{"id":4083,"date":"2018-03-22T15:56:26","date_gmt":"2018-03-22T22:56:26","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2025-07-24T10:35:16","modified_gmt":"2025-07-24T17:35:16","slug":"4083","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/til\/4083","title":{"rendered":"Go Direct Acceleration Troubleshooting and FAQs"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"\/product\/go-direct-acceleration-sensor\/\">Go Direct<sup>&reg;<\/sup> Acceleration Sensor<\/a> (<nobr>GDX-ACC<\/nobr>)<\/h3>\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"\/manuals\/GDX-ACC\">Specifications and User Guide<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/product_gdx-acc_remote-logging_001_2025-02.jpg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-very-light-gray-background-color has-background\"><strong>Some versions of this sensor support Remote Data Logging.<\/strong><br \/><a href=\"\/til\/24810\/\">Which Go Direct Acceleration do I have? Does it support Remote Data Logging?<\/a><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Troubleshooting<\/h3>\n<p><strong>General: <\/strong>Press the power button on the sensor to turn it on. Connect your sensor as described in the <a href=\"\/til\/get-started\/go-direct\">Getting Started instructions for your device<\/a>. (The green LED will flash to indicate the sensor is connected.)<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Primary test:<\/strong> When placed on a flat surface with the label up, do the accelerations in the x and y directions read approximately zero, and does the acceleration in the z direction measure -9.8 m\/s<sup>2<\/sup>? Do the gyroscopes read zero?<\/li>\n<li><strong>Accelerometers:<\/strong> Were the accelerometers properly zeroed? For more accurate acceleration readings, zero the x- and y- directions of acceleration while the sensor rests horizontally on its top or bottom surface. Zero the z-direction of acceleration while the sensor rests horizontally on one of the long sides.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Gyroscope: <\/strong>Zero unit while it is at rest on a surface. Then shake unit in one hand while collecting data. Are there readings?<\/li>\n<li><strong>Altimeter:<\/strong> Zero unit on a surface. Move unit upwards more than 1 meter &#8211; does the altimeter reading show the change in height above the surface?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Additional Troubleshooting<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"\/til\/3857\/\">Will my device work with Go Direct Sensors via Bluetooth?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/til\/4053\/\">Graphical Analysis App Bluetooth issues on Windows 10: Do I need to pair?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/til\/4114\/\">Does the Go Direct Acceleration fit inside a model rocket tube?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/til\/4183\/\">How do I attach my Go Direct Accelerometer to my experimental setup?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/til\/4244\/\">Why does GDX-ACC report inaccurate altitudes?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/til\/4300\/\">Can I use Go Direct Acceleration with a metal cart?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/til\/3940\/\">Can I use Vernier sensors to investigate factors causing concussions?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/til\/418\/\">How do you calibrate an accelerometer?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/til\/677\/\">What is the difference between your accelerometers?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/til\/4164\/\">Which Go Direct Sensor should I take to the amusement park?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/til\/24109\/\">What are the dimensions of the Go Direct Acceleration sensor?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/til\/16315\/\">Channel Numbers for GDX Sensors in Python and other coding languages<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/til\/4089\/\">What are the temperature limitations on the Go Direct 300 mAh battery?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>REMOTE DATA LOGGING<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"\/til\/24810\/\">Which Go Direct Acceleration do I have? Does it support Remote Data Logging?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/til\/23278\/\">Is there a way to update Go Direct sensors with the remote data logging feature?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/til\/23256\/\">Remote Data Logging Troubleshooting and FAQs<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/til\/23612\/\">How do I zero my sensor for a remote data logging experiment?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/til\/23325\/\">How long will my battery last for my remote data logging experiment?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/til\/23335\/\">Which sensors are equipped with the remote data logging feature?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/til\/23339\/\">How do I configure multiple channels of my Go Direct device for remote data logging?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/til\/23343\/\">How do I start a remote data logging experiment on a triggering event?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/til\/23640\/\">How do I check the status of my sensor during a remote data logging experiment?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/til\/23647\/\">How do I bring remote logging data from multiple devices or multiple runs into a single Graphical Analysis file?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Specifications<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Range:<br \/>\u26ac Low acceleration: \u00b1157 m\/s<sup>2<\/sup> (\u00b116 g)<br \/>\u26ac High acceleration: \u00b11,960 m\/s<sup>2<\/sup> (\u00b1200 g)<br \/>\u26ac Gyros: \u00b135 rad\/s (\u00b12000 \u00b0\/s)<br \/>\u26ac Altimeter: \u20131,800 m to 10,000 m (-5,900 ft to 33,000 ft)<br \/>\u26ac Angle: \u00b1180\u00b0<\/li>\n<li>Maximum data-collection rate: 1000 samples per second<\/li>\n<li>Dimensions: 68 mm \u00d7 27 mm \u00d7 17 mm<br \/>\u26ac Least cross-section diagonal: 28.6 mm<br \/>\u26ac Mass: ~28 g<\/li>\n<li>Connections:<br \/>\u26ac Wireless: Bluetooth<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> v4.2 (wireless range 30 m unobstructed) <br \/>\u26ac Wired: USB 2.0 full speed<\/li>\n<li>Battery: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.vernier.com\/gdx-bat-300\">300 mA Li-Poly<\/a><br \/>\u26ac Battery Life (single, full charge): ~24 hours continuous data collection<br \/>\u26ac Battery Life (lifetime): 2 \u2013 5 years (typical)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Calibration<\/h3>\n<p>Calibrate? No. The sensor is set to the stored calibration before shipping. It is not necessary to calibrate any of the sensors included in the Go Direct Acceleration.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In most cases, calibration is not necessary for the acceleration sensor. However, most accelerometers, including this one, sense gravity as well as acceleration. Thus, if you want to measure vertical acceleration separate from gravity, simply place the sensor in its measurement orientation and zero the axis that is pointing vertically upward.<\/li>\n<li>If you plan to use this sensor exclusively for vertical acceleration, it makes sense to calibrate the sensor so that zeroing will not be necessary every time a new experiment is created in software. Calibration writes an offset value to the sensor, as opposed to setting a zero temporarily for the duration of an experiment. To calibrate the sensor, click or tap the meter for the axis you wish to offset and choose Calibrate. Orient your sensor as for measurement and enter 0 m\/s<sup>2<\/sup> (or whatever offset you choose, for example -19.6 m\/s<sup>2<\/sup> if you orient an axis vertically downward instead of upward). Click or tap Keep, then Apply the calibration.<\/li>\n<li>The gyroscope is factory-calibrated and there is no user-calibrate option.<\/li>\n<li>You can use the calibration function to write an offset to the altitude chip for your physical location. You can also change the offset to read zero at your location, or simply zero the altimeter when you begin a new experiment.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Battery Troubleshooting<\/h3>\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the sensor can be turned on when connected by USB but not when disconnected from USB, the battery either needs charging or has reached its end of life and can no longer hold a charge. <\/span><br \/>\u26ac <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First, try charging the sensor for several hours. <\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the sensor still won\u2019t turn on when disconnected from USB, try swapping the battery with a working sensor to see if the problem follows the battery or stays with the sensor.<\/span><br \/>\u26ac If the problem stays with the sensor, the battery is probably not the issue.<br \/>\u26ac If the problem follows the battery, <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the battery has likely reached its end of life.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you intend to use this sensor wirelessly, its battery will need replacing<\/span>.<br \/><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"\/product\/go-direct-300-mah-replacement-battery\/\">Go Direct&reg; 300 mAh Replacement Battery<\/a> (<nobr>GDX-BAT-300<\/nobr>)<\/span><\/li>\n<li>See <a href=\"\/til\/4014\/\">How do I remove or replace a Go Direct battery?<\/a> for more information.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-very-light-gray-background-color has-background\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Rechargeable batteries are covered by a one-year warranty.<\/strong><\/span><br \/>Batteries <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">should last two to five years in typical use. <\/span><\/p>\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Related Products<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"\/product\/micro-usb-to-usb-c-cable\/\">Micro USB to USB-C Cable<\/a> (<nobr>CB-USB-C-MICRO<\/nobr>)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/product\/go-direct-charge-station\/\">Go Direct<sup>&reg;<\/sup> Charge Station<\/a> (<nobr>GDX-CRG<\/nobr>)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/product\/wireless-dynamics-sensor-system\/\">Wireless Dynamics Sensor System<\/a> (<nobr>WDSS<\/nobr>), discontinued <\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/product\/go-direct-force-and-acceleration-sensor\/\">Go Direct<sup>&reg;<\/sup> Force and Acceleration Sensor<\/a> (<nobr>GDX-FOR<\/nobr>)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/product\/go-direct-sensor-cart\/\">Go Direct<sup>&reg;<\/sup> Sensor Cart<\/a> (<nobr>GDX-CART-G<\/nobr>)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/product\/go-direct-sensor-cart\/\">Go Direct<sup>&reg;<\/sup> Sensor Cart<\/a> (<nobr>GDX-CART-Y<\/nobr>)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/product\/3-axis-accelerometer\/\">3-Axis Accelerometer<\/a> (<nobr>3D-BTA<\/nobr>)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/product\/25-g-accelerometer\/\">25-g Accelerometer<\/a> (<nobr>ACC-BTA<\/nobr>)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/product\/low-g-accelerometer\/\">Low-g Accelerometer<\/a> (<nobr>LGA-BTA<\/nobr>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Replacement Parts<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"\/product\/go-direct-300-mah-replacement-battery\/\">Go Direct&reg; 300 mAh Replacement Battery<\/a> (<nobr>GDX-BAT-300<\/nobr>)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/product\/micro-usb-cable\/\">Micro USB Cable<\/a> (<nobr>CB-USB-MICRO<\/nobr>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Specifications and User Guide Some versions of this sensor support Remote Data Logging. Troubleshooting General: Press the power button on the sensor to turn it&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":43901,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[6886,580,6888,6887,370,6885,6889],"class_list":["post-4083","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","tag-accel","tag-accelerometer","tag-angel","tag-angle","tag-gdx-acc","tag-gyro","tag-maintil-gdxaccmain-gdx-accmain"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/til\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4083","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/til\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/til\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/til\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/43901"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/til\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4083"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/til\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4083\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/til\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4083"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/til\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4083"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/til\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4083"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}