= MicroPeak Owner's Manual
Keith Packard <keithp@keithp.com>; Bdale Garbee <bdale@gag.com>
-:revnumber: v1.9
-:revdate: 8 Oct 2018
-:copyright: Bdale Garbee and Keith Packard 2018
+:revnumber: v{version}
+:revdate: 01 Jan 1970
+:copyright: Bdale Garbee and Keith Packard 2021
:stylesheet: am.css
:linkcss:
:toc:
these applications, change in one application
will affect the other.
+== Protecting MicroPeak from Sunlight
+
+ The MS5607 barometric sensor is sensitive to direct light. When light
+ shines through the holes in the cover to the components inside, the
+ reported pressure can vary wildly from the actual pressure. This
+ causes the reported altitude to have errors of thousands of
+ feet.
+
+ MicroPeak should be installed in an opaque compartment in the airframe
+ and not subjected to sunlight. Alternatively, a small piece of
+ adhesive-backed open-cell foam can be attached to the device so that
+ it covers the barometric sensor and protects it from direct light.
+
+ Here's what happens when MicroPeak is exposed to sunlight. At apogee,
+ I exposed MicroPeak to varying amounts of sunlight and you can see the
+ wild swings in altitude resulting from that:
+
+ .MicroPeak in Sunlight
+ image::micropeak-flight-nofoam.png[width=430]
+
+ You can carefully cutting a piece of adhesive-backed open-cell foam
+ and attach it to MicroPeak. It's important to press the adhesive to
+ the circuit board and not to the top of the barometric sensor or the
+ sensor may become blocked and not operate at all. Once you've attached
+ the foam, you should test MicroPeak on the ground to make sure it's
+ still working.
+
+ .MicroPeak with Foam
+ image::micropeak-foam.jpg[width=430]
+
+ That MicroPeak was in the same barometric chamber as the one which
+ generated the above results and the resulting flight data looks
+ correct:
+
+ .MicroPeak in Sunlight with Foam
+ image::micropeak-flight-foam.png[width=430]
+
[appendix]
== Handling Precautions