Leica digital level

Our DNA10 hsd never acted like that. Our NA2000 gave some trouble, but we found out that the cause of the problem was the level hitting riprap during a fall. It too 3 trips to the shop to get it fixed, but it worked like a charm until the memory card went out. We had purchased the DNA 10 by then so we did not get the NA2000 fixed. It lasted for 10 years of HARD use. I have considered getting a Sprinter to run the line where the NA2000 took a fall. It is a rough level line across the face of an earthen dam that we have to do every year. I think a Sprinter will get the accuries that we require, at a much lower price. I vote to send it to the shop.

Sound like a trip to the shop is warranted. I would do it anyways just to make sure.

Like Steve said we havent had any trouble with ours, but it is used quite regulary on monitoring projects so we are always checking it.

Steve

We use the sprinter when the project doesnt need the dna and have had excellent results with it.

For almost the same price as an automatic level it is hard to beat. Just make sure to always run the collimation routine on it.

"""> Sound like a trip to the shop is warranted. I would do it anyways just to make sure."""

not sure if we have the money for that. this has to go to atlanta, rather than richmond, va. this would be an expensive outlay.

i was really hoping someone responded, saying; yeah, give it a bump a little harder than you ordinarily would to free the compensator. i might try this anyway.

"not sure if we have the money for that."

Will you have the money to fix whatever goes wrong if you don't take care of the instrument?

Just askin'................

I got a guy that could "fix" that with his gerber tool......:-(

"not sure if we have the money for that."

> Will you have the money to fix whatever goes wrong if you don't take care of the instrument?
>
> Just askin'................

i know, i know. i work for a municipal and we have limited control of the money. said money is very tight these days. since the level is not a bread and butter instrument, it is my expectation that the powers that be may be leery of a repair...until later, that is.

if it were our robotic edm, controller, or a receiver, i would be more forceful of an immediate repair

we have a good optical level if it comes down to it

update:

the inst has gone to the shop. they popped the cover and compensator looked and moved well. cleaned, adjusted and sent back.

lately we have been using the dna 03 more often. compensator still sticks on occasion. very disturbing. thumb tap EVERY measurement does it. it sometimes sticks in the horizontal turn between backsight and foresight. the compensator is set behind the vertical axis, so it makes sense that this is possible.

we occasionally have to repeat a line. this will go back to Hayes again very soon.

having siad that, i have a ghetto science experiment going; the compensator sticks LESS OFTEN when the inst is transported hinge side down in the case. this means the level is resting on the operator's left side (down). in other transport positions, the compensator appears to stick more often. has anyone else noticed this?

> .. it sometimes sticks in the horizontal turn between backsight and foresight....
I think I'd contact the Lieca regional rep about getting a free replacement for your defective instrument..

> having siad that, i have a ghetto science experiment going; the compensator sticks LESS OFTEN when the inst is transported hinge side down in the case.

FWIW, Curt Smith (NGS) says *not* to transport the DNA03 hinge-down. Despite a case design that encourages doing just that, he says that the level is designed to be carried in its operating orientation at all times.

We are considering upgrading to a DNA 03 and some Certified Invar Rods. If the compensator sticks, it will be going back to the shop. The only time we have had to rerun a line of levels is when one or more shots were manualy input. We routinely get 2nd order closures on a level loop, using the fiberglass rod and turning on a screw driver stuck in the ground.:-)

Hello

I need some help about Wild NA2000 digital level. Instrument was working, and then suddenly stop to work. On the display was error code 91, but I am not sure. We ask in service and they told us that repair is too much expensive. After some time I ask my friend can he look it, and he found that internal battery is gone. He replace that battery, and now there is no more error 91. But when I try to measure I get error code 51 (It is about staff code bar). I know that staff is not problem. Is it possible that some internal data are gone with internal battery? Can anyone help me please?

I dredged up this old thread because I had a disturbing experience with my DNA03 this week: a 1/2-mile out-and-back loop on Monday that misclosed by half a foot. We were running with an NGS-style turning pin, so all I had were the monuments at each end of the section. Second Order Class II equipment and procedures. I did notice a couple of "compensator out of range" messages, but cleared them by tapping the instrument.

We reran the loop today, and the first half busted again, this time by about 0.3 foot. The run back matched Monday's run back (and agreed with the static GPS differences), so I'm confident that I can use the two good runs in the adjustment, but the sticky compensator is unnerving. Even more unnerving is Moe's report that dealer service didn't get rid of the problem.

I'll be sending it in for attention, but if anyone has further insight into the problem I'd like to hear about it. This instrument is 10 years old, but it's been lightly used. Last service was in 2012, so it's certainly due for a tuneup.

Good morning Jim.

Unfortunate misclosure. And yes, unnerving is the word sometimes. What we do these days is shake it like a baby when we take it out of the case and give the level a substantial thump with the thumb knuckle (like a bass player might do), before every backsight and foresight.

Similar to telling a doctor, it hurts when I do 'this', and the response is 'find a different way to do it'. It doesn't hurt anymore, but it certainly feels odd to be knocking on a digital level for every measurement.

Has anyone with the requisite technical know-how advocated for this tapping technique?

I am skeptical of this approach.

At my place of employment we send our equipment in on schedule, regardless of working order, as a condition of contract. I greatly appreciate knowing that our instruments are on point, perhaps if the powers that be within the municipality had such a schedule they could budget accordingly.

Tapping an auto level to free the compensator is hardly a new technique. In the late '70s I worked with a Nikon Ni2 -- one of the best auto levels made -- that had to be tapped before every shot to make sure the compensator wasn't stuck.

The biggest concern for me is that my DNA03 never had this problem before, which is why I'll be sending it in for service to make sure there's nothing major going on. However, I think I'll keep on thumping it as a precaution. It can't hurt -- the instrument is subject to bigger shocks during regular transport -- and rerunning level lines is expensive.

Right, and they used to put a button on the Wild levels for shaking the compensator, my question is to whether this is valid in the use of a digital level.

I tapped the top of the DNA out of habit when I first started using one but stopped shorty after as they seem like different animals. I do not recall anywhere in the manual that recommends it so perhaps it is no longer valid, of course giving a piece of equipment the Fonze may help but causation is still not really established.