How water resistant is the Trimble TSC3 and S5? Can you work with it in light rain or will it damage it? My instrument got rained on pretty hard yesterday for a few minutes before I was able to put the bag over it. But overall I'm just not sure what this gear can handle reasonably moisture wise. I want to error on the side of caution, due to well you know its expensive, but I dont want to needlessly sit in the truck waiting to get that last few shots if the gear can handle it. Thanks
It can handle rain, just don't box it up wet, let it air dry thoroughly.
TSC3 specs:
Our S7 got caught in moderate rain. 3 weeks in the shop...
IP Specs - http://www.dsmt.com/resources/ip-rating-chart/
The "5" in IP65 means this:
Water jets - Water projected by a nozzle (6.3mm) against enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effects
This is the S5 spec sheet (IP65):
thebionicman, post: 430779, member: 8136 wrote: Our S7 got caught in moderate rain. 3 weeks in the shop...
If that's true then Trimble should replace it unless there were extenuating circumstances.
thebionicman, post: 430779, member: 8136 wrote: Our S7 got caught in moderate rain. 3 weeks in the shop...
What went wrong with it? Do you know?
Lee D, post: 430780, member: 7971 wrote: IP Specs - http://www.dsmt.com/resources/ip-rating-chart/
The "5" in IP65 means this:
Water jets - Water projected by a nozzle (6.3mm) against enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effectsThis is the S5 spec sheet (IP65):
Thanks
I found that the disposable shower caps, you get in motel rooms, make a nice, quick rain cover for both the gun and data collector.
That poster, RADAR; sure is a swell guy.
We have a GeoHT DC, that is waterproof/resistant and used it a lot doing RTK in torrential rain but as noted in another post, earlier this year it got water in it and the screen went bad. Fortunately I got a replacement and was able to install it. But that cost around $400 plus my time (and multiple times to open the thing - broke the speaker wires in the process which is fiddly to re-solder). So now our operating procedure is light rain is ok but no water to collect on it, then into bag or seek shelter. Also, if the screen does get water and starts to show signs of frying, switch it off and dry it out to try and stop any damage.
Richard Imrie, post: 430813, member: 11256 wrote: We have a GeoHT DC, that is waterproof/resistant and used it a lot doing RTK in torrential rain but as noted in another post, earlier this year it got water in it and the screen went bad. Fortunately I got a replacement and was able to install it. But that cost around $400 plus my time (and multiple times to open the thing - broke the speaker wires in the process which is fiddly to re-solder). So now our operating procedure is light rain is ok but no water to collect on it, then into bag or seek shelter. Also, if the screen does get water and starts to show signs of frying, switch it off and dry it out to try and stop any damage.
Richard, I would suggest trying a product called "Damprid" to help dry out data collectors. I'd put the collector as well as the Damprid in an open ziplock bag. It really soaks up the moisture.
http://www.damprid.com/products
RPLS#, post: 430773, member: 12280 wrote: How water resistant is the Trimble TSC3 and S5? Can you work with it in light rain or will it damage it?
Out here in the Pacific NW we ( by "we" I mean everybody in the business north of San Francisco) routinely work in the rain. All day some days. Many days every winter. As Lee said everything will be fine as long as you dry it thoroughly overnight. Towel the excess wet off as soon as you get back to the office and leave it out of the box to air dry until you need it the next day. Same with the carrying case.
RPLS#, post: 430773, member: 12280 wrote: How water resistant is the Trimble TSC3 and S5? Can you work with it in light rain or will it damage it?
Out here in the Pacific NW we ( by "we" I mean everybody in the business north of San Francisco) routinely work in the rain. All day some days. Many days every winter. As Lee said everything will be fine as long as you dry it thoroughly overnight. Towel the excess wet off as soon as you get back to the office and leave it out of the box to air dry until you need it the next day. Same with the carrying case.
thebionicman, post: 430779, member: 8136 wrote: Our S7 got caught in moderate rain. 3 weeks in the shop...
Truely, S7s and every other brand of instrument and data collector get used in the rain a lot hereabouts and it's rarely a problem. As long as they get dried out promptly at the end of the day.
Mark Mayer, post: 430835, member: 424 wrote: Out here in the Pacific NW we ( by "we" I mean everybody in the business north of San Francisco) routinely work in the rain. All day some days. Many days every winter. As Lee said everything will be fine as long as you dry it thoroughly overnight. Towel the excess wet off as soon as you get back to the office and leave it out of the box to air dry until you need it the next day. Same with the carrying case.
Truely, S7s and every other brand of instrument and data collector get used in the rain a lot hereabouts and it's rarely a problem. As long as they get dried out promptly at the end of the day.
I have used trimble/topcon/leica/javad in the rain routinely, the only time I had a problem was when I changed one of the topcon total station handle batteries in a downpore.
The resistance to working in the rain or snow seems to be a regional thing, and have nothing to do with the capabilities of the equipment, although I did avoid the rain when using a Sokkia total station that was water resistent "for non percepitory moisture ".
I've had both Leica and Trimble equipment get caught in the kind of torrential downpours that can blow up out of the Gulf in a heartbeat down here, with no problems. One of the things I really try to stress to the field crews is that they never, ever leave the instrument cases open unless removing or packing the instrument. Once they get wet it seems like they're never the same.
My S6 has been in strong rain with no ill effects. Like others said, let it dry out afterward, don't just put it in the case. The only repair I have had to make to my S6 (bought in 2006) was to replace the compensator sensor about 5 years ago.
I dropped a TSC2 into the river from about 30 feet up walking on a beam. I had stuck it inside my PFD vest while crossing a dam tainter gate beam, and it slipped out the bottom. By the time I went to get someone with a boat, locked the boat through (the boat was on the upstream side of a lock, I was on the downstream side of the dam), and fished it out (it floats), it was about 45 minutes. This was an 8 year old TSC2. It still turned on, and the DC file was OK, but water had gotten inside through "hairline" cracks in the case. Pressing the touch screen you could see water sloshing inside. Cost about $900 dollars to repair. But still cheaper than a new one.