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Sonus User Manual - Castle Group Ltd

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1. 20 90 dB 22 0 60 6 22 0 90 0 22 0 90 0 22 0 90 0 40 110 dB 40 0 80 6 40 0 110 0 40 0 110 0 40 0 109 0 60 1380dB 60 0 100 6 60 0 130 0 60 0 130 0 60 0 130 0 C Weighted 20 90 dB 22 0 60 6 22 0 90 0 22 0 90 0 22 0 90 0 40 110dB 400 806 400 1100 40 0 110 0 40 0 109 0 60 130dB 60 0 100 6 60 0 1300 60 0 130 0 60 0 130 0 Z or LIN Weighted 20 90 dB 24 0 60 6 24 0 90 0 24 0 90 0 24 0 90 0 40 110dB 400 806 400 1100 40 0 110 0 40 0 109 0 60 130dB 60 0 100 6 60 0 130 0 60 0 130 0 60 0 130 0 If full verification of the level linearity of the 20 90 range is required then the instrument should be set to the nominal sensitivity prior to testing Page 75 Model I B Instruments Test start point for frequencies 31 5Hz 1kHz 4kHz and 8kHz 35 100 dB 74 0 55 120 dB 94 0 75 140 dB 114 0 A Weighted 35 100 dB 41 0 60 6 41 0 100 0 41 0 100 0 41 0 100 0 55 120 dB 55 0 80 6 55 0 120 0 550 120 0 55 0 119 0 75 140dB 75 0 100 6 75 0 140 0 75 0 140 0 750 140 0 C Weighted 35 100dB 410 606 410 1000 41 0 100 0 41 0 100 0 55 120 dB 550 808 550 1200 55 0 120 0 55 0 119 0 75 140dB 75 0 100 6 75
2. C Weighted GA116L 30 100dB 330 606 33 0 100 0 33 0 100 0 330 100 0 50 120 dB 50 0 80 6 50 0 120 0 50 0 120 0 50 0 119 0 70 140dB 70 0 100 6 700 1400 70 0 140 0 70 0 140 0 Z or LIN Weighted GA116L 30 100dB 340 606 340 1000 340 1000 34 0 100 0 50 120 dB 50 0 80 6 50 0 1200 50 0 120 0 50 0 119 0 70 140dB 70 0 100 6 700 1400 70 0 1400 70 0 140 0 Page 73 A Weighted GA216L 35 100 dB 350 808 350 1000 35 0 1000 35 0 100 0 50 120 dB 50 0 80 6 50 0 1200 50 0 120 0 50 0 119 0 70 140dB 70 0 100 6 70 0 1400 70 0 1400 70 0 140 0 C Weighted GA216L 35 100dB 400 606 400 1000 400 1000 40 0 100 0 50 120 dB 50 0 80 6 50 0 1200 50 0 120 0 50 0 119 0 70 140dB 70 0 100 6 70 0 1400 70 0 1400 70 0 140 0 Z or LIN Weighted GA216L 35 100dB 450 606 450 1000 450 1000 45 0 100 0 50 120 dB 50 0 80 6 50 0 1200 50 0 120 0 50 0 119 0 70 140dB 70 0 100 6 700 1400 70 0 1400 70 0 140 0 Page 74 Model E Instruments Test start point for frequencies 31 5Hz 1kHz 4kHz and 8kHz 20 80 dB 74 0 40 110 dB 94 0 60 130 dB 114 0 A Weighted
3. A0 20 time See also Root Mean Square rms and Action Values Pink Noise This is a random signal where each octave contains equal energy frequencies will be more dominant with pink noise due to its power spectrum 10 11 12 Low decay of a constant 3dB per octave as the frequency increases Page 116 Residual Noise This is the ambient noise remaining under normal conditions when any specific noise sources under investigation for assessing the likelihood of complaints are suppressed to a degree such that it does not contribute to the ambient noise See also Ambient Noise Root Mean Square rms The abbreviated term rms is identified from the expanded term root mean square also known as the quadratic mean The root mean square of a value is calculated by finding the square Root of the Mean of the Squares of the values Sound meter instruments use the rms sound pressure level for function calculations other than when the peak level is required See also Peak Level Sound This is a travelling wave or a disturbance in pressure which propagates through mediums such as solids liquids or gases Sound cannot travel through a vacuum The wave will compose of frequencies within the audible frequency range and be of sufficient amplitude for detection by the ear See also Audio Frequency Range Sound Exposure SE This is a measure of the total A weighted sound
4. All instruments start in Stop mode Whilst the instrument is in Stop mode on T and B models noise activity is not monitored and parameter calculations are halted during this period On L and E models calculations are displayed but not stored in flash memory Model I B Instruments Whilst in Stop mode the meter will flash between the current parameter and the following STOP To enter Record mode press the STOP RECORD Key Cis on your instruments keypad and the following is briefly displayed REC MODE During Record mode the noise activity is analysed and all parameters available on your instrument are calculated All functions can be held so that they do not update by pressing the Cis key again The meter is now again in STOP mode In STOP mode the display may be read as normal allowing the user to take note of any required readings Toggle operation using the key as required Always RESET data before Record mode is entered See Reset Data for more information Page 49 Model L amp E Instruments On L amp E model instruments whilst in Stop mode only the parameter name and value are displayed To enter Record mode press the STOP RECORD Key Ci on your instruments keypad and the following is briefly displayed REC MODE Data is automatically reset when a recording begins During Record mode the noise activity is analysed and all parameters available on
5. Description Default Setting Operating Range aM Wen E User Mode ALL Frequency Weighting CH1 A CH2 C Time Weighting CH1 F CH2 F Calibration Level 94 0 Recording Interval Period OFF User Percentile 95 Criterion 85 Threshold 10 Exchange 3 Record Timer OFF Page 47 Keypad Lock LOCK In the MENU display screen use the 4 v arrow keys as required until the following is displayed LOCK Press ei the following is displayed LOCK Press to confirm the instrument is placed in Lock mode and the instrument displays the battery status Alternatively press or c to cancel and return to the parameter display screen To UNLOCK the keypad press the following keys in the sequence shown below 6 69 3 The LOCK feature is used to lock the instrument keypad All keypad functions are therefore disabled including the POWER key The function is often used to avoid inadvertent operation or tampering while the instrument is being used Page 48 Chapter 6 Stop Record Mode All models of the Sonus range of instruments have two modes of operation referred to as e Stop Mode e Record Mode Whilst the instrument is in Record mode the noise activity is analysed and all parameters available on your instrument are calculated On L models only all data captured can be saved to the internal flash memory and viewed or downloaded to Castle s noise analysis software dBdataPro as and when required
6. Ee 60 m dB 50 gt os 8 gt a m 110 40 a L50 30 L90 20 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Time mins The figure above shows indicative L10 L50 L90 and the Sound Pressure Level Lp values L10 is the noise level exceeded for 10 of the measurement duration This is often used to give an indication of the upper limit of fluctuating noise such as that from road traffic L50 is the noise level exceeded for 50 of the measurement duration lt is simply the middle point exceeded for 5096 of the measurement duration and has been incorporated in some American Community Noise Assessments L90 is typically taken as the ambient or background noise level As an example it can be used in B54142 Rating industrial noise affecting mixed residential and industrial areas L10 L90 known as the Traffic Noise Index is used in the UK to measure annoyance responses to traffic TNI 4 L19 Lao Leo 30 dB Page 115 Peak Level The peak level is the crest of the signal or sound pressure wave The figure below shows the peak level and its corresponding rms level peak rms Peak levels are commonly measured incorporating the C weighted and Z weighted frequency weighting filters and can be much higher than the rms sound pressure level See the indicative image below which shows a peak level of 123dB but the rms value is only 66dB 140 y 120 n i OP
7. Now this frequency weighting is used for all levels of sound pressure levels which progressively attenuate the signal at the upper and lower ends of the audible frequency range It is widely used to measure environmental or industrial noise B Weighting This frequency weighting was originally intended to adjust the signal frequency spectrum to match the sensitivity of an average human ear for sound pressure levels between approximately 50 and 90dB It attenuates progressively at the upper and lower ends of the audible frequency range however the attenuation of the signal is less than with A weighting This frequency weighting is not commonly used As this weighting filter is not required for noise assessments it is not available on Castle instrumentation C Weighting Another commonly used frequency weighted filter and was originally intended to adjust the signal frequency spectrum to match the sensitivity of an average human ear for sound pressure levels above approximately 8OdB It attenuates progressively at the upper and lower ends of the audible frequency range however the attenuation of the signal at low frequencies is much greater than with A weighting Page 105 This frequency weighting is commonly used for peak sound levels plus entertainment and machinery noise D Weighting This frequency weighting is intended to adjust the signal frequency spectrum to match the sensitivity of an average human ear for sound pressure l
8. Under Range Pre Amplifier This is a special low noise electronic amplifier to amplify the low level signals produced by the microphone Some pre amplifiers are fitted with a special guard ring which surrounds the signal connector of the microphone and encapsulates the signal until it reaches the input stage of the amplifier The guard ring is used to reduce the capacitance effects of inserting the pre amplifier and in doing so reduces the instruments electrical noise which allows lower level signals to be measured Sound meter instruments are supplied with fixed or removable pre amplifiers where the pre amplifier is removable it should have should have a unique serial number which is identified on the calibration certificate along with microphone and instrument serial numbers See also Noise Floor Overload and Under Range Page 114 Percentile Sound Levels This is the sound pressure which has been subject to the A weighting frequency filter and Fast response time weighting that is exceeded for n percent of the time Percentile levels are used greatly when measuring environmental noise and referred to as Ln The value of n may be anything from 1 to 99 and is the noise level exceeded for n of the measurement time By definition of percentiles L1 must be greater than or equal to L2 which must be greater than or equal to L3 etc It is often the case that only a few Ln values are ever used 90 80 A a 2 a a a
9. 10 Parh 20 10 LogLength 10 Pascal Squared Hours Log Length is the Measurement period in hours La is the equivalent continuous A weighted time average sound level re 20 pPa in dB Page 95 Chapter 12 Glossary A weighting See Frequency Weighted Filter Action Values The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 stipulates the following action values Lower Action Values LAV e A daily or weekly personal noise exposure Lep d of 80dB A weighted e A peak sound pressure of 130dB C weighted Upper Action Values UAV e A daily or weekly personal noise exposure Lep d of 85dB A weighted e A peak sound pressure of 137dB C weighted Exposure Limit Values ELV e A daily or weekly personal noise exposure Lep d of 87dB A weighted e A peak sound pressure of 140dB C weighted Action values are the levels of exposure to noise at which you are required to take certain actions to protect your employees The limit value is the level of exposure to noise above which an employee must not be exposed to taking into account the use of hearing protection The use of hearing protectors is a last resort for employees to take to reduce employee exposure Reasonable steps should be taken to reduce the noise at source beforehand If an exposure limit value is exceeded when taking account of hearing protection then exposures must be reduced immediately with work stopping if necessary See a
10. 7146 17 0 7148A 17 0 7058 18 0 Maximum SPL at the Microphone for No Damage ACO 7146 ACO 7146A ACO 7052 146 0 dB 146 0 dB 146 0 dB Calibration Reference Conditions Models I amp B Model L Model E Sound Field Free Field Free Field Free Field Air Temperature 23 C 73 F 23 C 73 F 23 C 73 F Relative Humidity 50 50 50 Atmospheric Pressure 101 325 kPa 101 325 kPa 101 325 kPa Sound Pressure Level 94 0dB 94 0dB 94 0dB Reference Level Range 55 120dB 50 120dB 40 110dB Reference Frequency 1kHz 1kHz 1kHz The reference direction of incidence for all microphones is perpendicular to the front face diaphragm surface of the microphone Page 84 Display Digital 1 x 8 alphanumeric digit size 7mm x Smm Liquid Crystal Display Display Refresh Rate 250ms Detector Characteristics RMS and Peak Warm up time lt 2 minutes Environmental Stabilization Time 30 minutes Operating range Class 1 10 C to 50 C Class 2 O C to 40 C Warning DO NOT subject the instrument to temperatures greater than 70 C or less than 20 C for any length of time Effect of Temperature Class 1 Accuracy better than 0 5 dB over the range 10 to 50 C Class 2 Accuracy better than 0 5 dB over the range O to 40 C Effects of Humidity Less than 0 5 dB over the range 25 to 90 relative humidity provided the
11. An error message of NO INPUT is shown if the input level is lower than approximately 7OdB Check to make sure the calibrator is switched on and emitting the correct level before proceeding again as indicated above Page 22 Exposure Time ET lt OK It is possible to select alternative exposures of an employee in hours and minutes Exposure Time is used in the calculation of Lep d If a value of 00 00 00 is entered for ET then the Measurement Run Time period is used in the calculation instead See Function Equations in Chapter 11 In the MENU display screen use the 4 v arrow keys as required until the following is displayed ET lt OK Press and the instrument will now display the currently selected exposure time in hours Use the 4 v arrow keys to alter this figure between OO and 24 Press again and the instrument will display the currently selected number of minutes Use the 4 v arrow keys to alter this figure between OO and 59 Press to confirm the changes and return to the Sound Pressure Level display screen Frequency Time Weighting WTG OK In the MENU display screen use the 4 v arrow keys as required until the following is displayed WTG OK Press and the instrument will display the currently selected Frequency and Time Weighting indicated with an asterisk A F Scroll through the available options using the 4 v arrow keys Display Description AS A Frequency Weighting Slow Time W
12. External View AC Output Vout 41 0mV rms at 94 0dB on the reference range The output is un weighted Page 89 EC Declaration of Conformity The CE marking of this Castle Product indicates compliance with the EMC Directive Castle Group Ltd declares that the e GA116 GA216 GA257 Pocket Sound Level Meters have in accordance with the following Electromagnetic Compatibility Directives e 89 336 EEC been designed and manufactured to the following specification e EN61328 1 1997 A1 1998 with the following Tests e Radiated Emissions EN55022 1995 Class B e ESD EN610004 2 1995 Levels 4kV C BkV A e Radio frequency EM field amplitude mod ENG 1000 4 3 1996 Level 3V m No differences in radio frequency emissions are apparent between the available operating ranges where applicable on the Sonus range of instruments Approved cables for use with the Castle Sonus Range of instruments to comply with these standards Cable Order Code Length USB Download Models L E ZL1107 02 1 8m Microphone Extension ZL1094 01 1m Microphone Extension ZL1084 10 10m hereby declare that the instruments named above have been designed to comply with the relevant sections of the above referenced specifications and that the above named instruments comply with all essential requirements of the specified Directives Sy Simon Bull Managing Director EMC tests conducted at the standard test level of 74dB
13. Lmin This is the lowest root mean square sound pressure level measured over the measurement time period Page 111 The minimum rms level is widely recognised as LAmin LCmin or LZmin depending on the frequency weighting selected and is measured in decibels dB Maximum rms Level Lmax This is the highest root mean square sound pressure level measured over the measurement time period The maximum rms level is widely recognised as LAmax LCmax or LZmax depending on the frequency weighting selected and is measured in decibels dB It is not to be confused with peak levels which are very different Microphone A microphone is the transducer that detects sound and creates an electrical image of it The image created is a voltage level which is proportional to the sound pressure at the microphone A condenser microphone operates like a charging discharging capacitor and is therefore also referred to as a capacitor microphone The condenser microphone has a thin diaphragm and a solid back plate both of which construct the two plates required to form a capacitor When a sound wave hits the diaphragm it vibrates and the distance between the diaphragm and back plate change This variation in distance is realised as a capacitance change A decrease in distance results in a charge current as the capacitance is higher and an increase in distance between the plates results in a discharge current as the capacitance decreases An exter
14. Maximum rms Sound Pressure Level Freq Weighted Amx 97 3 Amx A Weighted Max Level Cmx C Weighted Max Level Maximum Peak Level Reached Freq Weighted Fixed Cpk 100 3 Cpk C Weighted Peak Level All except GA257B Zpk Flat or Linear Weighted Peak Level GA257B Only 00 01 33 Run time duration of REC MODE Elapsed Time hh mm ss Lep 87 1 Displays the Lep d based on the selected Exposure Time Sound Exposure Level Freq Weighted LAe 93 1 LAe A Weighted Sound Exposure Level LCe C Weighted Sound Exposure Level Do 27 2 Dose dependent on exchange and criterion P2h 0 02 Indicates the energy that has been received in Pascal Squared Hours Overload latch that indicates if an OVERLOAD has occurred Can only be reset by pressing the C key Indicates when values are O or significantly lower than the bottom of the current range selected e g when instrument is first powered on or after being reset whilst in STOP mode Page 56 Available Parameters Model L Leg Channel 2 Parameter Instrument Sound Pressure Channel 1 ALL Sound Pressure Channel 2 ipm Can be OFF and User mode dependent Leq Channel 1 ALL ALL Can be OFF and User mode dependent Max rms Level Channel 1 GA116L GA216L User mode dependent Max rms Level Channel 2 GA116L GA216L Can be OFF and User mode dependent Peak Level Channel 2 ALL Can be OFF and User mode dependent L
15. Page 90 Chapter 11 Function Equations The following tables describes mathematically how the functions available on the range of Sonus Pocket Meters are calculated All calculations displayed are subject to rounding and or truncation and are based on the equations from the IEC standard 61672 1 where applicable Function Equation Y Cl 1 2 D Pa d t T L 20 log dB AeqT og Po TNT a Equivalent ES Pa E Continuous LAeqr 10 log _ cB A weighted Po Sound Pressure Level is a dummy variable of time integration over the averaging time interval ending at the time observation t T is the averaging time interval P4 is the instantaneous A weighted sound pressure P is the reference sound pressure of 20uPa In the equation above the numerator of the argument of the logarithm is the root mean square frequency weighted sound pressure over averaging time interval T Page 91 Function Equation nul LET i o E Pc E de t T L 20 log dB CegT og Po AN T Equivalent E Pc t dt Continuous O C weighted a P y dB Sound B Pressure Level is a dummy variable of time integration over the averaging time interval ending at the time observation t T is the averaging time interval P is the instantaneous C weighted sound pressure P is the reference sound pressure of 20uPa In the equation above the numerator of the
16. 92 96 100 0 25 95 100 105 Noise Exposure Limits Criterion Level 85dB Max Permitted Daily Duration 3dB Exch Rate Allowable Level 4dB Exch Rate Allowable Level 5dB Exch Rate Allowable Level Hours dB dB dB 8 85 85 85 4 88 89 90 2 91 93 95 1 94 97 100 05 97 101 105 0 25 100 105 110 Noi se Exposure Limits Criterion Level SOdB Max Permitted Daily Duration 3dB Exch Rate Allowable Level 4dB Exch Rate Allowable Level 5dB Exch Rate Allowable Level Hours dB dB dB 8 90 90 90 4 93 94 95 2 96 98 100 1 99 102 105 05 102 106 110 02 105 110 115 Page 103 Fast Fourier Transform FFT The French mathematical physicist Jean Baptiste Joseph Fourier found that it was possible to represent any waveform in the time domain as a sum of infinitely many sine and cosine terms FFT analysis can be performed on certain sound meter instrumentation and is where the instrument takes the time varying input signal and displays the calculated frequency spectrum The frequency spectrum can then be examined to determine exactly which frequencies are causes for concern regarding noise levels or for preventative maintenance Feedback A very simplified public address system will consist of a microphone an amplifier and a speaker If sound from the speaker is detected on the microphone then this sound will be amplified again and output to th
17. Cartridge Type 7052 Microphone reference point is the centre of the diaphragm Type MK79 ACO 7052 Specification Diameter inch 0 5 Response Type Free Field Polarization V 0 0 Frequency Range Hz 20 8000 Sensitivity mV Pa 25 0 Sensitivity dB re 1V Pa 32 0 Capacitance pF 18 0 Max Sound Pressure Level dB 146 0 Temperature Coefficient dB C 0 01 The pressure to free field correction value to be applied when used with a Castle calibrator GA601 GA607 or B amp K42371 is as follows O 2dB The capsule can be removed by unscrewing anti clockwise although great care must be taken when doing this to avoid damage to either the capsule or the instrument Re fitting is a reverse of the above Type MK79 ACO 7052 Typical Microphone Response 31 5Hz 0 2 1kHz 0 0 63Hz 0 1 2kHz 0 0 125Hz 0 0 AkHz 0 0 250Hz 0 0 8kHz 0 5 500Hz 0 0 Typical Actuator to free field correction factors dB of an MK79 ACO 7052 microphone Based on 500Hz O 20Hz 0 0 S00Hz 0 0 25Hz 0 0 630Hz 0 0 31 5Hz 0 0 800Hz 0 0 40Hz 0 0 1kHz 0 1 50Hz 0 0 1 25kHz 0 2 63Hz 0 0 1 6kHz 0 3 80Hz 0 0 2kHz 0 4 100Hz 0 0 2 5kHz 0 5 125Hz 0 0 3 15kHz 0 8 160Hz 0 0 4kHz 1 2 200Hz 0 0 SkHz 1 6 250Hz D 0 6 3kHz 2 3 315Hz 0 0 8kHz 3 6 400Hz 0 0 Page 83 Typical Microphone Self Generated Noise Level Model Level dBA
18. Frequency Weighting FREQ WGT Om model L instruments the frequency weighting of the instrument can only be changed if the instrument has the User Mode set to ALL See User Mode for further details Channel 1 is always ON and fixed to A Weighting Channel 2 can either be A C or Z weighted and can be switched OFF either by User Mode selection or selecting only A weighting In the SETUP display screen use the 4 v arrow keys as required until the following is displayed FREO WGT Press and the instrument will display the currently selected Frequency Weighting indicated with an asterisk A CS Scroll through the available options using the 4 v arrow keys Display Description A Channel 1 A Frequency Weighting AA Channel 1 A Frequency Weighting Channel 2 Channel 1 A Frequency Weighting Channel 2 C Frequency Weighting A Frequency Weighting AC Channel 1 A Frequency Weighting AZ Channel 2 Z LIN Frequency Weighting Press to confirm a change and the instrument will briefly display DONE Or press to cancel and return to the Sound Pressure Level display screen If the frequency weighting is selected for Channel A only then Channel 2 is OFF No parameters will be available displayed or recorded for Channel 2 Page 31 Time Weighting TIME WGT On Model L instruments the time weighting of the ins
19. always starts with the DAY figure Use the 4 v arrow keys as required until the desired DAY figure is displayed res OX to confirm your selection and proceed to MONTH and then YEAR using the same procedure Press c to cancel changes and return to the SETUP screen If an invalid date is entered the following will be briefly displayed ERROR The date entry screen will then be displayed again and a correct date must be entered Page 42 Real Time Clock TIME In the SETUP display screen use the 4 v arrow keys as required until the following is displayed TIME Press OK the instrument will display the following time entry screen using the following 24 hour format hh mm ss 18 05 09 The adjustable figure flashes this always starts with the HOUR figure Use the 4 v arrow keys as required until the desired HOUR figure is displayed Press to confirm your selection and proceed to MINUTES and then SECONDS using the same procedure Press c to cancel changes and return to the SETUP screen Page 43 User Mode MODE The option to set a User Mode is only available on GA116L and GA216L instruments Selecting a User Mode is a quick and straightforward way to correctly set your instrument up for taking measurements Parameters are only displayed and recorded where required In the MENU display screen use the 4 v arrow keys as required until the following is displayed MODE Press and the instrument will di
20. covered If the measured environment changes greatly then the longer the Leq reading is taken the more accurate the measurement will be Exchange Rate As the sound pressure level increases above the criterion level then the allowed exposure time must be decreased The allowed maximum exposure time is calculated by incorporating an exchange rate value The exchange rate value is the amount by which the permitted sound level may increase if the exposure time is halved Castle instrumentation generally allows a user selection of exchange rate to allow for different legislation of 3dB 4dB or 5dB Having an exchange rate of 3dB is more severe in terms of allowable exposure times and an exchange rate of 3dB is currently used in the UK The following tables show the relationship between the exchange rate the criterion level and the noise exposure limits Page 102 Noise Exposure Limits Criterion Level 75dB Max Permitted Daily Duration 3dB Exch Rate Allowable Level 4dB Exch Rate Allowable Level 5dB Exch Rate Allowable Level Hours dB dB dB 8 75 75 75 4 78 78 80 2 81 83 85 1 84 87 90 05 87 91 95 0 25 90 95 100 Noise Exposure Limits Criterion Level 80dB Max Permitted Daily Duration 3dB Exch Rate Allowable Level 4dB Exch Rate Allowable Level 5dB Exch Rate Allowable Level Hours dB dB dB 8 80 80 80 4 83 84 85 2 86 88 90 1 89 92 95 05
21. derer 114 O On Off Key LOCO A REOR eG 16 17 USING eret A EE KEE oe ede 19 Output Socket Ville EIB a KEE 88 Model L amp E Instruments ecit esarei as iae aa ae a aa 89 OVEPOAG EE 10 114 P Parameters Changing 5 eee A oa aedes erre doe a ere gek 55 ExplanatiOns ien GERE dis 61 Daily Personal Noise Exposure Level Lep d 63 Equivalent Continuous Sound Level Leg 61 Maximum Sound Pressure Level 62 Noise o T i iine e EU ipea cea e d tnc Iren eg eee ee od ak coe Noise Dose per Hour Pascal Squared Hours Peak Level Percentiles Sound Exposure Level LAe Sound Pressure Level 35 5 e heo e s ed Model E Available Parameters oocccconocococnncncnononoonnncnncnnonncnnnncnnonnnnnnnoncnnnnnnns 59 Navigational Structure cccccccccssssseccceceesssesseseeceesesaeseeeesceeseeasenecs 59 Model L Available Parametere 57 Navigational Structure oooooococccncooooooncnncnnconononnnoncnnnnonnonnnncnncnnnonnnonos 57 Models I B Available Parametere Description Navigational Structure Pascal Squared HOUS gedeit Ee dee treo Peak E Percentile Sound Levels ccconococconnnncooooonnnnnnnccnnnnonnnnnnnonnnno cnn nnnnccnannnnns Percentiles 5 e ce reete estie ere ranita iniciada Descriptio Da oiii ged ee ecciesia Kn TE Pink NOISe senes uere eo ENEE ee Polarisatior Voltage ror PORTER a Power
22. display either off the following O L NO O L YES On models f and B if an overload has been latched it can be removed in Stop Mode or Record Mode by resetting the parameters On models L and E instruments a latched overload can be removed in Stop Mode by resetting parameters and if in Record Mode it is automatically removed when the recording has been stopped Please be aware that the selected frequency weighting may attenuate the displayed signal level below the overload triggering point but an overload can still occur This is because the overload operates from the unweighted input signal Note In most case if you see an overload indication on your sound meter you should discard the measurements taken select a higher range and re take the measurements Page 10 Under Range Condition An under range condition occurs when the noise source is more than 0 1dB below the bottom of the range selected at which point an under range indicator will flash on the display of your meter In such circumstances it is highly recommended to change to a higher range with a higher sensitivity i e more gain as your meter will be out of specification The under range indicator will flash for a minimum of one second or while the under range condition remains Where the noise source is more than O 5dB below the bottom of the selected range no value or under range warning is displayed Note Under range displayed on your meter in
23. for more information if required Sound Pressure Level The instantaneous Time and Frequency weighted rms sound pressure level in decibels Depending on the instrument model the Time and Frequency Weighting may both be changed The Noise at Work Regulations 2005 requires that frequency weighting A is used to determine noise exposures and that all peak values are taken using frequency weighting C An example screen display may be Frequency Weighting Time Weighting Equivalent Continuous Sound Level This is more commonly known as Leq and is expressed in decibels It may be measured using Frequency Weighting A C or Z and depending on the Sonus model either of these can be selected The Leq is a time constantless parameter which means that it is calculated with no Time Weighting applied Where an instrument is regarded as an integrating sound level meter then Leq will be available on the instrument To describe Leq think of how the sound pressure level over a certain period is likely to increase and decrease as people talk or maybe as machinery is being used Attempting to read this fluctuating sound on the meters display is awkward Over the same period the Leq will settle to an easy to read single value representation having the same total sound energy of this varying noise over the same time period Measuring over longer time periods will therefore give more accurate results Page 61
24. models except GA257B and GA257L 18 Lock Keypad GA257B and GA29 7L senes 13 CHAPTER Au nies Eege Getting Started RU RT ER LE ese dut Models and B ee Models Land E 4 one etie dla n e init ond Rule Keypad Layout GA116 GA218 All Models e 16 Keypad Layout GA257L 8 DAOD A 17 Powering Your Sonus Meter EENEG 18 Switching Your Sonus Meter On Off seen 19 ie RE 20 Main Menu Navigation ota tto tpe dept e lg decas 20 Models GA1 16l GA216l GA1 16B GA216B GA297B oe 21 Calibration CAL OKT nns ze Exposure Time ET SKI e3 Frequency Time Weighting WTG OK 23 Exchange Rate EXCH lt OK 84 Criterion CRIT OKT 95 Threshold THR OK 98 Keypad Lock LOCK OK 26 Display Contrast CONT lt DK 227 Models GA1 16L GA216L GA116E GA257L 28 Galibration GAL riot toit cited title Instrument Settings SETUP esent Frequency Weighting FREQ WGT Time Weighting TIME WGT m Recording Interval Period INTERVAL e 34 Display Contrast CONTRAST eene 36 Percentiles USER Ln 5 Criterion Level CRIT E Threshold TAR 553r tret torte Exchange Rate TESCH Record Timer TIMER x Current Date DATE Real Time Clock TIME User Mode MODE
25. referred to as 3dB doubling Example If the sound power doubles in value as an example from 1W to 2W then the sound power level will increase by 3dB 1 2 Lw 10 log dB Lw 10 log dB e MEE Lw 110 dB Lw 113 dB It is worth noting that a doubling or halving of the sound power level causes a 3dB change in the sound pressure level As decibels are logarithmic it is not possible to directly add or subtract decibel values Use the equation below to add or subtract decibel values for subtractions simply replace the plus sign with a minus sign A Bo 10 logA 10 1P 10 ap Example To add 600B and 854GB replace A and B with the 60 and 65 and then calculate the equation to give 60dB 65dB 66 2dB Page 100 Digital Signal Processor DSP A digital signal processor is form of microprocessor with an optimized architecture required for the very fast mathematical processes used in digital signal processing The tremendous mathematical processing power available allows for much greater accuracy in the computed results than any other method Most modern Castle instruments implement the use of digital signal processors Doppler Effect This is the apparent change of frequency of a sound wave due to relative motion between the source of the sound wave and the observer Imagine an observer is located on a Formula 1 race track and an F1 car approaches the observer at a constant speed and so the freq
26. samples www needeknow4free com Dedicated to professionals in Health and Safety Environmental Compliance and Plant Maintenance Engineering Castle set out to help you in a way that suits you best We can provide or rent equipment train you and your staff or we can carry out work on your behalf We can even mix it up to suit your way of working Measuring and Monitoring Instruments Equipment Rental Database and Data management Software Training Courses and In house Provision Calibration and Repair of Monitoring Equipment Consultancy for Health Safety Environment and Engineering Solutions e Online Knowledge www castlegroup co uk HEALTH AND SAFETY Compliance with legislation and mitigation of claims is really what health and safety is about for most companies That is how we are set up to help you Our training courses are all geared to that end as is any equipment we might supply or rent to you If you need us in person we ll be there too Call NOW on 01723 584250 and get your health and safety compliance on track the way you want to do it There are many issues you might like us to have a look at Noise and Vibration at Work Audiometry HAVS Health Surveillance Health Screening Air Sampling and Gas Detection Indoor Air Quality Airflow EMF Testing and Monitoring Portable Appliance Testing PAT General Compliance and Risk Assessment ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE In an increasingly sensitive atmosphe
27. use see the heading Calibration in Chapter 4 for detailed information on calibration of your specific model of instrument Press and release the Power On Off key at any time to turn off Model I or B instruments Models TT and B will now power down Model L and E instruments display the following INS OFF Press the key to confirm or the c key to cancel and return to the previous screen Please be aware that on Model L amp E instruments the Power On Off key is disabled whilst the instrument is in Record Mode or if the instrument is Locked On the GA116l and GA257B instruments the Power On Off key is disabled if the instrument is Locked To preserve instrument settings and saved data always turn your instrument off using the Power On Off Key On model f and B instruments please ensure that all required readings have been taken from the instrument before turning off the instrument as all data is lost when the instrument is powered off Page 19 Chapter 5 Main Menu Navigation The Main Menu is activated by pressing the MENU Key COM Pressing the G Key again will return the instrument to the last parameter display screen unless multiple screens have been accessed in which case the sound pressure level parameter screen will be displayed Pressing the Key always returns to the sound pressure level parameter screen unless sub menus are open in which case refer to the specific func
28. will not turn on Check that there is a battery fitted to the instrument and of correct polarity Check that the battery is not flat What is the white plastic cap fitted to the top of the microphone This is a protective cover for the sensitive microphone You must remove it before using the instrument Where have my results gone Models or B do not have a backup memory so all readings are lost when the instrument is switched off Always take a note of important readings before switching off the instrument My instrument is on but will not respond to keypad presses keep getting CAL FAIL when trying to calibrate my instrument what am doing wrong Have you locked the keypad Is the instruments microphone properly inserted in the calibrator Is the calibrator switched on and working Has the instrument and or calibrator been knocked or moved as the calibration routine is taking place Has the microphone been damaged What is the black o ring inside my calibrator s cavity for The o ring is essential to seal around the microphone stabilizing the pressure in the calibrator s cavity If the o ring is missing and or damaged the instrument will not calibrate properly see above When taking readings the display is constantly flashing U m what does this mean This means that the noise you are measuring is below the bottom of the range you have the instrument selected to T
29. your instrument are calculated using the settings made under SETUP To record data for periods greater than 24 hours an interval period must be selected To identify you are currently in Record mode the parameter name flashes To stop the recording and enter Stop mode press the Cis key again The following screen is then displayed SAVE YES Scroll through the available options using the 4 v arrow keys Display Description SAVE YES Save the current log SAVE NO Do NOT save the current log Press to confirm or to cancel and return to the previous screen On E models and if the instrument is set to User Mode ENV on L models then the log is automatically saved otherwise the following will be displayed Display Description 8Hr ET Set Exposure Time period to 8 Hours ENTER ET Enter an Exposure Time period NO ET Use Measurement Run Time period Log Length Exposure Time entry uses the following 24 hour format hh mm ss and the adjustable figure flashes this always starts with the HOUR figure Use the 4 v arrow keys until the desired HOUR figure is displayed e to confirm your selection and proceed to MINUTES and then SECONDS using the same procedure Exposure Time entry must be greater than the Measurement Time and the following will be shown is such cases ET lt MT The Exposure Time is used in the Lep d and Dose calculation If NO ET is selected then the meas
30. 0 1400 75 0 140 0 75 0 140 0 For the GA257B instrument refer only to the display range 75 140dB Page 76 Total Measuring Range The difference between the lowest possible measurement on the most sensitive range and the highest level on the least sensitive range at a frequency of 1kHz GA116E A Weighted 22 0 130 0 dB C Weighted 22 0 130 0 dB Z Weighted 24 0 130 0 dB GA116L A Weighted 32 0 140 0 dB C Weighted 33 0 140 0 dB Z Weighted 34 0 140 0 dB GA216L A Weighted 35 0 140 0 dB C Weighted 40 0 140 0 dB Z Weighted 45 0 140 0 dB GA257L A Weighted 70 0 140 0 dB C Weighted 70 0 140 0 dB Z Weighted 70 0 140 0 dB GA116l GA216l GA116B GA216B A Weighted 41 0 140 0 dB C Weighted 41 0 140 0 dB GA257B A Weighted 75 0 140 0 dB C Weighted 75 0 140 0 dB Page 77 Peak Operating Range 1kHz GA116E 20 90 dB 30 0 93 0 dB 40 110 dB 50 0 113 0 dB 60 130 dB 70 0 133 0 dB GA116L 30 100 dB 40 0 103 0 dB 50 120 dB 60 0 123 0 dB 70 140 dB 80 0 143 0 dB GA216L 35 100 dB 40 0 103 0 dB 50 120 dB 60 0 123 0 dB 70 140 dB 80 0 143 0 dB GA257L 70 140 dB 80 0 143 0 dB GA116l GA216l GA116B GA216B 35 100 dB 63 0 10
31. 0 0 125 16 1 0 2 D 0 160 13 4 0 1 D 0 200 10 9 0 0 0 0 250 8 6 0 0 0 0 315 6 6 0 0 0 0 400 4 8 0 0 0 0 500 3 2 0 0 0 0 630 1 9 0 0 0 0 800 0 8 0 0 0 0 1000 0 0 0 1250 D 6 0 0 0 0 1600 1 0 0 1 0 0 2000 1 2 0 2 0 0 2500 1 3 0 3 0 0 3150 1 2 0 5 0 0 4000 1 0 0 8 0 0 5000 0 5 1 3 0 0 6300 0 1 2 0 0 0 8000 1 1 3 0 0 0 10000 2 5 4 4 0 0 12500 4 3 6 2 0 0 16000 6 6 8 5 0 0 20000 9 3 11 2 0 0 Page 107 Frequency Band Filter A frequency band is all the frequencies between an upper and lower frequency limit When a signal is passed through a frequency band filter the signal remains unaltered for the selected frequency band whilst all other frequencies are filtered out A common frequency band filter on sound meter instrumentation is an octave band filter Here the frequency band is one octave 1 1 and the upper and lower limits are a factor of 2 apart The octave band can be further divided for greater resolution into one third octave bands 1 3 where the upper and lower limits are a factor of 2 apart When one octave or one third octave bands are selected the frequency that describes the band is the centre frequency In general sound meter instruments of higher specification have frequency band filtering and various Castle sound meter models have this facility To determine the degree of protection given by hearing protection measurements using octave band analysis are generally required
32. 102 EXPO necios 63 Exposure Time Modell a ass 50 Models BR WEE 23 External POWER E TE TA E 18 F Fast Fourier Transform EET 104 SEET E err nic 8 Feedback pac 104 Eregengy OOO ONO 104 Frequency Band Filter 108 Frequency Weighting A REOS GA ads 9 105 BEWelshtiliB A EE Ro C o 105 C WeiglhtiliB RnB 9 105 CUIV6S i rente ere ete e oerte NEE ep toe A 9 D Weightlng ii Re etse 106 Flat Weighting miena r e NADE E a EAE EE EDE EOE 106 leie DIE 107 Z Weighting eege EE n RM eines 9 106 Frequency Weighting Filters eese enne 9 105 Function Equations ern hr ro Ree ape apes PAR Cea Ree e Fake iii 91 FUTURE POOF eet co EHI bance AE o REESE EAE dap vtt sea ab AEA E LES ED 1 G Getting Started Models Alia erro re eroe ree tet e da heed oth aaa deed 15 Models l amp Bci e REOR ee dus 14 Models Ecco et ree reete e nO E e o De SE e ETE Tus 14 GOSS ANY EE 96 H Hearing Protection 108 Hearing Protection Calculation HMEMetHhOd EE 110 Octave Band Analysis Method esee enne 109 SNR Meth d EE 111 l Imp lse Weieng ert re yea eere eeen caia 8 INFORMATION SOLES 22 0565 aset eese e cse obe e Ete etaed s 51 lge e de seit reete RUE TQ REM eR 1 K Keypad Layout GA116 GA218 All Models AAA 16 GA257 Models B and 17 L LAG eee ted ee t edo de chee eene a dE qid ete shoe gente team ae Ee 66 118 Le p d WEE 63 98 KT EE 61 102 eer mx A a E ET 66 115 Lock Keypad Models GA257B and GA257L esses
33. 1997 A1 2001 IEC 61252 1993 BS EN 61252 1997 A1 2001 Page 69 Measurement Parameters Lp Leq Lmax Cpeak LE Pa h Lep d Noise Dose Noise Dose Per Hour Measurement Run Time Overload Lp Leg Lmax A Peak Cpeak Zpeak LE Pech Lep d Noise Dose Noise Dose Per Hour L10 L90 L user Measurement Run Time Overload Interval Duration Lp Leq Lmax Apeak Cpeak Zpeak LE L10 L90 L user Measurement Run Time Overload Interval Duration Lp Leg Lmax Cpeak LE Lep d Measurement Run Time Overload Lp Leq Lmax Apeak Cpeak Zpeak LE Pa h Lep d Noise Dose Noise Dose Per Hour L10 L90 L user Measurement Run Time Overload Interval Duration Lp Lmax Cpeak Measurement Run Time Overload Lp Leq Zpeak Pa h Lep d Noise Dose Noise Dose Per Hour Measurement Run Time Overload Lp Leq Apeak Cpeak Zpeak LE Pa h Lep d Noise Dose Noise Dose Per Hour Measurement Run Time Overload Interval Duration Page 70 Time Weighting SLOW and FAST according to IEC 61672 1 Class 1 SLOW FAST and IMPULSE according to IEC 61672 1 Class 1 SLOW and FAST according to IEC 61672 1 Class 2 SLOW FAST and IMPULSE according to IEC 61672 1 Class 2 SLOW and FAST according to IEC 61672 1 Class 2 SLOW according to IEC 61672 1 Class 2 Frequency Weighting A and C weightings according to IEC 616 72 1 Cla
34. 3 0 dB 55 120 dB 83 0 123 0 dB 75 140 dB 103 0 143 0 dB GA257B 75 140 dB 103 0 143 0 dB Page 78 Acoustic Frequency Range ACO 7146A 10 to 20000 ACO 7052 20 to 8000 Electrical Characteristics 1 to 20000 Reference Points Model E Sound Pressure Level 94 0dB Range 40 110 Frequency 1kHz Model L Sound Pressure Level 4 0dB Range 50 180 Frequency 1kHz Models I B Sound Pressure Level Range 55 180 Frequency 1kHz Electrical Signal Input Electrical signals can be applied to the Castle Sonus range of sound level meters by removing the acoustical microphone and replacing with a dummy microphone having a series capacitance of 19pF 2 The BNC termination is then used to interface with a suitable signal generator with an output impedance of 6000 at 1kHz Maximum Peak to Peak Electrical Signal Input For No Damage Model Max Input Voltage V T amp B 7 0 E 21 0 E 21 0 Upper Frequency for Periodic Acoustic Testing 4kHz IEC 61672 3 2006 Windshield The effects of using the KG205 60mm windshield 31 5Hz 0 0 1kHz 0 2 63Hz 0 1 2kHz 0 2 125Hz 0 1 AkHz 0 7 250Hz 0 1 8kHz 0 0 500Hz 0 2 The meter conforms to the Standards quoted when fitted with the specified windshield Page 80 Mic
35. 4 50 85 2 25 85 1 12 5 See also Criterion Level LC Criterion Duration TC Exchange Rate and Function Equations for a mathematical description of noise dose Page 113 Noise Floor This is the lowest sound pressure level that the meter can display on its operating range The instrumentation itself by its very nature of operation has some internal electrical noise which can be minimised only The electrical noise therefore contributes to the noise floor on the lower ranges of the instrumentation Generally sound meters which are capable of reading very low sound pressure levels of 25 to SOdBA levels are of higher specification using specially designed low noise circuitry guard rings on the pre amplifier and higher sensitivity microphones See also Overload Pre Amplifier and Under Range Overload When the peak sound pressure level starts to exceed the signal handling capability of the pre amplifier circuitry then an overload condition occurs and a warning is displayed on the instrumentation This value is generally specified by the manufacturer and usually just above the top of linearity range of the meter When an overload condition occurs your instrumentation is likely to be operating out of specification with any results becoming invalid for noise assessments Where appropriate change to a higher range on your instrumentation See also Noise Floor Pre Amplifier and
36. 7 Auto SHUE DOWN EE 18 B Background Noise 5 ener tenet eain ha eher aX PET esa oon EX nage aora ean Ehe 97 Battery EN et ee 18 POW WAEMING 5 ioi E ceu h chase cochontd ee CHO ca cas rodada 18 JB nere eie D de estt e its 18 Battery Level Indicator e HT ER A S 18 Battery POWE acetals ced Sek bath od a ee heu etd 18 C GALA TEE 29 Calculations etr e RI REEF 91 Calibrating Model L GE 28 Models Brin edited e 21 Certifiable Calibration NPL Traceable Caltbration eene enne 5 UKAS CalibfFatlOT AN 5 Gorminmu niCatlOr 2 e asas 67 Contrast Adjustment ler el E 2 5 e erc de E RUE rne rte e cate ough pup OM PR eus cases 36 Model E eene to e Ee de 36 Models BU EE 27 Criterion DUP ATION EE 98 Criterion Sound Level 98 D Daily Personal Noise Exposure Level Lepd 63 98 dBdataPro LITE 2 5 2 2 ege anat lirica 67 DG QUEDUE EE 88 DC Power Supply ente easet tt aces codecs ae eae ene e uad ee deem n 18 DECIDE e 99 DePaul IO rr ci a riadas 47 Delete L EE 46 Digital Signal Processor iaren rra terene eaaa aan EAE BEEN R na aE 101 Disclallrier ite qe REI dais 124 Disposal of Instrument 123 Doppler Effect n iere ene b eO e ste eas 101 Dati MIR ETC 64 113 Dose Meter o dones rt ER RO BEER IERI 2 3 DOSE PERN OUR uae eA EDO Dedi 65 Downloading Data 67 Dynamic Range re e ed ee AER EUR wales eege 101 E Equivalent Continuous Sound Level Leg 61 102 Exchange Rate ina enn eo erae ee roe ee ete on eee aan
37. A116L GA216L GA116E GA257L A A MODE GA116L GA216L LOCK GA116L GA216L GA116E Calibration CAL It is recommended that the instrument s calibration is checked and adjusted where necessary with a calibrator before readings being taken The calibration should be re checked after taking readings to confirm the validity of the results The calibrators recommended for use are the Castle GA601 GA607 which supply typically 94dB 104dB relative to 2OuPa pressure at a frequency of 1kHz Press to check the battery condition scroll to the battery indicator screen using the 4 v arrow keys if required Replace the battery if the indication is low In the menu display screen use the 4 v arrow keys as required until the following is displayed CAL Press and the instrument will now display the previous calibration level e g 94 0 The calibration will be performed at the selected level e g 94 0dB but may be changed in 0 1 or 1 dB steps using the following keys Page 28 Ke Calibration Level y Adjustment dB 0 4 04 i 1 0 on 1 0 Ensure the calibrator is attached to the microphone by gently inserting the microphone into the cavity of the calibrator A certain amount of resistance should be felt whilst inserting the microphone as the o ring seal on the calibrator forms a seal around the microphone Ensure that the calibrator is switched on and set to the chosen level and all correctio
38. B from the selected criterion level to determine the level at below which sound pressure levels can be ignored and not included in the dose accumulation If Criterion Level 85dB and Threshold 5dB then the threshold sound level is 80dB This only affects Dose calculations Page 119 Time Weighting This refers to a special filter that applies an exponentially decaying weighting factor to the signal Several rates are available Slow Weighting The rise and fall times applied for Slow Weighting are both 1 second Fast Weighting The rise and fall times applied for Fast Weighting are both 125m seconds Impulse Weighting The rise and fall times for Impulse Weighting are 35m Seconds and 1 5 seconds respectively Under Range When the sound pressure level tends towards the noise floor for the selected range of the instrumentation then an under range condition occurs and a warning is displayed on the instrumentation This value where the warning is displayed is generally specified by the manufacturer and usually just the below the bottom of the selected range When an under range condition occurs your instrumentation is likely to be operating out of specification Where appropriate change to a lower range on your instrumentation See also Noise Floor Overload and Pre Amplifier White Noise This is a random signal where each frequency contains equal energy and whose power spectrum remains constan
39. Ge to cancel and return to the parameter display screen Some options may also have further sub menus where further options are available Again use the Up and Down Arrow Keys to scroll through the available options The Main Menu is described in detail in Chapter 5 Page 15 Keypad Layout GA116 GA216 All Models sound ceveu meter Up Arrow Down Arrow Cancel Main Menu Measuring Range Stop Record Power On Off Figure 2 Keypad Layout Sound Meter Page 16 Keypad Layout GA257L amp GA257B Up Arrow Down Arrow Cancel Main Menu Lock Keypad Stop Record Power On Off Figure 3 Keypad Layout Dose Meter Page 17 Powering Your Sonus Meter Your Sonus meter can be powered from either one DV PP3 battery and Models L and E instruments can also be powered using an external 12V DC Power Supply which can be purchased separately if required PSUS SONUS The battery compartment is located on the bottom left hand side of your instrument Open the battery door by sliding the cover downwards towards the bottom of the instrument The cover will now swing open exposing the battery compartment Insert the battery observing the correct polarity as marked on the case wall inside the battery compartment To achieve a greater battery life from your instrument it is strongly recommended you use alkaline type batteries To power the instrument via the Castle DC Power Supply purchased
40. LOGS Press and the instrument will display the currently saved logs in date order 22 SD OC Scroll through the available dates using the 4 e arrow keys Press c to exit without selection or to confirm the selection the instrument will then display the currently saved logs by time recorded 15 35 48 Scroll through the available times using the 4 e arrow keys Press to exit without selection and return to the date list or to confirm the selection the instrument will then view the saved cumulative information for the log selected LAq 56 3 Every 5 seconds the screen will flash the following display to remind the user that they are currently viewing a saved log LOG VIEW Scroll through the available data using the 4 w arrow keys Press c to exit and return to the parameter display screen when required Logs saved with Exposure Time details calculate the displayed Lep d figure using the Exposure Time value The downloaded value of Lep d is always based on the run time period log length See also Model L amp E Instruments under Stop Record Mode of Chapter 6 and also Function Equations of Chapter 11 Page 45 Delete Saved Logs DELETE This option is only available if the instrument has saved logs Take extreme caution when deleting logs as they cannot be recovered In the MENU display screen use the a v arrow keys as required until the following is displayed DELETE Press OK the instrumen
41. Sound Pressure Level LAF A Weighted Fast LAS A Weighted Slow LAI A Weighted Impulse LCF C Weighted Fast LCS C Weighted Slow LCI C Weighted Impulse LZF Z Weighted Fast LZS Z Weighted Slow LZI Z Weighted Impulse Displays the Frequency Weighted Leq LAq A Weighted Leq LAq 93 7 LCq C Weighted Leq LZq Z Weighted Leq Maximum rms Sound Pressure Level Freq Weighted Amx A Weighted Max Level Amx 97 3 Cmx C Weighted Max Level Zmx Z Weighted Max Level Maximum Peak Level Reached Freq Weighted Apk A Weighted Peak Level Cpk 100 3 Cpk C Weighted Peak Level Zpk Flat or Linear Weighted Peak Level LAe 93 1 Sound Exposure Level Freq Weighted i LAe A Weighted Sound Exposure Level L10 45 4 dB A level exceeded for n of the time n 10 90 and user selectable L10 L90 Lxx Overload latch that indicates if an OVERLOAD has occurred Can be reset by pressing the C key in Stop mode 00 01 33 Duration of Record mode Measurement Time MT hh mm ss Duration of the selected Recording Interval Period PER 10s ee remaining Only available in Record mode Indicates when values are O or significantly lower than the bottom of the current range selected e g when instrument is first powered on or after being reset whilst in STOP mode Page 60 Parameter Explanations Below are brief descriptions of the parameters available on all Sonus sound level instruments Refer to the glossary
42. The parameter Leq with applied A weighting is essential for Noise at Work assessments and many other applications An example screen display may be LAq 74 1 Frequency Weighting Maximum Sound Pressure Level This is maximum sound pressure level in decibels measured over the recording period This parameter is an rms value and is not to be confused with the Peak which may be much higher As with Sound Pressure Level it is Time and Frequency weighted An example screen display may be Frequency Weighting Peak Level This is the frequency weighted crest Peak of the sound pressure level and should not be confused with the rms maximum sound pressure level Peak is also used for many other applications and these should be checked to determine which weighting should be applied In the UK the Peak parameter with applied C weighting is essential for Noise at Work assessments The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 stipulates the following Peak action and limit values 130dBC Lower Action Value 135dBC Upper Action Value 137dBC Limit Value An example screen display may be Cok 96 7 Page 62 Frequency Weighting Daily Personal Noise Exposure Level This is more commonly known as Lep d or Lex and is expressed in decibels The Lep d represents the total noise received by an employee over the working day and is therefore not only a function of the noise level but also of the time the em
43. Weighting Zero Models E amp L Only Often referred to as the FLAT or LIN response this weighting has a virtually flat response over the entire audible frequency range Frequency Weighting Curves Cie d Weighting ch Weighting 7 LC Weighting 40 10 100 1000 10000 100000 Frequency Figure 1 Frequency Weighting Curves Page 9 Overload and Under Range Conditions Overload Condition An overload condition occurs when the peak signal starts to exceed the signal handling capability of the pre amplifier circuitry If the noise source exceeds the linear operating range of the range selected by O 5dB then an overload condition occurs and an overload indicator is displayed on your meter OVERLOAD At 1kHz the overload condition occurs at O 5dB above the top of each range for all frequency weightings The overload indicator will flash for a minimum of one second or while the overload condition remains In such circumstances it is highly recommended you change to a higher range with a lower sensitivity i e less gain as your meter will be out of specification An overload indication can occur in both Stop or Record Mode on L and E models and only in Record Mode for models T and B All models have an overload latch indicator which can be viewed by scrolling through the available parameters Depending on whether an overload has occurred or not the overload latch screen will
44. accurately calculated after a given period governed by various factors they are therefore only shown for recordings greater than 5 minutes Page 37 Criterion Level CRIT In the SETUP display screen use the 4 v arrow keys as required until the following is displayed CRIT Press and the instrument will display the currently selected Criterion Level indicated with an asterisk Scroll through the available options using the 4 v arrow keys Display 75dB 80dB 85dB 90dB Press to confirm or c to cancel and return to the Sound Pressure Level display screen Page 38 Threshold THR In the SETUP display screen use the 4 v arrow keys as required until the following is displayed THR Press and the instrument will display the currently selected Threshold Level indicated with an asterisk Scroll through the available options using the 4 v arrow keys Display 10dB 5dB OFF Press to confirm or c to cancel and return to the Sound Pressure Level display screen Page 39 Exchange Rate EXCH In the SETUP display screen use the 4 v arrow keys as required until the following is displayed EXCH Press and the instrument will display the currently selected Exchange Rate indicated with an asterisk Scroll through the available options using the 4 v arrow keys Display 3dB 4dB 5dB Press to confirm or c to cancel and return to the So
45. actual noise source being measured Free Field Sound Incidence Angle 0 Point the sound meter directly towards the noise source Pressure Sound Incidence Angle 90 Point the sound meter at 90 to the noise source Random Incidence Point the sound meter at approximately 70 to the noise source All Sonus meters are supplied with Free Field measurement microphones Microphone Polarisation Microphones require a polarisation voltage to operate and are manufactured in two ways All microphones supplied with Sonus meters are Pre Polarised Externally Polarised These microphones require an external charge for the microphone to operate which is generally 200V and supplied by the sound level meter Pre Polarised These microphones generate the polarisation voltage internally and do not require the externally generated 200V polarisation charge Page 4 Microphone Sensitivity The sensitivity of a microphone is determined by the output voltage it produces for a defined sound source Microphones are manufactured with numerous sensitivity levels and operate within a specified tolerance Different microphones of the same model may therefore give slight differences in readings when used on the same sound meter To allow for this all Sonus meters have been designed to accommodate any variations in the tolerance of the supplied microphone up to 3dB Sonus models L and B have been designed for microphones with a sensitiv
46. annel 2 Can be OFF and User Mode dependent Shows the Criterion Level SES User Mode dependent Shows the Exchange Rate EACH User Mode dependent Shows the threshold setting THR 10 relative to the criterion level User Mode dependent L95 Show the User Selectable Percentile GA116L GA216L Level INT OFF Show the Selected Recording Interval Period TMR OFF Show if Record Timer is ON or OFF MEM 8596 Show available memory 96 01 06 10 Show Current Date dd mm yy SN 67000 Show Instrument Serial Number VER 1 01 Show Instrument Firmware Number GA116L Show Instrument Model CALO7 11 Show Factory Calibration Due Date mm yy 09 15 07 Show Current Time hh mm ss Page 52 Model E Instruments Information Screen mma Jn Battery capacity remaining CH1 AF Show the Frequency and Time Weightings for Channel 1 CH2 CF Show the Frequency and Time Weightings for Channel 2 mE Can be OFF Show the User Selectable Percentile Level INT OFF Show the Selected Recording Interval Period TMR OFF Show if Record Timer is ON or OFF MEM 8596 Show available memory 96 09 15 07 Show Current Time hh mm ss 01 06 10 Show Current Date dd mm yy SN 67000 Show Instrument Serial Number VER 1 01 Show Instrument Firmware Number GA116E Show Instrument Model CALO7 11 Show Factory Calibration Due Date mm yy Page 53 Reset Data On all instruments it is possible to manually reset all current parameter d
47. argument of the logarithm is the root mean square frequency weighted sound pressure over averaging time interval T Equivalent Continuous Z weighted Sound Pressure Level Lzeqr 20 log dB 1 T aj rg dt D LZegT MEE E D is a dummy variable of time integration over the averaging time interval ending at the time observation t T is the averaging time interval Pz is the instantaneous Z weighted sound pressure P is the reference sound pressure of 20uPa In the equation above the numerator of the argument of the logarithm is the root mean square frequency weighted sound pressure over averaging time interval T Page 92 2a L 10 1 1 Pt epd 1U 10g T i P n dt dB Te 1 Lepd LAeqr 10 log E E dB L L 10 ExposureTime dB log epd AeqT og 8 Daily Personal Noise Exposure P t is the instantaneous A weighted sound pressure in Level Pascal s P is the reference sound pressure of 20uPa Ta is the normalization period governed by the Criterion duration 8 hours typical Le iS the equivalent continuous A weighted time average sound level re 20 pPa in dB Exposure Time or ET is set on the instrument in hours and is the period in which the recipient is exposed or subject to the noise source t c G 100 Dose c3 age 192 J at Te D Noise Dose IG Usi Q sing 100 T me Measurement Dose mT E og Time Tc is the Criterion duration in hours 8
48. asurement Parameters eese nennen trennen trennen ttetttnst ttes 70 TIE VINO it oe be b de pee t rf dtl d 71 Frequency Weighting ea initiiert 71 Peak Frequency Weighting essent trennen tentes 78 Typical Electrical Self Generated Noise Level 78 Linear Operating Range IEC 616728 200e e 73 Model L Inetrumerte Model E Inetrumernts crecer rre enn Model T amp B Instruments Total Measuring Ranges ainiaan A a GATT iiis titt ee FUA UL e LE ROM AA e d eda GA118L GA218L SAI DE Miren Ee GA118L DAVID roo do UM EIE Acoustic Frequency Range Electrical Characteristics Reference Points Model Ewa cancion unui EE sede td b aL didus Models B Electrical Signal Input Maximum Peak to Peak Electrical Signal Input For No Damage 80 Upper Frequency for Periodic Acoustic Testing MVindshields seas eee dette dis tite t rise E Microphone GA1 161 GATTDIl EEN 81 Microphone GAV IBE isiingie idadi ttis 82 Microphone GA2161 GA2 16B GA2 16L GA257B GA257L 83 Typical Microphone Self Generated Noise Level DA Maximum SPL at the Microphone for No Damage E 84 Calibration Reference Conditions EE 84 Dil aia a 85 Display Refresh Rate Detector Characteristics Warm up time 85 Environmental Stabilization Time 85 Operating range sss 85 Effect o
49. ata and status flags When the instrument is first switched on all data is automatically reset Models I amp B Whilst in Stop or Record mode press the c key to display the following CONFIRM Press to confirm and reset data or c to cancel and return to the parameter display screen WARNING Reset data values cannot be retrieved Models L amp E Data is automatically reset whenever Record mode is entered Whilst in Stop mode press the c key to display the following CONFIRM Press to confirm and reset data or c to cancel and return to the parameter display screen WARNING Reset data values cannot be retrieved Page 54 Chapter 7 Parameters On all instruments whilst in Stop or Record mode it is possible to change the parameter display screen Scroll through the available parameter screens using the 4 v arrow keys Available Parameters Models I B mus me Memes meta Page 55 The table below is a breakdown of all the possible display parameters with a brief description Please see the previous tables to determine which parameters your instrument displays ee ee Frequency and Time Weighted Sound Pressure Level LAF A Weighted Fast LAF 93 7 LCF C Weighted Fast LAS A Weighted Slow LCS C Weighted Slow Displays the Frequency Weighted Leq LAq 93 7 LAq A Weighted Leq LCq C Weighted Leq
50. attach the pre amplifier position the orientation key on the pre amplifier which is identified with a RED mark with the RED identification mark on the instrument and gently push the pre amplifier into the connector To remove gently pull the pre amplifier stem away from the instrument body DO NOT TWIST THE MICROPHONE STEM Microphone Extension Cable Models GA116L GA116E amp GA216L To attach the microphone extension cable position the orientation key on the extension cable connector which is identified with a RED mark with the RED identification mark on the instrument and gently push the extension cable into the connector on the instrument To fit the pre amplifier to the extension cable see Attaching amp Removing the Pre Amplifier above To remove gently pull the extension cable connector by pulling on the knurled part of the stem DO NOT TWIST THE MICROPHONE STEM Page 6 Chapter 3 Measuring Sound Always calibrate your instrument prior to and after taking measurements using a known sound source such as the Castle GAGO7 sound level calibrator The type of microphone supplied with your instrument is Free Field and requires an incidence angle of O therefore whilst measuring always point your Sonus Pocket Meter directly towards the noise source being measured Sound Level General Advice In some environments high levels of noise can occur The Castle Sonus Pocket sound meter has therefore been designed for complet
51. available on your instrument are calculated On L and E models only all data captured can be saved to the internal flash memory and viewed or downloaded to Castle s noise analysis software dBdataPro as and when required Whilst the instrument is in Stop Mode on T and B models noise activity is not monitored and parameter calculations are halted during this period On L and E models calculations are displayed but not stored in flash memory Models I and B During Stop Mode and whilst viewing parameter display screens the display will flash between the parameter and the following STOP Models L and E During Stop Mode and whilst viewing parameter display screens the displayed parameter name will not blink Non Blinking Parameter Name Indicates Stop Mode On all models when the meter is first switched on the instrument defaults into Stop Mode To set the instrument into Record Mode press the KD key located on your instruments keypad see Stop Record Mode in Chapter 5 for more information To place the instrument back into Stop Mode press the Cis key again Page 14 All Models Changing the settings of your instrument and performing a calibration are all found under the Main Menu To activate the Main Menu press the G Key on your instruments keypad Use the Up and Down Arrow Keys QO to scroll through the available options Press the x to select the required menu option or press the
52. ay screen CONT ADJ Use the 4 v arrow keys to adjust the contrast as required Press to confirm a change and the instrument will briefly display DONE Or press c to cancel and return to the Sound Pressure Level display screen Page 36 Percentiles USER Ln Model L and E instruments have one user selectable percentile level and two fixed percentile levels Percentile is commonly abbreviated to Ln where n denotes the actual dB A Weighted level exceeded n of the time example L99 On model L instruments percentiles are only available if the User Mode is set to ALL or ENV See User Mode for further information Fixed percentile levels are e L10 e L90 In the SETUP display screen use the 4 v arrow keys as required until the following is displayed USER Ln Press and the instrument will display the currently selected User Ln indicated with an asterisk Scroll through the available User Selectable Percentiles using the 4 w arrow keys Display Description 1 L1 dB A Level exceeded 196 of the time 5 L5 dB A Level exceeded 5 of the time 50 L50 dB A Level exceeded 50 of the time 95 L95 dB A Level exceeded 9596 of the time 99 L99 dB A Level exceeded 99 of the time Press to confirm a change and the instrument will briefly display DONE Or press c to cancel and return to the Sound Pressure Level display screen Percentile levels can only be
53. copy of the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 for further information if required Page 96 Ambient Noise Commonly used for environmental noise purposes this is the sound pressure level in dB that is due to the ambient noise Generally it is the noise that exists under normal conditions at any given time and can be with or without specific noise sources included For the purposes of the standard BS 4142 ambient noise is the totally encompassing sound including all noise sources See also Residual Noise Audio Frequency Range This is the frequency range over which a normal human ear can detect sound The normal sound range usually decays with age and is approximately 20Hz to eOkHz Frequencies below 20Hz are known as infra sound and frequencies above 20kHz are known as ultra sound Audiometer An electronic instrument that is used to apply known sound pressure levels to a subject s ear These will be at various frequencies and levels and monitored one ear at a time in order to determine a person s hearing threshold It is intended to be used in an area with a very low ambient noise level such as an audiometric booth and all tests should be conducted in accordance with the standard BS EN ISO 8253 1 Castle Group Ltd offers a range of audiometers and audiometric booths which can be found at www castlegroup co uk Background Noise This is the unwanted part of a measurement for a measured signal which is caused b
54. dicates that you should discard the measurements select a lower range and retake your measurements Page 11 Measuring Ranges The Sonus instrument range has been specifically designed to utilise only three measuring ranges The three available ranges ensure complete accuracy throughout the entire dynamic range whilst ensuring the instrument remains low power to maximise operational life from one 9V PP3 battery The measuring display ranges available are as follows Model 116L dB Model 216L dB Model 116E dB Models amp B dB 30 100 35 100 20 90 35 100 50 120 50 120 40 110 55 120 70 140 70 140 60 130 75 140 Please note that the GA257L and GA257B Dose meter models operate on the fixed range 70 140 dB and 75 140 dB respectively Changing Range All models except GA257B and GA257L dB To change the measuring range press the key on the keypad The current measuring range will be shown and indicated with an asterisk 30 120 So l1z0 Use the Up and Down Arrow Keys aX scroll through the available ranges Press the x to select the required range The instrument briefly displays the following to confirm a change has been made and returns to the last parameter screen unless multiple screens have been accessed in which case the sound pressure level parameter screen will be displayed DONE dB Press the Es key to return to the previous screen
55. e at 500 Hz the assumed protection is 33 6 27 dB The assumed protection level should then be subtracted from the corrected levels as above to produce the estimated dBA at the wearer s ear and the octave band results logarithmically added as before to give the predicted level of noise with the hearing protection Page 109 Ear muff mean attenuation dB 13 20 33 35 38 47 41 Standard Deviation dB 6 6 6 6 7 8 8 Assumed protection dB 7 14 27 29 31 39 33 Corrected level dB 66 80 93 98 98 98 95 92 Levels at ear dB 66 73 79 71 69 87 56 59 D bial naleg with 81 dBA In accordance with the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 the predicted level of noise with hearing protection must be increased by 4dB therefore the quotable predicted noise level taking into account the worn hearing protection is 85dBA Protection Calculation HML Method High Medium Low Not as accurate as the octave band method but can be used on instrumentation that do not have octave band analysis This method can also be used for noise at work assessments Simply measure the A weighted and C weighted energy equivalent sound level LAeq and LCeq simultaneously LAeq 103 2 dBA LCeq 103 4 dBC Take the manufacturers ear protector data H 25dB M 18 dB L 13dB Determine LCeq LAeq and then enter the manufacturer s data into the re
56. e accuracy up to sound levels of 140dB Before you record measurements take the time to ensure you have chosen the optimum range for the process to be recorded Wherever possible the optimum range is when the average measured signal is approximately half way between the top of the range and the bottom of the range without an overload condition Where high levels of noise are encountered the meter may register an overload and in these circumstances the meter will display that this has occurred it is therefore advisable to determine if an Over Load occurs on the selected range In such cases you will need to select a higher range to accommodate the higher peak levels See Technical Specifications for peak range limits on each individual range If the noise levels are too low for the range selected then the meter will display an under range condition Under these circumstances you will need to select a lower range For more detailed information see Overload and Under Range Conditions and Measuring Ranges If measuring low level noise then be aware of the inherent noise levels caused by a combination of thermal and electrical noise from both the microphone and the sound level meter Measuring data that lies within 10dB of the lowest quoted level on the lowest measuring range may be influenced by the self noise of the system See Technical Specifications for inherent noise levels and range limits Page 7 Reflections The sound level met
57. e speakers If the gain of this amplification is greater than one then the system becomes unstable and a high pitch squealing noise is heard Frequency Hz The number of cycles per unit of time measured in cycles per second cps and associated with the unit symbol Hz Hertz after the German physicist Heinrich Hertz 1 cps 1 Hz The graph below shows the solid line having one complete cycle in one second and therefore having a frequency of 1Hz whereas the dotted line has four complete cycles in one second and therefore has a frequency of 4Hz Frequency is universally given the descriptor f therefore the graph below shows f 1Hz and f 4Hz 1 Seconds Page 104 The audible hearing frequency range over which a normal human ear can detect is approximately 20Hz to 20kHz The range usually decays with age and generally this is of the higher frequencies If the level of a signal is sufficient and is of a frequency below 20Hz then it is generally felt and not heard Frequency Weighted Filter This refers to a special filter that weights or adjusts the spectral component of a signal according to a specified function of frequency The specified functions of frequency are A Weighting This is the most commonly used frequency weighted filter and was originally developed to adjust the signal frequency spectrum to match the sensitivity of an average human ear for sound pressure levels below approximately 5OdB
58. ed The threshold level is determined by Criterion Selected Threshold value Therefore if the criterion is 85 and the selected threshold value is 10 then Dose is only accumulated from noise levels greater than 85 10 or 75 decibels In the UK the Control of Noise at Work Regulations requires a threshold of 10dB 75cB An example screen display may be Dos 59 4 Noise Dose per Hour This is more commonly known as Dose per Hour and is expressed as a percentage The Dose per Hour is the Dose value that the employee would be subject to for each hour of the working shift As an example if a continuous noise level of 85dB is being subject to an employee then the Dose per Hour would be 100 8 12 5 An example screen display may be Hr 23 2 Pascal Squared Hours This is more commonly known as Pa Hr and is another alternative method to show how much noise exposure an employee has been exposed to If an employee has been exposed to a continual noise level of 85dB for an 8 hour working shift then the employee will have been subject to 1 Pa Hr An example screen display may be P2h 0 4 Page 65 Sound Exposure Level This is more commonly known as LAe or previously SEL and is expressed in decibels It is the sum of the A weighted sound exposure over the recording period but normalised to one second It is very useful for many applications including noise events such as an airplane fly over a trai
59. ed AER SdES EE Zeg 19 U UKAS sde tette ce NEE costae e ER ege ia ete oda uade dE gedd degen 5 Under Range xiii icti t cte teo ever ths ette ee ead cre odori nM Cue E eR PER VENTES ECH 11 120 Unlock Keypad err ec etre e reden 13 26 48 User ModE EE 44 V MIA MDC DEED 45 View Settings 15 oe erra ber aser Fass ees eg ege Pea dere 51 Ww Wa FANCY coso IU EODD EEUU DI EE 121 Weighting Frequency Weighting ssesssesensseseeereeressrererssssrerrerressesrreressesrrereesesseee 9 Time Weighting onera a e ir aieh 8 Mhite NOISe 3 se Dec EEN 120
60. eet your exact requirements Analysis of recorded data can be achieved by transferring the data from the instrument into the software dBdataPro using the instruments USB port GA257L Dose Meter This model is a dedicated Dose Meter with full data logging capabilities which also features dual measurement capability meaning two versions of applicable parameters can be measured simultaneously This feature means you only ever need to measure once to capture all the data you need Analysis of recorded data can be achieved by transferring the data from the instrument into the software dBdataPro using the instruments USB port Page 2 Sonus E GA116E Class 1 Ln s Available in class 1 only this top of the range model boasts an ultra low noise floor allowing extremely quiet noise to be measured and recorded This model also features dual measurement capability meaning two versions of applicable parameters can be measured simultaneously This feature means you only ever need to measure once to capture all the data you need This model is ideal as a dedicated Environmental Sound Meter with full data logging capabilities recording samples with an interval period as low as one second even Ln s Analysis of recorded data can be achieved by transferring the data from the instrument into the software dBdataPro using the instruments USB port Sonus GA116l Class 1 GA218l Class 2 Available in either class 1 or class 2 this
61. eighting A F A Frequency Weighting Fast Time Weighting C F C Frequency Weighting Fast Time Weighting C s C Frequency Weighting Slow Time Weighting Press to confirm or c to cancel and return to the Sound Pressure Level display screen Page 23 Exchange Rate EXCH lt OK In the MENU display screen use the 4 v arrow keys as required until the following is displayed EXCH lt OK Press and the instrument will display the currently selected Exchange Rate indicated with an asterisk Scroll through the available options using the 4 v arrow keys Display 3dB 4dB 5dB Press to confirm or c to cancel and return to the Sound Pressure Level display screen Page 24 Criterion CRIT lt OK In the MENU display screen use the 4 v arrow keys as required until the following is displayed CRIT OK Press and the instrument will display the currently selected Criterion Level indicated with an asterisk Scroll through the available options using the 4 v arrow keys Display 80dB 85dB 90dB Press to confirm or c to cancel and return to the Sound Pressure Level display screen Page 25 Threshold THR lt OK It is possible to select a threshold level for the lower limit of noise levels which are used to measure dose In the MENU display screen use the 4 v arrow keys as required until the following is displayed THR lt OK Pre
62. el e g gt 94 0 Page 21 The calibration will be performed at the selected level e g 94 0dB but may be changed in 0 1 or 1 dB steps using the following keys Ke Calibration Level y Adjustment dB 0 1 Y 0 1 i 1 0 on 1 0 Ensure the calibrator is attached to the microphone by gently inserting the microphone into the cavity of the calibrator A certain amount of resistance should be felt whilst inserting the microphone as the o ring seal on the calibrator forms a seal around the microphone Ensure that the calibrator is switched on and set to the chosen level and all correction factors for atmospheric pressure and microphone type have been accounted for The pressure to free field correction value to be applied when used with a Castle calibrator GABO1 GA607 or a B8K4231 is as follows Calibrator Correction dB Castle GA607 0 2 Castle GA601 0 2 B amp K4231 0 2 Press and the instrument will calibrate to the level of the calibrator The display will show CAL WAIT while calibrating to the chosen level When calibrated the display will show COMPLETE and will return to the Sound Pressure Level display It is recommended that the unit is then placed into STOP mode and data is cleared The instrument is now ready to take measurements If the calibration is interrupted or the input level is not within 3dB of the chosen reference level then the display will show CAL FAIL
63. energy of the sound produced over a specified period of time It is specifically defined as the time integral of the square of sound pressure over 8 stated period of time and expressed in Pascal squared seconds if the A weighted sound pressure is in Pascal s and the time period is in seconds te SE j Pa F t dt t1 where PA is the A weighted sound pressure and t2 t1 is the time interval for the measurement or specified time period in seconds Page 117 Sound Exposure Level Lac Like sound exposure it is a measure of the total A weighted sound energy of the sound produced over a specified period of time however it is expressed in dB The sound exposure level is used to describe the amount of noise from a single event such as an aircraft flying overhead or a train pass by It is the integration of all the acoustic energy contained within this single event over the time period t2 1 with reference to a sound pressure of 20uPa consistent over a reference time period of 1 second See Function Equations to see how LAE is described mathematically Sound Power W This is the rate of flow of acoustic energy emitted from a specific sound source Sound power is expressed in watts VW Sound Power Level Lw Like sound power this is the rate of flow of acoustic energy emitted from a specific sound source however the sound power level is expressed in decibels dB Ww dB Wo where Wo is the reference power of 1 P
64. enne nnne 13 Logs Delete 2 cases santos 46 MB E 45 M Main Menu Accessing All Model 20 Models I B Calibration eee hereto re e Fe e ENEE de 21 CEIteFl OD is icr roto n Ra P ere e viva Meno iet ass 25 Display Contrast EE 27 Exchange Rate Der emer ea rere ge aeos Pe ee ee EE 24 Exposure TiMe nina met REDE QR ed cadens hats 23 Frequency Weighting eese nennen 23 Keypad Lock zi rtt hec eit uate etes 26 Navigational Structure oooocccccnnononoonnnnonncononancnnccnonnnnoncnnccncnnenananncos 21 Threshold crei Eee rore ida 26 BRITTEN EE 23 Models L E Calibrations race Eee eed Ee seen ee idus 28 Delete Saved Logs Ier eer rare eee Ee dee dE 46 Instr mentsSettings ia RP seg 30 PIL GION eec oerte REPRE Cheeta nee ot Gree etx cae Stave e eneares 38 IB usse GP ORC ERR BRI SUN Rs 42 Display Contrast n e Hr e RR ee 36 Exchange Rate ense tta eroe e ERE PER Lane ete Ee 40 Frequency Weighting ocooooconccnconococnnnnonccnnonannnnnoncnannncnonnnnccnnnnonos 31 Navigational Structure ccccccccccccsssscecececseseseeesececesseaeseeeeseeeeees 30 Percentilesi 2 o a iaa 37 Record El E 41 Recording Interval rrr rrr X lentes donna cai scan 34 Threshold eer eter eret tete teh teo cree sadness here ada 39 IR E deeg P 43 Time Welghtihg i incer cdi 32 Keypad Lock eee e ege t eee ee e Poet eto Poe er e deat eo ee da e 48 NavigationalStr ct le oen tere Een RT 28 Set Instrumen
65. ent residential or in house training courses consultancy services and equipment calibration If you would like to know more about any of our other products and services then please visit www castlegroup co uk or telephone us on 44 0 1723 584250 d SD Simon Bull Managing Director Note for Getting Started section please turn to Chapter 4 Precautions Only operate the instrument as described in this manual These are precision instruments protect from shocks and vibrations Ambient conditions for the operation of the unit are as follows Temperature 10 C to 50 C Relative Humidity 25 to 90 Protect the unit from extremes of temperature and humidity direct sunlight and air with a high salt or sulphur content Always turn the unit off after use Remove the batteries from the instrument when not in use e Do not use any solvents or cleaning agents on the instrument Use only a soft dry cloth or a soft cloth lightly moistened with water when necessary e Do not allow any conductive objects such as wire or metal particles to enter the unit e Do not try to disassemble the instrument or attempt any repairs as this will invalidate your warranty Take a note of the condition of the instrument and contact your authorised Castle service station e To ensure continued precision performance of your instrument have it checked and serviced at regular intervals Contacting Castle Group This manual c
66. ep d ALL User mode dependent Dose ALL User mode dependent Dose per Hour ALL User mode dependent Pascal Squared Hours ALL User mode dependent Sound Exposure GA116L GA216L User mode dependent L10 GA116L GA216L User mode dependent L90 GA116L GA216L User mode dependent User Percentile GA116L GA216L User mode dependent Interval Period Overload Yes No ALL Measurement Time ALL ALL Record mode Only Page 57 The following table is a breakdown of all the possible display parameters with a brief description Please see the previous tables to determine which parameters your instrument displays omm ee Frequency and Time Weighted Sound Pressure Level LAF A Weighted Fast LAS A Weighted Slow LAI A Weighted Impulse LCF C Weighted Fast LCS C Weighted Slow LCI C Weighted Impulse LZF Z Weighted Fast LZS Z Weighted Slow LZI Z Weighted Impulse Displays the Frequency Weighted Leq LAq A Weighted Leq LAq 93 7 LCq C Weighted Leq LZq Z Weighted Leq Maximum rms Sound Pressure Level Freq Weighted Amx 7 A Weighted Max Level ai Cmx C Weighted Max Level Zmx Z Weighted Max Level Maximum Peak Level Reached Freq Weighted Apk A Weighted Peak Level Cpk 100 3 Cpk C Weighted Peak Level Zpk Flat or Linear Weighted Peak Level Lep 87 1 Displays the Lep d Do 27 2 Dose dependent on exchan
67. er operator and the sound level meter itself can interfere with the measurements being made reflecting the noise signal The instrument case for the Sonus range of sound level meters has therefore been designed to minimize reflections whilst also being of rugged construction To minimize reflections from the operator hold the sound level meter at arm s length mount the sound meter on a suitable tripod adapter required or use a microphone extension cable if applicable Time Weighting The time weighting is a time constant that modifies the response of the instrument to fluctuating noise levels Without time weighting the meter display would fluctuate following the measured noise level and would be unreadable the selected time weighting therefore softens these fluctuations over the time periods described below and in doing so the meter has a more readable display Depending on your instrument type see Technical Specifications for further details the following standardised time weightings are available Slow Weighting Shows a slow rise in the Sound Pressure Level even for a sharp rise in the noise level likewise a rapid reduction in noise will be shown as a slow decrease in Sound Pressure Level The rise and fall times applied for Slow Weighting are 1 second Fast Weighting The most commonly used time weighting which follows the noise level closer than slow weighting by displaying a fast rise and fall in the Sound Pressu
68. evels between approximately 50 and 90dB It is similar in response to B weighting but is improved upon by including an allowance for ear canal resonance at frequencies between approximately 2kHz and 5kHz This frequency weighting is generally used for the high level measurement of aircraft noise Like B weighting it is not commonly used and is not available on Castle instrumentation Flat Weighting This frequency weighting does not adjust the signal frequency spectrum and has been superseded by Z weighting because the flat frequency pass band is not governed meaning different responses between manufacturers of sound meter instrumentation Z Weighting Another commonly used frequency weighting filter that has a very flat frequency response only adjusting the signal frequency spectrum below approximately 10Hz and above approximately 20kHz This weighting replaces Flat weighting so that sound meter manufacturers all had the same pass band limits A common use for this weighting is to determine adequate hearing protection as well as for peak measurement Page 106 Frequency Weighting Table The following table shows the weighting required across the audible frequency range 10 70 4 14 3 0 0 12 5 63 4 11 2 0 0 16 56 7 8 5 0 0 20 50 5 6 2 0 0 25 44 7 4 4 0 0 31 5 39 4 3 0 0 0 40 34 6 2 0 0 0 50 30 2 1 3 0 0 63 25 2 0 8 0 0 80 22 5 0 5 0 0 100 19 1 0 3
69. f Temperature 85 Effects of Humidity 85 Effects of Vibration 88 Magnetic ele RE 86 Radio Frequency Fields abet i n 86 Overload 86 Log Interval Periods Models L amp E Only 886 Timer Function Models L amp E Only eerte 86 Time amp Date Models L amp E Only senes 86 Overall Dimensions s Batteries E x Overall Weight including Batterie 87 Manufacturers Data rait ttti iiiki 87 Wiring Configura 88 AC Output 88 DE Output sae 88 GA116L GA116E GA216L GA257L 89 Wiring Configuration 89 AC Output 89 EC Declaration of Conformity esent 90 CHAPTER Tr 91 FUNCUOMEQUatons otto trote rro to arena rante decorando 91 CHAPTER e E 96 IB Uu M M RO 96 A weighting 98 Action Values 98 Ambient Noise 97 Audio Frequency Hengen 97 tele ER ER RH Background Noise C weighting e Criterion Duration H LEE 98 Criterion Sound Level CT 98 Daily Personal Noise Exposure Level Lep d 98 Decibel dB e 89 Digital Signal Processor UGDA 101 Doppler CC 101 DYNAMIC RANGE seis ia Li tit ta en titre entienden dA 101 Equivalent Continuous Sound Level Leq 108 Exchange Rate 108 Fast Fourier Transform FFT Feedback J Frequenc
70. ge and criterion POh 0 02 Indicates the energy that has been received in Pascal Squared Hours LAe 93 1 Sound Exposure Level Freq Weighted LAe A Weighted Sound Exposure Level L10 45 4 dB A level exceeded for n of the time n 10 90 and user selectable L10 L90 Lxx Overload latch that indicates if an OVERLOAD has occurred Can be reset by pressing the C key in Stop mode 00 01 33 Duration of Record mode Measurement Time MT hh mm ss Duration of the selected Recording Interval Period PER 10s s k remaining Only available in Record mode Indicates when values are O or significantly lower than the bottom of the current range selected e g when instrument is first powered on or after being reset whilst in STOP mode Page 58 Available Parameters Model E Parameter Sound Pressure Channel 1 Sound Pressure Channel 2 Leq Channel 1 Leq Channel 2 Max rms Level Channel 1 Max rms Level Channel 2 Peak Level Channel 2 Lep d Dose Dose per Hour Pascal Squared Hours Sound Exposure L10 L90 User Percentile Overload Yes No Measurement Time Interval Period Page 59 The following table is a breakdown of all the possible display parameters with a brief description Please see the previous tables to determine which parameters your instrument displays a RN Frequency and Time Weighted
71. hnical Specification AG I U ro U ro 88 Acoustic Frequency Range ccccccccccecececccececececececeececeeeeseseeeeeseeeeeeees 79 Battery ites eege ge TM ME 87 Calibration Reference Conditions 84 D GP Vi ro t EA 88 EG Declaration ii AS 90 Electrical Ch racteristics 5 ertt etre terere xc Henne 79 Frequency Weighting ocooooccnncnnonocooncnnccnnonononnnononnnnnnnonconccnnnnnnnnnnnncnnnns 71 Linear Operating Range 73 75 Maximum Signal Input 80 Maximum Sound Pressure Level 84 Measurement Parameter ANNER 70 Microphone Specification assesses nene 81 82 83 Output Socket utn in heces ee eret dehet ee Ee ata oi Reto 88 89 Reference Polaca rrt dei dada e ha TS 79 SIS EI Hl 80 Standards MEt aoeeoe a naaa a EE ote neeetsi oadevaszesdevisedesvaeades 69 Time Weighting dias etinm herren tee a e aa E E SEEE 71 Total Measuring Range ccccsessssceceessseecesececeeseaseesesceeseeaeeeeeeseeeeees 77 Typical Electrical Self Generated Noise Level 72 Typical Microphone Self Generated Noise Level 84 Upper Frequency for Periodic Acoustic Testing s s essssesesessseesseee 80 Windshield Effects ern tirer ere e en ere dere en iens 80 Threshold Sound Level D 119 TIE ese rU RE RR EN EPA REN RUE REN IE 43 Time WelEhtilng uere rre exer uen n entree snatacdececeevenstedesees 8 Kl EE 41 Trouble ShO le LEE 122 IU IRONIA 19 TD eege Eder ee de
72. hours typical L is the Slow or Fast frequency A weighted sound level Lc is the Criterion level in dB T is the Log Length Measurement period in hours G is the Exchange Hate constant Page 93 ET Dose et Gear Noise Dose MT Using Exposure ET is the Exposure Time in hours Time MIT is the Log Length Measurement period in hours DoseH f Dose oseHour LogLength Noise Dose e per Hour Log Length is the Measurement period in hours Dose is the calculated Noise Dose determined over the Log Length Measurement period l Pa tt a Po Lag 10 log dB o EA Lag 10 log dB T Lag LAeqT IER D Sound Exposure Level Ea is the A weighted sound exposure in Pascal squared hours Es is the reference sound exposure of 2 20uPa 4s 400 107 1 Pa s T 1s and T tet which is the time interval for measurement in seconds for sound exposure level and time average sound level Lasar iS the equivalent continuous A weighted sound pressure level re 20 uPa in dB Page 94 P Cpeak Lepeak cu dB o Peak sound Pressure Level pls the maximum C weighted sound pressure value in C weighted Pascal s P is the reference sound pressure of 20yPa P Zpeak Lzpeak cond Je Po Peak sound Pressure Level Pais the maximum Z weighted sound pressure value in Z weighted Pascal s P is the reference sound pressure of 20yPa LaegT 2 6
73. however another method known as the HML method is also available allowing lower specified sound meter models without frequency band filtering to be used for this very important procedure See also Hearing Protection Hearing Protection Hearing protection is generally more effective at higher frequencies hence the performance of a given ear defender in a given noise environment must take into account the frequency content of the noise source Hearing protectors are either ear muffs or defenders which cover the ears or ear plugs which are inserted into the ear canals Within these two groups there are several sub divisions Ear muffs can have several degrees of attenuation whilst the ear plugs can be of a variety of materials both disposable and re usable Ear Muffs These consist of a cup shaped cover over each ear held in place by a spring loaded headband To ensure a good seal around the ear the cups are edged with a cushion filled with liquid or foam The degree of attenuation is affected by the material of the cup and its lining and the quality of the seal around the ear Page 108 Ear Plugs These can be either disposable or re useable and are made from a variety of materials Disposable plugs can be manufactured from glass down plastic coated glass down and wax impregnated cotton He usable plugs can be made from permanent moulded plastic paste filled rubber and paste filled plastic All re usable plugs require
74. ico watt 10 watts and W is the sound power Lw 10 ed It is often quoted on machinery to indicate the total sound energy radiated per second Sound Pressure This is the difference between the ambient sound pressure and the instantaneous sound pressure caused by a noise source The sound pressure is expressed in Pascal s Pa Page 118 Sound Pressure Level Lp Like sound pressure this is the difference between the ambient sound pressure and the instantaneous sound pressure caused by a noise source however the sound pressure level is expressed in decibels dB P Lp eot Cla o where Prms is the root mean square sound pressure and Po is the reference sound pressure of 20pPa Specific Noise This is the equivalent continuous A weighted sound pressure level at the assessment position produced by the specific noise source over a given reference time interval Speed of Sound c The speed at which sound travels through a given medium The speed of sound in air is determined by the air itself it is not dependent on the amplitude or frequency of the sound wave and can be calculated using the following equation temp degC _4 Cain 331 3 1 Threshold Sound Level Lt This is the level at below which the noise dose is not accumulated Where available Castle instrumentation has selections of OFF 5dB or 10dB As an example if the threshold is set at 5dB then arithmetically subtract 5d
75. igned to take all the hassle out of equipment calibration Maintain Instrument Calibrations Hassle Free Administration Discounted Calibration Fees Single Source Supplier Castle Rent Rental is a great way to have the use of measurement equipment without having to own it especially is capital budgets are tight or it tax is an issue If you need a short term solution additional equipment to boost your capabilities or if contract based tax deduction is important then Rental could well be the way to go Go to our website to find the huge range of equipment we have available You might also like to make use of our ex rental purchase as a way of keeping your equipment costs down e Easy on Cash Flow e Shortor Long Term Rentals e Letthe Taxman Pay on Contracts e Try Before You Buy e A weeks for the Price of 3 e No On going Maintenance If it exists we ll even source equipment for you www castlegroup co uk 01723 584250 Chapter 1 Introduction Thank you for purchasing your product from Castle Group Ltd The Sonus range of pocket sound level meters brings simplicity and power to the worlds of Noise at Work and Environmental sound monitoring From a basic sound pressure meter to full data logging combined sound and dose meter the range of systems covers a wide diversity of applications Portability of instrumentation is essential for effective noise measurement As the name indicates the Castle Sonus Pocke
76. ineering Control Solutions Risk Management Health Surveillance Services Health and Safety Department Support Service Castle Care Maintaining calibrations on measuring equipment is absolutely essential to the integrity of your data At Castle we can calibrate virtually anything you have that can measure We pride ourselves in fast as possible turnaround times and can normally give up front prices for almost any equipment Whether you have an anemometer or a zero g accelerometer then call us for a price on 01723 584250 e Ifit Measures and can be done we ll Calibrate it e UKAS Certificates Available e Multiple levels of Calibration Equipment Types Covered Air quality meters Air sampling pumps Air sampling calibrators Anemometers Audiometers Balances Scales Barometers Dosemeters Electrical test equipment Force meters Gas Detectors Hygrometers Light meters Manometers Moisture meters Noise meters Pressure meters Sound level meters Sound Analysers Strain gauges Tachometers Thermometers Thermo hygrometers Thickness meters Timers Vibration meters Vibration analysers Weighing equipment Castle Contract If peace of mind for equipment calibrations is important to you and it should be then check out our contract calibration deals We will give you discounted fixed annualpricing for selections of equipment and we will undertake to ensure calibration is maintained to your schedule This is des
77. ing Your Sonus Meter Battery POWER hed nw TR MUT External Power Pre Amplifier IR eidele EE 114 Pressure to Free Field Correctlon 22 29 R Record Mode RE dee EE 49 Model E Identifying erret er NEE EE 50 Model L Identifying ai cse oe eee RIO EUER covet eet ees 50 Models I B Identifying teet eb e e e ERU Re NIS 49 Record AA A ete cutie die e e RE xe EE Flag 41 E EE 49 54 e HEIN ET 117 du EE 117 Root Mean Square rms entere eere enn 117 S Set D faults i emet ee ra ed GI 47 Klee 8 Sonus Variations Sonus B EIN Ve 3 GA2 GB viii Ad ve Medan EE nice ets 3 EE 3 SOMUS Ex so oes cec eet ker ea C Pe PENNE eene e odo e RTL UT EH A Pe Qu ee xu Ee Ree CORR dE ea 3 Sonus ER EE 3 GAZ TG 7 1 dee ete erae senda Ma doo ea RN 3 Sonus L IC uM E 2 GA2 II 2 GA257 Lite ai Ede dae ct ee cens Hee SD oe oo 2 DDR 117 Sound Exposure SE veer cei saves eere ere eh eere eene ne eov ege 117 Sound Exposure Level Ae 66 118 Sound PO Wei Ee FRINGI REGI NA RAIN SERAIS 118 Sound Power RE ere rere euren ue eene enin 118 Sound Pressure o hr ete re eee De ad E 118 Sound Pressure Level ol 61 119 SPECIFIC e EE 119 Speed of Sourid eoe eer ete n bM even eh reve ed 119 Stop Mode Description oue ere trii E tun iungi 49 Model E Idefitifyinig o et tr RES ERRORS RXMERUS 50 Model L Identifying ee preter Co teretes 50 Models I B IAQ CIR YI Boe P 49 Switching Your Sonus Meter OPT 19 Switching Your Sonus Meter On 19 T Tec
78. ing options will be available Jesc io n Channel 1 FAST Time Weighting Channel 1 SLOW Time Weighting l Channel 1 IMPULSE Time Weighting n 0 Press to confirm a change and the instrument will briefly display DONE Or press c to cancel and return to the Sound Pressure Level display screen For more information on Time Weighting see Time Weighting in Chapter 2 Page 33 Recording Interval Period INTERVAL If an interval period is selected then the instrument will record data at each interval period selected from the log start time Example If a log interval of 1 second is selected and the start time of the log is 10 00 00 then the instrument will log data at 1 second interval periods from the start time 10 00 01 10 00 02 10 00 03 etc until the recording is stopped Approximately 2100 interval periods can be recorded on your instrument before the internal flash memory is full Always ensure the interval period is set accordingly such that the total recording period is suitable Example To record over a period of 10 hours The nearest available selection above an interval period of 17 14 seconds would therefore be chosen i e 1 minute 5 minutes on GA2571 The above calculation is based on an instrument with no logs stored in the internal flash memory If logs are already stored on the instrument then these would need to be taken into account before using the calcula
79. isi tie t PR E PR Ei View Saved Logs LOGS X Delete Saved Logs DELETE D Set Instrument Defaults DEFAULTS 47 Keypad Lock LOCK Toti eet 48 CHAPTER Basa tete a ee 49 stop Record Wades EE 49 Model T amp B Instruments 49 Model L amp E Instruments DU All Models EE 01 Model T amp B Instruments Information Screen Model LU Instruments Information Screen Model E Instruments Information Screen Reset Date e ee ptt tee 04 Models WEE 54 Models LG EE 54 CHAPTER 7 seio dicssa aciei aia 55 ParatrieLers s aste EE t oe dade adn ad 55 Available Parameters Models ep 55 Available Parameters Model 57 Available Parameters Model E D I Parameter Explanations Di Sound Pressure ecc i i a T Equivalent Continuous Sound Level 61 Maximum Sound Pressure Level B2 Peak Keel ut te Ree e tee A HA e eR 62 Daily Personal Noise Exposure Level 63 Noise DOS iia Sete RA Bea ada a EEN 64 Noise Dose per Hour zie ee ttes 65 Pascal Squared Elon 65 sound Exposure Level mnm etm te meme 66 PercentilBs o ot ur Le b Ede rae deseen M eg 66 CHAPTERS csi a 67 Downloading Saved Recordings entente 67 Models L and RR 67 CHAPTER E 68 TEE 68 Available ACCessofl88 aique tpe RR A 68 CHAPTER TO concisa 69 Technical Specification ee epe reete d 69 Instrument Standards siae teda dades debat eddie uaa 69 Me
80. ity of 25mV Pa and model E for microphones with a sensitivity of 50mV Pa Great care must be taken to ensure the microphone and sound meter sensitivities match otherwise incorrect readings will occur Gertifiable Calibration The calibration process includes the microphone pre amplifier and sound level meter Any change in this measurement chain will require a new certifiable calibration Castle Group Ltd offers a complete calibration service offering either a full UKAS calibration or a standard NPL traceable calibration which can be supplied with or without a test report It is recommended that your sound meter instrumentation is calibrated annually to ensure your measuring equipment is completely accurate and fully compliant Removal of Microphone The microphone can be fitted to the pre amplifier by screwing the microphone in 8 clockwise direction ensuring that the pre amplifier spring pin is located centrally in the microphone To remove the microphone unscrew in an anti clockwise direction The microphone has a protection grid which can also be unscrewed and removed great care must be taken to ensure that this is NOT removed Underneath the protection grid is the microphone diaphragm which should never be touched or be subject to dust or dirt Doing so may damage the microphone beyond repair or affect its acoustic response Page 5 Pre Amplifier Removal and Fitting Models GA116L GA116E GA116l GA216L P To
81. levant equation to find the predicted noise rating PNR If LCeq LAeq lt 2 then H M PNR ul 3 Wee LAeq 2 If LCeq LAeq gt 2 then M L PNR M RL ue Laeq 2 Page 110 Therefore as LCeq LAeg 0 2 25 19 PNR 19 ES 1084 103 2 2 PNR 21 7 dB To find the A weighted level at the ear subtract the PNR from LAeg A weighted level at ear LAeg PNR A weighted level at ear 103 2 21 7 82 dBA 4dB Correction applied 86dBA In accordance with the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 the predicted level of noise with hearing protection must be increased by 4dB therefore the quotable predicted noise level taking into account the worn hearing protection is 86dBA Protection Calculation SNR Method This is the easiest but generally the least accurate method for calculating hearing protection Simply measure the C weighted energy equivalent sound level LCeq 101 0 dBC Take the manufacturers ear protector data SNR 28 dB To find the C weighted level at the ear subtract the SNR from LCegq C weighted level at ear LCeq SNR C weighted level at ear 101 0 28 73 dBC 4dB Correction applied 77dBC Note As the SNR method requires C weighted Leq LCeq and A weighted Leq LAeq is a requirement of risk assesments then the HML method should be used in preference to the SNR method Leq See Energy Equivalent Sound Level Minimum rms Level
82. model is a low cost integrating sound level meter that measures simultaneous Leq and peak measurement for assessments and compliance with the Health and Safety at work Act Noise at Work Regulations 1989 Sonus B GA116B Class 1 GA216B Class 2 Available in either class 1 or class 2 this model is a general purpose low cost non integrating sound level meter that can assist with compliance to the Health and Safety at Work Act Noise at Work Regulations 1989 GA257B Dose Meter A low cost dedicated Dose Meter giving a simultaneous Daily Noise Exposure Level Lep d and peak measurement Zpk for assessments to the Noise at Work Regulations 1989 Page 3 Chapter 2 Microphone Measurement microphones by the very nature of their manufacture are precision components that are easily damaged through incorrect use Great care must be taken when using the instrument to ensure the longevity of the microphone Please note that depending on your instrument model it may be supplied with a protective white plastic cap covering the end of the microphone If supplied this cap must be removed prior to using the instrument Microphone Types Three different types of microphone are manufactured each designed for measuring noise in different applications which is out of the scope of this manual Each one however has a different sound incidence angle The sound incidence angle determines the angle the instrument is held relative to the
83. n Casjle GROUP Castle Sonus Range Sound Level Meter amp Dose Meter Operating Manual www castlegroup co uk Castle Sonus Range Sound Level amp Dose Meter Operating Manual Published by Castle Group Ltd Castle Group Ltd Salter Road Scarborough North Yorkshire YO11 3UZ UK Copyright O Castle Group Ltd 2012 All rights reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic mechanical photocopying recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the copyright holder Printed in the UK HB 0116 005 A5 Rev B Thank you for buying a Castle product am sure you will find both the goods and the service to be of the highest quality but if not then please feel free to write to me personally and will ensure that your needs are dealt with immediately This manual is designed to show you the operation of the goods you have purchased and a very brief insight into acoustics itself If you would like to become a competent person in the eyes of the law then you may like to know more about our Competent Persons training course for the Noise at Work Regulations You can visit www castletrainingacademy com to find out more Castle Group has become the leading supplier of solutions for health and safety environmental compliance and plant maintenance and monitoring with an ever expanding offer comprising equipment for sale or r
84. n factors for atmospheric pressure and microphone type have been accounted for The pressure to free field correction value to be applied when used with a Castle calibrator GABO1 GA607 or a B8K4231 is as follows Calibrator Correction dB Castle GA607 0 2 Castle GA601 0 2 B amp K4231 0 2 Press and the instrument will calibrate to the level of the calibrator The instrument will countdown from five seconds and the display will show WAIT 5s When calibrated the display will show DONE and will return to the Sound Pressure Level display The instrument is now ready to take measurements If the calibration is interrupted or the input level is not within 3dB of the chosen reference level then the display will show CAL FAIL An error message of NO INPUT is shown if the input level is lower than or greater than 3dB Check to make sure the calibrator is switched on and emitting the correct level before proceeding again as indicated above Page 29 Instrument Settings SETUP In the menu display screen use the 4 v arrow keys as required until the following is displayed SETUP Press to enter the SETUP sub menu page Depending on your instrument model the following Setup options are available Instruments GA1 16L GA216L GA116E GA257L Display instrument CONTRAST Set Display Contrast ALL TIME Set Real Time Clock See User Mode for further details Page 30
85. n itself P Lp 20 vo dB D Where Po is the reference sound pressure of 20yPa and P is the rms value of the sound pressure measured One of the main benefits of using the decibel is its ability to represent very large numbers with smaller more manageable ones The table below highlights this and shows the ratio of the measured quantity to a reference its scientific exponential form and its corresponding dB value using the equation given above Measured Ratio Exponential Form 20 09 2 dB o 1 10 0 10 10 20 100 10 40 1000 10 60 10000 10 80 100000 10 100 1000000 10 120 10000000 10 140 100000000 10 160 1000000000 10 180 10000000000 10 200 Page 99 It is worth noting that a doubling or halving of the sound pressure causes a 6dB change in the sound pressure level Example If the sound pressure doubles in value as an example from 1Pa to 2Pa then the sound pressure level will increase by 6dB 1 2 Lp 20 log cB Lp 20 log cB 20 10 20 10 Lp 94dB Lp 100dB Although an increase of 6dB represents a doubling of the sound pressure an increase of approximately 10dB is required before the sound is perceived as being twice as loud Approximately 3dB in sound pressure level is the smallest change we can detect If however the sound power doubles or halves then the sound power level change will be 3dB This is commonly
86. n pass by and many other environmental applications With the total sound exposure normalised to 1 second regardless of the time period of the event each individual sound exposure level can be compared with each other As the LAe is normalised to a period of 1 second the value it produces is almost always greater than the maximum rms sound pressure level for the same noise event Again as this a cumulative measurement be aware that low noise events recorded over a longer period may give the same or greater sound exposure level as noise events with higher levels recorded over a shorter period of time An example screen display may be Frequency Weighting Percentiles These are more commonly known as Ln s and are expressed in decibels The selected Ln displays the A frequency weighted and time weighted sound pressure level that has been exceeded for n of the time For example if the selected Ln is L90 then the value shown is the sound pressure level that has been exceeded for 90 of the time period In the UK standard BS 4142 L90 is described as the Background Level Percentiles are used widely for measuring environmental noise An example screen display may be L90 67 5 Percentile Selected Page 66 Chapter 8 Downloading Saved Recordings Models L and E As standard all model L and E instruments are shipped with Castle s noise analysis software dBdataPro LITE The full version
87. nal polarisation voltage must be applied across the condenser microphone for it to operate Electret condenser microphones operate using the same principle as condenser microphones with the exception that they do not need an external power source which is created during manufacture by using permanently charged materials All current Castle sound meters use electret condenser microphones Noise Noise is generally regarded as unwanted sound See also Ambient Noise Background Noise Pink Noise White Noise and Sound Page 112 Noise Dose This is the amount of noise a person is subject to over a work shift and is expressed as a percentage The noise dose is calculated using the criterion level LC criterion duration TC which is 8 hours exchange rate Q and the total measurement time T tc EES 100T Toga Dose In the UK the criterion level is 85dBA and therefore 100 dose 85dBA for an 8 Hour Shift Each time the sound level increases by 3dB the dose doubles given the same measurement time similarly if the sound level decreases by 3dB the dose will halve for the same measurement time See the following table 94 8 800 91 8 400 88 8 200 85 8 100 82 8 50 79 8 25 Doubling the measurement time doubles the dose and halving the measurement time halves the dose given the same sound level See the table below 85 32 400 85 16 200 85 8 100 85
88. ngs of as little as 5 minutes assuming all the variations in the noise emissions are captured Also be aware that low noise levels with Exposure Times over a longer period may give the same Dose as noises with higher levels with Exposure Times over a shorter period Noise Dose is also governed by the settings of Criterion Threshold and Exchange Rate In the UK a Criterion of 85dB with a 3dB Exchange Rate is used for Noise at Work assessments 85dBA Lep d is also the UK Upper Action Value as stated in the Noise at Work Regulations 2005 The Criterion is the sound level that if continually applied for the working shift typically 8 hours will produce a Dose value of 100 Therefore in the UK if an employee is subject to a noise level of 85dB continually for 8 hours then they will be subject to 100 Dose This is the maximum allowable dose percentage an employee can be subject to before action must be taken The Exchange Rate is the amount by which the permitted noise level increases when the exposure time is halved or vice versa therefore in the UK this value is 3dB As an example if 8 hours is the maximum period for a continuous noise level of 85cB then 4 hours is the maximum time period an employee maybe subject to a continuous noise level of 88dB Page 64 Other countries may use different Criterion levels and Exchange Rate values for their legislation The Threshold is the sound level at below which the Dose is not accumulat
89. of the software is available by purchasing a license key consult your software user manual or contact Castle for further details Using the software dBdataPro it is possible to download the stored recordings on your meter to your PC allowing the data to be viewed and printed in professional reports Communication between a PC and your Sonus meter is made via the 9 pin connector at the right side of your instrument to a free USB port on your PC or laptop The cable is supplied as standard with all Sonus L and E instruments Your Sonus L or E Instrument has specialised USB drivers that MUST be installed correctly for the instrument to successfully download For comprehensive instructions please refer to the dBdataPro user manual The instrument does not need to be placed in any special mode or any menu option selected to download simply follow the operational instructions for the software and also ensure the following Supplied USB drivers are installed correctly Instrument is ON Communication cable attached to instrument and PC dBdataPro software Version 3 2 or higher is installed It is highly recommended that data is not downloaded whilst the instrument is currently in Record mode and recording data Under such circumstances it is possible that transferred data may become corrupt Page 67 Chapter 9 Accessories Available Accessories GA607 Dual Level Calibra
90. om short recordings of 5 minutes assuming all the variations in the noise emissions are captured Also be aware that low noise levels with Exposure times over a longer period may give the same Lep d as noises with higher levels with Exposure Times over a shorter period An example screen display may be Lep 82 0 Page 63 Noise Dose This is more commonly known as Dose and is expressed as a percentage The Noise Dose represents the total noise received by an employee over the working day and is therefore not only a function of the noise level but also of the time the employee is exposed to it Dose is similar to Lep d but as dose is represented as a percentage the daily total dose can be calculated from partial dose values by simply adding them together or using the Exposure Calculator in dBdataPro Dose in general however is measured for the complete shift using a dose meter which the employee wears for the entire shift resulting in a total daily dose figure Alternatively if required you may measure individual partial tasks the employee undertakes throughout the shift for shorter periods and adjust the Exposure Time on the instrument Exposure Time on your Sonus instrument is displayed as ET if an ET is not entered then the Measurement Time MT is used instead Remember that the longer the noise level is recorded over then the more accurate the result will be although it is possible to take valid Dose readings from short recordi
91. on this earth and to protect the environment for future generations it is important that we are all aware of the consequences of our actions and how we can make a difference There are various collection systems in place within the EU for the disposal of your product To find the nearest UK waste recycling point in your area enter your postcode in the website www recycle more co uk For more information please contact your local authority the dealer where you purchased your product or Castle Group Ltd Page 123 Disclaimer Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of both the instrument described and the associated documentation Castle Group Ltd makes no representation or warranties as to the completeness or accuracy of this information Castle Group Ltd assumes no responsibility or liability for any injury loss or damage incurred as a result of misinterpreted or inaccurate information Any documentation supplied with your product is subject to change without notice Instrument Details For your records and for future correspondence with Castle Group Ltd regarding your instrument please complete the following details tul Page 124 A AG OD dee geed ee AANEREN ENEE ENEE ida ta 88 89 ACCESS A A A T 68 ege 96 Ambient e acte cre db OB IE ARR EAR ER CREAR ES codes 97 Audio Frequency Range cccocococcnnnonccononononnnononnononnnnnoncnnnononnnnnnnonannnonannnnnos 97 uk Me lun EE 9
92. ontains complete operating instructions for the Castle Sonus Meter read it carefully and you will quickly become familiar with your instrument and its operation If you do encounter problems with the operation of your instrument please fee free to contact customer support with your enquiry on 44 01723 583728 techsupport castlegroup co uk sales castlegroup co uk Contents IMIGRO BNO GS 1h oerte tme ttti o e on RR 4 Microphone Types Free Field Pressure Random Incidence Microphone Polarisation Externally Polarised Pre Polarised Mulle geielelvEE Ee D Gentifiable CAMION cin bea oe debet AA 5 Removal of Microphone sD Pre Amplifier Removal and Fitting 8 Models GA1 16L GA116E GA1161 8 GA21BLEP EE 6 Microphone Extension Cable Models GA116L GA116E amp GA216L 6 CHAPTER E D 7 Measurindg 9ouide Asante onini hit e ted d dtu 7 Sound Level General Advice EEN 7 Reflections EE 8 Time Weighting 8 Slow Weighting 8 Fast E DE 8 Impulse Weighting Models GA116E GA116L amp GA216L Only 8 Frequency Weighting Filters EE 9 A Weighting cc 9 C Weighting 8 LZ Weighting Zero Models E amp L Only 9 Overload and Under Range Conditions 10 Overload Condition 10 Under Range Condition 11 Measuring Honges EE 18 Changing Range All
93. p Ltd for up to date information Case Reflections Stalk length 62mm from top of case body to base of microphone Frequency Hz Case Effect dB Frequency Hz Case Effect dB 31 5 0 0 800 0 2 40 0 0 1000 0 0 50 0 0 1250 0 3 63 0 0 1600 0 2 80 0 0 2000 0 5 100 0 0 2500 0 4 125 0 0 3150 0 2 160 0 0 4000 0 2 200 0 0 5000 0 1 250 0 1 6300 0 1 315 0 1 8000 0 0 400 0 1 10000 0 0 500 0 1 12500 0 2 630 0 1 16000 0 0 Page 87 Output Socket GA116l Wiring Configuration Both AC and DC outputs require load impedance s to exceed 10kQ however load impedance s gt 100KQ are recommended Output Socket Pin Number Description 1 Ground 2 DC Output 3 AC Output External View AC Output Vout 16 4mV rms at 94 0dB The output is un weighted and not affected by the measurement range DC Output Vout 40mV dB Vout 3 3 top of range 3 reading in dB x 0 04 Output affected by Frequency Weighting Measurement Range Page 88 GA116L GA116E GA216L GA257L Wiring Configuration The AC output pins 5 amp 6 require the load impedance to exceed 10kQ however load impedance s gt 100KQ are recommended Output Socket Pin Number Description 1 USB VCC USB D USB D USB Ground Analogue Ground AC Output Digital Ground External PSU Not Used O O IN OD oa R wy w
94. p d is calculated from using the equivalent continuous A weighted sound pressure level LAeq See Function Equations to see how Lep d is described mathematically In practice when measuring noise it is possible to take Lep d readings with your instrument of short duration i e less than five minutes providing all variations of noise emissions are covered If the measured environment changes greatly then the longer the Lep d reading is taken the more accurate the measurement will be Page 98 Decibel dB dB is simply an abbreviation for the term decibel and one decibel is one tenth of a Bel The unit Bel is named after the scientist Alexander Graham Bell but is not widely used A decibel value is dimensionless and is therefore not a value of the measured quantity it is a ratio of the measured quantity to a reference quantity Choosing the reference quantity to be the quietest sound that can be detected by a human ear 2OuPa we obtain a scale that expresses the measured sound pressure level relative to the threshold of hearing It is a logarithmic form of a measurement that expresses the magnitude of a physical quantity relative to a reference and is used commonly in electronics Science and acoustics to measure the sound pressure level The threshold of hearing is therefore OdB P Lp 20 vo dB SPL D The term dB SPL is generally abbreviated to just dB incorrectly giving the impression that the dB is a unit i
95. ployee is exposed to it It is calculated using the Leq and is an essential parameter for Noise at Work assessments The time period an employee is exposed to the noise level is commonly known as the Exposure Time and this can be adjusted on your instrument to give partial Lep d levels for the employee Exposure Time on your Sonus instrument is displayed as ET The Lep reading on your Sonus instrument is the Lep d for the given Exposure Time ET as set on the instrument If an ET value is not entered than the Measurement Time MT is used in the calculation instead As an example an employee may undertake a total of 4 tasks throughout their working day and each task taking 2 hours The noise levels for each task will therefore be recorded and the Exposure Time set to how long the employee is subject to this particular task in this case 2 hours The total Lep d can then be calculated using the 4 partial Lep d levels This is possible using the Exposure Calculator function within the software dBdataPro It is the total Lep d that is used to compare with Exposure Action values and Exposure Limit Value as stated in the Noise at Work Regulations In the UK the noise exposure limit and action values are as follows 80dBA Lower Action Value 85dBA Upper Action Value 87dBA Limit Value Remember that the longer the noise level is recorded over then the more accurate the result will be although it is possible to take valid Lep d readings fr
96. re Level The rise and fall times applied for Fast Weighting are 125m Seconds Impulse Weighting Models GA116E GA116L amp GA216L Only Allows your meter to show rapid rises in the noise level but has a very slow decay The rise and fall times for Impulse Weighting are 35m Seconds and 1 5 Seconds respectively Page 8 Frequency Weighting Filters Frequency Weightings are where the Sound Pressure Level SPL is modified by use of filtering All Sonus Pocket Meters use electronic frequency weighting filters between the standardised frequencies of 10Hz and 20 000Hz Depending on your instrument type see Technical Specifications for further details the following standardised frequency weightings are available A Weighting The SPL is filtered in such a manner as to reflect the hearing response of a human ear The signal is progressively attenuated at the higher and lower ends of the audible frequency range but much more attenuation occurs at the lower end of the audible frequency range Generally this is the most commonly used frequency weighting C Weighting The signal is progressively attenuated at the higher and lower ends of the audible frequency range however the attenuation at the lower end is much less than with A Weighting The response has a flat area between 200Hz and 1250Hz and has 3dB points at 31 5Hz and 8kHz It is generally used for the acoustic emissions of machinery and for peak sound levels Z
97. re is no Condensation relative to the value at 50 relative humidity and 40 C Storage range O to 90 relative humidity in the absence of condensation Page 85 Effects of Vibration From 20Hz to 1kHz at 1ms no noticeable effect Magnetic Field No noticeable effect Radio Frequency Fields The Sonus Pocket meter range falls into classification X for the susceptibility to Radio Frequency Fields Operator Presence in Free Field No noticeable effect when operator standing more than 2m behind the instrument Overload Positive overload warning when the input circuit saturates Log Interval Periods Models L amp E Only User Selectable with a minimum integrating period of one second Maximum potential log size approximately 2100 intervals Timer Function Models L amp E Only An adjustable countdown timer to stop recordings with a user defined total measurement period Time amp Date Models L amp E Only Battery backed Real time clock and calendar Overall Dimensions 210mm x 60mm x 35mm approx Page 86 Batteries 1 x 9V PPS Alkaline Cell Life Expectancy 12 hours continuous use approx Min Battery Level 5 4V DC Max Battery Level 9 4V DC Overall Weight including Batteries 220g Manufacturers Data Uncertainty figures for all manufacturers data are under review at the time of going to print Please contact Castle Grou
98. re to environmental issues businesses have to be careful Neighbours are increasingly aware of theirs right to complain and the environmental agencies are looking for industry to clean up its act Simply call us on 01723 584250 if you have any environmental compliance issues and we will work with you to find the best way forward Noise for Planning Complaint Management Ground Bourne amp Building Vibration Stack Emissions Monitoring Environmental Air Sampling Water Quality Testing MAINTENANCE AND DIAGNOSTICS Production plant needs maintenance and if this can be done only when needed then cost savings can be huge Condition monitoring offers the ability carry out predictive maintenance so shut down is only when you plan it and only when it s needed It is very simple to work out if this is the right approach for your business so give us a call on 01723 584250 so we find out how much you could save Vibration Monitoring Systems Vibration Meters Temperature Monitoring System Thermometers Thermal Imaging Diagnostic Vibration Analysis Tachometers Inspection Endoscopes Services Castle Training Academy Competence and Compliance training is essentially all about obtaining the knowledge and skills required to get the job done This is precisely how Castle courses are set out with a high degree of practical hands on experience mixed with some background theory and a lot of job specific information and disc
99. rophone GA1 16l GA116L ACO Ye Electret Condenser Microphone Cartridge Type 7146A Microphone reference point is the centre of the diaphragm Type MK80 ACO 7146A Specification Diameter inch 0 5 Response Type Free Field Polarization V 0 0 Frequency Range Hz 10 20000 Sensitivity mV Pa 25 0 Sensitivity dB re 1V Pa 32 0 1 5dB Capacitance pF 18 0 Max Sound Pressure Level dB 146 0 Temperature Coefficient dB C 0 01 The pressure to free field correction value to be applied when used with a Castle calibrator GA601 GA607 or BSK4231 is as follows O 2dB The capsule can be removed by unscrewing anti clockwise although great care must be taken when doing this to avoid damage to either the capsule or the instrument Re fitting is a reverse of the above Type MK80 ACO 7146A Typical Microphone Response 16Hz 0 0 1kHz 0 0 31 5Hz 0 0 2kHz 0 0 63Hz 0 0 4kHz D 1 125Hz 0 0 8kHz 0 7 250Hz 0 0 16kHz 1 0 500Hz 0 0 Typical Actuator to free field correction factors dB of an MK80 ACO 71484 microphone Based on 500Hz 0 250Hz 0 0 2 5kHz 1 0 315Hz 0 0 3 15kHz 1 2 400Hz 0 0 4kHz 1 5 500Hz 0 0 SkHz 2 0 630Hz 0 0 6 3kHz 2 5 800Hz 0 0 8kHz 3 8 1kHz 0 0 10kHz 4 6 1 25kHz 0 2 12 5kHz 6 8 1 6kHz 0 4 16kHz 8 8 2kHz 0 5 20kHz 10 0 Page 81 Microphone GA1 16E ACO Ye Electret Conden
100. ry selecting a lower range My readings are within range but keep getting OVERLOAD flashing on the screen why is this The overload is triggered by the Peak reading whereas Lp and Leq are rms figures which are lower Some noises feature very high peaks compared to the rms Page 122 Instrument Disposal The symbol shown to the left can be found on your instrument and means that the product is classed as electrical or electronic equipment and should be disposed of at the end of its life separately to your commercial or household waste mm The Waste of Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive 2002 96 EC has been established to help reduce the influx on landfill sites and effectively treat hazardous substances by using best practices for the recovery and recycling of products Over 75 of waste electrical goods end up in landfill where lead and other toxins contained in the electrical goods can cause soil and water contamination This can have a very harmful effect on natural habitat wildlife and also human health When situated near populated areas these toxins can cause problems to communities as their water and soil is polluted Many of the electrical items that we throw away can be repaired or recycled Recycling items helps to save natural finite resources and also reduces the environmental and health risks associated with sending waste electrical goods to landfill To minimise our impact
101. separately plug your Power Adapter Cable into the 9 pin Lemo connector located at the right side of the instrument Ensure the red dots are aligned before insertion Insert the DC power supply into the DC socket on the adapter cable Ensure the DC power supply is plugged into a mains socket and switch on power to the socket Your Sonus meter is equipped with a four stage battery level indicator this is displayed during the power up sequence and can also be viewed using the information key BAT SEE BAT MEN BAT NN BAT M A series of four bars indicates that the battery is fully charged whilst only one bar indicates the battery is almost flat It is strongly recommended that if the instrument is displaying only one bar that the battery is replaced as soon as possible When the battery charge is too low for the instrument to operate the instrument will flash the following message BAT LOW All meters will shut down and Models L and E instruments will automatically save any data if the instrument is in Record Mode Page 18 Switching Your Sonus Meter On Off To turn on your instrument press and hold the Power On Off key for approximately one second Your meter will display the start up screen and initialise any saved settings Once the start up sequence is complete the instrument is placed in Stop Mode and the parameter sound pressure level is displayed It is recommended that you calibrate your instrument before
102. ser Microphone Cartridge Type 7146 Microphone reference point is the centre of the diaphragm Type MK75 ACO 7146 Specification Diameter inch 0 5 Response Type Free Field Polarization V 0 0 Frequency Range Hz 10 20000 Sensitivity mV Pa 50 0 Sensitivity dB re 1V Pa 26 0 1 5dB Capacitance pF 18 0 Max Sound Pressure Level dB 146 0 Temperature Coefficient dB C 0 01 The pressure to free field correction value to be applied when used with a Castle calibrator GA601 GA607 or B amp K42371 is as follows 0 2dB The capsule can be removed by unscrewing anti clockwise although great care must be taken when doing this to avoid damage to either the capsule or the instrument Re fitting is a reverse of the above Type MK75 ACO 7148 Typical Microphone Response 16Hz 0 0 1kHz 0 0 31 5Hz 0 0 2kHz 0 0 63Hz 0 0 4kHz D 1 125Hz 0 0 8kHz 0 7 250Hz 0 0 16kHz 1 0 500Hz 0 0 Typical Actuator to free field correction factors dB of an MK75 ACO 7146 microphone Based on 500Hz 0 250Hz 0 0 2 5kHz 1 0 315Hz 0 0 3 15kHz 1 2 400Hz 0 0 4kHz 1 5 500Hz 0 0 SkHz 2 0 630Hz 0 0 6 3kHz 2 5 800Hz 0 0 8kHz 3 8 1kHz 0 0 10kHz 4 6 1 25kHz 0 2 12 5kHz 6 8 1 6kHz 0 4 16kHz 8 8 2kHz 0 5 20kHz 10 0 Page 82 Microphone GA21 61 GA216B GA216L GA257B GA257L MK79 ACO e Electret Condenser Microphone
103. splay the currently selected User Mode indicated with an asterisk Scroll through the available options using the 4 w arrow keys Display Description ALL Select MODE ALL Now Select MODE Noise At Work ENV Select MODE Environmental Press to confirm a change and the instrument will briefly display DONE Or press c to cancel and return to the Sound Pressure Level display screen Selecting a User Mode sets the instrument as follows Mode Description ALL Freq Weighting A C Time Weighting Fast Fast Percentiles ON New Freq Weighting A C Time Weighting Fast Fast Percentiles OFF ENV Freq Weighting A C Time Weighting Fast Fast Percentiles ON See Parameters Chapter 6 for further information on viewable and recorded parameters based on the selected User Mode Page 44 View Saved Logs LOGS Select this option to view saved logs on your instruments display Only cumulative information is available to view on the instrument if you wish to view this and recorded interval data then download the data via a USB port into the supplied software dBdataPro LITE or dBdataPro if registered Logs are sorted by date and time first select the date the recording was made and then select the time using the following procedure In the MENU display screen use the 4 v arrow keys as required until the following is displayed If no logs are available this option is not shown
104. ss 1 A C and Z weightings according to IEC 61672 1 Class 1 A and C weightings according to IEC 61672 1 Class 2 A C and Z weightings according to IEC 61672 1 Class 2 A weighting according to IEC 61672 1 Class 2 Page 71 Peak Frequency Weighting C weighted to IEC 61672 1 Class 1 A C and Z weighted to IEC 61672 1 Class 1 C weighted to IEC 61672 1 Class 2 A C and Z weighted to IEC 61672 1 Class 2 Z weighted to IEC 61672 1 Class 2 Typical Electrical Self Generated Noise Level GA116E 12 0 12 0 14 5 GA116L 18 6 18 2 20 6 GA216L 25 3 35 7 39 6 GA257L 56 9 56 5 568 GA116l 32 0 38 0 NA GA216l 32 0 38 0 N A GA216B 32 0 38 0 N A GA257B 54 5 54 5 NA Taken on GA257L operating range of 70 140dB and 75 140dB for GA257B The lower limit of measurement and the actual noise floors are a function of the microphone sensitivity Page 72 Linear Operating Range IEC 61672 2002 Model L Instruments Test start point for frequencies 31 5Hz 1kHz 4kHz and 8kHz GA116L GA216L 30 100 dB 74 0 35 100 dB 74 0 50 120 dB 94 0 50 120 dB 94 0 70 140 dB 114 0 70 140 dB 114 0 A Weighted GA116L 30 100dB 320 606 320 1000 320 1000 32 0 100 0 50 120 dB 50 0 80 6 50 0 1200 50 0 120 0 50 0 119 0 70 140dB 70 0 100 6 700 1400 70 0 1400 70 0 140 0
105. ss and the instrument will display the currently selected Threshold Level indicated with an asterisk Scroll through the available options using the 4 w arrow keys Display 10dB 5dB OFF Press to confirm or c to cancel and return to the Sound Pressure Level display screen Keypad Lock LOCK OK In the MENU display screen use the 4 v arrow keys as required until the following is displayed LOCK OK Press to confirm the instrument is placed in Lock mode and the instrument displays the battery status To UNLOCK the keypad press the following keys in the sequence shown below OGO The LOCK feature is used to lock the instrument keypad All keypad functions are therefore disabled including the POWER key The function is often used to avoid inadvertent operation or tampering while the instrument is being used Page 26 Display Contrast CONT lt OK Select to adjust the contrast level of your instrument In the MENU display screen use the 4 v arrow keys as required until the following is displayed CONT OK Press and the instrument will display the following or c to cancel and return to the Sound Pressure Level display screen CONT ADJ Use the 4 v arrow keys to adjust the contrast as required Press to confirm a change and the instrument will briefly display DONE Or press c to cancel and return to the Sound Pressure Level display screen Page 27 Models G
106. t Z weighting See Frequency Weighted Filter Page 120 Chapter 13 Customer Instrument Support Warranty and After Sales Service Castle Group Ltd design and manufacture precision instruments which if treated with reasonable care and attention should provide many years of trouble free service In the event of a fault occurring during the warranty period the instrument should be returned to Castle Group Ltd in its original packaging or to an authorized agent Please enclose a clear description of the fault or symptom Details of the warranty cover are available from Castle Group Ltd or an authorized agent All instruments are designed to meet rigid British and International Standards An annual calibration is recommended to ensure that these high standards are maintained This is particularly important for cases in which instrument readings are to be used in litigation or compliance work For warranty and service return to The Service Department Castle Group Ltd Salter Road Cayton Low Road Industrial Estate Scarborough North Yorkshire YO11 3UZ United Kingdom Telephone 44 0 1723 584250 Fax 44 0 1723 583728 Email techsupport castlegroup co uk Web www castlegroup co uk Any misuse or unauthorized repairs will invalidate the warranty Damage caused by faulty or leaking batteries is not covered by the warranty Page 121 Trouble Shooting Guide Question Answer My instrument
107. t Defaults eese eene 47 Navigating All Model 20 User Operating Mode ccccecsessscccecececsaesecececeeseeaseeseeeceeseaeseeseseeeseea 44 View Saved LOS idet v ede e ees 45 Maximum rms Level max 62 112 Measuring Ranges Available Ranges eterne tirer ennt teneo etn aiea a neun 12 Measuring Sound General Advice a Tate ind 7 hielt D 8 Time Weighting Fast sostuvo td euet ei tige cole woes M E EE 8 Impulse t me ERE RETE PERGERET 8 HOW ici 8 MA NN 34 Memory Remaining aaa eaaa dasoa a anaE 52 53 Microphone Microphone Polarisation SAANA EI EIA o EEE E EAEE 4 Pre Polarised ninaa n a AE ea ANEA Ee E ANEA A Nana 4 Microphone Sensitivity eese eee 5 Microphone Types Free A ERR Seu 4 NET 4 Random Wl leie Ee 3 anre te Pi e o aseo do 4 Operation MEC EE ese 112 REmoOWallic eiert eon cere tee ad 5 Microphone Extension Cable e le TEE 6 unten 6 Minimum rms Level min 111 Dp 44 N National Physical Laboratory esses ennemis 5 NO INPUT costs cscs LR EN 22 29 Noise re TE 97 Backgrourid et teret ye ees te EE 97 DOSe eet ec ei E 113 EXPOSUMG eM tips 63 IS vie DIR EE 102 FIG OR ep I 114 PO a neris 116 AA EE 117 SI EE 119 What is DIE DRE 112 WHILE ee REIS RIEN ER 120 NOISE Boris D NENNEN 64 113 Noise Dose per HoU n eritar cath oes eee e eue nhe o eo ae qaa AEN ege 65 Noise Exposure LIMITS eee nns 102 NOISE
108. t Meter packs all the necessary features into pocket sized proportions Future Proof The built in firmware for these meters is designed to suit future upgrading for feature enhancements legislative changes or instrument upgrades Details are mailed to customers as soon as they become available With the Castle range of Sonus Pocket meters you will always be in step with the law and market requirements Periodic enhancements or bug fixes to the software will be supplied free of charge for a period of one year from the purchase date Page 1 Sonus Variations Sonus L GA116L Class 1 Ln s User Selectable Modes GA216L Class 2 Ln s User Selectable Modes Available in either class 1 or class 2 this top of the range model is a Noise at Work and Environmental Sound Meter boasting a combined Integrating Sound Level Meter and Dose Meter with full data logging capability Simply unplug the Sound Meter Microphone and plug in the Dose Meter cable to convert to a fully functional Dose Meter Model GA1 16L Only This model also features dual measurement capability meaning two versions of applicable parameters can be measured simultaneously This feature means you only ever need to measure once to capture all the data you need The instrument has user selectable operating modes for instant automatic setup of the instrument for Noise at Work or Environmental parameters Alternatively the instrument can be configured manually to m
109. t will display the following ONE LOG Scroll through the available options using the 4 w arrow keys Mode Description ONE LOG Delete Individual Saved Logs ALL LOGS Delete ALL Saved Logs Press to confirm or c to cancel and return to the parameter display screen If ONE LOG is selected then the available logs are sorted by date and time first select the date the recording was made and then select the time using the following procedure Scroll through the available dates using the a v arrow keys Press to exit and return to previous screen without selection or to confirm the selection the instrument will then display the currently saved logs by time recorded Scroll through the available times using the 4 wv arrow keys Press to exit without selection and return to the date list or to confirm the selection For either ONE LOG or ALL LOGS the following is displayed CONFIRM Press to confirm or c to cancel to select a different log When deleted the instrument will return to the parameter display screen Page 46 Set Instrument Defaults DEFAULTS In the MENU display screen use the 4 v arrow keys as required until the following is displayed DEFAULTS Press and the instrument displays the followings CONFIRM Press to confirm or c to cancel and return to the parameter display screen Default settings are as follows where applicable
110. tion See Chapter 5 for more information In the SETUP display screen use the 4 v arrow keys as required until the following is displayed INTERVAL Press and the instrument will display the currently selected Interval Period indicated with an asterisk Page 34 Scroll through the available Interval Periods using the 4 w arrow keys Display Description OFF Intervals OFF Cumulative Data Only 1s 1 second interval period 10s 10 second interval period 1m 1 minute interval period 5m 5 minute interval period 10m 10 minute interval period 15m 15 minute interval period 30m 30 minute interval period 60m 1 hour interval period 8hr 8 hour interval period 12hr 12 hour interval period Not available on instrument GA257L If an interval period is not required select OFF Only cumulative data will then be displayed recorded Press to confirm a change and the instrument will briefly display DONE Or press c to cancel and return to the Sound Pressure Level display screen Page 35 Display Contrast CONTRAST Select to adjust the contrast level of your instrument The selected contrast level is remembered on model L and E instruments In the SETUP display screen use the 4 v arrow keys as required until the following is displayed CONTRAST Press and the instrument will display the following or c to cancel and return to the Sound Pressure Level displ
111. tion in the user manual to determine its action Use the Up and Down Arrow Keys QO to scroll through the available options Press the key to select the required menu option Some options may also have further sub menus where further options are available Again use the 4 v Arrow Keys to scroll through the available options and use the OK key to accept Depending on your instrument model the following Menu options are available Page 20 Models GA1161 GA216l GA1 16B GA216B GA257B ET E ET lt OK GA116 GA216 GA257B WTG OK GA1161 GA116B EXCH lt OK GA118l GA257B CRIT OK GA118l GA257B THR OK GA118l GA257B LOCK OK GA118l CONT OK Adjust Display Contrast ALL Calibration CAL OK It is recommended that the instrument s calibration is checked and adjusted where necessary with a calibrator before readings being taken The calibration should be re checked after taking readings to confirm the validity of the results The calibrators recommended for use are the Castle GA601 GA607 which supply typically 94dB 104dB relative to 2OuPa pressure at a frequency of 1 kHz Press to check the battery condition scroll to the battery indicator screen using the 4 v arrow keys if required Replace the battery if the indication is low In the MENU display screen use the Ae arrow keys as required until the following is displayed CAL OK Press and the instrument will now display the previous calibration lev
112. tor Class 1 GA601 Single Level Calibrator Class 2 PCOO7 dBdataPro Noise Analysis Software ZL1107 02 USB Download Cable 1 8m KAO20 Weatherproof System MW402 Weatherproof Microphone Housing PSU3 SONUS Power Supply ZL1084 01 Microphone Extension Cable 1m ZL1084 01 AC Output Cable 1m KG205 Windshield 60mm MK75 ACO 7146 50mV Pa Microphone Capsule Class 1 GA116E MK79 ACO 7052 25mV Pa Microphone Capsule Class 2 GA216L GA216l GA2 16B GA257L GA257B MK80 ACO 7146A 25mV Pa Microphone Capsule Class 1 GA118L GA116l MK579DP1B Dose Meter Plug in Microphone Capsule and Assembly KG204 Dose Meter Windshield KG205 Windshield 60mm KAO10 Small Attach Case Holds Instrument and Calibrator 6LR61 9V Battery Pack of 12 Only available for model L and E instruments Page 68 Chapter 10 Technical Specification The individual characteristic applies to each instrument unless specifically worded otherwise Instrument Standards IEC 61672 1 2002 Class 1 Group X BS EN 61672 1 2003 Class 1 Group X IEC 61252 1993 BS EN 61252 1997 A1 2001 IEC 61672 1 2002 Class 1 Group X BS EN 61672 1 8003 Class 1 Group X IEC 61672 1 2002 Class 1 Group X BS EN 81872 1 8003 Class 1 Group X IEC 61672 1 2002 Class 2 Group X BS EN 81872 1 8003 Class 2 Group X IEC 61672 1 2002 Class 2 Group X BS EN 81872 1 2003 Class 2 Group X IEC 61252 1993 BSEN 61252
113. trument can only be changed if the instrument has the User Mode set to ALL See User Mode for further details Channel 1 is always ON and can be either Slow Fast or Impulse time weighted Channel 2 can also independently be either Slow Fast or Impulse time weighted and can be switched OFF either by User Mode selection or selecting only A frequency weighting on channel 1 In the SETUP display screen use the 4 v arrow keys as required until the following is displayed TIME WGT Press and the instrument will display the currently selected Time Weighting indicated with an asterisk Bu e Scroll through the available options using the 4 w arrow keys Display Description EF Channel 1 FAST Time Weighting Channel 2 FAST Time Weighting SF Channel 1 SLOW Time Weighting i Channel 2 FAST Time Weighting LF Channel 1 IMPULSE Time Weighting i Channel 2 FAST Time Weighting FS Channel 1 FAST Time Weighting Channel 2 SLOW Time Weighting ss Channel 1 SLOW Time Weighting Channel 2 SLOW Time Weighting e Channel 1 IMPULSE Time Weighting i Channel 2 SLOW Time Weighting EI Channel 1 FAST Time Weighting i Channel 2 IMPULSE Time Weighting 8I Channel 1 SLOW Time Weighting Channel 2 IMPULSE Time Weighting LI Channel 1 FAST Time Weighting Channel 2 IMPULSE Time Weighting Page 32 If only Channel 1 is selected then only the following Time Weight
114. uency the car produces is the same The observer hears the car approaching but as the car approaches it is getting nearer to the source and as such the sound waves apparent frequency gets higher which is noticed by a higher pitch sound from the car When the car passes by the observer this effect is reversed hence the sound wave frequency decreases which is results in a lower pitch sound from the car Dose See Noise Dose Dynamic Range This is the total range of signal levels that an instrument can utilize between the upper and lower operating boundaries Lower operating boundaries are generally governed by electrical noise whereas the upper operating boundary is generally governed by non linearity due to signal clipping See also Noise Floor Under Range and Overload Page 101 Equivalent Continuous Sound Level Leq Leq is the constant sound level over a given time that has the same sound energy of the varying noise source over the same time period It can be measured using A C or Z frequency weighting LAeq LCeq LZeq 70 4 65 4 Lp z Leg 20 T T T T T T T T 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Time minutes See Function Equations to see how Leq is described mathematically In practice when measuring noise it is possible to take Leq readings with your instrument of short duration i e less than five minutes providing all variations of noise emissions are
115. und Pressure Level display screen Page 40 Record Timer TIMER The Record Timer is a user selectable time that will govern the recording length after a recording has started For example if the Record Timer is set to 00 01 00 hh mm ss then the instrument will automatically end the recording after a period of 1 minute In the SETUP display screen use the 4 v arrow keys as required until the following is displayed TIMER Press and the instrument will display IMR OFF Scroll through the available options using the 4 v arrow keys Display Description TMR 0FF Record Timer OFF TMR ON Record Timer ON Press to confirm your selection or c to cancel If TMR ON is selected then the following time entry screen is displayed using the following 24 hour format hh mm ss 00 00 00 The adjustable figure flashes this always starts with the HOUR figure Use the 4 v arrow keys as required until the desired hour figure is displayed Press to confirm your selection and proceed to MINUTES and then SECONDS using the same procedure Press to cancel changes and return to the SETUP screen Page 41 Current Date DATE In the SETUP display screen use the 4 v arrow keys as required until the following is displayed DATE Press o9 the instrument will display the following date entry screen using the following format dd mm yy 25 06 11 The adjustable figure flashes this
116. urement run time period log length is used in the calculation instead See Function Equations in Chapter 11 Page 50 All Models On all instruments in either Stop or Record mode it is possible to quickly view information and settings of your instrument Press the key once to access the information screen Use the 4 or v arrow keys to scroll through the available list Pressing the key again returns to the previous screen If multiple screens have been accessed then the sound pressure level parameter screen will be displayed Pressing the c key will always return to the Sound Pressure parameter display The information listings are shown below Model I B Instruments Information Screen BAT Sea Battery capacity remaining ALL GA116l Show Instrument Model VER 1 03 Show Instrument Firmware Number REC MODE or STOP Y Shows the threshold setting TER relative to the criterion level DATIBI GRES E CHIT 3 Shows the Criterion Level GA1161 GA257B EXCH 85 Shows the Exchange Rate GA116l GA257B ET 08 00 Shows the Exposure Time period h m ee S AF Show the Frequency and Time Weighting Indicates that the instrument is in either Record or Stop Mode Page 51 Model L Instruments Information Screen Battery capacity remaining MODE ALL Indicates the current User Mode GA116L GA216L Show the Frequency and Time Ae Weightings for Channel 1 Show the Frequency and Time Weightings for Ch
117. ussion If this doesn t whet the appetite then there is also a fully inclusive dinner on the first nigh perfect for getting to know some of your peers You can see a full list of courses on our website e Health and Safety Compliance Courses Noise Vibration COSHH Asbestos e Health Surveillance Courses gt Audiometry Lung Function HAVS e Environmental Monitoring Courses gt Noise Vibration Air Quality e Diagnostic Engineering Courses e Maintenance and Monitoring Courses In house and Bespoke Training The benefits of in house training can be extensive Training can be tailored to your company the timing can be made to suit your needs you get to keep your staff on site and you can train many people at one go You can pick any of our standard courses a shortened version as an awareness session or a toolbox talk or you can design your own course covering a large range of topics Visit our website for a list of ideas Castle Consultancy Sometimes the comfort of using an independent expert can be extremely valuable whether that be for short term help Engineering project work or an on going support contract Castle consultants are always at the top of their game and are waiting to hear from you Have a look at our website or call on 01723 584250 e Noise and Vibration COSHH e Assessments gt A e Light Temperature EMF y Assessments Environmental Monitoring Expert Witness Diagnostic Engineering Eng
118. washing after use and a sterile place for storage Semi inserts These are pre moulded ear caps attached to a headband which presses them against the entrance to the ear canal This type of protector can be useful for those who spend short periods of time in ear protection zones Special types of protector Sophisticated ear protectors are now available which provide additional noise control facilities for example built in electronic active control systems Protection Calculation Octave Band Analysis Method To calculate the degree of protection given by hearing protectors to the highest accuracy it is necessary to measure the sound spectrum of the noise emitted at the workplace using octave band analysis If the result is required in dBA the A weighting values at each octave frequency should be subtracted from the measured sound Z weighted to find the corrected level Each corrected level can then be added together logarithmically to find the estimated noise level Unit Octave Band Levels Hz 63 125 250 500 1k 2k 4k 8k Measured LP Z weighted dB 92 96 102 101 98 97 94 93 A weighting correction dB 26 16 9 3 0 1 1 1 Corrected level dB 66 80 93 98 98 98 95 92 Estimated noise level 104 dBA The assumed protection of the hearing protector is given by the mean attenuation minus one standard deviation So for exampl
119. without selection If multiple screens have been accessed the sound pressure level parameter screen will be displayed Press the c key to return to sound pressure level parameter screen without making a selection Returning to the previous screen is also possible Page 12 Lock Keypad GA257B and GA257L The GA257B and GA257L instruments operate on a fixed range and therefore it is not possible to change the measuring range The range key described on the previous page is therefore not needed on these models and is therefore fitted with a dedicated instrument Lock Key Press to immediately place the instrument in Lock mode The instrument will constantly display the battery status To UNLOCK the keypad press the following keys in the sequence shown below 6 69 3 It is also possible to LOCK the keypad on GA116L GA216L GA116E and GA116l models through the options available under the Main Menu Use the same procedure as above to UNLOCK the keypad The LOCK feature is used to lock the instrument keypad All keypad functions are therefore disabled including the POWER key This function is often used to avoid inadvertent operation or tampering while the instrument is being used Page 13 Chapter 4 Getting Started All models of the Sonus range of instruments have two modes of operation referred to as e Stop Mode e Record Mode Whilst the instrument is in Record Mode the noise activity is analysed and all parameters
120. y Hz 104 Frequency Weighted Filter Maximum rms Level TL max 112 Microphone 118 Noise Noise Dose Noise Floor Overload 114 Ee TEE tele ete lee i teet aa 114 Percentile Sound Levels sese tttntttnntte ttt ni tentant 115 Sound Exposure SE Sound Exposure Level LAE Sound Power W Sound Power Level LW Sound PRESSURE sis sie ett n ite rupta E d E DotA AA Sound Pressure Level Lp Specific Ke Speed of Sound 6 sa stetit cte ete toe re e tene Threshold Sound Level Lt Time Weighting Under Range White Noise Z weighting CHAPTERS niuis on hte Mende Customer Instrument Support ENEE Warranty and After Sales Service Trouble Shooting Guide Instrument Disposal Disclaimer Instrument Details Table of Figures Figure 1 Frequency Weighting Curves Figure 2 Keypad Layout Sound Meter Figure 3 Keypad Layout Dose Meter Castle Group Ltd If you want to keep up to date with the latest in health and safety you should attend a Castle FREE seminar These are run around the country and cover a wide range of topics Packed with the latest information and delivered with the help of practical demonstrations these seminars are a great way to really learn something at the same time as collecting cpd points Go to the website below to find the lasts dates and venues and to see video clip
121. y noise For the purposes of the standard BS 4142 it is usually measured as L90 See also Ambient Noise Residual Noise and Percentile Sound Levels C weighting See Frequency Weighted Filter Page 97 Criterion Duration Tc The Criterion Duration is the time required for a constant sound level that is equal to the Criterion Level to produce a Noise Dose of 100 Typically the Criterion Duration is 8 hours For example if Criterion Sound Level 85dB Criterion Duration 8 Hours Then a sound level of 85aB for an 8 hour period will produce a Noise Dose of 100 Criterion Sound Level Lc The Criterion Sound Level is the sound level that if continually applied for the Criterion Duration will produce a Noise Dose of 100 Castle instruments are defaulted to the upper exposure action value of 85dB for the Criterion Sound Level but this is generally user selectable to allow for legislation changes with selections available of 75 80 85 or 90dB See also Exchange Rate Daily Personal Noise Exposure Level Lep d Lep d represents the total noise received by an employee at work and is normalized to an 8 hour day It is an essential requirement for the Noise at Work Regulations 2005 The overall Lep d can be determined using partial exposures for different locations and different exposure times of the employee or the employee can wear a dose meter for the whole working day Normally the Le

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