NBL-W-DS Wind Direction Sensor (Wind Vane)

The NiuBoL NBL-W-DS Wind Direction Sensor is a wind vane sensor designed to measure horizontal wind direction from 0 to 360° for automatic weather stations, agricultural monitoring, environmental monitoring, ports, airports, marine observation and industrial meteorological systems.

The sensor uses a high-precision magnetic sensing chip together with a low-inertia ABS wind vane. The lightweight vane follows changes in airflow direction, while the internal electronics convert the vane position into an electrical or digital wind-direction signal.

Output options include RS485 Modbus RTU, 4–20 mA and 0–5 V, allowing the NBL-W-DS to connect directly to weather-station data loggers, PLCs, RTUs, environmental monitoring hosts and IoT gateways.

NBL-W-DS Wind Direction Sensor Technical Specifications

How the NBL-W-DS Wind Direction Sensor Works

The wind vane aligns itself with the airflow as wind direction changes. The vane rotates the internal shaft, and the magnetic sensing element detects its angular position.

The sensor electronics convert this angular position into a 0–360° wind-direction value. Depending on the selected version, the measured direction is transmitted as RS485 Modbus data, a 4–20 mA current signal or a 0–5 V voltage signal.

RS485, 4–20 mA or 0–5 V: Which Output Should You Choose?

Analog Wind Direction Conversion

For analog-output versions, wind direction can be calculated directly from the measured current or voltage signal.

In these formulas, D is wind direction in degrees, V is the measured voltage in volts and I is the measured current in milliamps.

Example

For a 0–5 V sensor, an output of 2.5 V corresponds to:

360 × 2.5 / 5 = 180°

RS485 Modbus Communication

Modbus Wind Direction Example

For a sensor with device address 01, the manual gives the following example:

Request: 01 03 00 00 00 01 84 0A

Response: 01 03 02 00 B4 44 09

NBL-W-DS Wiring

Wiring note: Confirm the actual output configuration and wire identification supplied with the sensor before installation.

Correct Wind Direction Sensor Installation

Correct orientation is essential. Even an accurate wind direction sensor will report an incorrect compass direction if the reference mark is not aligned correctly during installation.

Where Should a Wind Direction Sensor Be Installed?

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Wind Direction Sensor Applications

Using NBL-W-DS in an Automatic Weather Station

Wind direction is normally monitored together with wind speed and other meteorological parameters. The NBL-W-DS can be combined with the NBL-W-SS wind speed sensor to form a conventional mechanical wind measurement system.

Wind Direction Sensor vs Wind Speed Sensor

For wind speed measurement, see the NBL-W-SS Wind Speed Sensor.

Maintenance and Troubleshooting

NBL-W-DS Wind Direction Sensor FAQ

Q1. What does the NBL-W-DS measure?

A1. The NBL-W-DS measures horizontal wind direction over a 0–360° range.

Q2. What is the wind direction accuracy?

A2. The specified accuracy is ±3°.

Q3. What is the starting wind speed?

A3. The specified starting wind speed is ≤0.5 m/s.

Q4. Does the sensor support RS485 Modbus?

A4. Yes. The RS485 version uses Modbus communication and has a default baud rate of 9600 bps.

Q5. Is a 4–20 mA version available?

A5. Yes. RS485, 4–20 mA and 0–5 V output versions are available.

Q6. Why must the sensor be aligned during installation?

A6. The wind vane measures angle relative to the sensor's installed reference position. The white south reference mark must therefore be correctly aligned with geographic south for the reported wind direction to correspond to the correct compass direction.

Q7. Can several wind sensors share one RS485 network?

A7. Yes. Each Modbus device should use a unique address, and the RS485 bus, power supply and polling intervals should be designed correctly.

Q8. Does this sensor also measure wind speed?

A8. No. NBL-W-DS measures wind direction only. Use it together with a wind speed sensor such as NBL-W-SS when both parameters are required.

Q9. Can wind direction data be uploaded to our own server?

A9. Yes. The RS485 sensor can connect to a compatible data logger or IoT gateway, which can transmit data to a private server through supported communication protocols.

NBL-W-DS Wind Direction Sensor Datasheet

NBL-W-DS-wind-direction-sensor-Manual.pdf

NBL-W-DS for Weather Station and IoT Integration

The NBL-W-DS Wind Direction Sensor provides 0–360° wind direction measurement with RS485 Modbus, 4–20 mA or 0–5 V output options. It can be used as an individual wind vane sensor or combined with wind speed, rainfall, temperature, humidity, pressure and radiation sensors to build a complete automatic weather station.

For quotation and model selection, specify the required output signal, power supply, cable length, quantity and the data logger, PLC or monitoring system that will receive the wind-direction data.