and acquire the 

images for use in computer model validation or weather monitoring.

Keywords

meteorology, weather station, data acquisition, solar, photovoltaic
iv

Table of Contents

Preface .......................................................................................................................................................................... ii

Abstract........................................................................................................................................................................ iii

Table of Contents..........................................................................................................................................................iv

List of Figures............................................................................................................................................................. vii

List of Tables............................................................................................................................................................. viii

Glossary........................................................................................................................................................................ix

1. Introduction ...............................................................................................................................................................1

2. Overview ...................................................................................................................................................................3

2.1. Summary.............................................................................................................................................................3

2.1.1. Facilities.......................................................................................................................................................4

2.1.2. Shading ........................................................................................................................................................5

3. Measurements............................................................................................................................................................6

3.1. Summary.............................................................................................................................................................6

3.2. Global Shortwave Irradiance ..............................................................................................................................8

3.2.1. Sensors.........................................................................................................................................................8

3.2.2. Calibrations..................................................................................................................................................8

3.2.3. Locations and Orientations..........................................................................................................................8

3.2.4. Mounting and Alignment.............................................................................................................................9

3.2.5. Wiring........................................................................................................................................................10

3.3. Direct and Diffuse Shortwave Irradiance..........................................................................................................10

3.3.1. Sensors.......................................................................................................................................................10

3.3.2. Calibrations................................................................................................................................................10

3.3.3. Locations and Orientations........................................................................................................................10

3.3.4. Mounting and Alignment...........................................................................................................................11

3.4. Longwave Irradiance ........................................................................................................................................11

3.5. UV Irradiance ...................................................................................................................................................12

3.6. Spectral Irradiance ............................................................................................................................................12

3.7. Ambient Temperature .......................................................................................................................................12

3.7.1. Sensors.......................................................................................................................................................12

3.7.2. Calibrations................................................................................................................................................13

3.7.3. Locations and Orientations........................................................................................................................13

3.7.4. Wiring........................................................................................................................................................14

3.8. Wind .................................................................................................................................................................14
v

3.8.1. Sensors.......................................................................................................................................................14

3.8.2. Calibrations................................................................................................................................................15

3.8.3. Locations and Orientation..........................................................................................................................15

3.8.4. Mounting and Alignment...........................................................................................................................15

3.8.5. Wiring........................................................................................................................................................15

3.9. Ambient Pressure and Humidity.......................................................................................................................15

3.10. Precipitation....................................................................................................................................................16

3.10.1. Liquid.......................................................................................................................................................16

3.10.2. Solid.........................................................................................................................................................16

3.11. Reference Modules.........................................................................................................................................17

3.12. Module Temperature ......................................................................................................................................19

3.12.1. Sensors.....................................................................................................................................................19

3.12.2. Calibrations..............................................................................................................................................20

3.12.3. Locations .................................................................................................................................................20

3.12.4. Mounting and Alignment.........................................................................................................................21

3.12.5. Wiring......................................................................................................................................................21

4. Data Acquisition and Control ..................................................................................................................................21

4.1. Data loggers......................................................................................................................................................21

4.1.1. Components...............................................................................................................................................21

4.1.2. Locations and Housing ..............................................................................................................................23

4.1.3. Wiring........................................................................................................................................................24

4.1.4. Configuration.............................................................................................................................................25

4.1.5. Sampling Rates and Parallel Processing ....................................................................................................25

4.1.6. Time Synchronization................................................................................................................................25

4.1.7. Channel Ranges.........................................................................................................................................25

4.1.8. Self-Calibration..........................................................................................................................................25

4.1.9. Measurement Techniques ..........................................................................................................................25

4.1.10. Control.....................................................................................................................................................27

4.1.11. Data storage and processing ....................................................................................................................28

4.2. Spectroradiometers...........................................................................................................................................28

4.3. Reference Modules...........................................................................................................................................28

4.4. Cameras............................................................................................................................................................29

4.4.1. Module and Instrument..............................................................................................................................29

4.4.2. All Sky.......................................................................................................................................................30

5. Backup Power..........................................................................................................................................................32
vi

5.1. Data loggers......................................................................................................................................................32

5.2. Central UPS ......................................................................................................................................................32

5.3. Distributed UPSs ..............................................................................................................................................32

6. Data Archiving and Monitoring...............................................................................................................................33

7. Uncertainty ..............................................................................................................................................................34

8. Maintenance ............................................................................................................................................................34

Acknowledgements .....................................................................................................................................................34

References ...................................................................................................................................................................34

Appendix A. The Saved Data Values From Each Data Logger....................................................................................1

Appendix B. Module Data Sheets ................................................................................................................................1
vii

List of Figures

Figure 1-1 A map of the weather station, instrumented PV arrays, and the NZERTF on the NIST campus in 

Gaithersburg, Maryland. The vertical edge of this image corresponds to 1 km (0.6 miles or 3300 ft)......1

Figure 1-2 Weather Station...........................................................................................................................................2

Figure 2-1 Diagram of the weather station layout. The red circles on the reference modules show the locations of 

the modules’ backsheet surface temperature measurements. .....................................................................4

Figure 2-2 Preliminary shading model of weather station showing an unshaded period on Dec. 21 at 09:24 EST .....6

Figure 3-1 The east table with the GHI measuring pyranometers and silicon irradiance sensor mounted on it. Also 

shown are the spectroradiometers, UV radiometers, and the ambient temperature sensor (upper right). ..9

Figure 3-2 Flat-plate silicon irradiance sensors measuring the POA irradiances on their respective reference 

modules....................................................................................................................................................9

Figure 3-3 The pyrheliometers mounted on the solar tracker above the sun sensor and below the horizontal diffusemeasuring pyranometers (left and right) and IR measuring pyrgeometer (center). The black balls shade 

the three horizontal instruments...............................................................................................................11

Figure 3-4 The temperature sensing probe in the aspirated radiation shield used to measure the outdoor ambient air 

temperature ..............................................................................................................................................13

Figure 3-5 The weather transmitter near the top of the instrument mast ....................................................................14

Figure 3-6 The lower ultrasonic wind sensor (left) and heated tipping bucket rain gauge (right) on the lower 

instrument mast crossarm.........................................................................................................................15

Figure 3-8 The snow sensor that measures snow depth..............................................................................................17

Figure 3-9 The reference modules installed at the weather station.............................................................................18

Figure 3-10 A visual comparison of the three types of module temperature sensors used for the reference modules 

and at the arrays: the RTD used at the Canopy, Roof Tilted, and Ground Arrays (left), the RTD used for 

the corresponding reference modules (center), and the thermocouple used at Roof Horizontal and 

NZERTF arrays and all of the reference modules (right). ......................................................................20

Figure 3-11 An RTD mounted on the back of a module using thermally conductive epoxy and an adhesive film 

overlay ....................................................................................................................................................21

Figure 4-1 The data acquisition enclosure at the weather station showing the data loggers, measurement and 

communication peripherals, battery backups, relays, and power converters and distribution blocks......22

Figure 4-2 Location of the data acquisition enclosures and central UPS....................................................................24

Figure 4-3 Half-bridge for measuring RTDs..............................................................................................................27

Figure 4-4 The I-V curve tracer with maximum power tracker and load ...................................................................29

Figure 4-5 The PTZ camera that records images of the instruments and NZERTF PV array ....................................30

Figure 4-7 The all sky camera with the ambient temperature and humidity sensor installed on a custom mount on 

the west table ...........................................................................................................................................31

Figure 4-8 An image taken by the all sky camera ......................................................................................................31

Figure 5-1 Breakdown of the DAS energy draws and UPS backups..........................................................................32

Figure 6-1 The main data dashboard for the weather station......................................................................................33

Figure B-1 Picture of Horizontal PV Reference Module Nameplate .......................................................................B-1

Figure B-2 Manufacturer Datasheet for the 5°, 10°, and 20° Tilted PV Reference Modules ...................................B-2

Figure B-3 Manufacturer Datasheet for the 18.4° PV Reference Module ................................................................B-3
viii

List of Tables

Table 2-1 Location of the Weather Station...................................................................................................................3

Table 3-1 Summary of the Measurements and Respective Instruments Installed at the Weather Station ....................6

Table 3-2 Summary of Reference Modules................................................................................................................18

Table A-1 The Saved Data Values From Each Data Logger ....................................................................................A-1
ix

Glossary

AC alternating current

BORCAL Broadband Outdoor Radiometer Calibration

bps bits per second

CW clockwise

DAS data acquisition system

DC direct current

DHI diffuse horizontal irradiance

DNI direct normal irradiance

DoD Department of Defense

DST daylight saving time

EMI electromagnetic interference

FAA Federal Aviation Administration

GHI global horizontal irradiance

I-V current-voltage

IR infrared

LST local standard time

mono c-si monocrystalline silicon

NE northeast

NW northwest

NIST National Institute of Standards and Technology

NREL National Renewable Energy Laboratory

NSRDB National Solar Radiation Database

NZERTF Net-Zero Energy Residential Test Facility

POA plane-of-array

PoE Power over Ethernet

PTZ pan-tilt-zoom

PV photovoltaic

RTD resistance temperature detector

UPS uninterrupted power supply

UTC Coordinated Universal Time

UTR uniform temperature reference

UV ultraviolet

VAC volts, alternating current

VDC volts, direct current

VDV Vista Data Vision

VI virtual instrument

α temperature coefficient of resistance

Ω ohms
1

1. Introduction

A weather station was constructed on the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) campus in 

Gaithersburg Maryland, with monitoring commencing on August 1, 2014. The primary purpose of this weather 

station is to support research being conducted to characterize photovoltaic module and array performance as well as 

research on energy use and indoor environmental quality in buildings. An aerial view of the location is shown in 

Figure 1-1, which also includes the locations of the three largest PV arrays and the Net-Zero Energy Residential Test 

Facility (NZERTF), a laboratory on the NIST campus used for residential building research.

Figure 1-1 An aerial view of the weather station, instrumented PV arrays, and the NZERTF on the NIST 

campus in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The vertical edge of this image corresponds to 1 km (0.6 

miles or 3300 ft)
2

Research-grade (i.e., low uncertainty) sensors are installed, as shown in Figure 1-2, to measure various 

meteorological quantities, including:

 direct normal irradiance (DNI)

 diffuse horizontal irradiance (DHI)

 global horizontal irradiance (GHI)

 infrared (IR) irradiance (net and total)

 ultraviolet (UV) irradiance (A, B, and total)

 spectral irradiance curves

 snow depth

 wind speed and direction

 humidity

 precipitation

 barometric pressure

 hail count

 ambient temperature

Figure 1-2 Weather Station

The data acquisition system (DAS) saves measurement values every 1 second along with the status of the solar 

tracker and other components. A current-voltage (I-V) tracer with a maximum power tracker and load saves curve 

traces from reference modules installed in the orientations of the modules in each of the PV arrays on campus every 

1 minute, along with one-minute averaged maximum power measurements from one-second samples. Cameras were 

also installed that capture images of the entire sky every 8 seconds and close-up images of the instrumentation, 

reference modules, and NZERTF PV array every 5 minutes.

This weather station was created to provide supplementary data to the campus photovoltaic (PV) array and NZERTF 

DASs, as described in [1] and [2], respectively, for modeling and validation purposes. The station also helps to 

address the needs of the PV community for long-term, high accuracy, sub-minute data sets from calibrated, wellmaintained and documented systems in a variable weather environment, as expressed in [3], [4], [5], and [6].
3

The closest weather stations that have Class I designations according to the National Solar Radiation Database 

(NSRDB) [7] are located at Washington Dulles International Airport (KIAD), which is 29.2 km (18.2 mi) southwest 

of NIST, and Baltimore-Washington International Airport (KBWI), which is 47.6 km (29.6 mi) east of NIST. These 

two weather stations are Automated Surface Observing Systems (ASOS) cooperatively run by the National Oceanic 

and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the Department of Defense 

(DoD) [8].

2. Overview

2.1. Summary

The NIST weather station is located in Gaithersburg, Maryland in the United States, which is in the Eastern Time 

Zone (-5 hours from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)). The exact location of the weather station is given in Table 

2-1, which specifically is for the instruments on the solar tracker, with elevation being the height above sea level.

Table 2-1 Location of the Weather Station

Latitude [°N] 39.1374

Longitude [°E] -77.2187

Elevation*[m] 158

*

 Includes height of building (19.5 m)

The weather station is on a flat, white gravel roof of a five-story (above ground) building. The roof is surrounded by 

a free-standing ballasted railing and is accessible by a fixed ladder in the northeast corner of the roof. A jib crane 

was installed near the ladder for hoisting large objects up to the roof. The roof has a relatively unobstructed view of 

the sky, with the only significantly higher nearby object being a 14-story (above ground) building 305 m [1000 ft] 

southeast of the weather station, which occludes the sun in the early morning for approximately one hour after 

sunrise between November 8 and February 4.

The weather station is comprised of sun-tracking instruments and stationary instruments, reference modules, and 

cameras. Instruments that track the sun are installed on a single tracker while stationary instruments are installed on 

two tables and a 6.1 m [20 ft] tall mast. Reference modules with adjacent flat-plate silicon irradiance sensors are 

installed on a platform at the same orientations as the modules in the campus PV arrays. A diagram of the weather 

station layout is shown in Figure 2-1.
4

Figure 2-1 Diagram of the weather station layout. The red circles on the reference modules show the 

locations of the modules’ backsheet surface temperature measurements.

Data collection from most of the instruments started August 1, 2014, with the exceptions being the pan-tilt-zoom 

(PTZ) camera (Oct. 9, 2014), the reference modules (Nov. 5, 2014), the spectroradiometers (Dec. 1, 2014), the all 

sky camera (Dec. 7, 2014), and the fixed camera (Dec. 9, 2014).

2.1.1. Facilities

The solar tracker is a Kipp and Zonen 2AP Gear Drive with Sun Sensor1, with a tracking accuracy of 0.05°. The 

tracker is fitted with a rear mounting plate and a shading ball assembly for horizontal diffuse measurements. The 

tracker is mounted on a height extension tube and floor stand, with the floor stand anchored to a 122 cm x 152 cm x 

1.9 cm (48 in. x 60 in. x 0.75 in.) aluminum plate on a foam rubber pad. The tracker is wired to a battery bank that 

provides over three and half days of backup power. The tracker is also wired to a data logger serial communication 

module using a separate cable through which the data logger polls the tracker via its RS-232 interface for its state 

and status information. The tracker, however, operates autonomously, using data from its sun sensor to correct its 

internal clock. A second tracker platform with a height of 91 cm (36 in.) was also installed for future expansion. 

This platform is affixed directly to the roof and can withstand higher wind loading.

The two tables for mounting stationary instruments are 1.07 m (42 in.) high, made of aluminum and ballasted atop 

foam rubber pads. The newer of the two has a top grating for more configurable mounting locations. All of the 

horizontal stationary radiometers are located on the east table, and are installed on separate platforms to normalize 

the heights of their sensor elements to within 1 cm (0.4 in.) to minimize the instruments’ mutual shading and sky 

occlusion.

 

1 Certain commercial equipment, instruments, or materials are identified in this paper to foster understanding. Such 

identification does not imply recommendation or endorsement by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, nor does it 

imply that the materials or equipment identified are necessarily the best available for the purpose.
5

The 6.1 m (20 ft) tall, 5.1 cm (2 in.) diameter mast is a Campbell Scientific CM120 with crossbeams for mounting 

instruments at 1.78 m (5.8 ft) and 5.33 m (17.5 ft) above the roof. A lightning rod extends 71 cm (28 in.) above the 

top of the mast, which is electrically connected through the mast and bonded to the building’s lightning ground via a 

lightning wire. The mast is anchored to three 61 cm x 61 cm x 2.5 cm (24 in. x 24 in. x 1 in.) aluminum plates on 

foam rubber pads with additional ballast and is supported using guy wires attached to eye bolt anchors in the roof.

The PV module platform is nominally 1.22 m (48 in.) high, with more northern modules mounted progressively 

higher to reduce shading. The platform height is high enough for easily moving about under the platform and 

accessing the modules’ wiring and low enough for easily installing the modules and periodically cleaning them. The 

platform is constructed of extruded aluminum t-slot framing, which allows easy future reconfiguration.

Separate metal conduits are used for running signal, AC, and PV power cables to reduce electromagnetic 

interference (EMI). These conduits enter the roof through a single penetration and into a large enclosure. The cables 

are split off into other conduits running to pull boxes and conduit access ports at various locations on the roof, with 

cable groups in the main enclosure wrapped with metal foil shielded sleeving to reduce EMI. Aluminum conduit 

was chosen instead of PVC or steel to shield the cables from EMI and not rust. A second penetration has also been 

installed for future expansion.

2.1.2. Shading

The weather station is arranged in a manner to minimize shading on the instruments and modules. The railing 

surrounding the roof is at the minimum safe height of 1.07 m (42 in.), and this height determines the minimum 

height of all of the instruments and modules in order for them to remain unshaded by the railing. The roof access 

ladder and jib crane, 1.41 m (56 in.) and 1.63 m (64 in.) high, respectively, were installed in the northeast corner of 

the roof to minimize their shading impact, which would occur in the summer months at sunrise.

The two tracker positions are located in the east-west middle of the roof to reduce the amount of time their longer 

early morning and late evening shadows are cast on the modules north of the trackers. They are in a north-south 

arrangement so they do not point at each other at sunrise and sunset and are separated by a distance that keeps the 

southern tracker from shading the northern one. The two tables, each with the same height as the railing, are 

arranged furthest south on both sides of the trackers to eliminate any shading on the tables coming from the south. 

Aluminum instrument platforms normalize the height of the different instruments on the tables to minimize their 

mutual shading and sky occlusion. The tops of these table instruments are just below the lowest sun-pointing 

instruments on the tracker, allowing the tracker instruments to ‘see’ just over the table instruments to the horizon.

North of the trackers and tables is the PV module platform, with a nominal height of 1.22 m (48 in.) This platform is 

positioned in the east-west middle of the roof to minimize any shading from the tracker in the early morning and late 

evening. The platform is separated from the northern tracker position by a distance that keeps the tracker from 

shading the closest module. Higher tilted modules are positioned north of lower tilted modules and at a 

progressively higher height to eliminate shading from more southern modules.

Farthest north on the roof is the 6.1 m (20 ft) tall instrument mast. This mast is also positioned in the east-west 

middle of the roof in line with the module platform. The lower crossbar positions the instruments mounted on it just 

above the closest modules. This mast position and configuration minimizes its shading on the module platform.

A CAD model of the weather station was created in SketchUp [9] to aid in optimizing the arrangements, as shown in 

Figure 2-2. For the final configuration, according to the model, the maximum amount of shading that occurs is 42

minutes after sunrise and 37 minutes before sunset, which happens on the day of the summer solstice (varying 

between Jun. 20 and Jun. 22), with most of the shading being on the tables. The least amount of daily shading that 

occurs is 4 minutes after sunrise and 5 minutes before sunset, which happens on the day of the winter solstice 

(varying between Dec. 20 and Dec. 23), with most of the shading being on the modules.
6

Figure 2-2 Preliminary shading model of weather station showing an unshaded period on Dec. 21 at 09:24 EST

3. Measurements

3.1. Summary

The measurements at the weather station and their corresponding instrument or sensor are summarized in Table 3-1.

A complete listing of the saved data values is provided in Appendix A.

Table 3-1 Summary of the Measurements and Respective Instruments Installed at the Weather Station

Measurement Instrument/Sensor Make/Model

Ambient Pressure Capacitive Silicon Barometer Vaisala WXT520

Ambient Temperature

(1.07 m [3.5 ft] height) (1)

RTD Air Probe in an 

Aspirated Radiation Shield

R. M. Young 41342LC

in an

R. M. Young 43502-90

Ambient Temperature

(5.59 m [18.3 ft] height) (2)

Capacitive Ceramic

Thermometer Vaisala WXT520

Current Signal Shunt Resistor Campbell Scientific CURS100

Diffuse Horizontal Irradiance (DHI) Black and White Thermopile 

Pyranometer Eppley 8-48

Digital Image (1) PTZ Camera Axis Q6032-E

Digital Image (2) Stationary Camera Campbell Scientific CC5MPX

Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI) Thermopile Pyrheliometer Kipp & Zonen CHP 1

Global Horizontal Irradiance (GHI) (1) Thermopile Pyranometer Kipp & Zonen CMP 21

Global Horizontal Irradiance (GHI) (2) Flat-Plate Silicon Irradiance 

Sensor IMT Solar Si-420TC

Global Horizontal Irradiance (GHI) (3) Domed Diffused Silicon-Cell 

Pyranometer Apogee SP-230

Hail Piezoelectric Sensor Vaisala WXT520

Longwave Irradiance (incident and net) Pyrgeometer Eppley PIR
7

Module Backsheet Surface Temperature (1) RTD, 4-wire, class A, 100 Ω Omega SA1-RTD-4W-80

Module Backsheet Surface Temperature (2) Thermocouple, Type T Omega CO1-T-72

Plane-of-Array (POA) Irradiance Flat-Plate Silicon Irradiance 

Sensor IMT Solar Si-420TC

Rain (1) Piezoelectric Sensor Vaisala WXT520

Rain (2) and Precipitation Liquid Content Heated Tipping Bucket Rain 

Gauge R. M. Young 52202

Reference Module (1) PV Module Powerlight PowerGuard*

Reference Module (2) PV Module Sharp NU-U235F2

Reference Module (3) PV Module Sunpower SPR-320E-WHT-D

Reference Module I-V Curve and Maximum 

Power Point

I-V Curve Tracer with

Maximum Power Tracker and 

Load

Daystar Multi-Tracer 5

Relative Humidity Capacitive Thin Film Polymer

Hygrometer Vaisala WXT520

RTD Current Shunt Resistor Campbell Scientific 

4WPB100

Snow Depth Sonic Ranging Sensor Campbell Scientific SR50A

Spectral Irradiance (1) Spectroradiometer EKO MS-710

Spectral Irradiance (2) Spectroradiometer EKO MS-712

Thermocouple Reference Temperature UTR with RTD Campbell Scientific AM25T

UV Total Irradiance UV Radiometer Eppley TUVR

UV-A Irradiance UV Radiometer EKO MS-210A

UV-B Irradiance UV Radiometer EKO MS-212W

Voltage Signal Data Logger Campbell Scientific

CR1000-ST

Wind Speed and Direction

(5.72 m [18.8 ft] height) (1) Ultrasonic Wind Sensor Vaisala WXT520

Wind Speed and Direction

(2.51 m [8.3 ft] height) (2) Ultrasonic Wind Sensor Vaisala WS425

*

 The module itself without the mounting is a Siemens SP150-CPL

Unless noted otherwise, the instruments and sensors are wired directly to one of the data loggers, multiplexers, or 

serial communication modules using UV and moisture protected cables run through metal dedicated data conduit, 

separating them from power conductors that may generate high EMI. The cables enter the conduit through cable 

glands at pull boxes or conduit access ports. The instruments and sensors are wired using twisted-pair or, if carrying 

multiple sensor signals and/or the instruments power, twisted multi-conductor cable. The cables are shielded and 

grounded at one end on the data logger side to reduce and allow the EMI to be later rejected when differentially 

measured, which is especially important for the ~10 μV resolution analog voltage output of the thermopile 

radiometers.
8

3.2. Global Shortwave Irradiance

3.2.1. Sensors

The global horizontal irradiance (GHI) is measured using two redundant Kipp & Zonen CMP 21 thermopile 

pyranometers, an IMT Solar Si-420TC flat-plate silicon irradiance sensor, and an Apogee SP-230 domed diffused 

silicon-cell pyranometer. The plane-of-array (POA) irradiance of each of the installed reference modules are also

measured using the same IMT Solar flat-plate irradiance sensor. The thermopile pyranometers are all-black sensor, 

secondary-standard pyranometers. The flat-plate silicon sensors are a shunted monocrystalline silicon cell under a 

thin glass cover with a cell temperature-compensated output signal. The domed diffused silicon-cell pyranometer 

functions very similarly to the flat-plate irradiance sensors, but has a dome-shaped diffuser over the cell that 

minimizes reflective losses.

Thermopile pyranometers were installed to most accurately measure the GHI and to be consistent with the 

traditional method of measuring the GHI, allowing better comparisons to be made with other measurements. These 

specific pyranometers were also chosen because they have an integrated thermistor measuring the case temperature, 

which can be used to correct for the temperature dependency of the instrument’s responsivity to obtain more 

accurate irradiance measurements. Two redundant pyranometers are installed, connected to separate data loggers, to 

maximize data availability and to provide comparative checks of the measurements. Flat-plate silicon irradiance 

sensors were installed to capture the irradiance under fast changing conditions at nearly instantaneous speeds, unlike 

the pyranometers which have multiple-second response times. The flat-plate irradiance sensors, when mounted in 

the modules’ respective planes, also better approximate the modules’ effective irradiances, or that absorbed by the 

PV cells, because they have similar reflective properties due to the flat glass covers and similar spectral responses 

since both utilize monocrystalline silicon cells. Pyranometers, in comparison, measure the incident irradiance. The

domed diffused silicon-cell pyranometer was installed because, like the flat-plate irradiance sensors, it captures fast 

changing irradiance, but unlike those sensors it measures the incident, rather than the absorbed, irradiance.

These types of instruments were also chosen because they are either the same, or functionally the same sensors 

installed at the campus PV arrays, which will allow better comparisons to be made with the latter measurements. 

The pyranometers at the arrays are also all-black sensor, secondary standard pyranometers, the flat-plate irradiance 

sensors are the exact same, and the silicon pyranometers are also the exact same except that the one at the weather 

station has an integrated heater to prevent snow and ice from occluding the sensor.

3.2.2. Calibrations

All thermopile pyranometers are replaced every year with ones that have been newly calibrated at the National 

Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) according to their Broadband Outdoor Radiometer Calibration (BORCAL) 

procedure [10]. This calibration provides net-IR corrected responsivities (μV/(W·m-2)) at every 2° in the measured 

solar zenith angle range. The silicon sensors were calibrated in a solar simulator at the factory and verified to be 

within specifications. The flat-plate irradiance sensors have a stated yearly drift of 0.5 %, and the domed diffused 

silicon pyranometers have a yearly drift of less than 2 %.

3.2.3. Locations and Orientations

The instruments measuring the GHI are located on the east of the two tables, as shown in Figure 3-1. As described in 

section 2.1.1 Facilities, all radiometers on the east table are aligned vertically to normalize the heights of their sensor 

elements to within 1 cm (0.4 in.) to minimize the instruments’ mutual shading and sky occlusion. All pyranometers 

are oriented with their connectors facing away from the equator (north), as is the standard practice and also how they 

were oriented during calibration. The flat-plate silicon irradiance sensor is oriented with its connector facing west to

replicate the landscape orientation of these sensors in the arrays.
9

Figure 3-1 The east table, looking north, with the GHI measuring pyranometers and silicon irradiance sensor 

mounted on it. Also shown are the spectroradiometers, UV radiometers, and the ambient 

temperature sensor (upper right).

The flat-plate silicon irradiance sensors measuring the POA irradiances are located in the respective module planes, 

next to a north, high corner of the module, as shown in Figure 3-2, except for the sensor for the horizontal module, 

which is the one located on the east table. These sensors are oriented with their connectors facing toward the top of 

the module, which is north except for those for the two east and west facing modules, with their connectors facing 

west and east, respectively.

Figure 3-2 Flat-plate silicon irradiance sensors measuring the POA irradiances on their respective reference 

modules

3.2.4. Mounting and Alignment

The two Kipp & Zonen CMP 21 thermopile pyranometers are mounted in Kipp & Zonen CVF 3 ventilators. These 

ventilators blow heated air up and over the pyranometers, which reduces the dirt, dew, frost, and snow buildup on 
10

the glass domes. This airflow also reduces the ‘Zero Offset Type A’ bias uncertainty of the irradiance measurement 

by reducing the temperature difference between the body and glass dome of the instrument. The domed diffused 

silicon-cell pyranometer is mounted on an Apogee AL-100 leveling plate, and the flat-plate silicon irradiance sensor 

is mounted using a custom-made mount. The flat-plate silicon sensors measuring the POA irradiances are mounted 

next to their respective reference modules using Campbell Scientific CM245 Adjustable-Angle Mounting Stands.

The pyranometers are leveled using their integrated bubble levels, ensuring that the bubble is in the middle of the 

center circle, with the bubble anywhere in the circle corresponding to a leveling accuracy of approximately ±0.1° for 

the Kipp & Zonen CMP 21’s and ±0.4° for the Apogee SP-230 on its AL-100 leveling plate. The GHI and POA flatplate irradiance sensors are aligned to horizontal and the module tilts, respectively, using a Mitutoyo Pro 360 

inclinometer to a reading within ±0.1°.

3.2.5. Wiring

The GHI measuring instruments are wired as described in section 3.1, except for the flat-plate irradiance sensors, 

which are similarly wired using shielded twisted three-wire cable. These silicon sensors communicate over an 

unpowered 4 mA to 20 mA current loop, which has a low sensitivity to electrical noise, and runs on one pair, with 

the third wire supplying power to the temperature compensation and loop transmitter circuits.

3.3. Direct and Diffuse Shortwave Irradiance

3.3.1. Sensors

The direct normal irradiance (DNI) is measured using two redundant Kipp & Zonen CHP 1 pyrheliometers. The 

diffuse horizontal irradiance (DHI) is measured using two redundant Eppley 8-48 pyranometers. The former are first 

class thermopile pyrheliometers and the latter are black and white thermopile pyranometers.

These two types of instruments were installed to most accurately measure the DNI and DHI and to be consistent 

with the traditional methods of measuring these values, therefore allowing direct comparisons with other 

measurements. These specific pyrheliometers were also chosen because they have integrated temperature sensors 

measuring the case temperature, which can be used to correct for the temperature dependency of the instrument’s 

responsivity to obtain more accurate irradiance measurements. Thermopile pyranometers with black and white 

sensors were chosen instead of those with all-black sensors because they have negligible Zero Offset Type A biases, 

which are significant for all-black thermopile pyranometers when shaded. The negligible bias of the black and white 

pyranometers is due to their hot and cold junctions being in the same thermal environment. Like the GHI measuring 

thermopile pyranometers, redundant pyrheliometers and diffuse-measuring pyranometers are installed, connected to 

separate data loggers, to maximum data availability and to provide comparative checks of the measurements.

3.3.2. Calibrations

Like the GHI measuring pyranometers, the pyrheliometers are replaced every year with ones that have been newly

calibrated at NREL according to their BORCAL procedure [10]. This calibration also provides net-IR corrected 

responsivities (μV/(W·m-2)) for pyrheliometers at every 2° in the measured solar zenith angle range. The diffusemeasuring pyranometers are replaced every year with ones that have been newly calibrated by the manufacturer in 

an integrating sphere.

3.3.3. Locations and Orientations

The pyrheliometers and diffuse-measuring pyranometers are both located on the same Kipp & Zonen 2AP Gear 

Drive with Sun Sensor solar tracker, as shown in Figure 3-3 and described in section 2.1.1 Facilities. The 

pyranometers are oriented with their connectors facing away from the sun.
11

3.3.4. Mounting and Alignment

The pyrheliometers are mounted on the tracker’s side mounting plates and the diffuse-measuring pyranometers are 

mounted on the tracker’s rear mounting plate in Eppley VEN ventilators that blow unheated air up and over the 

pyranometers, which reduces the dirt, dew, frost, and snow buildup on the glass domes. These ventilators have direct 

current (DC) instead of alternating current (AC) fans to minimize any EMI induced in the pyranometer sensor 

cables.

Figure 3-3 The pyrheliometers mounted on the solar tracker above the sun sensor and below the horizontal 

diffuse-measuring pyranometers (left and right) and IR measuring pyrgeometer (center). The 

black balls shade the three horizontal instruments.

The tracker is leveled using its integrated bubble level, ensuring that the bubble is in the middle of the center circle. 

The pyrheliometers are aligned to each other and to the sun sensor according to the tracker instructions. The diffusemeasuring pyranometers are leveled using their integrated bubble levels, also ensuring that the bubble is in the 

middle of the center circle, with the bubble anywhere in the circle corresponding to a leveling accuracy of 

approximately ±0.2°. The shading balls are positioned so the pyranometers’ sensor elements are in the center of their 

shadows at solar noon, when the shadows are smallest. The solar tracker’s sun tracking accuracy is <0.05°, which is 

within the required accuracy of 0.75° for getting a full response from these model pyrheliometers [11] and well 

within that needed to keep the shading balls centered over the diffuse-measuring pyranometers.

3.4. Longwave Irradiance

The incident and net horizontal longwave irradiance is measured using an Eppley Precision Infrared Radiometer 

(PIR). This pyrgeometer was chosen because it has historically been one of the most popular in climate research and 

has class-leading specifications. The case temperature is measured using an integrated thermistor to calculate the 

instrument’s emitted IR and subsequently the incident IR from the net IR measurement. The dome temperature is 

not measured.

The pyrgeometer is replaced every 18 months with one that has been newly calibrated outdoors at NREL. The 

pyrgeometer is mounted on the solar tracker between the diffuse pyranometers in an Eppley VEN ventilator, as 

shown in Figure 3-3, oriented with the connector facing away from the sun. Like those for the diffuse pyranometers, 

this ventilator blows unheated air up and over the pyrgeometer to reduce the dirt, dew, frost, and snow buildup on 

the instrument dome. This ventilator also has a DC fan to minimize any EMI induced in the sensor cable.
12

The pyrgeometer is leveled using its integrated bubble level to an accuracy of approximately ±0.2° and is shaded in 

the same manner as the diffuse pyranometers. Shading the pyrgeometer reduces heating of its dome and the 

correction needed for the associated signal bias.

3.5. UV Irradiance

The UV irradiance is measured using an EKO MS-210A, an EKO MS-212W, and an Eppley TUVR. The EKO MS210A measures the UV-A irradiance in the spectral range of 315 nm to 400 nm, the EKO MS-212W measures the 

UV-B irradiance in the spectral range of 280 nm to 315 nm, and the Eppley TUVR measures the total UV irradiance 

in the spectral range of 295 nm to 385 nm. The total UV irradiance measurement is mostly redundant, which helps

to maximize data availability and provide comparative checks with the other UV measurements. The UV-A and UVB radiometers are calibrated outdoors every 18 months by a commercial testing laboratory; the UV total radiometer 

is replaced every 18 months with one that has been newly calibrated by the manufacturer. The UV radiometers are

located on the east table alongside the other stationary radiometers and oriented with their connectors facing away 

from the equator (north), as shown in Figure 3-1. They are mounted horizontally and are leveled using their 

respective integrated bubble levels, ensuring that the bubble is in the middle of the center circle, with the bubble 

anywhere in the circle corresponding to an unspecified accuracy for the UV-A and UV-B radiometers and to an 

accuracy of approximately ±0.2° for the UV total radiometer. The radiometers are wired to converter boxes in an 

indoor enclosure, which power the radiometers and output analog signals proportional to the measured irradiances.

3.6. Spectral Irradiance

The spectral irradiance is measured using an EKO MS-710 spectroradiometer and an EKO MS-712 

spectroradiometer. The MS-710 measures in the nominal spectral range of 350 nm to 1000 nm in 0.7 nm to 0.8 nm

increments and the MS-712 measures in the nominal spectral range of 900 nm to 1700 nm in 1.9 nm to 1.4 nm 

increments. These spectroradiometers were chosen because they have class-leading specifications for continuous

outdoor measuring instruments.

The spectroradiometers are calibrated every 18 months indoors in a NIST laboratory designed for such calibrations. 

The calibrations are performed using the NIST-calibrated spectral irradiance standard 1000 W FEL lamp [12], with

the lamp optically aligned 50 cm from the instruments’ diffuser. The spectral irradiance responsivities of the 

spectroradiometers are calibrated using the known spectral irradiance of the lamp and are stored as calibration 

functions in the instruments.

The spectroradiometers are located on the east table alongside the other stationary radiometers and oriented with 

their connectors facing away from the equator (north), as shown in Figure 3-1. They are mounted horizontally and 

are leveled using their respective integrated bubble levels, ensuring that the bubble is in the middle of the center 

circle, with the bubble level accuracies unspecified. The spectroradiometers are wired to indoor converter boxes, 

which power the spectroradiometers and relay the measurements using RS-232 serial communications connections.

3.7. Ambient Temperature

3.7.1. Sensors

The outdoor ambient air temperature is measured using an R. M. Young 41342LC 1000 Ω platinum resistance 

temperature detector (RTD) probe and transducer in an R. M. Young 43502-90 aspirated radiation shield. The 

radiation shield is used to shield the temperature probes from radiative heat transfer from the sun and surroundings, 

which would affect the temperature of the probe, while still allowing ambient airflow around the probe. An 

aspirated, or fan ventilated, radiation shield was used instead of a passively-ventilated shield to minimize stagnant 

air around the probe, resulting in more accurate and responsive measurements. The backup power system also has 

the capacity for an aspirated shield, unlike the smaller systems at the campus PV DASs where fanless passivelyventilated shields are used.
13

The outdoor ambient air temperature is also measured by a Vaisala WXT520 weather transmitter. This instrument 

has a capacitive ceramic thermometer inside of multi-plate passively ventilated radiation shield. The weather 

transmitter is configured to sample temperature readings at 4 Hz and average every 1 s. It communicates over one 

wire pair using an RS485 serial ASCII protocol at 19200 bits per second (bps).

3.7.2. Calibrations

Both sets of ambient temperature sensors were calibrated at the factory and verified to be within specifications, and 

their yearly drift is unspecified.

3.7.3. Locations and Orientations

The aspirated shield and sensor is located near the stationary radiometers on the east table, mounted in a vertical 

orientation northeast of the radiometers in a location that does not shade the radiometers, is not in stagnant air, and is 

not near potentially heat-releasing sources like roof vents, as shown in Figure 3-4.

Figure 3-4 The temperature sensing probe in the aspirated radiation shield used to measure the outdoor 

ambient air temperature

The weather transmitter is located 5.59 m (18.3 ft) above the roof in an upright vertical orientation on the mast in the 

farthest north, east-west center of the roof, as shown in Figure 3-5. This high location is intended to measure the 

temperature of the air that is less affected by any heat generating roof elements, while its north-center location 

minimizes its shading on the other roof instruments and modules. The weather transmitter is just below the lightning 

rod on the mast so a Vaisala WSP150 surge protector, designed for this type of application, was installed near it on 

the mast and in-line with the power and data cable to suppress power surges caused by nearby lightning. The 

specific locations of both sets of sensors are shown in the diagram in Figure 2-1.
14

Figure 3-5 The weather transmitter near the top of the instrument mast

3.7.4. Wiring

The weather transmitter is wired to the surge protector, and this surge protector and the aspirated temperature sensor 

are wired directly to a data logger serial communication module and multiplexer, respectively. The aspirated 

temperature sensor communicates via a transducer over a powered 4 mA to 20 mA current loop, which has a low 

sensitivity to electrical noise and also supplies power to the sensor.

The weather transmitter communicates over one wire pair, with power for the sensors and the heater on separate 

wire pairs. To reduce power consumption, termination resistors are not wired in parallel at the ends of the RS485 

communication wires to reduce signal reflections because they are not needed, as the cable lengths are less than 

600 m (2000 ft) and the data rates are relatively low (19200 bps). The surge protector for this sensor is grounded to 

the building’s lighting ground via the mast and lightning wire.

3.8. Wind

3.8.1. Sensors

The horizontal wind speed and direction are measured using a Vaisala WXT520 weather transmitter having a heated 

ultrasonic wind sensor and a Vaisala WS425 ultrasonic wind sensor. Ultrasonic sensors were chosen instead of 

traditional vane and cup or windmill anemometers because they have a smaller physical profile, are easily heated 

and kept free of snow and ice, have no moving parts and therefore a higher reliability, and have a higher sensitivity 

because of the faster response time and virtually zero starting threshold (even very low wind speeds are detected).

The weather transmitter is configured to sample wind readings at 4 Hz and average them every 1 s, and to perform 

maximum and minimum calculations instead of gust and lull. The weather transmitter controls its level of heating as 

a function of the ambient and its internal temperatures. It communicates over one wire pair using an RS485 serial 

ASCII protocol at 19200 bps.

The other ultrasonic wind sensor is configured to sample readings at 1 Hz and perform no averaging. This sensor is 

not heated and communicates over three wires using two analog voltage signals. The signals are 0 V to 1 V and 0 V 

to the supplied reference voltage, proportional to the wind speed and direction, respectively. The reference voltage is 

approximately 1.5 V, which is supplied by the datalogger via a custom voltage divider connected to one of the 

datalogger’s power output terminals. The reference voltage is measured after each wind direction measurement.
15

3.8.2. Calibrations

The sensors were calibrated at the factory and verified to be within specifications, and they have an unspecified 

yearly drift.

3.8.3. Locations and Orientation

The weather transmitter is located on a mast crossarm in an upright vertical orientation, with its wind transducers 

5.72 m (18.8 ft) above the roof and 36 cm (14 in.) west of the mast, in the farthest north, east-west center of the roof, 

as shown in Figure 3-5. This high location aims to measure close to the free-stream wind, while its north-center 

location minimizes its shading on the other roof instruments and modules. The wind at this height, however, is most 

likely still affected by the building. The other ultrasonic wind sensor is located on a lower mast crossarm in an 

upright vertical orientation, with its transducers 2.51 m (8.3 ft) above the roof and 84 cm (33 in.) west of the mast, as 

shown in Figure 3-6. The transducers are positioned 33 cm (13 in.) above the top of the highest, farthest north 

reference modules and 90 cm (35.5 in.) behind them. This location aims to measure the wind that is near to but out 

of the immediate boundary layer of the modules while minimally shading the modules.

Figure 3-6 The lower ultrasonic wind sensor (left) and heated tipping bucket rain gauge (right) on the lower 

instrument mast crossarm

3.8.4. Mounting and Alignment

The wind sensors are mounted on top of vertical poles, aligned to true north using visual references and checked 

with a compass (adjusted for the local magnetic declination). Metal spikes designed for this specific sensor are 

installed on top of the weather transmitter to deter birds from perching on it and affecting the readings. The lower 

ultrasonic wind sensor has no surge protector or metal spikes installed.

3.8.5. Wiring

The wiring of the weather transmitter is described in section 3.7.4. The lower ultrasonic wind sensor is wired 

directly to the data logger and communicates over two wires and a common ground, with power supplied using a 

separate wire pair.

3.9. Ambient Pressure and Humidity

The ambient pressure and relative humidity are also measured using the aforementioned Vaisala WXT520 weather 

transmitter. The capacitive silicon pressure and capacitive thin film polymer humidity sensors are located in the 
16

instrument’s passively-ventilated radiation shield. The sensors are calibrated at the factory and verified to be within 

specifications, and have an unspecified yearly drift; they are replaced every 18 months. The sensors are located 

5.59 m (18.3 ft) above the roof in an upright vertical orientation on the mast in the farthest north, east-west center of 

the roof, as shown in Figure 3-5. This high location aims to measure the humidity of the air that is less affected by 

any roof vents, while its north-center location minimizes its shading on the other roof instruments and modules. The 

weather transmitter is configured to sample ambient pressure and humidity readings at 4 Hz and average them every 

1 s. The wiring of the weather transmitter is described in section 3.7.4.

3.10. Precipitation

3.10.1. Liquid

3.10.1.1. Sensors

Liquid precipitation is measured using an R. M. Young 52202 rain gauge and a Vaisala WXT520 weather 

transmitter. The R. M. Young 52202 is a tipping bucket rain gauge that is heated to also measure the liquid content 

of snow, sleet, hail, and freezing rain. It has a 200 cm2(31 in2) catchment area, or 16 cm (6.3 in.) diameter, with a 

0.1 mm (4 mil) resolution. The weather transmitter has a horizontal steel surface on top of the instrument that is 

connected to a piezoelectric sensor that measures the frequency and magnitude of raindrop impacts. The instrument 

correlates the magnitude of these impacts to the volume of the rain drops. The weather transmitter is configured to 

record accumulated rainfall depth.

The tipping bucket rain gauge was chosen because it is a traditional means of measuring rainfall, while the 

piezoelectric sensor provides a higher resolution and faster response time than the tipping bucket gauge.

3.10.1.2. Calibrations

Both instruments were calibrated at the factory and verified to be within specifications, and they have an unspecified 

yearly drift.

3.10.1.3. Locations and Orientations

The tipping bucket gauge is located on a mast crossarm, with its catchment opening 2.31 m (7.6 ft) above the roof, 

84 cm (33 in.) east of the mast and 90 cm (35.5 in.) north of the northern-most reference module, as shown in Figure 

3-6. The piezoelectric sensor is located 5.69 m (18.7 ft) above the roof on a mast crossarm, 36 cm (14 in.) west of 

the mast. Both are mounted on top of vertical poles and aligned vertically, and both have spikes installed on top to 

deter birds from perching on and fouling them and affecting their readings.

3.10.1.4. Wiring

The tipping bucket rain gauge and weather transmitter are wired as described in section 3.1 and section 3.7.4, 

respectively.

3.10.2. Solid

3.10.2.1. Sensors

Snow depth is measured using a Campbell Scientific SR50A sonic ranging sensor, hail is measured using a Vaisala 

WXT520 weather transmitter, and the liquid content of all solid precipitation is measured using the R. M. Young 

52202 heated rain gauge described in section 3.10.1. The snow sensor measures the distance from the sensor to the 

roof with the snow depth calculated as the difference between the height of the sensor and the measured distance. 

The measured ambient temperature is required to correct the readings for speed-of-sound variations. The hail sensor 

on the weather transmitter is the same sensor that measures the rain; it is a horizontal steel surface connected to a 

piezoelectric sensor that measures the frequency of impacts. It distinguishes between hail and rain impacts, but only 

counts the frequency of the hail impacts. The area of this steel surface is 60 cm2(9.3 in2).
17

The snow sensor is configured to sample readings every 30 seconds. It uses the ambient temperature measured by

the closer aspirated temperature sensor to correct the readings. The weather transmitter is configured to record the 

accumulated number of hail impacts.

3.10.2.2. Calibrations

The sensors were calibrated at the factory and verified to be within specifications, and they have unspecified yearly 

drifts.

3.10.2.3. Locations and Orientations

The snow sensor is located 124 cm (49 in.) north of the west table on a horizontal crossarm, 121.6 cm (47.87 in.) 

above a 71 cm x 71 cm (28 in. x 28 in.) aluminum plate resting on the roof, as shown in Figure 3-7. This plate 

provides a uniform target that allows consistent readings when there is little snow.

Figure 3-7 The snow sensor that measures snow depth, positioned directly above a square flat metal plate

The piezoelectric sensor measuring the hail, which is part of the weather transmitter, is located 5.69 m (18.7 ft) 

above the roof on a mast crossarm, 36 cm (14 in.) west of the mast, as shown in Figure 3-5.

The snow sensor is aligned normal (plumb) to the center of the aluminum plate and the hail sensor is aligned 

vertically. The hail sensor has spikes installed on top to deter birds from perching on and fouling the sensor and 

affecting its readings.

3.10.2.4. Wiring

The snow sensor and weather transmitter are wired as described in section 3.1 and section 3.7.4, respectively.

3.11. Reference Modules

Reference PV modules, one for each module orientation in the campus PV arrays, are installed in the same 

orientations at the weather station, as summarized in Table 3-2. Manufacturer data sheets are provided in Appendix 

B. These reference modules provide baseline measurements without the significant wiring, mismatch, soiling, snow, 

shading, and other losses of the modules in the arrays. These reference modules also provide data on their aging, and 
18

their true average cell temperature and absorbed/effective irradiance from their measured I-V curves, which can be 

correlated with the measured backsheet surface temperature and POA irradiance, respectively.

Table 3-2 Summary of Reference Modules

Respective Array Canopy Ground Roof Tilted Roof 

Horizontal NZERTF

Module Manufacturer Sharp Powerlight* Sunpower

Module Model NU-U235F2 PowerGuard* SPR-320EWHT-D

Module Technology mono c-Si – front contact mono c-si –

front contact

mono c-si –

back contact

Module Rated Power [W] 235 150 320

Location Middle

East / West NW Second from South South NE

Tilt [°] 5 / 5 20 10 0 18.4

Azimuth [° CW from N.] 90 / 270 180 180 180 180

Flashing No No Yes Yes Yes

One-way Wire Length [m] 105 / 105 115 105 90 130

*

 The module itself without the mounting is a Siemens SP150-CPL

Figure 3-8 The reference modules installed at the weather station

These reference modules (except the one for the Roof Horizontal array) were previously unexposed and are from the 

same production batches as those installed at each array. As previously described, the modules are arranged 

according to a CAD model, which calculated less than 45 minutes of any mutual or external shading on the modules 

at sunrise and sunset on the summer solstice and less than 5 minutes on the winter solstice, the two extremes of the 

year. The modules are aligned to their respective tilts using a Mitutoyo Pro 360 inclinometer to a reading within
19

±0.2°, and are aligned to their respective azimuths using visual references and checked with a compass (adjusted for 

the local magnetic declination).

Sheet metal flashing is installed around the modules for the Roof Horizontal, Roof Tilted, and NZERTF arrays to 

simulate the effect of the respective installations on the module temperatures; the modules in the Canopy and 

Ground Arrays have open air circulation on their back sides and therefore have no flashing installed around their 

reference modules.

The POA irradiance on each module is measured using flat-plate silicon irradiance sensors, as described in section 

3.2, and the backsheet surface temperatures of each module are measured at multiple locations using RTDs and 

thermocouples, as described in section 3.12. The modules are wired directly to an indoor I-V curve tracer with 

maximum power tracker and load using 10 AWG (5.26 mm2) UV and moisture protected PV cable run through 

metal dedicated conduit.

3.12. Module Temperature

3.12.1. Sensors

The reference modules’ backsheet surface temperatures are measured using Omega SA1-RTD-4W-80 RTDs and 

Omega CO1-T-72 thermocouples. The RTD is an exposed, thin-film, four-wire, class “A”, 100 Ω platinum RTD 

with an α = 0.00385. The sensing element is flat, with only a thin ceramic base material covering the resistive 

element, thereby reducing the thermal gradient in the sensor, bringing it closer to the module surface temperature. 

The RTD has a relatively small sensing area of 2 mm x 2.2 mm (0.08 in. x 0.09 in.) that results in faster response 

times due to the smaller thermal mass. The RTD has a large 19 mm x 26 mm (0.75 in. x 1.0 in.) adhesive backing to 

the sensing element, which provides secure mounting to the module. A four-wire RTD was chosen instead of a two 

or three-wire RTD because the long cable leads, the large changes in temperature and subsequent resistance of the 

sensing element, and using a static, unbalanced resistance bridge would have resulted in significant measurement 

errors.

The Omega CO1-T-72 thermocouple is an ungrounded, flat, low mass, type T, ANSI “Special Limits of Error” 

grade foil sensor. This temperature sensor is also flat to reduce the thermal gradient in the sensor and has a relatively 

small sensing area that results in a fast response time. The thermocouple sensing element is encapsulated in a 10 mm 

x 20 mm (0.4 in. x 0.8 in.) polymer laminate, which allows secure mounting to the module. A type T thermocouple 

was chosen because it is the most accurate in this application’s measurement range.

The specific RTD and thermocouple models were originally chosen and installed on the modules in the arrays.

Thermocouples were installed at the Roof Horizontal and NZERTF arrays, while RTDs were installed at the 

Canopy, Ground, and Roof Tilted arrays. The thermocouples were installed at the former arrays to more easily 

integrate with the existing data acquisition systems, while RTDs were installed at the latter arrays because they are 

the most stable and accurate temperature sensing technology [13]. RTDs also do not require a temperature reference 

unlike thermocouples, which for the higher accuracy and many channel units can be rather large, and in the case of 

ice point references require significant amounts of power. There is sufficient backup power and space at the former 

arrays for accurate temperature references but not at the locations of the latter arrays. RTDs do, however, need 

excitation, which requires a current source, increases the sampling time, and causes self-heating of the resistance 

sensor that affects the measurement. These issues were addressed and minimized, as later described in the Data 

Acquisition and Control section.

The same types of temperature sensors were installed on the respective reference modules in order to have the best 

correlation between the array and reference module temperature measurements. This choice was also made to allow 

evaluation of the sensors themselves via in-situ measurement of the reference module temperatures by alternate 

means. An extra type T thermocouple of the same model was also installed in the center of every reference module 
20

to connect to the built-in thermocouple temperature channels on the I-V tracer with maximum power tracker and 

load and provide a temperature measurement more easily correlated with the module measurements.

The same model thermocouple is installed on the corresponding reference modules for the Roof Horizontal and 

NZERTF arrays, but different model RTDs are installed at the Canopy, Roof Tilted, and Ground Arrays. At those 

arrays, the Omega RTD-3-F3102-72-T was used, which is very similar to the model of RTD installed on the 

reference modules, but does not have an adhesive backing and has a smaller subsequent contact area of 3.7 mm x 

4.7 mm (0.147 in. x 0.185 in.). This RTD, which was installed first, was found to be relatively delicate and rather 

difficult to install due to its size. A visual comparison of the three temperature sensors is shown in Figure 3-9.

Figure 3-9 A visual comparison of the three types of module temperature sensors used for the reference 

modules and at the arrays: the RTD used at the Canopy, Roof Tilted, and Ground Arrays (left), 

the RTD used for the corresponding reference modules (center), and the thermocouple used at

Roof Horizontal and NZERTF arrays and all of the reference modules (right).

3.12.2. Calibrations

All of the module temperature sensors were calibrated in the laboratory according to ASTM E220 [14]. According 

to the standard, dry calibrations were performed, with the test and reference temperature sensors packed in brass test 

tubes with thermally conductive aluminum oxide powder and immersed in a circulating temperature bath. All RTDs 

and thermocouples were within specifications, and the proportional and offset calibration coefficients and associated 

uncertainty were calculated for each sensor. 

3.12.3. Locations

The sensors are mounted on the backsheets of the modules, with each sensor centered under a cell. Four sensors, 

either all RTDs or thermocouples, are installed on each module, positioned behind one center and three peripheral 

cells according to IEC 60891 [15]. The distribution of the sensors is intended to best capture temperature gradients 

in the module and for best calculating a single representative module temperature. An additional thermocouple of 

the same model used on other modules is also installed under a center cell.
21

3.12.4. Mounting and Alignment

The temperature sensors are mounted to the module backsheet using Omegabond OB-101 thermally conductive 

epoxy and an Innotec 248DR, 57.2 mm (2.25 in.) diameter, 83 μm (3.3 mil) thick round polyester adhesive film 

overlay, as shown in Figure 3-10. This method was derived as the combination of two of the best module back 

surface temperature measurement methods as determined by Smith, et al. [16], specifically the methods designated 

as positions C and H. This combination allows accurate measurement of the surface temperature, minimally affects 

the surface temperature, results in a more precise bias from the true cell temperature, and provides reliably secure 

attachment to the surface. The best practices recommended by Smith, et al. were also followed when mounting the 

sensors, including minimizing the thickness of the epoxy under the sensor, minimizing the epoxy spread beyond the 

sides of the sensor, and using additional adhesive films and ties on the cable for strain relief to prevent the sensor 

from detaching. For the adhesive backed RTDs, the thermally conductive epoxy is applied to the adhesive surface, 

first removing the adhesive covers. The temperature sensors were aligned under the center of the respective cells by 

distance measurements and visual means.

Figure 3-10 An RTD mounted on the back of a module using thermally conductive epoxy and an adhesive 

film overlay

3.12.5. Wiring

The module temperature sensors are wired directly to the data logger multiplexers. The RTD cable has four wires 

with the inner wire insulation (and outer jacket) made of PTFE (Teflon). PTFE has a much lower permittivity and 

subsequent capacitance than PVC and nearly all other wire insulation materials, resulting in faster settling times 

after excitation. The RTDs are connected to the extension cables using waterproof IP67 connectors. The TCs are 

connected to the extension cables using standard flat pin connectors housed in custom waterproof cable connector 

enclosures.

4. Data Acquisition and Control

4.1. Data loggers

4.1.1. Components

The weather station uses two Campbell Scientific CR1000-ST data loggers, as shown in Figure 4-1.
22

Figure 4-1 The data acquisition enclosure at the weather station showing the data loggers, measurement and 

communication peripherals, battery backups, relays, and power converters and distribution 

blocks

This model data logger was chosen after considerations were made to the following:

 measurement accuracy

 processing power

 reliability over extended periods

 the ability to interface with a variety of peripherals

 form factor

 power draws and subsequently the needed size of the battery backup for extended power outages
23

This data logger is also the same one chosen for the campus PV array DASs. The analog voltage, current, and 

thermocouple signals are multiplexed using Campbell Scientific AM25T solid-state multiplexers. The current 

carrying wires are first connected to Campbell Scientific CURS100 100 ohm current shunts to convert the current 

signals to voltage signals. The thermocouples are all connected to the same (lower) multiplexer and covered with the 

supplied insulated cover to reduce temperature gradients in the terminals and the resulting bias errors. These 

multiplexers are also uniform temperature references (UTR) which have an integrated RTD to measure the 

thermocouple reference temperature. The RTDs are multiplexed using one Campbell Scientific AM16/32B-ST relay 

multiplexer, located below the lower data logger in Figure 4-1. The serial devices are each connected to separate 

Campbell Scientific SDM-SIO1 serial communication modules. Redundant instruments and those measuring similar 

parameters are split between the two data loggers to maximize data availability in the event that one data logger 

stops operating.

Solid-state multiplexers are used because of their faster switching times and greater longevity than relay 

multiplexers, as measurements are needed on numerous channels at a one-second sample rate over an extended 

duration. A relay multiplexer is used for the RTD measurements instead of a solid-state multiplexer because the 

solid-state multiplexers cannot pass the currents needed to excite the RTDs. This restriction does limit the RTD 

sample period to greater than one-second, but this rate is acceptable because the module temperatures change at a 

slower rate than the irradiance. The separate serial communication modules are used instead of the serial 

communication channels on the data logger because there were not enough available channels.

The relay multiplexer is connected to the lower data logger through a Campbell Scientific 4WPB100 100 Ω fourwire half-bridge terminal input module. The bridge employs a high-accuracy (±0.01 %), low temperature 

dependence (< 8 x 10-6/°C) shunt to measure the current through the RTD, generated by the excitation voltage 

supplied by the data logger. A current limiting resistor is used in series with the shunt to allow for higher excitation 

voltages at the data logger, minimizing the relative noise in the excitation, while limiting the current and subsequent 

self-heating in the sensing resistor (RTD). Self-heating, which results in a measurement bias error, is caused by the 

excitation current passing through the sensor resistor.

A Campbell Scientific LR4 latching relay module is connected to each of the data loggers, via an SDI-12 bus 

connection. The ventilator fans and heaters are connected to the relays’ terminals and power to them is controlled 

via their respective data logger.

A Campbell Scientific NL115 is connected to each of the data loggers’ peripheral port and provides 10BASE-T 

Ethernet communications and a CompactFlash card slot interface for storing measurement data. An industrial quality 

2 GB Synchrotech CFV-2GB-TSI-3524 card is used, which, like the data logger, can operate with high reliability for 

extended periods in outdoor conditions.

4.1.2. Locations and Housing

The data acquisition enclosure is located in an unconditioned room below the weather station, as shown in Figure 

4-2. The enclosure is NEMA 4 rated and locked to control access, with an additional sensor installed to monitor 

when the door is open (at which time the data logger sends out an email alert). The humidity in the enclosure is

regulated by sealing the conduit openings with duct seal compound and replacing desiccant packets on an as needed 

basis, with the humidity level monitored using a humidity indicator card.
24

Figure 4-2 Location of the data acquisition enclosures and central UPS

Left of the main data acquisition enclosure is a smaller enclosure with clear acrylic sides that houses the EKO UV-A 

and UV-B converter boxes and the power supply for the rain gauge heater. Also in the enclosure are 

communications and power equipment for cameras on the roof, a network switch, and a remote power strip for 

controlling the power to select components.

4.1.3. Wiring

All wiring inside of the enclosures is low capacitance, high temperature PTFE insulated stranded wires with 

insulated ferrules crimped on their ends. Ferrule-terminated wires make troubleshooting and reworking easier and 

provide a more secure, lower contact resistance connection to the terminals. Jumper wires are connected between the 

low sides of the differential inputs and the respective ground terminals for the thermopile pyranometers, 

pyrheliometers, and the UV total radiometer to keep these electrically floating sensors from floating above the 

ground potential and out of the data logger’s common mode range, which would decrease the accuracy of the 

measurements. The jumpers also keep these radiometers from potentially floating out of the measurable range 

entirely.

The Ethernet communication module on the data loggers connect via Cat6 Ethernet patch cables directly to the NIST 

network.

The data acquisition enclosure components are grounded to a central point on the enclosure. Grounding in a “starpoint” configuration minimizes the potential differences between the devices and therefore reduces any currents 

through the devices during a power surge event. The central point of the “star” is connected via the enclosure to the 

conduit which is locally grounded. The conduit was chosen instead of the ground wire fed from the nearby power 

distribution board because it provides a lower resistance path to ground and will not have an electrical choke effect 

when there is a sudden, high current surge from a nearby lightning strike, which occurs for a surge carrying wire 

inside of a ferrous conduit. The importance of proper grounding in the interest of equipment longevity cannot be 

overemphasized.

Four conduits connect to the data acquisition enclosure, separately carrying the AC power wires, the Ethernet

communication patch cables, the sensor data cables, and the DC power cables for the ventilators. Excess lengths of 
25

the data cables for potential future reworks (approximately 3 m [10 ft]) are stored in a smaller enclosure below the 

DAS enclosure in-line with the data conduit.

4.1.4. Configuration

4.1.5. Sampling Rates and Parallel Processing

The data loggers are programmed using the Campbell Scientific language CRBASIC. The programs measure all of 

the sensors every 1 s, except for the RTDs and thermocouples measuring the reference modules’ temperatures, 

which are measured every 10 s. The slower RTD sampling rate is due to the slower relay multiplexers to which the 

RTDs are connected, but is not a restriction nonetheless because the module temperatures are not changing 

appreciably faster than every 10 s. The UTR thermocouple reference temperature is measured before each set of 

thermocouple measurements. It takes longer than 1 s to measure, and poll and receive data from the sensors and 

instruments if done sequentially, so the program is run in “pipeline” mode which effectively executes some of the 

measurement steps in parallel.

4.1.6. Time Synchronization

In order to maintain time synchronization within 1 s between data loggers, the data loggers are instructed every 

morning just after midnight to synchronize with a local internet time server. This synchronization keeps the data 

loggers within 0.5 s of each other at all times. The data loggers are configured to always use local standard time

(LST) to eliminate issues arising from the switch to and from daylight saving time (DST) and to allow easier 

comparisons and calculations.

4.1.7. Channel Ranges

The input voltage ranges for each measurement channel are explicitly chosen and fixed; auto-range is not used to 

eliminate the initial measurement needed to set the range, resulting in a shorter sampling time. The range determined 

by auto-range may also not be accurate for the irradiance and electrical measurements as they can fluctuate rapidly.

4.1.8. Self-Calibration

The data loggers are instructed to periodically self-calibrate to compensate for aging-induced and operating 

temperature-induced (Seebeck effect) drift. Voltage offsets are measured on each channel when the signal source is 

internally disconnected, using an internal voltage standard as a reference for all channels.

4.1.9. Measurement Techniques

Various techniques are employed for every measurement to more accurately measure the sensed value. The voltage 

signals, both direct from the sensor and those from a shunt when measuring current signals, are measured 

differentially instead of single-ended with respect to the data logger ground. This approach eliminates any voltage 

reference offsets and rejects capacitively coupled common-mode noise. The only exception to this approach is for 

the signals from the lower ultrasonic wind sensor, which are inherently single-ended. Before each of these 

measurements, the ground offset is measured and subtracted from the instrument signals to negate any bias.

Although considered, the electrically floating sensors are not pulled to ground before each measurement to null any 

common-mode voltage. Rather, jumper wires are connected between the low sides of the differential inputs of the

radiometers and the respective ground terminals to keep them grounded. These data loggers combine nulling the 

common-mode voltage with open input detection, commonly used for thermocouples, into one function and neither 

can be individually implemented. The open input detection, which biases the high side of the differential input above 

the channel measurement range while grounding the low side, would not allow the thermopile-based radiometers’

outputs enough time to stabilize before the measurements. No measurement channels in this DAS employ the 

common-mode nulling and open input detection function, including for the thermocouples measuring the 

temperature of two of the reference modules, in order to save measurement time.
26

The settling times, the delay after the channel terminals are internally connected to the input amplifier and before the 

measurement is started, were chosen to be 10 ms for the thermopile-based radiometers and 3 ms for other analog 

signals. The longer settling time for the thermopile-based radiometers allows further reduction of voltage transients 

caused by channel switching, as they would have a larger relative magnitude since their voltage signals are much 

smaller.

The voltage signals are integrated for exactly 16.67 ms. This integration time, the period of a 60 Hz waveform, 

rejects 60 Hz frequency components in the signal by cancelling them out. This noise is induced from nearby AC 

power sources, which operate at 60 Hz in the USA.

Each differential voltage measurement is performed twice, with the second time after the channel terminals are 

internally reverse-connected to the input amplifier. The two measurements are subtracted and divided by two to 

cancel any voltage offsets in the measurement circuitry, as well as any common-mode gain errors. Note that before 

each measurement the signal is allowed time to settle, which doubles the total settling time per measurement.

There is not enough available time in the 1 s scan period to employ all of the aforementioned techniques when 

measuring the four-wire RTDs, so tests were performed to identify those most beneficial in this application. The 

tests determined that a settling time of 3 ms was adequate and revealed that 60 Hz integration reduces significantly 

more noise than reversing the inputs and reversing the excitation, combined. Reversing the excitation is similar to 

reversing the inputs, but does so for the excitation and works to cancel any voltage offsets before and in the 

measurement circuitry (reversing the input cancels the offset in the measurement circuitry as well as the commonmode gain errors). Note that these two techniques each double the total settling time and combining both quadruples

it. If there were a longer sampling period, then all three techniques would have been employed, even though the 

benefits of the two reversals are relatively small in this application.

The excitation for the RTDs is optimized by maximizing the measurement resolution of the voltage across the 

sensing resistor (RTD) while keeping the self-heating error, caused by the excitation current passing through the 

sensing resistor, below an acceptable level. Self-heating errors for 100 Ω RTDs like the ones in this DAS are less 

than 0.001 °C (0.0018 °F) in still air when the voltage drop across the sensing resistor is less than approximately 

25 mV (6 μW) [17]. The optimal excitation voltage is therefore what results in a maximum sensor voltage of 25 mV, 

which occurs at the highest expected temperature, chosen conservatively to be 90 °C (194 °F). This temperature 

corresponds to a maximum resistance of 135 Ω. The optimal excitation voltage is calculated for the half-bridge and 

current-limiting resistor in Figure 4-3 using Equation (1), neglecting the wire resistances. The equation is calculated 

using values of the measurement bridge resistors at the low end of their respective tolerance ranges, resulting in a 

higher current and subsequently higher RTD voltage. If the tolerances are not accounted for, this potentially higher 

RTD voltage could be greater than the selected measurement range.
27

Figure 4-3 Half-bridge for measuring distant RTDs to nullify effect of wire resistances

 

,max

,min ,min ,max

,max

s

x cl sh s

s

V

V R R R

R

  

(1)

where:

Vx = excitation voltage

Vs = sensing voltage

Rs = sensing resistor (RTD) 

Rcl = current limiting resistor

Rsh = completion (shunt) resistor

Vsh = shunt voltage

Ix = excitation current

The optimal excitation, calculated to be 1.8 V, is kept on only during the measurement to further reduce the selfheating errors. The measurement equation for the half-bridge, when reduced, becomes the ratiometric relation

R R V V s sh s sh  . The temperature of the RTD is then determined from the resistance using the inverse of the 

Callendar-Van Dusen equation according to the ASTM E1137-04 [18] standard.

Timeouts for the serial communicating instruments, the time after polling the instrument waiting for a reply, were 

carefully chosen to be the maximum time the instrument normally takes to respond to a request. A flag in the data 

logger programs can be manually set while the program is running to stop polling individual instruments in the case 

where they are temporarily unresponsive. Setting this flag can speed up the program and avoid missed 

measurements while the data logger would normally be waiting the full timeout period for a response.

4.1.10. Control

The data loggers regulate the power to the UV-A and UV-B radiometers, the rain gauge heater, the POA flat-plate 

silicon irradiance sensors, the weather transmitter heater, and the fans and heaters in the ventilators when external 

power to the DAS is off and the data loggers, instruments, and other equipment are operating on battery power.
28

These instruments, fans, and heaters consume the most power from the UPSs and are regulated to allow them to 

operate between approximately 2.6 days and 4.4 days on battery power.

Power to the UV-A and UV-B converter boxes is turned off at night between 20:30 and 04:00 LST using a 

Synaccess NP-0801DS remote power strip controlled by the lower data logger via a serial communication module.

Power to the POA flat-plate silicon irradiance sensors is also turned off at night by the top data logger via its 

switched 12 V terminal. The rain gauge heater is controlled using the remote power strip, the weather transmitter 

heater is controlled via serial commands, and select ventilator fans and heaters are controlled using the latching 

power relays. Power to these latter devices are regulated to best minimize frost, snow, and ice accumulation.

When there is power to the data acquisition enclosures, and the ambient temperature drops below 2 °C, the rain 

gauge heater is turned on and the ventilator heater power for the GHI measuring pyranometers is increased from its 

normal 50 % level to 100 %.

The lower data logger also remotely toggles the power to the campus PV Roof Tilted array data logger via a power 

relay every other day at 01:00 LST or when the data logger is unresponsive. This data logger, due to its high 

utilization, drops its communications every few days and needs a power reset to restore it. The relay is controlled 

over the public NIST network.

4.1.11. Data storage and processing

Measurements are stored on the memory card as either 16-bit floating point, 16-bit unsigned, 32-bit floating point, 

or 32-bit signed integer data types according to the needed range and precision of the individual measurements. This 

selective allocation conserves storage space and increases processing speeds in the data logger and server. All 

measurements are saved every one-second, including the RTD and thermocouple measurements, resulting in nine 

duplicate RTD/thermocouple measurements saved every 10-second sample period. All measurements are also either 

averaged or the minimum, maximum, sum, median, or standard deviation calculated for each minute, whichever is 

more appropriate, and these values are saved. The one-minute values are calculated from the samples taken between 

1 s and 60 s, inclusive, preceding the recorded minute time. The wind measurements are processed according to 

EPA guidelines to produce the mean horizontal wind speed, the unit vector mean wind direction, and the standard 

deviation of wind direction calculated using the Yamartino algorithm [19].

The 2 GB of storage can store 212 days to 244 days of measurements from the lower and top data loggers, 

respectively, for times when the communications are down. The storage is configured as ring memory, where the 

oldest data is overwritten when the memory card is full.

4.2. Spectroradiometers

The two spectroradiometers, as described in section 3.6 are connected to separate converter boxes that power the 

spectroradiometers and relay the measurements using a serial communications connection. The two converter boxes 

are connected to a dedicated Windows 7 computer running a custom LabVIEW [20] program. This program, or 

virtual instrument (VI), samples and saves the spectrums every one minute. The program also combines the 

measurements from 335.6 nm to 925.5 nm and from 926.5 nm to 1712.6 nm from the two different instruments into 

one continuous spectrum. This spectrum is also saved every one minute.

4.3. Reference Modules

The modules and their respective centrally placed thermocouples are connected to a Daystar Multi-Tracer 5 (MT5)

I-V curve tracer with maximum power tracker and load system, as shown in Figure 4-4. (The set of four temperature 

sensors on each module are connected to a data logger multiplexer.) The irradiance sensors are first connected to a 

data logger multiplexer via current shunts to convert the current signals to voltage signals, and these voltage signals 

are also wired over to auxiliary inputs on the maximum power tracker and load system to obtain a second set of 

measurements.
29

Figure 4-4 The I-V curve tracer with maximum power tracker and load

The I-V tracer and maximum power tracking system performs an I-V trace for each module every minute, 

integrating every current and voltage reading for 100 μs. The curves are saved along with measurements of the 

respective thermocouple and irradiance sensor before and after each trace. At all other times, the system maximum 

power tracks each module, measuring the maximum power voltage and current and the corresponding thermocouple

and irradiance sensor, sampling every one second and averaging and saving every minute. All measurements are 

saved to internal memory. The MT5 system does not adjust its clock for DST, which allows for easier comparison 

with the measured data from the data loggers, which also do not adjust for DST. The system was calibrated by the 

manufacturer and verified to be within specifications.

4.4. Cameras

4.4.1. Module and Instrument

Images of the instruments, reference modules, and the PV array on the NZERTF are taken using cameras installed at 

the weather station. The images are used to capture the shading, snow, dew, and frost, and any other obstructions or 

damage to the instruments and modules. An Axis Q6032-E pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) network camera is located at the 

north end of the reference module platform in the east-west center, as shown in Figure 4-5. This camera is 

programmed to take images of the entire south half of the weather station, close-up images of the instruments on the 

east table and solar tracker, images of the entire NZERTF, and a close-up image of the PV array on the NZERTF.
30

Figure 4-5 The PTZ camera that records images of the instruments and NZERTF PV array

The camera is configured for constant white balance, auto exposure, and to use an IR cut filter during the day but not 

at night to increase sensitivity. The cameras, like the data loggers, are configured to not adjust their clocks for DST

for easier comparison with the measured data. The cameras take 704 x 480 resolution images, which are saved as 

uncompressed JPEG images on an internal 32 GB SanDisk Extreme SD card. The cameras take images every five 

minutes during the day (04:00 to 20:00 LST) and every hour all day. The camera communicates over the NIST 

private network and is powered using Power over Ethernet (PoE). The midspan, for combining the power and 

Ethernet, and a network switch are housed in the enclosure next to the main data acquisition enclosure, as shown in

Figure 4-2.

Two additional cameras, Campbell Scientific CC5MPXs, are located on the west table. These cameras take images 

of the reference modules and view the solar tracker. The cameras do not adjust for DST and take 2592 x 1944 

resolution images saved as uncompressed JPEG images on an internal 32 GB SanDisk Extreme SD card. No other 

settings are configurable. The camera viewing the modules is programmed to take a fixed zoom image every five 

minutes during the day (04:00 to 20:00 LST) and every hour all day; the camera viewing the solar tracker does not 

currently record images. The cameras communicate over the NIST private network and are powered using separate 

cables.

4.4.2. All Sky

Images of the entire sky, horizon to horizon, are taken using an all sky camera. The camera is an Alcor System 

OMEA-2.0M-HCA equipped with a fisheye lens, an auto-iris, and an integrated heater. The camera CCD has an IR 

cut filter and records 24 bit (8 bit dynamic range) color 1600 x 1200 resolution (2 MP) images. Paired with a

Fujinon FE185C046HA-1 fisheye lens having a 1.4 mm focal length and a 185° x 185° field of view, this camera 

produces full horizon to horizon color images. However, there are unexposed areas on the sides of the image, giving 

the images an effective resolution of about 1125 x 1125.

The camera has an auto-iris mechanism controlled by a photodiode that adjusts the lens aperture between F1.4 to F8

to allow nighttime, low-light, and clear sky exposures, with a typical daytime aperture setting of F5.6. An external 

ambient temperature and humidity sensor is used to control an integrated heater to keep the camera dome free of fog 

and frost. The camera is mounted to a custom mount that also holds the temperature and humidity sensor, as shown 

in Figure 4-6.
31

Figure 4-6 The all sky camera with the ambient temperature and humidity sensor installed on a custom 

mount on the west table

The camera communicates over USB and is wired to a dedicated Windows 7 computer and a power supply using 

separate cables. The computer runs software by the manufacturer that manages the camera operation and image 

acquisition. The software is configured for automatic white balance, gain, and exposure, with a typical exposure 

time of 1 ms. Images are taken every eight seconds, although for the first few months of operation images were 

taken every one minute. Only hourly images are kept for those taken during nighttime periods in order to conserve 

storage. The images are timestamped with the local daylight time, and there is no option to disable DST. The images 

are saved as uncompressed JPEG files, with an example image shown in Figure 4-7.

Figure 4-7 An image taken by the all sky camera
32

5. Backup Power

5.1. Data loggers

The data loggers are each battery-backed using separate Genesis NP24-12 12 V, 24 A·h (288 W·h) sealed 

rechargeable lead acid batteries connected to Campbell Scientific CH200 charging regulators. This regulator charges 

the battery and switches between line and battery power, providing an uninterrupted power supply (UPS) to the data 

logger and all other peripherals in the enclosure. The data loggers communicate with the charging regulators to 

obtain electrical measurements via an SDI-12 bus connection, the same used by the latching relay modules. The 

UPSs will provide 4.4 days of power to the top data logger and connected peripherals and 2.6 days of power to the 

lower data logger and peripherals when there is no external power feeding the enclosure, even during high power 

draw conditions (e.g., while periodically heating the weather transmitter in winter and running the ventilators). A 

breakdown of the energy draws is shown in Figure 5-1.

Figure 5-1 Breakdown of the DAS energy draws and UPS backups

Power from each data logger UPS is distributed to the respective data logger, peripherals, and an array of terminal 

blocks for the different sensors via a Campbell Scientific A105 terminal expansion adapter on the charging 

regulator. The line inputs of the charging regulators for the UPSs are each connected to 120 VAC to 24 VDC power 

converters. These two power converters are connected to 120 VAC feeding the enclosure via terminal blocks and a 

single AC circuit breaker.

5.2. Central UPS

The solar tracker, UV-A and UV-B radiometer converter boxes, and the rain gauge heater are battery backed with a 

wet cell battery bank. The battery bank consists of five Crown 12CRP165 12V, 150 A·h (72 hour discharge rate)

batteries connected in parallel with a Magnum Energy MMS1012-G pure sine wave inverter/battery 

charger/automatic transfer switch, as shown in Figure 4-2. The battery bank has a 7.6 kW·h capacity at a 72 hour (3 

day) discharge rate, factoring in the inverter’s 84 % efficiency. This supplies over three and a half days of 

continuous backup power when the UV-A and UV-B radiometers are turned off at night and the tipping bucket rain 

gauge heater is limited to five hours of heating per day. An inline fuse, DC disconnect switch, battery temperature 

sensor, and hydrogen sensor are installed for safety.

5.3. Distributed UPSs

The three cameras, the two spectroradiometers, the sky camera, and each of the two computers acquiring data and 

images from the spectroradiometers and sky camera are battery-backed with individual UPSs with approximately 

18 Wh capacities.
33

6. Data Archiving and Monitoring

Campbell Scientific LoggerNet Admin is used to manage the weather station data loggers in addition to the data 

loggers in the campus PV DASs. It is installed on a network server running Windows Server 2008 R2. LoggerNet 

Admin runs as a service, running whether or not a user is logged in and starts immediately after the server restarts. 

LoggerNet is configured to import data from the data loggers every minute, leaving a copy on the data loggers as a 

backup to be overwritten later. The data are saved on the server as Campbell Scientific TOA5 formatted plain text 

files, one for each of the seven defined data logger tables on the two data loggers, including the one-minute 

aggregate tables.

The data files are imported to a MySQL database every minute by Vista Data Vision (VDV) Enterprise by Vista 

Engineering, also installed on the server. VDV is configured to send email alerts when data values are outside of 

defined ranges and when the data files are not being updated. Custom dashboards with plots of select measurements 

are updated by VDV every minute and provide an overview of the system health. These dashboards are displayed in 

a web interface hosted by the server, with the main data dashboard shown in Figure 6-1. In addition to the 

dashboards, custom plots of various types, tables, logs of alarms, completeness of the database, and a viewer for the 

hourly camera images are also provided in the web interface. This web interface is currently only available inside 

the NIST firewall, but a public data portal with the ability to download data will be made available. In the meantime, 

interested modelers and analysts who would like to use these data in collaboration on new research can contact the 

author.

Figure 6-1 The main data dashboard for the weather station
34

Data from the spectroradiometers, I-V curve tracer and maximum power tracking system, and images from the 

cameras are copied to network attached storage every 30 minutes by an FTP client on the server run as a scheduled 

task. A custom script, also run as a scheduled task, monitors and sends alerts when these data files are not being 

transferred. VDV monitors and sends alerts when new images from each camera are not being transferred. All data 

and images on the server, including data from the data loggers, are continually backed up to offsite cloud storage.

7. Uncertainty

Uncertainties for the collected data are not listed because a complete uncertainty analysis is outside the scope of this 

report, but one will be presented for each measurement in a forthcoming paper. Sensor and instrument-level 

uncertainties are not given as they are only part of the system-level values, and therefore can be misleading. 

Furthermore, they do not account for the error between the measurand, the quantity of interest, and the realized 

quantity, the quantity measurable by the sensor.

8. Maintenance

The data dashboards are checked every weekday for any apparent problems in the DAS. The irradiance sensors are 

cleaned every other day, minus weekends, using cleanroom wipes moistened with a 6 % isopropyl/94 % deionized 

water mixture, dried with optical tissue, and blown-off with compressed air. Any ice buildup is first melted using an 

ethanol solution of the same concentration. The reference modules are cleaned on an as-needed basis. A log is kept 

of the dates and times when the sensors at the different arrays are cleaned. Instrument and solar tracker level are 

continually checked, as is their desiccant, and the tracker pointing accuracy is verified using the diopters on the 

pyrheliometers. The rain gauge orifice is cleaned every couple weeks.

The data files on the server grow indefinitely, so once a week a custom script is run that pauses the data importation

from the data loggers and runs the Campbell Scientific program File Format Convert that splits the files into 

separate daily files for easier archiving and use.

The desiccant in the data logger enclosures is checked every couple months and replaced according to the humidity 

indicator in the enclosure. The solar tracker gears are greased yearly and a cold weather cover is installed over it in 

the late fall and removed in the early spring. Ventilator and multi-tracer filters are replaced on a yearly basis or as 

needed. Thermopile pyranometers, pyrheliometers, and the pyrgeometer are replaced every 12 to 18 months with 

newly calibrated pyranometers from NREL; the UV radiometers and spectroradiometers are calibrated every 18 

months. A log is kept of these instrument replacements and calibrations, which also contains all other maintenance

including when sensors, instruments, and devices fail and are replaced.

Acknowledgements

The author wishes to thank all those who contributed time and effort planning, constructing, and implementing the 

infrastructure needed for the data acquisition system described in this report. Special thanks to Brian Dougherty of 

NIST’s Engineering Laboratory’s (EL’s) Energy and Environment Division for logistical, construction, and 

maintenance support. Thanks to Luis Luyo, also of EL’s Energy and Environment Division, for constructing the 

infrastructure for the reference modules, and to Jeffrey Sze for early testing of the systems.

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(Accessed_on Sep. 11, 2015)

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A-1

Appendix A. The Saved Data Values From Each Data Logger

Table A-1 The Saved Data Values From Each Data Logger

Variable Name Units Description One-Minute 

Aggregation

Top (T)/ 

Lower (L)

Data Logger

AirMass - Absolute air mass Average T/L

AirPres_kPa kPa Atmospheric pressure Average T

AirTemp_C C

Outdoor ambient temperature 5.59 m above 

roof Average T

AM25TRefTemp_C C Thermocouple UTR reference temperature Average L

AmbTemp_C C

Outdoor ambient temperature 1.07 m above 

roof Average L

AmbVent_rpm rev/min Mean ambient temperature ventilator fan 

speed Average* L

Battery_A A Current to UPS battery, neg. = discharging Average T/L

Battery_V V Charge voltage of UPS battery Min T/L

ChgSource -

Charging regulator power source

0 = none

1 = solar terminals

2 = continuous terminals

Min T/L

ChgState -

State of charging regulator;

-1 = regulator fault

0 = no charge

1 = current limited charging

2 = cycle charging

3 = float charging

4 = battery test

Min T/L

CkBatt -

Status of UPS battery;

0 = normal

1 = check battery

Max T/L

CR1000Temp_C C

Temperature of the data logger front 

terminal panel Average T/L

Declination_deg ° Earth’s declination angle Average T/L

DoorOpen -

Door sensor for DAS enclosure;

-1 = open, 0 =closed Min T

Hail_hitssqrcm hits/cm2 Hail count Sum T

Load_A A

Current supplied to load (UPS) from 

charging regulator Average T/L

PwrStripState - State of remote power strip, bit field Min L

Pyra1_mV mV Millivolt output from thermopile 

pyranometer, south table position Average T

Pyra1temp_C C

Thermopile pyranometer case temperature, 

south table position Average T
A-2

Pyra2_mV mV Millivolt output from thermopile 

pyranometer, north table position Average L

Pyra2temp_C C

Thermopile pyranometer case temperature, 

north table position Average L

Pyrad1_mV mV

Millivolt output from diffuse-measuring 

pyranometer, east tracker position (when 

pointing south)

Average T

Pyrad2_mV mV

Millivolt output from diffuse-measuring 

pyranometer, west tracker position (when 

pointing south)

Average L

PyraS1_Wm2 W/m2 Millivolt output from domed-diffused 

silicon-cell pyranometer Average L

Pyrg1_mV mV Millivolt output from pyrgeometer Average T

Pyrg1temp_C C Pyrgeometer case temperature Average T

Pyrh1_mV mV Millivolt output from pyrheliometer, east 

tracker position (when pointing south) Average T

Pyrh1temp_C C

Pyrheliometer case temperature, east tracker 

position (when pointing south) Average T

Pyrh2_mV mV Millivolt output from pyrheliometer, west 

tracker position (when pointing south) Average L

Qloss_Ah A·h Charge deficit of UPS battery Max T/L

Rain_mm mm Rain accumulation, piezoelectric sensor Sum T

RainTB_mm mm

Rain and precipitation liquid equivalent 

accumulation, tipping bucket gauge Sum T

RefCell1_Wm2 W/m2

Irradiance from flat-plate silicon sensor, 0° 

tilt Average T

RefCell2_Wm2 W/m2

Irradiance from flat-plate silicon sensor, 10° 

tilt, 180° azimuth CW from north Average T

RefCell3_Wm2 W/m2

Irradiance from flat-plate silicon sensor, 5° 

tilt, 270° azimuth CW from north Average T

RefCell4_Wm2 W/m2

Irradiance from flat-plate silicon sensor, 5° 

tilt, 90° azimuth CW from north Average T

RefCell5_Wm2 W/m2

Irradiance from flat-plate silicon sensor, 20° 

tilt, 180° azimuth CW from north Average T

RefCell6_Wm2 W/m2

Irradiance from flat-plate silicon sensor, 

18.4° tilt, 180° azimuth CW from north Average T

RelayState - State of latching relay, bit field Min T/L

RelHumid % Relative humidity Average T

RTD_C(1) C

Temperature of module backsheet: 10° 

tilted module, center Average L

RTD_C(10) C

Temperature of module backsheet: 5° east 

tilted module, southwest Average L

RTD_C(11) C

Temperature of module backsheet: 5° east 

tilted module, center-east Average L
A-3

RTD_C(12) C

Temperature of module backsheet: 5° east 

tilted module, north-center Average L

RTD_C(13) C

Temperature of module backsheet: 20° 

tilted module, center Average L

RTD_C(14) C

Temperature of module backsheet: 20° 

tilted module, northeast Average L

RTD_C(15) C

Temperature of module backsheet: 20° 

tilted module, center-west Average L

RTD_C(16) C

Temperature of module backsheet: 20° 

tilted module, south-center Average L

RTD_C(2) C

Temperature of module backsheet: 10° 

tilted module, northwest Average L

RTD_C(3) C

Temperature of module backsheet: 10° 

tilted module, south-center Average L

RTD_C(4) C

Temperature of module backsheet: 10° 

tilted module, center-east Average L

RTD_C(5) C

Temperature of module backsheet: 5° west 

tilted module, center Average L

RTD_C(6) C

Temperature of module backsheet: 5° west 

tilted module, northeast Average L

RTD_C(7) C

Temperature of module backsheet: 5° west 

tilted module, center-west

Average L

RTD_C(8) C

Temperature of module backsheet: 5° west 

tilted module, south-center Average L

RTD_C(9) C

Temperature of module backsheet: 5° east 

tilted module, center Average L

SixInOneHeatStateID -

Weather transmitter heating state:

1 = heating disabled

2 = enabled, not heating

3 = 50 % heating

4 = 100 % heating

5 = error

Average T

SixInOneRef_V V

Internal reference voltage in weather 

transmitter Min T

SnowDepth_cm cm Snow depth Average L

SolarAzFromSouth_deg ° Solar azimuth, CW from south Average T/L

SolarTime_hr h Solar time Max, Median T/L

SolarZenith_deg ° Solar zenith angle Average T/L

TC_C(1) C

Temperature of module backsheet: 0° tilted 

module, center Average L

TC_C(2) C

Temperature of module backsheet: 0° tilted 

module, southeast Average L

TC_C(3) C

Temperature of module backsheet: 0° tilted 

module, north-center Average L
A-4

TC_C(4) C

Temperature of module backsheet: 0° tilted 

module, between center and southeast Average L

TC_C(5) C

Temperature of module backsheet: 18.4° 

tilted module, center Average L

TC_C(6) C

Temperature of module backsheet: 18.4° 

tilted module, northwest Average L

TC_C(7) C

Temperature of module backsheet: 18.4° 

tilted module, south-center Average L

TC_C(8) C

Temperature of module backsheet: 18.4° 

tilted module, center-east Average L

TIMESTAMP LST Date and time Max T/L

TrackerFlags - Tracker status, bit field Max L

TrackerState - Tracker state Min L

UVA_mV mV Millivolt output from UV-A radiometer 

converter box Average T

UVB_mV mV Millivolt output from UV-B radiometer 

converter box Average T

UVBtemp_C C

UV-B radiometer optical system 

temperature Average T

UVT_mV mV Millivolt output from UV total radiometer Average L

Vent2_rpm rev/min Mean GHI ventilator fan speed, south table 

position Average* T

Vent4_rpm rev/min Mean GHI ventilator fan speed, north table 

position Average* L

WindDir_deg °

Wind direction 5.72 m above roof, 

clockwise from north - T

WindDir1_deg °

Wind direction 2.51 m above roof, 

clockwise from north - L

WindDir1Ave_deg °

Unit vector mean wind direction 2.51 m 

above roof Average* L

WindDirAve_deg °

Unit vector mean wind direction 5.72 m 

above roof Average* T

WindDirStdDev_deg °

Standard deviation of the wind direction; 

Top: 5.72 m above roof

Lower: 2.51 m above roof

Std. Dev.* T/L

WindSpeed_ms m/s Wind speed 5.72 m above roof Max T

WindSpeed1_ms m/s Wind speed 2.51 m above roof Max L

WindSpeed1Ave_ms m/s Mean horizontal wind speed 2.51 m above 

roof Average* L

WindSpeedAve_ms m/s Mean horizontal wind speed 5.72 m above 

roof Average* T
A-5

WindValid -

Wind sensor 5.72 m above roof data 

validity

-1 = wind data is valid

0 = wind data is invalid

Average T

Note: All measurements are sampled every 1 s except the RTDs and thermocouples, which are sampled every 10 s. 

All measurements are saved every 1 s, except those marked with a “*”.

* Calculated from saved 1 s samples; only the 1 min aggregate data are saved
B-1

Appendix B. Module Data Sheets

Figure B-1 Picture of Horizontal PV Reference Module Nameplate
B-2

Appendix B. Module Data Sheets

Figure B-2 Manufacturer Datasheet for the 5°, 10°, and 20° Tilted PV Reference Modules
B-3

Appendix B. Module Data Sheets

Figure B-3 Manufacturer Datasheet for the 18.4° PV Reference Module