Which is the best vibration data logger?
Rating 7 different types of vibration data loggers and explaining what a data logger is & how they work
- Battery & memory specifications
- Calibration
- Discounts & Quotations
- How to analyse vibrations measurements
- How to order the ReLog
- How vibrations are measured accurately
- Future development
- Info & Background
- Mounting
- Quick start guide
- Technical specifications
- Troubleshooting
- Update the internal clock
- VibInspect software
- Which is the best data logger?
- Why use the ReLog?
As you have found your way to this article, we are assuming that you have already purchased a vibration data logger or is looking to do so soon. And since the team at ReVibe is well ventured within the world of vibrations, we have reviewed and tested a lot of other vibration data loggers before we decided to develop and introduce the ReLog vibration data logger. Now, we would love to share our thoughts and opinions with you to guide you along your way to answer the final questions: Which is the best data logger on the market?
Naturally, we’re not unbiased in our opinions but we have a massive amount of respect for the competition we face in the market place and as with all situations: one product does not suit everyone.
But, before we get to the actual ranking, let us explain in more detail what a data logger is and how and where you put it to work.
What is a vibration data logger?
A vibration data logger is a recording device that records vibrations in the environment that it is placed. The measurements are typically stored on internal memory, which means that the data logger can act as an autonomous instrument without any need for monitoring during the time when measurements are being recorded.
The alternative to using a data logger is usually a Data Acquisition System (DAQ) which is used when more high-speed recording is deemed to be necessary. In simple wording, this means when you want to record vibrations with an extreme level of detail you turn to DAQ systems. For instances where you would like to record in inconvenient locations, for a longer period and at sample rates from 50,000 Hz and lower, you turn to vibration data loggers.
How is data stored?
A typical question that we receive is how the data is stored on the data logger. The normal way to approach it is by using internal storage, either an SD card or a smaller flash memory, to store the measurements for later extraction. The purpose of the data logger is one of the key factors that dictate the intended usage of the different data loggers. E.g. a data logger with a large internal memory naturally can hold more measurements and is thus better suited for longer measurements.
How do you connect to a data logger?
Once the data has been stored, a question is often how different data loggers allow you to extract the information. The different data loggers available on the market today offers a variety of options, but the three most common approaches are:
- Extraction via USB cable to a computer
- Wireless transfer via BLE/WiFi or similar protocols
- Removing an SD card physically and inserting it into a computer
| Name | Sample rate | Battery capacity | Memory | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ReLog | 125 - 32,000 Hz | 2,600 - 3,400 mAh | 32GB - 128 GB | 2195 - 2895€ |
| MSR 165 | 1,600 Hz | 900 mAh | 1GB - 4GB | 900 - 1600€ |
| VSEW mk2 | 4,000 Hz | unknown | 8GB | 492€ |
| Endaq S3 | 20,000 Hz | 250 mAh | 1GB - 8GB | 900 - 1800€ |
| Endaq S5 | 20,000 Hz | 850 mAh | 8GB - 16GB | 2025 - 3600€ |
| Gulf coast | 400 Hz | AA battery | 8GB | 80€ |
| TSR Pro | 20,000 Hz | unknown | 1GB | 5400 - 9900€ |
Reviews and rating of each logger
Before we get into the rating and reviewing part we would like to mention that our ratings of course will be subjective. You, as the reader, should review the facts presented above and make up your mind around the rating.
Convergence instruments VSEW mk2
The VSEK mk2 is the newest model of vibration data loggers by Convergence instrument which includes a 3-axis MEMS accelerometer that can sample as high as 4,000 Hz. The g-level has been set to 8g which is lower than their previous model where you could measure up to 16g. It might limit the scope of applications a bit compared to the older versions they offer. The internal memory is limited to 128 MB which means that you run out of memory after 17 minutes when sampling in one axis at 4,000 Hz. But, if you use the trigger functionality Convergence states that the memory capacity will last for up to 10 months when recording 3-axes at 1 min intervals.
Price: 492 €.
Rating: 3 out of 5.
MSR 165
The Swiss company is definitely one of the strongest players on the vibration data logger market and has extensive experience and a wide selection of loggers. Our favorite is the MSR 165 where we like the following choices (as MSR offers a wide range of customisable options): Lithium polymer battery, temperature sensor, humidity sensor, air pressure, 3-axes accelerometer with 200g-level and 1600 Hz sampling frequency and light sensor.
The logger itself looks to be very neat and easy to handle and offers an impressive range of choices. Our configuration ended up at around 1450€ but depending on how you configure the MSR165 prices start at 900€. The reason that we’re not completely in love with the product is it’s fairly limited sampling frequency.
Price: 1450€
Rating: 3 out of 5
Gulf coast data concepts USB-Accelerometer 3-axis
This is the simplest logger that we’ve had a look at and comes in at a mere price of 89$. For that sum you will get at small, light (55g!) and fairly neat logger. It can only sample at a maximum of 400 Hz with high resolution but can go as high as 3,200 Hz if you can tolerate a lower effective resolution. But what is a bit more impressive is the fact that the logger comes with a 8GB microSD card which means that you can log vibrations for quite a long time, which makes this logger ideal for first time users who doesn’t need high quality in terms of measurements but might just be looking for an instrument to detect movements/shocks.
Price: 89$ / 80€.
Rating: 3,5 out of 5
Endaq S3 & Endaq S5
Endaq, or Midé Technology as it formerly was called, is probably the market leaders in terms of track record and offers a wide range of logger configurations. We’ve had closer lok at the S3 and S5.
The S3 has a plastic casing with a few different accelerometer options where the lowest sampling rate is 3,200 Hz with two different g-levels at 16g or 40 g. The highest sampling rate possible for the S3 is 20,000 Hz with different g-levels of 25g, 100g, 500g and 2000g. Battery capacity lines up at 200-250 mAh hours and internal storage of 1GB-8GB. All in al, an excellent logger that with its maximum capacity has a good sampling rate but the battery capacity could have been a bit higher to live up to the price tag of 2000$.
The S5, which is Endaqs newest addition, provides a choice of 4,000 Hz or 20,000 Hz sampling rate. The battery size is larger for the S5 with 850 mAh of capacity and an internal memory of 8GB-16GB. In our opinion, this is where things get interesting with a bit more battery capacity and a decent memory size. However, the price tag is a bit higher for this one, and ranges from 2,250$ – 4000$.
All in all, two excellent vibration data loggers which allows you to get a logger that meets your needs but lacks when it comes to internal memory and battery capacity.
Price S3: 1,000 – 2,000 $ / 900€ – 1,800 €
Price S5: 2,250 – 4,000 $ / 2025 – 3,600 €
Rating: 4 out of 5
Summary
As we are at the end of the article, do you find yourself well equipped to answer the question: Which is the best vibration data logger? We certainly hope that you have gained the knowledge you were looking for. If you haven’t, do feel free to reach out to us and we will do our very best to guide you to the best purchase decision.
