DATAsense operating manual Introduction
DATAsense software allows viewing and logging the values measured by the pyranometers of the PYRAfast and PYRAsense series with digital output LPR10M0T, LPS02Mxx, LPS03Mxx, LPS10Mxx, LPS12Mxx e LPS13Mxx. It also allows the pyranometers to be configured.
If the connection is successful, a window will appear with information about the pyranometer (model, firmware version and date, serial number, and user ID). The information window closes automatically after a few seconds.
You can also connect the pyranometer later, on the main window of the software; in that case, select "Continue without connecting the device." The "Continue without connecting the device" option is useful in case you only want to view existing data files.
On the left side of the main screen of the software there are the various operations that can be performed:
• Connect/Disconnect: allows connecting/disconnecting the pyranometer. If necessary, set the COM port by selecting Settings >> Serial Settings menu item. The pyranometer must be connected within 5 seconds from when it is powered on; made the first connection, the pyranometer can be disconnected and reconnected without time limit, as long as power is not removed by disconnecting the cable.
• Measures: displays real-time measurements and irradiance graph.
• Logging: starts recording the measurements detected by the connected pyranometer.
• Files: display of logged data.
• Configurations: allows configuring the pyranometer.
By selecting the 
icon at the
top, the descriptions in the left panel can be hidden, so as to leave more space
for the section with measurements.
The presence of the check mark icon 
in the upper right indicates that no alarm conditions are present. When an alarm
threshold is exceeded, the check mark icon turns into a yellow triangle with
exclamation mark 
. By clicking
on the check mark icon or yellow triangle with exclamation mark, the window
with the current setting of alarm thresholds and an indication of which parameter,
if any, is in alarm appears. The enabling status of the FAST function (setting
of sensor response time, only for LPS10...) is also indicated. To change alarm
thresholds and enabling status of the FAST function see Configuration
>> Diagnostics.
Selecting Logging in the main window of the software, the prompt to select the acquisition interval appears: 1, 2, 5, 15, 30 seconds / 1, 2, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30 min / 1 h. Choose the interval and press Apply.
At the top of the main window, the following are displayed: the logging start time, the time of the last acquisition, the logging interval, and the name of the file in which the data are stored. A red small square flashes to indicate that logging is in progress.
To stop logging, click on the area with the logging information and the blinking red square. To start another logging session, select Logging again in the left panel.
The files with logged data are named with the logging start date/time and saved in the preset folder, which by default is the DATAsense_Data folder, contained in the "Documents" folder of the PC.
The preset folder can be changed by selecting Settings >> Predefined folder menu item. In the window that appears, press Change... and select the new folder; to confirm, press Apply.
Selecting Files in the main window of the software, the files with the logged data appear.
The data viewing window consists of the following panels:
• Working directory: is the folder whose contents are listed in the "Files" panel. You can select a different folder by clicking on the dotted icon on the right of the panel header.
• Files: list of the files contained in the folder selected in the "Working directory" panel. If you add new files after opening the window, you can refresh the file list by right-clicking inside the panel and selecting "Refresh".
• Information about selected file: shows the properties of the selected file (model, serial number and user code of the pyranometer that logged the data; interval, duration and start/end date of the logging). When a file is selected for the first time, the contained data are automatically saved in a database; a green "progress bar" indicates the saving progress; the ABORT and DUMP buttons allow respectively to cancel and retry the saving, if not successful.
• Measures list: allows selecting/deselecting the parameters to be displayed; the parameters are displayed in tabular and graphical form. If the Multi Graphs option is checked, parameters are displayed in separate graphs; if the option is unchecked, all parameters are displayed on the same graph. If the "Multi Graphs" option is deselected, the Y axis option allows enabling/disabling the display of the Y axes (if the "Multi Graphs" option is selected, the "Y axis" option has no effect). The change of the options in the "Measures list" panel must must be confirmed by pressing the Apply button. The Reload button reselects or re-deselects all the parameters, in case the selection has been changed, depending on the status of the Select all option.
• Date Time Setup: allows viewing only the data logged in a specific time interval. Set the interval start (From field) and end (To field) date/time, or select a predefined interval in the Scale field, then press the
button to confirm. The right/left arrow buttons at the bottom of the panel allow scrolling through the data by the interval set in the Scroll field. The double right arrow button scrolls to the end of the data. The ALL button restores the full view of the data.
The buttons at the top of the data viewing window perform the following functions:
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Display of statistical
info Enables/disables the display of the statistical information: Max, Min, Avg (average), Std (standard deviation), Max-Min, Max-Avg and Avg-Min. |
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Data display format By repeatedly pressing the button you can toggle between graphical only, tabular only or both graphical and tabular data display. By selecting the small arrow to the right of the button, you can select the Graphs Setup command for graphs customization. |
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File extraction Allows creating a file containing a subset of the data contained in the selected file. |
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Data export |
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Display of file list Enables/disables the display of the "Working directory", "Files" and "Information about selected file" panels. |
By selecting the small arrow to the right of the "graph" icon, you can select the Graphs Setup command, which opens the following window:
For each parameter, the following properties can be set:
Color: color of the graph line.
Width: thickness of the graph line (enter an integer).
Auto scale: enable/disable the automatic scale for the Y axis.
Min / Max: minimum and maximum values of the Y axis (only if the automatic scale is disabled).
Marker: enable/disable the display of a marker in correspondence with the measurement acquisition instants.
Alarm A/B: displays a horizontal reference line in correspondance to "Alarm A/B Value".
Alarm A/B value: A/B threshold value.
Alarm A/B Shadow: can assume the "Off/Down/Up" values and allows you to color the background of the graph area below/above "Alarm A/B Value".
The "Auto scale" and "Marker" options at the top of the window simultaneously select the corresponding option for all parameters.
Press the Apply button to confirm the settings. The Reload button allows cancelling any unconfirmed changes.
Note: "Alarm A/B" values are two reference values for data analysis and can be set independently of the alarm values set in "Configurations >> Diagnostics."
Zoom and other functions for the graphs
To enlarge an area of the graph, press the left mouse button at an extreme point of the area and, keeping the button pressed, drag the mouse until a window is drawn around the region of interest, then release the button: the selected area will now occupy the entire area allocated to the graph. To return to previous zoom levels, right-click above the graph, then select Un-Zoom to return to previous zoom level or Undo All Zoom/Pan to return to the initial graph display.
In addition to the Un-Zoon functions, a right-click above a graph also makes the following commands available:
The file extraction function allows creating a file containing a subset of the data contained in the selected file, for a separate analysis. The file extraction function is also available by right-clicking on the selected file.
Select the initial sample of the subset to be extracted and press the From button. Select the final sample of the subset to be extracted and press the To button. The subset of data is highlighted. Press the Create button to save the file with the subset of data highlighted. To cancel the selection, press the Clear button.
Selecting Configurations in the main window of the software, a window with the following sections appears:
Info: displays information about the pyranometer (model, firmware version and date, serial number, and user ID). The editing of the User ID can be enabled by checking the box to the left of the current ID.
Modbus: setting of Modbus address and communication parameters.
Analog output: setting of the analog output type and correspondence with the irradiation range (only LPSxxMAx).
Calibration: setting of the pyranometer sensitivity.
Diagnostics: setting of the alarm thresholds.
Heater: heater enabling/disabling (only LPR10M0T).
Parameters that have been modified and not yet stored in the pyranometer are highlighted by an orange circle. To store the new settings in the transmitter, press Apply.
The Refresh button re-reads the configuration stored in the pyranometer (canceling any changes not yet stored).
The current configuration (including any changes not yet stored in the transmitter) can be saved in the PC, in a text file, by pressing Save. The configurations saved in the PC can be recalled by pressing Load.
If the configuration is changed, you will be prompted to enter the password 9876 when pressing Apply to transfer the configuration to the pyranometer.
• Modbus address: Modbus address of the pyranometer.
• Modbus baud rate: 9600, 19200, 38400, 57600 or 115200.
• Modbus parity and stop bits: 8N1, 8N2, 8E1, 8E2, 8O1 or 8O2.
• Waiting time after Modbus transmission: immediate reception (violates the protocolo) or waiting for 3.5 characters (as per protocol).
• Analog output type: 0-20 mA, 4-20 mA, 0-1 V, 0-5 V or 0-10 V.
• Irradiance (W/m2 ): irradiance values corresponding to the initial and full scale of the analog output.
• Sensitivity S0: pyranometer nominal sensitivity at the calibration temperature (~23 °C).
The change in sensitivity as temperature changes is calculated according to the formula shown. The polynomial coefficients are displayed but cannot be changed.
When an LPR10M0T is connected, the additional parameters H0, H1, Tau, and Delay are displayed, which optimize the sensor performance with the heating function. These parameters are preset and should not be changed by the user unless instructed by Senseca.
The operating time in days since first (absolute time) and last power on is displayed. and allows time alarm thresholds to be set to alert the user of the need for periodic verification or maintenance.
Alarm thresholds can be set for the operating time and measurement of the diagnostic sensors (temperature, relative humidity, and pressure), exceeding which the user is notified of the need for verification or maintenance. Exceeding the thresholds is indicated by the presence of a yellow triangle with exclamation mark in the main software window.
FAST function (LPS10... only): if enabled, the sensor response time is <2 s; if disabled, the sensor response time is <5 s.
The heater can be set always OFF, always ON or in automatic mode (AUTO). In AUTO mode, the heater automatically turns on/off according to the temperature.
“Heater status” indicates whether the heater is currently on or off (in AUTO mode it depends on the temperature).
ATTENTION: to update the firmware, the pyranometer must be connected, see section Connection.
1. Select the menu item Tools >> Firmware update.
2. You will be prompted to enter a password. The password is supplied with the pyranometer. Enter the password and press Apply.
3. Press LOAD File and select the update file in the PC.
4. Press START Upload and wait for the message indicating the completion of the operation.
Settings >> Predefined folder: selection of the folder in which to save the files with the logged data.
Settings >> Serial Settings: COM port setting.
Settings >> Language: selection of the software language.
Tools >> Firmware update: updates the pyranometer firmware.
Help >> Manual: opens the software online manual.
Help >> License: opens the end user license agreement.
Help >> About: information on the software version.
02/2025
