Issue
How to protect an OAT sensor from the sun?
Product Line
Field Devices
Environment
- Outside Air sensors, Outdoor Temperature Sensor
- STO100 System Vista, Xenta
- STO200 System I/NET
- STO500 System Continuum
- STO600 System Satchwell
- STO600D System Drayton
- STO300 Outdoor temperature transmitter
- ETO100, ETO200, ETO500, ETO800
Cause
Direct solar heating will affect the outside temperature reading.
Resolution
We do not supply sun shields for an Outside Air Sensors as there should never be a requirement to fit one.
The Outside Air Temperature sensor for a building should always be fitted to the North side of the building where it will not be in direct sunlight (or the South side in the southern hemisphere).
The temperature on the East, South or West sides of any building will always be higher than the North side (in the northern hemisphere) and give inaccurate readings if the sensor is mounted there. Also any sort of sunshade will also act as a shield to retain the heat also giving an erroneously high reading.
For sites like weather stations where the measurements are to be taken in a field installation a Stevenson screen could be used, these are available from specialist instrument suppliers. A web search should provide local suppliers.
Also see Recommended locations for Temperature Sensors, Valves, and Actuators for further details on sensor location.
