Pulsar NOVA User Manual
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Pulsar NOVA User Manual

Sound level meter
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User manual for Nova® sound level meters

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  • Page 1: User Manual For Nova® Sound Level Meters

    User manual for Nova® sound level meters...
  • Page 2 The content of this manual, any illustrations, technical information and descriptions within this document were correct at the time of going to print. Pulsar Instruments Plc. reserves the right to make any changes necessary, without notice, in line with the policy of continuing product development and improvement.

  • Page 3: About This Manual

    Appendices. More detailed explanations of the repeat measurement timers are available to download from the Pulsar website at http://www.pulsarinstruments.com/products/nova-support Quick Start Guides for the Nova® sound level meters can be downloaded from the Pulsar website at http://www.pulsarinstruments.com/products/nova-support Page...

  • Page 4: Copyright

    You must not modify text, images or illustrations in any way. The material must be acknowledged as Pulsar Instruments plc copyright and you must give the title of the source document/publication. Where any third party copyright material is identified you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.

  • Page 5: Table Of Contents

    Soft Key Bar ....................19 Overload and Under-Range Indication ..............19 ‘Bluescreen’ ..................... 20 Calibration ...................... 21 Getting to know your Nova® – features and capabilities ........23 Colour Coding ....................23 Views ......................23 Not Measuring ....................23 Measuring ....................... 23 Review Mode ....................
  • Page 6 Pulsar Nova® sound level meter user manual View Options ....................33 Time Weighting ....................33 Adjust Screen Brightness .................. 34 Language ......................34 Display Mode ....................34 Advanced Options .................... 34 Restore Factory Settings ................... 34 Information ..................... 34 Advanced Setup Options Using AnalyzerPlus ............35 Audio Note Enable/Disable ................
  • Page 7 Pulsar Nova® sound level meter user manual Electrical Outputs ..................... 50 AC Output ....................... 50 AC Output Cables ..................... 51 DC Output ....................... 51 DC Output Cables ..................... 51 Accessories ..................... 51 General Accessories ..................51 Outdoor Measurement Kit ................. 51 Replacement Microphone Capsules ..............

  • Page 8: Preface

    Acoustic Calibrators. The different versions of the Nova® are: The Nova® sound level meters meet the requirements for Class 1 and Class 2 of IEC 61672-1:2013 standard for Class 1 Group X or Class 2 Group X sound level meters as appropriate.
  • Page 9 Pulsar Nova® sound level meter user manual Page...
  • Page 10 Pulsar Nova® sound level meter user manual Page...

  • Page 11: Introduction

    * - Option on some models One of the key aims of the Nova® instruments is to give you a sound level meter that is as simple to use as possible whilst providing the very highest level of performance and function.

  • Page 12: Getting Started

    Pulsar Nova® sound level meter user manual Your Nova® sound level meter has been shipped in reusable packaging that should be retained for safe shipment when returning the instrument for calibration or servicing. All Nova® meters come with the following standard accessories: ...

  • Page 13: Fitting The Preamplifier

    Pulsar Nova® sound level meter user manual Fitting the Preamplifier To connect or remove the preamplifier, please follow the diagram: When connecting the preamplifier, please take care to align the locking tab (and red markings) on the preamplifier and instrument socket. Push the preamplifier connector into the instrument socket to connect them.

  • Page 14: Inserting The Batteries

    Pulsar Nova® sound level meter user manual Inserting the batteries Your Nova® is powered by 6 x AA batteries (also called MN1500 or LR6). We recommend that you use alkaline, lithium or high quality rechargable batteries to give the best performance.

  • Page 15: Keypad And Controls

    Pulsar Nova® sound level meter user manual Keypad and Controls The Nova® is controlled via the four arrow keys (up, down, left and right), the center select button and two soft keys, which change in function depending upon the mode that the instrument is in.

  • Page 16: Connectors

    If the batteries are fitted they will still be discharged with USB power present. An AC output is available on the Nova® via the 3.5mm jack socket. The output is un- weighted and the output level can be adjusted using the setup options in the AnalyzerPlus software.

  • Page 17: Screen Saver

    The time intervals for the screen dim and screen saver are configurable in AnalyzerPlus. Display The Nova® uses a high resolution colour OLED (organic light-emitting diode) screen to show a clear and easy to read display of all the information you need.

  • Page 18: Information Bar

    Information Bar The information bar shows the battery level, if external power is connected and if the Nova® is connected to a PC via the USB connector. The status of the batteries is shown in the Battery Level Indicator. When the batteries need replacing, the indicator will turn red and start to flash.

  • Page 19: View

    1 of 3 – use the up and down navigation buttons to view them. The Nova® uses a colour coded status bar at the bottom of the screen to help you quickly identify what mode it is currently in.

  • Page 20: Bluescreen

    Under rare circumstances, when the Nova® encounters a condition it cannot recover from, a ‘bluescreen’ error message will show with an error code. If this should happen to your Nova®, please make a note of the code so that the engineers at Pulsar Instruments can diagnose your problem accurately.

  • Page 21: Calibration

    (measurement session), because the microphone is susceptible to minor damage from even small knocks. If you do not wish to calibrate your Nova® simply press Cancel and you will still be able to take your measurement. The calibration applies corrections (if needed) to ensure that your measurements are as accurate as possible.
  • Page 22 The calibration level must be stable to within ±0.075dB for 5 consecutive seconds for the calibration to be successful. When the calibration is completed, the Nova® will display the level along with the correction or adjustment made.

  • Page 23: Getting To Know Your Nova® - Features And Capabilities

    Nova® models. Colour Coding The Nova® uses a colour coded status bar at the bottom of the screen to help you quickly identify what mode it is in. Dark Blue – Not measuring mode.

  • Page 24: Information

    Pulsar Nova® sound level meter user manual Information This shows status instrument including the calibration data. Press the down or up buttons to view various information screens. Sound Pressure Level This view shows the Sound Pressure Level or SPL, with the maximum and...

  • Page 25: Leq

    Pulsar Nova® sound level meter user manual This view shows you the Leq, Peak, and C-A values with a choice of A, C and Z frequency weightings. The C-A data can be used with the HML method for selecting hearing protection.

  • Page 26: 1:1 Octave Band

    Pulsar Nova® sound level meter user manual 1:1 Octave Band This view shows the noise levels divided into Octave frequency bands. This can be used to aid in the selection of hearing protection and also for noise control applications. The Ln view shows the statistical or Ln values calculated during the measurement.

  • Page 27: Making A Measurement

    You cannot forget to measure the right function as everything is measured at the same time. For example the Nova® measures Fast, Slow and Impulse time weightings all at the same time. This applies to all other noise parameters (excluding Dose).
  • Page 28 Pulsar Nova® sound level meter user manual If this is the first measurement you are making will taken Calibration screen. It is good practice to Calibrate before your first measurement and after your last measurement in a session to ensure...
  • Page 29 Pulsar Nova® sound level meter user manual Information View Model 41 & Model 42 Sound Pressure Level View Model 43 & Model 44 Leq View Dose View Octave View Model 45 & Model LN View Page...
  • Page 30 Pulsar Nova® sound level meter user manual If your instrument has the Pause/Back Erase feature the measurement can be paused by pressing the Pause/Stop soft key. Press once to pause/back erase and twice to stop, or alternatively press and hold for three seconds to stop.

  • Page 31: Restarting A Measurement

    Pulsar Nova® sound level meter user manual In measurement review mode you can review all the same screens as before by using the navigation arrow buttons. Press the center Select button when finished reviewing your measurement. Stored measurements can be reviewed at any time through the menu.

  • Page 32: Configuring The Sound Level Meter

    Pulsar Nova® sound level meter user manual Menus In the following menus, different options can be chosen on the Nova®. To activate a function, press the ‘Select’ key to put a tick in the square box. You can now use the up and down soft keys to select your setting. Your selection will be saved once you press the ‘back’...

  • Page 33: Review Stored Data

    This sets the Time Weighting that you use to view the measurements either in real time, recording or review mode – remember the Nova® measures ALL the different Time Weightings ALL the time. The view options are ‘F’ (Fast), ‘S’ (Slow) and ‘I’ (Impulse).

  • Page 34: Adjust Screen Brightness

    ALL the time, this setting just affects what parameters are displayed on the display. If a measurement has been made with the Nova® set in Standard mode, all the parameters will still be available to download into AnalyzerPlus for review afterwards if required.

  • Page 35: Advanced Setup Options Using Analyzerplus

    Pulsar Nova® sound level meter user manual Advanced Setup Options Using AnalyzerPlus All the setup options available in the instrument menus and some more advanced setup options can be set up from the AnalyzerPlus software. Audio Note Enable/Disable Audio Note can be enabled so that you can make an audio note before every measurement or disabled from within AnalyzerPlus.

  • Page 36: Dc Output Settings

    Pulsar Nova® sound level meter user manual DC Output Settings The DC Output can be set to LAF, LCF, LZF, LAS, LCS, LZS, LAI, LCI OR LZI. There is also the ability to set a V/dB Correction within AnalyzerPlus. The defaults are: LAF and +5.96% V/dB Correction.

  • Page 37: Features In More Detail

    Please note: from this chapter on, the manual describes capabilities which are available on different models within the Nova® range. If you are unsure which capabilities your Nova® has, you can check on the instrument by looking at the Information page in the Advanced Options menu (page 3), or look at the Features Matrix available on the Pulsar Instruments website: http://www.pulsarinstruments.com/products/nova-support...

  • Page 38: Audio Note

    Single Timer The single timer allows you to set a precise time that a single measurement will run for as soon as you start measuring. The Nova® can still be paused, stopped and started manually when the single timer is active.

  • Page 39: Back Erase

    This is in the Advanced Options Menu, and restores the Nova® to the default options for all user-definable settings in the Menus, and clears the calibration offset. For settings such as ‘language’ where there is no default, the Nova® will return to the option it was shipped with.

  • Page 40: Downloading Measurements

    Before any measurements can be downloaded, the AnalyzerPlus software must be installed on to a suitable PC. Connect your Nova® to your PC using the supplied mini-B USB cable using the USB connector under the removable rubber connector panel at the bottom of the instrument.
  • Page 41 Pulsar Nova® sound level meter user manual The microphone capsule is Check that the microphone loose or not fitted capsule is tight and fitted correctly Calibration level set to a Set the calibration level to different level the value provided by the...

  • Page 42: Configuring The Instrument From Analyzerplus

    Pulsar Nova® sound level meter user manual Connect the Nova® to your PC using the supplied mini-B USB cable using the USB connector under the removable rubber connector panel at the bottom of the instrument. When the AnalyzerPlus software is run, it will automatically find the instrument plugged in and look for completed measurements to download.

  • Page 43: Additional Information

    Pulsar Nova® sound level meter user manual Additional technical information on the Nova® can be found on the Pulsar Instruments website. Please visit http://www.pulsarinstruments.com/products/nova-support for the latest tips, hints, help and videos. Page...

  • Page 44: Appendices

    This chapter of the manual contains the overall specifications for the Nova® range of sound level meters. Refer to Part B document Appendix 4 for full details of approved equipment and configuration options. Tested over the range 20 hz to 20kHz.
  • Page 45 Pulsar Nova® sound level meter user manual ANSI S1.4 -1983 Specifications for Sound Level Meters (R2006) Model 41 Model 42 Model 43 Model 44 Model 45 Model 46 ANSI S1.43 - 1997 Specifications for Integrating-Averaging Sound Level Meters (R2007) Model 41 – only if option installed Model 42 –...
  • Page 46 Pulsar Nova® sound level meter user manual Display of: Measured parameters Recalled Measurement Parameters (Data Logging Versions) Battery Level & External Power Connection Overload & Under Range Time & Frequency Weighting Elapsed Measurement Time Instrument status Memory: 4GB removable Compact Flash card Time History Data Rates 10ms, 62.5ms, 125ms, 250ms, 1/2 sec, 1 sec, 2 sec (User...
  • Page 47 Pulsar Nova® sound level meter user manual Software Support: AnalyzerPlus Download, Configuration & Analysis software as standard. Compatible with Microsoft Windows XP, Vista, 7 (32bit & 64bit) & 8 (32bit & 64bit) Page...

  • Page 48: Views

    Pulsar Nova® sound level meter user manual Views Sound Level View  Sound Level: Lxy, x=A ,C ,Z; y= ‘F’ (Fast), ‘S’ (Slow) & ‘I’ (Impulse)  Maximum Sound Level: LxyMax where x=A ,C ,Z; y= ‘F’ (Fast), ‘S’ (Slow) & ‘I’...

  • Page 49: Dose View

    Pulsar Nova® sound level meter user manual Dose View Integrator 1 Integrator 2 Integrator 3 Run Time Run Time Run Time Leq1 Leq2 Leq3 LEP,d (Lex) Dose % Dose % Dose % Est Dose % Est Dose % Est Dose %...

  • Page 50: Ln View

    Pulsar Nova® sound level meter user manual  Measurement Run Time  Time & Date of Measurement Start Ln View  7 Ln values for each measurement Menu / Quick Settings The Quick Settings available are: UK: 3dB, No Threshold, No Time Weighting, Criterion Level of 85dB EU: 3dB, No Threshold, No Time Weighting, Criterion Level of 85dB OSHA HC &...

  • Page 51: Ac Output Cables

    Nova®. This may damage the instrument and invalidate your warranty. Accessories The Nova® sound level meters can be used with a range of accessories. The most commonly used accessories are listed below. General Accessories ...

  • Page 52: Cables

    Pulsar Nova® sound level meter user manual Cables The Nova® sound level meters can be used with a range of cables. The standard cables are listed below. Microphone Extension Cables  PSR202 - 2m long Microphone extension cable  PSR205 - 5m long Microphone extension cable ...

  • Page 53: Acoustic Calibrator Information

    Pulsar Nova® sound level meter user manual This chapter refers to the use of a Pulsar Instruments plc Model 105 or Model 106 Acoustic Calibrator. Switching on the Calibrator Press the Power Button on the end of the Calibrator to switch the unit on. The...

  • Page 54: Background Noise

    Pulsar Nova® sound level meter user manual The Nova® sound level meter will automatically make adjustments for the level produced by the acoustic calibrator and the microphone type fitted to the instrument. Background Noise In order for the calibrator to operate as intended, the ambient acoustic noise level should be no greater than 80dBA.

  • Page 55: Battery Type

    Pulsar Nova® sound level meter user manual The battery, type 6F22 (PP3) can now be eased out of its holder and replaced. The battery should be eased out terminal side first by pushing against the spring at the other end.

  • Page 56: Free Field Correction

    The correction is typically -0.3dB for ½ inch microphones (making the effective calibration level 93.7dB). Calibration corrections are listed below for the Pulsar Instruments plc ½” Capsules and three microphone capsules commonly used in Calibration Laboratories: Microphone Correction Values...

  • Page 57: Ce Certificate Of Conformity

    Pulsar Nova® sound level meter user manual Pulsar Instruments plc Filey UK Manufacturer: Pulsar Instruments Plc The Evron Centre John Street Filey North Yorkshire YO14 9DW United Kingdom Tel: +44 1723 518011 Equipment Description The following equipment manufactured after 1st January 2012:...

  • Page 58: Warranty

    Instruments will endeavour to facilitate a repair but may not be able offer the same length of guarantee. 12. In the event of any dispute on the terms of the warranty Pulsar Instruments plc will accept pendulum arbitration by the United Kingdom Institute of Acoustics Ltd.
  • Page 59 Because of the unique fragility of microphones, only internal short or open circuits are accepted as faults and not accident damage. The guarantee requires the user to return the unit to their nearest authorised Pulsar Instruments Plc. distributor/agent. This guarantee is in addition to any statutory rights in your country.

  • Page 60: Index

    Pulsar Nova® sound level meter user manual 1:1 Octave Band ..26 General Accessories .. 51 Overload ....19 AC Output ....50 Guarantee ....59 Pause ...... 38 AC Output Cables ..51 HML ......25 Preamplifier ....13 Accessories ....

  • Page 61: Pulsar Instruments Contact

    Pulsar Nova® sound level meter user manual Pulsar Instruments Plc. also have approved distributors and agents in many countries worldwide. For details of your local representative, please contact Pulsar Instruments Plc. at the address below. Contact details for Pulsar authorised distributors and agents are also available from the Internet Web site at the address shown below.

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