Service Manual 79
© 2018 Nortek AS
3.4 Changing a Probe
Vector:
The following procedure outlines how to change a probe. You will find the necessary tools in the
toolkit that came with the instrument; 7/64” and 1/16” hex driver and silicone grease. Note that the
procedure for changing a transducer head also includes updating the instrument’s head configuration
file.
A. Start with the procedure described in Accessing the Circuit Board
If you are working with a pre-midlife Vector; remove the two bags of Desiccant
taped around the board and gently disconnect the ground strap on the reverse side
of the board.
B. Unscrew the two screws fixing the main board to the head board, and pull the
probe away from the board.
C. Use the same screws to attach the new probe to the main board. Remember to
put on new O-rings with silicone grease (See section Connector Care for more) on
the probe head. Be careful not to squeeze the cables attached the head board
between the main and the head board when connecting them.
D. Reassemble the instrument.
E. Load a new headfile into the instrument as described in Replacing Heads/Boards
After changing a Vector probe, it is a good idea to run a simple function test before deploying.
Vectrino and Vectrino Profiler:
Swapping probes on the Vectrino/Vectrino Profiler platform is pretty easy, as all probe configuration
information is located on the electronics fixed to the probe. A few things to note:
The trickiest part is to connect the connector on the head board onto the main electronics.
Aligning them and position the probe carefully is our best advice. Twisting the probe slightly will
reveal whether the connection was successful or not.
If the O-ring seal has fastened, a small (careful) side-to-side rocking is needed.
The bolt patterns will make sure that there is only one way for the new probe to be attached. Once
the probe is seated, do not overtighten the bolts.
Run a probe check to confirm that everything works as intended. A firmware upgrade is not
necessary when replacing probes.
A firmware upgrade is not needed when replacing probes. The calibration information used to
convert from beam coordinates to XYZ is stored in the probe electronics. When the Vectrino/
Vectrino Profiler firmware starts up, it reads this information directly from the probe, so you do not
have to worry about changing anything from the firmware point of view after the probe head has
been changed.
Swapping from a lab probe to a field probe requires nothing extra than the simple swap.
Swapping probes between a Vectrino and a Vectrino Profiler is not possible.
3.5 Upgrade Firmware
By the term firmware we are referring to the internal software of the instrument, as opposed to the
instrument software running on a PC. When you purchase a brand new instrument, it has a firmware
version matching the PC software, hence no firmware upgrade will be needed before you start using
the instrument. However, new functionality (and in rare cases bug fixes) is likely to be offered in the
future, requiring that the firmware is upgraded. New firmware is posted at the Nortek web. You will
need to register to get access, but access is quick and free of charge.
Remember to transfer data that you would like to retain to your PC before you upgrade the firmware,
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