Name of the What does it look like Function Operation Maintenance

equipment
Thermometer Measures the A thermometer Treat glass
degree of hotness measures temperature thermometers with
or coldness of a through a glass tube proper care. Never tap
given substance. sealed with mercury against hard surfaces
that expands or —small fractures may
contracts as the result, affecting
temperature rises or accuracy. Do not
falls. subject a glass
The tiny size of the thermometer to
bulb and micro-fine extreme temperature
size of the tube help changes—the
the mercury reach the thermometer may
temperature of what it break or the liquid
is measuring very column may separate.
rapidly.
Thermocouple Sensor for Based on Peltier 1. Keep rotary
measuring effect, the switches clean and
temperature. When thermocouple circuit free of oxidation at
properly consists of two metals contact points.
configured, joined together to form 2. When reinserting a
thermocouples can two junctions of thermocouple, it is
provide different temperatures. extremely
temperature A Peltier emf is important that the
measurements over generated due to the depth of insertion
wide range of difference in not be changed. Be
temperatures. temperatures of the especially careful
two junctions of the not to decrease the
circuit. The total emf depth. Wires
within the circuit can which are not
be measured based on homogeneous, due
the temperature of the to exposure to the
junctions and the process, will cause
properties of metals errors in regions of
used in the circuit. temperature
gradients.
3. Do not use
thermocouples
with burned-out
protecting tubes.
Thermocouples
can become
damaged with
contamination if
allowed to remain
within tubes of
poor condition.
4. A type K
thermocouple
should not be
 exposed to
temperatures of
1600° F or higher
if it is to be used
for accurate
measurements
below 1000° F.
5. Always inspect
protection tubes
when changing
thermocouples.
Things to look for
include cracks,
pinholes,
contamination, or
discoloration.

Sling This is used in The weather observer Cleanliness is

Psychrometer meteorological firsts wets the cloth important to the
science to measure cladding the wet-bulb, correct operation of
the humidity, or whirls the any psychrometer. The
amount of water psychrometer a few wick should
vapour in the air. times, then reads the remain clean at all
The sling wet-bulb. He reads the times. Residue on the
psychrometer dry-bulb last. wick will result in
consists of a dry Normally, the wet- errors in the
and wet-bulb bulb's reading will be temperature
thermometer. The lower than the dry- readings. Replace the
term bulb refers to bulb's. The dry-bulb wick before each
that portion of the reading is the air reading for best
glass tube where temperature. The results, especially
the mercury is difference between the when there
stored. The dry and dry and the wet-bulb is an extended time
wet bulbs are readings will give, between readings
exactly alike in with the aid of a (days, weeks, or
construction. The psychrometric table, months) or when there
only difference is the dew point are high
that the wet-bulb temperature and the concentrations of
has a piece of relative humidity. atmospheric
muslin cloth or contaminants present
wick wrapped at the testing location.
around its bulb and
which is dipped in
water shortly
before the
psychrometer is
read.
Hygrothermog Hygrothermograph The temperature is It is recommended that
raph s are an instrument recorded by the upper hygrometers and
that measures and pen, which is hygrothermographs be
 records both controlled by the calibrated at least
temperature and movement of a quarterly, preferably
relative humidity, bimetallic strip. The monthly. When
simultaneously, humidity-sensing environmental
onto a single chart. element is comprised conditions change
of small bundles of rapidly or dramatically
human hair. The hair in an area being
lengthens or shortens monitored, it may be
depending on the necessary to check
humidity of the calibration even more
surrounding air. This often.
motion is transferred
to the lower pen by
means of a lever
mechanism. The chart
is installed on a drum
which is rotated by a
battery-powered
clockwork mechanism.
The mechanism has
three output speeds, so
that one-day, seven-
day, and 31-day charts
can all be
accommodated on the
one instrument.
Neutron probe A neutron probe is The probe is lowered A film badge similar
a device used to into the soil down an to those worn by X-ray
measure the access tube where technicians must be
quantity of water neutrons are emitted worn by operators of
present in soil. and interact with soil neutron moisture
water. The density of meters to monitor
the neutron flux is exposure levels.
dependent upon the Depending on the type
amount of water in the of badge chosen, it
surrounding soil. must be replaced by a
new badge and the old
The neutron moisture badge returned to a
meter consists of two film badge service
main components, a company at 30 or 90
probe and a gauge. day intervals. The
The probe contains a operator must also
source of fast maintain a daily use
neutrons, and the log for the neutron
gauge monitors the moisture meter.
flux of slow neutrons
scattered by the soil. In
using the neutron
meter, a cased hole in
the ground is
necessary for lowering
 the probe to obtain
readings.
Mercurial Mercurial This glass tube sits 1. Mercury
barometer Barometer is an upside down in a barometers need to
instrument used for container, called the be plugged unless
measuring the reservoir, which also they are of the
change in contains mercury. The enclosed safety
atmospheric mercury level in the (portable) type.
pressure. glass tube falls, 2. Make sure that the
creating a vacuum at point with the
the top. The barometer cotton tip is placed
works by balancing the firmly into the
weight of mercury in small opening at
the glass tube against the bottom of the
the atmospheric wide part of the
pressure, much like a tube and that the
set of scales. cork sits within the
Atmospheric pressure open top of the
is basically the weight tube. The glass can
of air in the be extremely
atmosphere above the brittle, especially
reservoir, so the level if it’s old, so take
of mercury continues great care when
to change until the doing this not to
weight of mercury in push too hard.
the glass tube is 3. Check that the
exactly equal to the plug is correctly
weight of air above the fitted by bringing
reservoir. Once the the barometer
two have stopped upright.
moving and are
balanced, the pressure
is recorded by
"reading" the value at
the mercury's height in
the vertical column.
8-inch measures the amount The gauge is held in Ensure that the Standard
Raingauge of rainfall place by a cylindrical Rain Gauge (SRG) is
accumulated in the steel frame set in vertical with the 8 inch
measuring tube concrete by bolts. collector opening level..
These bolts can be When driving of stakes,
adjusted to level the ensure that the tops of
rain gauge. Each has all three are level before
and outer cylinder mounting the support.
which catches This will prevent
overflow from the distortion of the support
inner measuring tube. and make installation
Both rain gauges have easier. Adjustments to
funnels which direct the alignment of the
the precipitation into three installed stakes
the inner measuring relative to the support
tube. The SRG can be easily
includes another accomplished with a
component, a hammer.
measuring stick
graduated to
hundredths of an inch.
Tipping Records rainfall The rain gauge The chief maintenance
Bucket consists of two task is to ensure that the
Raingauge stainless-steel buckets collecting funnel does
on a pivot, located not become blocked
beneath the collecting with dirt or debris.
funnel (750 cm2). The Weekly inspections are
buckets are situated carried out, and the
such that only one of funnel and mechanism
them collects rain at a are cleaned as required.
time. When
approximately 15cc of
water has been
collected (this is
equivalent to 0.2mm
of rainfall), the bucket
tips and empties,
bringing the other
bucket under the
funnel, and in the
process activates a
reed switch. Each tip
is counted by the data
logger, and this is
converted to an
accumulated rainfall
amount over the
desired measurement
period.
Ceiling Light A ceiling light The height of the 1. Weekly cleaning
Projector projector projects cloud base is of glass cover
 vertically a narrow determined by using a plate and
beam of light on to a clinometer located at a inspection and
cloud base. known distance from cleaning of
the projector to drainage/ventilation
measure the elevation holes
angle included by the 2. Replacing lamps
illuminated spot on that are burned out
the cloud, the observe, or have blackened
and the projector. or sagging filaments
From trigonometry, 3. Quarterly checking
the height of the cloud of lamp alignment
base is equal to the and focus, and
distance of the inspecting the
observer from the projector to make
ceiling light projector sure it is level.
multiplied by the
tangent of the
elevation angle.
Ceiling Also determines the A ceiling balloon is a
Balloon height of the cloud small, usually red,
base (fluted) rubber balloon
commonly measuring
76 mm (3 in) across
prior to inflation,
inflated to ~40 cm
(~15.75 in) diameter.
After inflation the
balloon is taken
outside and released.
By timing the balloon
from release until it
enters the cloud a
ceiling height can be
obtained. The time of
release and the time
the balloon disappears
into the cloud are
recorded. The time
difference multiplied
by the rate of ascent
will give the height of
the cloud base..
Lysimeters Measures water A lysimeter isolates
movement in the soil, a "block" of soil from
edaphic or vadose its surrounding so its
zone. water balance can be
measured,
particularly what
percolates beneath.
The area of the
lysimeter should be of
different dimension.
Depending on the crop
it permits different
spaced rows plants to
be grown on
the lysimeter.
Evapotranspiration
can be measured to
about 0.03-0.05 mm
«0.001
inch) over 1/2 to hour
long time periods
depending on wind
conditions.