Dear Tasha,

There are numerous companies that produce good dataloggers suitable for museum applications.  Queries to museum/collections/conservation lists often provide a varied response - with many people happy with different products.  As a result I wrote a short article that compares several different types of stand alone dataloggers and gives some information on what you need to think about before purchasing a product.  The article is number 3/3 Datalogger Applications in Monitoring the Museum Environment, Part I:Comparison of Temperature Relative Humidity Dataloggers (Revised), available on the National Park Service part Censerv-O-gram at http://www.cr.nps.gov/museum/publications/conserveogram/cons_toc.html.  The key is to make sure that you think carefully about what features you really require so that you can get the best product for your budget.  For instance, do you really need a LCD display if nobody will be able to see the logger?  Do you really need real time data if you have no ability to respond after 5 PM?

 

To answer some of your questions more specifically: 

-I am not sure exactly what you mean by remote sensing - do you mean products like the Pinnacle Web-Ready ID/TRH. or the Hanwell system that provide real time readings?  I have found these two products are each reliable in terms of their data collection. 

- How often you download your loggers will be a function of how often you set the logger to take readings, how much memory the logger has, and battery life.  A logger that takes readings every minute will fill up its memory and require downloading more frequently than a logger that takes a reading every hour.

- Most good quality loggers should not need to be serviced with any frequency.  However, I recommend checking the calibration with salt solutions or a psychrometer once a year.

- In determining how to store your data you should consider how frequently your computer systems are backed up; whether you prefer to view hard copies or manipulate the graphs on the screen; How many people require access to the data, etc.  Another great way of archiving data is using the Climate Notebook Software that is produced by the Image Permanence Institute at Rochester Institute of Technology.  Their software provides expanded analytical and comparative tools for environmental information that can be imported from most types of loggers.  I do recommend developing a standard system for naming your downloaded files though so it is obvious, for posterity, when and where the data is from. 

- The only company that I presently know of with a good probe that measures both temperature and RH is the ACR SmartReader2.  This is a very good quality logger and has good software but is an expensive, high end product.  The probes are attached with a cable that comes in varying lengths.  The probe can easily be slipped into a case with the cable snaking to the outside where the logger is attached for easy downloading.

- Onset Computer which produces the Hobo series of loggers that are very good for their price and capabilities produce a PDA compatible software.  I have no personal experience with it though.  I prefer to download directly onto a laptop that I can bring around to the loggers.  However the PDA is a good option if you have no laptop and do not want to remove the loggers from their locations to bring them to your desktop for downloading.

- I have found most companies that I have dealt with to offer very good service.  Often I have had better results when I have dealt directly with the company rather than buying through distributors.

 

Please feel free to contact me directly if you have additional questions or want recommendations on specific products that I mention above or in the article.

Best,

Rachael Arenstein

 

 

************************************************

 

Rachael Perkins Arenstein
Conservator
National Museum of the American Indian - Research Branch
3401 Bruckner Boulevard
Bronx, NY 10461
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
tel: (212) 514-3971
fax: (212) 514-3816

 

 

__________________________________________________________________
Date:    Wed, 9 Oct 2002 08:48:40 -0400
From:    tasha <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Data loggers

 

Environmental Monitoring
Hello,
I was writing to see what opinions you all have on environmental monitoring
data loggers used in exhibit cases/areas.  Is the remote sensing
software/hardware dependable?  How often do you need to
download/service/upgrade the loggers? How/where do you store your data? Are
probes a pain? Are you pro PDA=92s or can you live without them? Are there any
companies with exceptional service?
Any input is greatly appreciated.

 

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Thank you,
Natasha Johnson