background image

 

Tips:

• 

Return to the 

Main Menu

 by pushing the left soft key          several times.

• 

Carry spare batteries (5-AA) in the carrying case.

• 

A continuous measurement can display engineering units when linked to a Site/Sensor 
with an engineering unit conversion applied.

• 

Leave 1–2 mm of exposed sensor wire on datalogger/multiplexer wiring for VWA 

 

connection         . Always disconnect automated system power prior to VWA connection.

 

Definitions:

 

Sensor: 

An individual vibrating wire sensor. A VWA can store up to 880 

 

 

 

unique sensors (40 sites, 22 sensors/site).

 

Site:   

A project or geographic location containing up to 22 sensors.

 

User:   

Operator name and information.

Wiring Guide

           

VWA Cable   

 

   Common Sensor 

 

            Sensor

  -RED                 -ONG 

 

       Cable Colors

1

 

 

        Description

  Red

2

   

 Orange

2

 

     Red  

               or        Orange   

    VW Gage

  Black

2

   

 Orange

2

 

     Black 

                

      White w/Orange 

    VW Gage

  Green

2

 

 Blue

2

  

     Green 

               or        Blue 

 

    Therm/RTD

  White

2

 

 Blue

2

  

     White 

             

      White w/Blue 

    Therm/RTD

  Blue   

 Yellow 

        

       Bare/Clear 

 

    Drain Wire

1

 If sensor wiring does not match the table, refer to the sensor manufacturer manual to determine the VW gage 

   wire leads. Some sensors may not have a thermistor or RTD (temperature measurement).

2  

Vibrating wire leads are interchangeable (black and red instead of red and black); thermistor leads are similarly 

interchangeable.

Read & Record

 

There are three options to save data when using 

Read & Record

.

• 

Single

 is used when sensors won’t be repeatedly measured in the future (installation 

record, baseline reading, troubleshooting).

• 

Site/Sensor

 is used when sensors will be repeatedly measured and data needs to be 

linked to a site.  Site/Sensor data is viewable in the field for historical comparison.

• 

Continuous

 measures a single sensor at a user defined interval ranging from 1 second 

to 15 minutes.   Used to document installations, live field testing (push-in-piezometer, 
well pump test, sensor response, etc.), and for troubleshooting.

 

Notes:

• 

Measurements are not pressure or temperature compensated.

• 

Users can view all data. Sites are not user specific.

• 

See 

Measurement Screens

 for an explanation of displayed measurement results.

• 

Sites, Sensors, and Users can be created and edited either on the VWA, or with a PC and 
keyboard using 

VwProjects

.

Meet the Vibrating Wire Analyzer

Meet the Vibrating Wire Analyzer (VWA), the best vibrating wire (vw) field reader 
available.  Field ready to quickly measure a sensor, save data, and communicate 
results with custom PDF reports and spreadsheet output. Measurements are 
geo-located with the integrated GPS allowing the VWA to verify locations and 
walk you to your sensors. The large color display and VSPECT

TM

 technology

create 

confidence that you are getting the best measurement possible both in the field 
and in the office.                             , when your measurements matter.  

1

Protected under U. S. Patent No. 7,779,690

Data Retrieval

Fi

les are transferred to a PC from the VWA using the USB port        .  Measurement data collected 

with the 

Read & Record

 option is saved as a PDF and/or CSV file. A printable report (PDF) com-

municates results quickly and professionally.  Raw data files (CSV) can collect multiple sensors 
(site) in a single file for additional spreadsheet analysis and reporting.  

 1 

Export CSV files

 

(optional)

• 

Navigate to the 

Main Menu

. See 

Operation

.

• 

Select 

Data

. Choose and export CSV files.

 2 

Connect VWA to a PC with USB

• 

Connect a PC to the VWA          with a USB Mini-B cable.

• 

Power is supplied through the USB-PC connection. 

 3 

Copy files to PC

• 

Find the USB flash memory device (VWA) on the PC.

• 

Data files are stored in either the 

PDF Reports 

or 

CSV Data

 folder.

• 

Copy files to the PC.

 

         

PDF

   

• 

Ready to print PDF reports

 

Reports

   

• 

Field documentation

 

         

CSV

 

 

• 

Multiple measurements in one file

 

       

Data

   

• 

Spreadsheet analysis

 4 

Eject VWA from PC

• 

Eject the VWA from the PC prior to disconnecting the USB cable.

VwProjects

VwProjects

 is a free software package for easier setup of Sites, Sensors, and Users with a PC.  

VwProjects

 can be downloaded and installed from the VWA memory or from the internet, see 

Downloads

.

VwProjects

 is used to create and edit a project file that contains information about Sites, Sen-

sors, and Users.  Project files can be used to back up or transfer information to other VWA devices.  
See 

Using VwProjects

 for details about creating, editing, and transferring project files.

 

Notes:

• 

A project file contains information about Sites, Sensors, and Users.  Measurement 
data is saved in the PDF and CSV files, and is NOT saved or transferred in a project 
file.

• 

You can preview a report title block         when creating or editing a user in              

VwProjects

.

File Types

The following files are created or used with the VWA.  Files are transferred with a USB connection 
(see 

Data Retrieval

).

 PDF: 

Measurement Reports 

created using 

Read & Record

.

 

CSV:  Created by the VWA with 

Read & Record

,  use for further spreadsheet analysis; see 

  

Data Retrieval

 

VWA:  A project file contains information about Users, Sites, and Sensors.  Created in the 

 

 

VWA or with 

VwProjects

.

 

OBJ:  Operating system file, created by Campbell Scientific. See  

Downloads

.

MANUAL

Info

Link

9/2017

manual pn: 31913

Caution

• 

Avoid contact with water, see 

Precautions

• 

Transport/store in carrying case

• 

Measurements are not pressure or temperature corrected

!

Downloads

Visit 

www.campbellsci.com/vwanalyzer

 to download:

• 

VwProjects software

• 

Updated operating systems (updated Sensor Library)

• 

Manual (this document)

FIELD

QUICK TOUR

Vibrating Wire Analyzer

 

1

 Power

1

, left soft key

2

 

2

 

Right soft key

2

 

3

 Enter/select

3

 

4

 

Menu navigation arrows (4)

 

5

 

Serial number (SN)

 

6

 

Battery door

 

7

 

Battery door screws (2)

 

8

 

Elastic strap connection (2)

 

9

 

Measurement cable

10

  USB port (PC connection)

11

 Measurement cable connection

             

1

 Hold (2–3 s) to turn off

             

2

 Soft keys select the displayed screen 

                option (when present)
             

3

 Selects the highlighted option

1
2
3
4

5
6
7
8

9

10

11

OFFICE

PDF Reports

12

  User specific title

1

13

  Project Information

1

14

  User-Defined Inputs

15

  VSPECT Diagnostics

2

16

  Field Notes

17

  Sensor Frequency

18

  Resistance (Thermistor/RTD)

19

        Frequency Spectrum graph

2

20

 

9

    Time Series graph

2

            

1

 Entered manually or with a PC,

               see 

VwProjects

 for details.

             

2

 The 

VSPECT Measurement

 section

               explains how to use and understand
               VSPECT data.

12

13

14

15

16

17
18

19

20

Operation

 1 

Turn on the VWA

• 

Install/replace batteries as needed (5-AA)

• 

Push power button

 2 

Select/Create User

• 

Links user information to specific measurements

• 

User information is documented on PDF reports

 3 

Connect Sensor

 

(if measuring)

• 

Connect measurement cable        . Keyed connector, do not force

• 

Match sensor and measurement cable colors        . See 

Wiring Guide

 4 

Navigate the Main Menu

• 

Return to the 

Main Menu

 by pushing the left soft key          several times.

1

11

9

Read:

Measure a sensor quickly,

Data is NOT saved

Read & Record:

Measure a sensor,

Data is saved

see 

Read & Record

Data:

Export data to CSV file, or view saved data
see 

Data Retrieval

Settings:

Change system, measurement, or power settings

1

9

10

10

12

• 

                

   Quality

•  PDF Reports

•  Field Ready

9

Link

Read &

Record

Read

Data

Settings

Vibrating Wire Analyzer

Data

Settings

Read

Read &

Record

1

6

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