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AE4600 |
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General Description |
| The DIGITAL Solar Gain Low E Detector simultaneously identifies the location of Low E coatings on residential windows and also identifies the solar gain performance category of the coating. The three solar gain performance categories (HIGH, MEDIUM, and LOW SOLAR GAIN) are based on the Solar Heat Gain Coefficient or SHGC value for the window. The three ranges approximate the designations of the Energy Star Rating Program developed by the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The meter simultaneously uses a patented technology to identify the location of the Low E Coating on the windows and a patent pending technology to identify the solar gain performance. The solar gain performance technology uses a reflection principle to identify the solar gain category the window belongs to. Because the technology uses a reflectance principle to calculate the performance type, the meter will not measure coatings that absorb large amounts of solar energy (as opposed to reflecting energy). Therefore the meter can NOT be used for tinted glass or tinted coatings. The glass must be comprised of a clear substrate and the Low-E coating must be transparent. This represents the most common window produced for the residential market. |
Measure Low E Coating Location |
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| The AE4600 will indicate the location of any Low E coatings within a sealed insulating glass (IG) window. The meter is calibrated to test residential windows only, therefore the lites of glass must be 3/32” or 1/8” thick. The allowable air space is ½”. If your window has an air space greater than ½”, you may have to test both sides of the window to obtain an accurate measurement. However, if you are working with windows that contain a soft coat (sputter) Low-E coating, the LOW E LOCATION measurement will be valid for air spaces up to 3/4”. Place the meter against the window as shown. The meter will indicate the presence of any low e coatings by indicating which surface contains the coating. If the window has no Low E Coatings, the meter will indicate “CLEAR GLASS” on the display. |
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The meter counts surfaces of glass to indicate where the low e coating is located. The surface the meter is touching is ALWAYS Surface 1. The next surface is Surface 2, and so on. If there is a low e coating on the far lite of glass, it is assumed that the coating is located on surface 3. The AE4600 meter cannot differentiate the difference between a coating on surface 3 versus surface 4. Therefore if there is a low e coating on the far surface, the meter will display the message: “ LOW E SURF: 3 or 4”. If you want to confirm the low e coating is not on surface 4, move to the other side of the window and take a measurement. Testing the other side of the window, surface 4 now becomes surface 1 and the meter will indicate which surface contains the low e coating: surface 1 or surface 2. |
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AE4600 Solar Gain Low E Coating DetectorDisplay Examples |
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Description of Solar Gain Value |
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| The AE4600 is capable of approximating the (center-of-glass) Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) value of residential windows constructed of 3/32” or 1/8” glass. The meter can test single lites of glass as well as sealed IG windows. The glass substrate and/or coating must be transparent. The window cannot be tinted, bronzed or reflective. The AE4600 uses a combination of reflection technology coupled with electrical properties of the glass & coating to calculate the approximate SHGC (center- of-glass) value. The AE4600 approximates the SHGC of the window by grouping the solar performance of the low e coating products into one of three SOLAR GAIN categories: HIGH, MEDIUM, or LOW Solar Gain. High Solar Gain products are ideal for northern climates where heating costs are the primary concern. It is preferred to allow high amounts of solar energy to pass through the windows (high solar gain) in the winter months to offset the cost of heating a home. Pyrolytic (hard coat) low e coatings fall into this category. Low Solar Gain products(also known as SPECTRAL SELECTIVE COATINGS) are ideal for southern climates where cooling costs are the primary issue. Southern climates prefer a window that blocks as much solar energy as possible, helping to reduce the cooling cost year-round. Medium Solar Gain products are useful for the central portion of the country, where heating and cooling costs are relatively equal. The Energy Star Rating Program offers a procedure for qualifying performance criteria of windows from various manufacturers. To earn the Energy Star designation, the window manufacturer must have their windows approved by the NFRC. The Energy Star program breaks the country into three distinct climate zones, as shown below. |
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| The AE4600 meter uses the approximate SHGC value of the window to group the product into one of the three Solar Gain categories. The approximate SHGC boundary values for the three Solar Gain categories (as established by EDTM, Inc.) are as follows: | |
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Measuring Solar Gain |
| The AE4600 is calibrated to test residential windows only. Therefore the lites of glass must be 3/32” or 1/8” thick. For the SOLAR GAIN measurement, the AE4600 has been optimized to measure residential windows with ½” air space. If your windows are constructed with approximately ½” air space, you can measure the Solar Gain value of the window from a single side. However, if the air space is closer to 3/8”, you must take the Solar Gain measurement on the side of the window that contains the low e pane of glass. In northern climates, you will most often find the low e coating on surface 3 (counting from the outside surface in). In southern climates, it is common to find the low e coating on surface 2. If you are unsure of the air space thickness of your window, always take your reading from the side of the window that contains the low e pane of glass. This will result in the most accurate solar gain measurements every time. To conduct Solar Gain measurements, follow the same directions as shown on Page 2 and 3. Place the meter on the glass and push and hold the power button. The resulting Solar Gain value of the window (High, Medium, or Low) will be displayed on the top line of the display. If the window has NO low e coatings, the meter will indicate “CLEAR GLASS” on the display, and will not indicate a Solar Gain value. It is assumed that if there is no low e coating on the window, it must be a HIGH Solar Gain window. |
Solar Gain Catetories for Various Low E Products |
| Below is a listing of various low e products from a variety of manufacturers for the residential market. These low e coatings have been tested by the AE4600 meter and are considered to be typical transparent low e coatings (not reflective or tinted, etc.). These low e coatings have been grouped into one of the three solar gain categories. By utilizing this list, you will be able to identify various low e coatings from a given manufacturer. IF you know who the manufacturer of your low e glass is, in many cases you can use the AE4600 (and the list below) to identify which low e product you are working with, by identifying the solar gain value of the window.. The solar gain category list below is only a partial list that was available at the time the AE4600 meter was introduced. Other low e coatings may be available that can be measured accurately by the AE4600 meter. As new low e coatings are introduced, we will attempt to continually update this list. |
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Important Notes |
The AE4600 is the only thing that should be in contact with the glass while the reading is being taken. The operator may have their hand on the meter itself, but should not allow any part of their hand to overlap the meter and come into contact with the glass during testing. |
Battery Replacement |
| The AE4600 is powered by a 9 volt alkaline battery. When the battery voltage is getting too low to operate the meter, the display will flash “LOW BATTERY” on the bottom line of the display. This is a warning that you will want to replace the alkaline battery soon. Once the battery voltage has become too low to operate the meter, the display will read “REPLACE BATTERY”. At this point the meter will no longer take measurements. Remove the old battery and replace it with a new 9 volt battery (ALKALINE ONLY). |
Maintenance Tips |
| The most important maintenance detail relating to the AE4600 meter is the cleanliness of the sensor area on the back side of the meter. There is a circular lens located in the upper left-hand corner on the back side of the meter. This lens MUST be kept clean to guarantee proper operation of the meter. If the lens is dirty, it can adversely affect the accuracy of your measurements. Use compressed air or a lint-free cloth to clean the lens. Routinely inspect the lens to confirm it is kept clean. Do not apply labels or drill holes through the back enclosure of the meter. This can affect the calibration of the meter and WILL void the warranty of the product. DO NOT adjust the screws which hold the enclosure together. Also DO NOT open the enclosure. This will affect the calibration of the product as well, and void the warranty. |
Warranty Information |
| The manufacturer warrants all models of the AE4600 to be free from defects in material and workmanship under normal use and service as specified within the operator's manual. The manufacturer shall repair or replace the unit within ninety (90) days from the original date of shipment after the unit is returned to the manufacturers factory, prepaid by the user, and the unit is disclosed to the manufacturers satisfaction, to be thus defective. This warranty shall not apply to any unit that has been repaired or altered other than by the manufacturer. The aforementioned provisions do not extend the original warranty period of the unit which has been repaired or replaced by the manufacturer. Batteries are not covered by warranty. The manufacturer assumes no liability for the consequential damages of any kind through the use or misuse of the TS1300 product by the purchaser or others. No other obligations or liabilities are expressed or implied. All damage or liability claims will be limited to an amount equal to the sale price of the AE4600, as established by the manufacturer The manufacturer assumes no liability for the consequential damages of any kind through the use or misuse of the AE1600 product by the purchaser or others. No other obligations or liabilities are expressed or implied. All damage or liability claims will be limited to an amount equal to the sale price of the AE1600, as established by the manufacturer |
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