2
In the most common configuration, the Load switch should be set to
Internal 30 Ω Load.
To use an external load, such as a pump, lights, buzzers, etc., set the Load
switch to External Load.
The Check Load LED,
, will flash when Go Direct Energy detects that there
is a potential between the red and black leads, but no load is connected. If you
do not have an external load connected, make sure the Load switch is set to
Internal 30 Ω Load. Using Go Direct Energy with this LED flashing will result
in measurements of potential, but since no current flows, there will be no other
quantities measured.
Channels
Go Direct Energy records data in five measurement channels:
l
Potential (V)
l
Current (mA)
l
Power (mW)
l
Resistance (Ω)
l
Energy (J)
Energy
If your goal is to simply compare the total amount of electrical energy produced
in a given time, such as in the KidWind Challenge, the most common number
to use is the final value of the Energy column. Energy is the measure of how
much total power is generated or used over a period of time. This sensor uses
units of joules, abbreviated J, to measure energy.
Current
Current is the measure of the flow of electrons through the wires. When the
current is high, the electrons flow quickly through a circuit. When the current is
low, the electrons flow more slowly. This sensor uses units of milliamperes,
often called milliamps for short. The symbol used to represent milliamps is mA.
Potential
To make the electrons move through the wire, they need to be "pushed." The
amount of push is called the potential difference. Potential difference is
measured in units of volts. The letter V is used to represent a volt.
Power
Power is the measure of how quickly energy is generated or used. This sensor
uses units of milliwatts, abbreviated mW, to measure power.
Resistance
Resistance is a measure of the amount of opposition to the passage of an electric
current. The unit for resistance is ohm and is represented by the Greek letter
capital omega, Ω.
Using the Load Switch
When the Load switch is set to Internal, the load is an internal 30 Ω resistor
inside the Energy sensor. When the Load switch is set to External Load, you
Powering the Sensor
Turning on the sensor
Press the Power button once. Red LED indicator
next to the Bluetooth icon flashes when the unit
is on.
Putting the sensor in
sleep mode
Press and hold the Power button for more than
three seconds to put into sleep mode. Red LED
indicator next to Bluetooth icon stops flashing
when sleeping.
Connecting the Sensor
See the following link for up-to-date connection information:
www.vernier.com/start/gdx-nrg
Connecting via Bluetooth
Ready to connect
Red LED next to the Bluetooth icon flashes
when sensor is awake and ready to connect.
Connected
Green LED next to the Bluetooth icon flashes
when sensor is connected via Bluetooth.
Connecting via USB
Connected and charging
Orange LED next to the battery icon is solid
when the sensor is connected to Graphical Ana-
lysis via USB and the unit is charging. LED next
to Bluetooth icon is off.
Connected, fully charged
Green LED next to the battery icon is solid
when the sensor is connected to Graphical Ana-
lysis via USB and fully charged. LED next to
Bluetooth icon is off.
Charging via USB,
connected via Bluetooth
Orange LED next to the battery icon is solid
when the sensor is charging. Green LED next to
the Bluetooth icon flashes.
Using the Product
Connect the sensor following the steps in the Getting Started section of the user
manual.
Connecting the Energy Sensor to an Energy Source
The Vernier Energy sensor is designed to measure the output of simple
generators and solar panels, such as the KidWind renewable energy kits.
Connect the red clip lead on the sensor to the positive (red) side of the energy
source and the black clip lead to the negative (black) side of the energy source.
