Category
Portable Air Velocity Meters
Handheld air velocity checks for HVAC balancing, clean rooms and fume hoods.
A portable air velocity meter gives a handheld reading for commissioning, balancing or troubleshooting, without a fixed installation. The Halstrup-Walcher EMA200 reads differential pressure and flow rate to ±0.5% FS at 22 °C, runs on one 9 V battery for about 100 hours, and pairs with a pitot tube to convert its pressure reading into duct air velocity.
1 Product · Portable Air Velocity Meter
Selection guide
Portable Air Velocity Meters Guide
What a portable air velocity meter is used for
The EMA200 is a digital gauge, not a complete velocity sensor on its own. Connect it to a pitot tube by tubing, and it displays the differential pressure that tube senses, converted to a flow or velocity value using the tube's known characteristics. Without a probe attached, it reads pressure only, so the probe you choose determines what you can measure.
How to choose a portable air velocity meter
- Accuracy needed: the EMA200 is accurate to ±0.5% FS at 22 °C, suitable for balancing and commissioning checks rather than a permanently installed reference instrument.
- Battery life: it runs on a single 9 V battery for around 100 hours, with a low-battery warning, so carry a spare for a full day of duct traverses.
- Probe pairing: pick a pitot tube to match the job. A telescoping pitot tube suits variable duct depths, and an S-type tube copes better with dusty air.
- Typical use: HVAC air balancing and commissioning, fume hood face velocity checks, duct traverses, and troubleshooting low airflow complaints, where a fixed transmitter isn't justified for a one-off check.
For gas flow measurement rather than air, see portable gas flow meters.
FAQ
Common questions
What is a portable air velocity meter used for?
It's a handheld gauge for one-off or periodic checks, such as HVAC air balancing, commissioning new ductwork, checking fume hood face velocity, or troubleshooting a complaint about low airflow, where installing a fixed transmitter wouldn't be worth it.
Does the EMA200 measure air velocity by itself?
No, it's a differential pressure and flow rate gauge that needs a pitot tube connected to it by tubing. The tube senses the pressure created by moving air, and the EMA200 displays the resulting flow or velocity reading, so the accuracy also depends on the tube you pair it with.
How long does the EMA200 battery last?
It runs on a single 9 V battery for approximately 100 hours of use, with a low-battery warning before it runs out. For a full day of duct balancing work, carrying a spare battery avoids losing readings partway through a job.
How accurate is a portable air velocity meter like the EMA200?
The EMA200 is rated ±0.5% of full scale at 22 °C. That's accurate enough for balancing, commissioning and troubleshooting checks, though a fixed transmitter with a stated velocity accuracy figure is the better choice for continuous monitoring or contractual verification.
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