How to Choose the Right Anemometer for Construction Site Safety and Crane Wind Speed Limits?

What Is an Anemometer? How Does It Work?

There are many different types of anemometers in the market with different functionalities. Before choosing any of the anemometers, you have to get complete knowledge about it in order to meet your demands. Here is a glimpse of information about different types of anemometers.

Different Types of Anemometer Sensors

Type	Features	Pros	Cons	Pros
Cup	• Often consist of 3 or 4 wind cups • Convert the wind cups rotation into the velocity of the wind	• Cups are highly durable and reliable • Does not need to be pointed to the wind direction	• The starting velocity is often high • Vulnerable to icing condition	• Towers, weather stations • Construction sites • Research and meteorology institutions worldwide • Aerodrome and marine and shipping boat
Vane	• Sensors are designed to look like a windmill or turbine • Can only spin in the horizontal axis	• Suitable for harsh environments • Durable • Designed for higher wind speeds	• Need to be pointed towards the wind source for accuracy • Smaller vanes often need higher starting speed	• Great for mining measurement of the speed of methane releases from in gob holes. • Engine maintenance and inspection • Roof and garage of suburban houses
Hot Wire	• The wire is electrically heated to a certain temperature • Wind velocity is calculated through the heat transfer	• Lasts longer • Consist low starting threshold • Provides error-free reading	• Not effective in areas with rapid temperature fluctuations • Not suitable for dirty environment	• Research tool in fluid mechanics • Scientific studies of boundary layer flows in wind tunnels • Laboratory settings
Ultrasonic	• Use the ultrasonic sound waves to measure the wind velocity • Wind speed is measured in terms of the time of flight for the sonic pulses between the various transducers	• Weather resistant and suitable for extreme weathers • No rotating parts that could easily wear out • Not affected by icing	• More expensive • Animals may sit on the probes resulting in false reading	• Detailed turbulence measurements • Research instrument • Eddy covariance requiring high speed and accurate measurement

Many people prefer handheld anemometers because of their convenience and portability.

Cup anemometers are the simplest type of anemometers. The anemometers consist of several spinning cups mounted on a pole. The three cup anemometers are the most common seen. As the wind grows stronger, the cup spins faster and the anemometer transfers the speed of airflow and displays it as a digital readout. Cup anemometers are commonly used by professional weather stations and research institutions. They sometimes come as part of larger precision weather instruments. Anemometers also come in different form factors: some are designed to be mounted on the outside of buildings; others work well on top of a car, or for handheld portable use.

Another type of anemometers are vane anemometers. They are also known as propellers or windmill anemometers. The anemometers are similar to the cup anemometers, but they use an array of wind blades instead of spinning cups. Vane anemometers must be facing to the direction where wind is blowing. They often use a wind vane opposite the propeller to shift in the direction of the wind. A vane anemometer is used for measuring the velocity and volumetric flow rate on air grills in residential buildings and utilities. Possible in combination with a measuring cone when the flow is not laminar. The speed of the rotating vane of the anemometer is converted into electric power, which is then transferred into the air speed.

Like cup anemometers, vane anemometers or propeller anemometers automatically count the number of revolutions per second to calculate wind speed and display digitally. They work well in mines to measure the speed of methane release.

The Hot Wire Anemometer is a device used for measuring the velocity and direction of the fluid. This can be done by measuring the heat loss of the wire that is placed in the fluid stream. The wire is heated by electrical current. When placed in the stream of the fluid, the heat is transferred from wire to fluid, hence the temperature of the wine reduces. The resistance of wire measures the flow rate of the fluid. It is best for accurately measuring airflow at low velocities (eg., under 2000 ft/min). Some models are designed to measure velocities as high as 15,000 ft/min but still have very accurate measuring capability down to much lower speeds.

Hotwire anemometers measure both wind speed and pressure. The device is a long rod and at the tip is a hot wire or hot bead. It measures the airflow through building ducts. You can find this type of anemometer in the heating, ventilating and air-conditioning businesses. Also, they are often used as research tools in fluid mechanics.

Ultrasonic anemometers send sonic pulses across a path to the sensor on the opposite side. As the wind moves more quickly, the pulses are disrupted. It employs the ultrasonic sound waves to calculate the wind velocity. A measurement of this disruption provides accurate wind data. An ultrasonic anemometer has no moving parts and can detect even small changes in the wind. The device typically has four sensors arranged in a square pattern. Some units come with built-in heaters. Moreover, this device is weather resistant and suitable for working in severe weather conditions. As the device is internally heated, icing can have no effect on it. This type is quite popular in aircraft and scientific wind turbines. Since they do not have many moving parts, they can also be used in automated weather stations. Ultrasonic anemometers have many strengths, however, it is very rare, which makes it even more expensive to repair compared to other types of anemometers.

Why Do You Need an Anemometer at Construction Sites?

Keeping an eye on weather conditions is a pretty crucial task on most work sites. Potential injuries from worker slips or falls, along with the risks of damage caused by improperly secured loads or machinery, are among the most pressing health and safety concerns on inclement weather conditions, particularly strong or changeable winds, will typically intensify these types of risks.

Once on site, the ability to monitor fast-changing weather conditions is extremely important. Wind is quite tricky. It’s extremely changeable, unlikely to be consistent across all areas of a site, and some of the safety concerns aren’t always apparent.

Local wind behavior, like wind tunnel effects, also constitute an important source of risks and may surprise operators of mobile elevating work platforms or other lifting apparatus working between two or more buildings.

Ignorance of the wind speed may delay the taking of decisions that can be vital and have grave consequences on the personnel, equipment and environment of a site. The load movements on a construction site may become uncontrollable under strong wind conditions. Sometimes, the strength of the wind may even overturn the machines.

Wind speed tends to increase with altitude. As the safety of the workers is the absolute top priority, special attention must be paid to anyone operating at height, where wind speeds can be considerably higher than on the ground due to their increased exposure. Cranes and towers are at particular risk, as are roofers and anyone working on scaffolding. The best solution for monitoring wind speeds at various locations across a site is using anemometers, which allows you to measure both prevailing speeds and sudden gusts via either mechanical or digital means. You’ll also be able to keep an eye on any shifts in wind direction. It’s particularly important in situations where loads and equipment will be raised significantly above the ground or building, which is especially relevant when planning tasks involving crane operation and heavy lifting. Attaching an anemometer to the boom point is a sensible way to monitor the different wind speeds at operating altitudes for cranes.

Wind speed meters constitute a preventive measure against risks associated with the strength of the wind. They measure its speed with precision and supply the site personnel with the necessary information to make the proper decisions.

If inclement weather does force work to stop temporarily, anemometers are also extremely useful tools to have on hand as they allow the team to show precisely how the conditions impacted on the progress of the job.

Other Industries That Need Anemometers

Beside construction, anemometers are actually used in a wide variety of industries ranging from heavy-machinery and transportation such as crane, airports, helipad to marine, agriculture, and aquaculture.

In addition, anemometers are also widely used in film production, outdoor sports, and leisure industry such as amusement parks, sky diving, hot air balloon, etc.

Things to Consider When Buying Anemometers

There really isn’t the best type of anemometer. Each type of wind speed monitor works slightly differently and may be better for some uses than others. For instance, if you’re looking for a portable handheld wind speed monitor, you might want to consider a vane anemometer or a hot wire anemometer because a cup anemometer might be a bit too bulky to carry.

Some anemometers are easy to take with you wherever you go, and others come as part of wireless weather stations that you can place in your backyard and read off an indoor monitor. 

1. Quality

There are many different types of anemometer available but we cannot buy everything on the market. You have to choose the type of anemometer based on your needs and conditions. For instance, can it resist high or low temperatures? How long is the warranty? Can this brand be trusted? For the best performance and to get a longer life, quality is very important to buy any product.

2. Accuracy

Accuracy is very important for this device or else it will create a lot of issues. Before purchasing the products you have to read the reviews. Nothing is more important than accuracy in an anemometer so it is better to double check. Being able to get information about working principles on the internet is very helpful for us. You can also purchase a sample before bulk purchase to check if the data is accurate and make sure it meets your needs.

3. Price

While buying, first you have to decide what kind of devices will be the most suitable for you. Handheld anemometers are easy to carry anywhere and also give you the result instantly. Depending on the features and comfort, the cost will vary. The average price of low price anemometers is 199USD, range medium priced is around 680-760USD and higher priced are 1200-1800USD. You can purchase your anemometer based on your needs and take price into consideration. Choose the most suitable device that is best for your budget and with great quality as well.

Scarlet E11 Ex-Proof

Scarlet E11 is the World’s first ATEX approved intrinsically safe wireless anemometer in Zone 1 & Zone 2 hazardous environments. It consists of an ex-proof wind sensor and a receiver. The sensor measures wind speed and direction, and transmits data to the receiver. It has a 3-year long battery life and low-power battery consumption which significantly reduces maintenance time and cost.

Scarlet E11 is ATEX Certified EX II 2 G EX ib IIB T4 and complies with OSHA standards. It is  designed to hold up in a tough and extreme working environment, not only explosion-proof but it is also water proof. EE11 has stable wireless transmission distance up to 400 meters/1,300 meters (XB model). Moreover, it has three different active warning & alarm set points which enable users to customize their own alarm system.

What’s more interesting is that, apart from the receiver, you can also connect it with a smartphone App to monitor the real-time wind data on your phone. Free download of the App on IoS and Android.

Scarlet WindPro

Scarlet WindPro Wireless Wind Monitoring System consists of a high-precision wind speed sensor and a wireless receiver. The sensor continuously measures wind speed and transmits data to the receiver in real time. The full-color display provides instant wind speed readings, with historical graphs accessible through different display pages.

WindPro offers smart alarm functions triggered by user-defined thresholds. When wind speed exceeds preset limits, the system activates local alarms, such as LED indicators and buzzers. It can also trigger external alerts via three built-in relay outputs.

Engineered for reliability, WindPro supports long-range wireless transmission up to 1,000 meters and features Bluetooth connectivity for mobile monitoring. With the Scarlet WindPro App, users can connect the system to multiple smartphones for convenient, on-the-go wind speed tracking.

Scarlet wireless anemometers are trusted across a wide range of industries to ensure site safety, including applications in construction, offshore operations, and infrastructure projects. WindPro has supported global leaders like CCC, ADNOC, Berkeley Group, AECOM, Parsons, and Kiewit in effective wind risk management.

The material and structure of the anemometer are necessary factors as the durability of the equipment depends on these aspects. The anemometer will constantly be exposed to the outdoor environment, and face harsh weather conditions. So make sure that the unit you select is rugged and durable that can withstand the different climates. Most importantly, when picking anemometers for construction sites, the wireless function is definitely an advantage. The fewer wires are, the safer it will be at the site. Choosing an anemometer is not an easy task, and can be very time-consuming. Although expensive units usually have better quality, there are also some low-end anemometers that are no less in functionality and durability. No matter what your budget is, if you consider all the factors mentioned above, you can quickly select the most suitable one. Going through the reviews provided by other experienced users could also help you practically. Take your time, and choose the most suitable one.

Scarlet Wireless Anemometers