The FT wind sensor has a thermostatically-controlled intelligent heating system to control its three internal heaters. The heaters can be switched on or off, and a heater set point can be chosen between 0°C and 55°C (for v22 sensors and above). Earlier sensors have a maximum heater set-point temperature of 44°C.
In the case of the digital sensor, the heater set-point temperature can be changed through Acu-Vis software or manually, using the HT command via ‘Hyperterminal’. See the Command Parameters section of the User Manual for more details on this.
In the case of the analogue sensor, the heater set-point temperature can only be changed through the Acu-Vis 2.0, using an FT055 cable. These are both supplied in the Acu-Test Pack.
FT can also pre-configure the heater settings for you before dispatching your sensor to you. If you would like to take advantage of this service, please specify your preference at time of ordering.
For most applications, FT recommends a heater set point of 30°C, as this ensures a consistent environment for the electronics and protects the sensor from sudden changes in ambient temperature.
As the heating system is thermostatically controlled, if the temperature of the sensor body rises above the heater set-point temperature, then the heater will automatically switch off. The heater circuitry only draws power when it needs it.