How to prevent DL100 optics from fog or ice?
This article describes the causes of fogging and icing of DL100 optics and possible measures for prevention or remedy.
Related Products
Dx100
Table of Contents
Fogging or icing of the optics (front screen, lens) during operation can have different causes. While fogging can occur even at high ambient temperatures, icing requires temperatures well below freezing point. Both effects may have negative influence on distance measurement in terms of accuracy, reproducibility as well as maximum range.
- Fogging:
This is usually caused by rapid temperature changes. These can occur, for example, in outdoor applications when the device is abruptly subjected to a drop in temperature due to a thunderstorm after intensive exposure to sunlight. A similar situation occurs if a unit is mounted inside a warm building close to a door through which cold outside air hits the unit when it is opened. In this case, the dew point in the unit can be temporarily undershot, which leads to condensation.
Measures:- Mount the device in a place where it is not exposed to rapid temperature fluctuations. Outdoors, therefore, in the shade if possible, indoors at a sufficient distance from outside gates.
- Protect the device from rapid temperature fluctuations. Outdoors, use the weather protection housing #2065284 and/or a rain cover, indoors, close to gates, also use the weather protection housing #2065284. If the front screen of the weather protection housing fogs up, it can be removed if necessary.
- Use a device variant with integrated heating (DL100-xxHxxxxx) and, if necessary, increase the limit temperature in device settings below which the heating is switched on.
- Icing:
The cause is either the use of the device below the specified minimum operating temperature, a device that has not yet been fully warmed up or insufficient heating power.
Measures:- Use a device version with integrated heating (DL100-xxHxxxxx) and, if necessary, increase the limit temperature in device settings below which the heating is switched on.
- When using a heated device version at ambient temperatures below -20°C, check whether the supply voltage at the device during active heating corresponds to the specified minimum voltage of 24 volts to ensure sufficient heating power. If this is not the case, the output power of the supply may be too low or the voltage drop on the supply line to the unit may be too high.
Keywords:
fogging, icing, ice, condensation, heating, cold store, dl100, optics, due point, outdoor
fogging, icing, ice, condensation, heating, cold store, dl100, optics, due point, outdoor