Environmental monitoring equipment

I am currently working with a University Art Museum that is in a
position to purchase new environmental monitoring equipment:
Temperature/RH data-loggers, and Light meters.  Conditions are
currently being monitored through 2 inexpensive digital monitors
which log 'highs' and 'lows' but do not regularly log temperature/RH
and dates/times. While it is evident that conditions are indeed
fluctuating, to begin effectively recording and addressing the
problem, the purchase of a temperature/RH Meter capable of logging
the information and tracking changes over days/weeks/months is
necessary.

The museum consists of two contemporary main galleries, a
preparation area, and permanent storage (containing approximately
1,000 objects/artworks).  A data-logger would ideally be purchased
for each gallery, the prep area, and the storage (4 total).

The museum has only one full-time paid staff member, and otherwise
largely depends on student workers and volunteers; purchasing a
system that is user-friendly and requires minimal up-keep--a system
that can store a large time-span of information and only needs to be
downloaded to computer once a month, for example--would be ideal.
The related computer software would also need to be user-friendly
and easily produce usable and representative data.

I am working on identifying an appropriate and affordable
data-logging temperature/RH Monitoring system (ideally no more than
$3500 for equipment and installation). I am interested in hearing
others' experiences with specific brands: cost; satisfaction with
accurate readings; ease of operation; problems encountered with the
system or user error; installation concerns (self-installable vs.
requiring professional installation), etc. The museum also needs to
purchase a reliable and easy to use light meter (UV and visible) for
monitoring conditions in the galleries.  Any recommendations on
particular brands or systems would be greatly appreciated.

Emily Prehoda
Paintings Conservator and Preservation Planning Consultant
DeVos Art Museum
Marquette, Michigan


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 24:38
                 Distributed: Sunday, February 13, 2011
                       Message Id: cdl-24-38-021
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