How To Get Cross Measurements

Your Trigonon Device eliminates human error mistakes, by automatically measuring and storing each measurement.  So, once you are used to using your device and see how accurate your projects are… you may feel you don’t need to do Cross Measurements anymore.

However, there are two great reasons to still do Cross Measurements:

1. It’s still a great way to help verify the accuracy of the measurements you’ve taken
2. Manufacturers still prefer or require them before manufacturing a cover or liner for you

So, we would still recommend doing them.  Here’s some pointers on how to go about it with our device.

Understand how the lasers are measuring

Once you understand how the lasers work, it’s much easier to do measurements and also to troubleshoot.  Review these pointers and it will make this step go quickly and easily.

Types of lasers used

There are TWO different lasers in our Trigonon Device:

1. Red Measuring Laser – This is the laser that actually does the measuring.  In bright sunlight, it may be difficult, or even impossible to see… especially at longer distances.  The laser can still do the measuring, but it is difficult to place it in the proper place if you cannot locate it.
2. Green Targeting Laser – This laser helps locate the position you plan to measure.  We use a very bright green laser to target where the device is pointing.  Since you can see it on sunny days, you can point this where you need a measurement and then you know where the red, measuring laser is also going to be.

How distance effects the lasers

Our lasers are set up to be in sync with each other so that you can find the point you need to hit with the green laser and then the red laser is in the same location, automatically measuring that specific spot.

However, as the distance increases, the lasers will have a tiny bit of space between them.  From about 40 feet and longer, the red laser may be a little higher or a little lower than the green laser.

You can easily see where your red measuring laser is, in relation to your green targeting laser by practicing indoors, where you can see the red laser clearly.  Then, you can see if the red laser ends up being a little higher or lower than the green at longer distances.

Then you can easily adjust, when you are at a pool, doing a Cross Measurement.

For instance, if you realize that at 40 feet, your red laser ends up being about a 1/2″ lower than the green, then you will know how to adjust later when you do this measurement.  For instance, when you do your cross measurement, you can be sure to point the green laser high enough on the pool wall to ensure that the red laser is also hitting the wall and not the water.  If it hit the water, it would end up making an error or using the water as a measurement, which will come up shorter than it actually should be.

Here’s a picture to help understand:

Once you understand how the lasers are used and also how distance effects them, it’s a very simple adjustment.  In the picture above, if you know that your red laser is a little underneath your green laser, then when do your Cross Measurement, you will just make sure to lift the green laser maybe a little higher than you normally would have, to ensure the red laser is hitting the pool wall.  Maybe you even just aim the green laser at the bottom of the coping or close to it.  But, it’s very simple once you understand how they work together.

Remember to hold the Device still

For your AB measurements on the pool outline, you hit the round buckets and our device does a “hover” measurement.  This is where the device takes multiple measurements and figures out the middle of the bucket for you.

However, the Cross Measurements are a different type of measurement.  This is from one point to another point on the pool, so it is what we call a “point & shoot” measurement.  You take one precise measurement from one point of the pool you measured, to the pool wall at another point you have already measured.

When doing this measurement, the last beep is the one that actually takes the measurement.  So, you have a couple seconds to make sure you have it in the correct spot.

Tips on how to hold the device to keep it steady

If you do the following, we have found it really helps to keep the device steady:

1. Extend the walking stick higher so that it comes up to your chest, so you can “hug” the device to your chest to keep it steady
2. Have a wide stance with your feet, so you are stable
3. While you are holding it, you can still have your phone right there to hit the button, to start the measurement.

Here’s a picture to help explain the point: