ATTENTION: You are strongly advised to set up the DVLD and test it in your particular environment for several weeks before actually controlling site equipment from its readings. Although we have put every effort into ensuring that the unit will perform flawlessly in various electromagnetic environments, it is not impossible that certain installations contain defective or electrically noisy components that could affect the DVLD’s operation.
The DVLD comes in 2 parts:
- The outdoor detector (DVLD-1)
- The indoor USB converter (USB-RS485LD)
1- You must install the DVLD outdoors and secure it to a wall or post using the PVC clamp provided with the unit (or Tie-Wraps). The DVLD must be installed vertically so that the cable exits from the bottom of the unit. We recommend that the sensor be installed at a height of at least 6’ from the ground and at a distance of at least 12” from a metallic structure. We do not recommend installation directly on the transmission tower.
For safety and optimum detection performance, make sure that the Davicom unit’s chassis is properly grounded.
2- Run the DVLD cable from the probe to the interior of the building. Avoid passing the cable near sources of electrical noise such as fluorescent lights and ballasts.
3- Secure the USB-RS485LD to the equipment rack or panel.
4- Connect the DVLD cable to the connector labeled DVLD-1 on the USB-RS485LD.
5- Connect one end of the USB cable to the USB connector on the USB-RS485LD.
6- Connect the other end of the USB cable to the USB connector located on the rear panel of the Davicom unit.
7- Connect to the Davicom unit using the DavLink software.
8- In the DavLink software, go to the configuration menu by clicking on the configuration icon or select Unit from the main menu and Unit Configuration from the dropdown list.
9- Click on Devices. Next, click on the Davicom Expansions tab and finally click on the DVLD tab.
10- If necessary, change the Default and Alternate (language) text descriptions.
11- Set the Distance Trigger parameter to any value between 5 km and 40 km. Lightning activity outside this range will not be logged. Default value is 10 km.
12- Set the Trigger Timeout (additional delay before returning to normal conditions after the last detected lightning activity—see this article). Default value is 10 min.
13- Select the Action Type, the Alarm List number and check the Custom log box if the alarms need to be logged.
14- Click OK and confirm the changes.
15- To display the information provided by the DVLD, you must create workspaces in DavLink by using the 2 flags/variables that contain the DVLD’s information.
16- The first flag of interest is the 1LD flag. It is used to indicate the connection state of the DVLD. The 1LD flag must be passed through a Virtual Logic Gate (VLG) in order for its value to be displayed. It is not directly useable as an input for a display “object” in DavLink. The figure below shows how to create a VLG for this purpose. This VLG is also set to give a Minor alarm should the DVLD stop communicating. This is illustrated in the following screen shot.
17- A display button is then created through the DavLink display edition window as shown on the image below. It will appear as on the second image below.
18- The second flag/variable from the DVLD is the 1LD01 flag. It is the one that contains the actual distance to the storm front. It can be displayed directly, without having to pass through a VLG. Placing the 1LD01 value in a display button object in the DavLink display editor as shown below on the image below will produce the display shown on the second image below.
19- Of particular interest is the display of data trending with the 1LD01 variable. Simply putting it into the Input ID of a Trending graph object will produce a display as shown below. Note that you must log-off after setting this up, the data will appear in the graph the next time you log back on.
