PLS360 Application Guide

The PLS360 is a compact and durable, self-leveling laser tool.  The PLS360 provides the building professional with a bright and crisp horizontal laser line which is accurate to 1/8” at 100’.  The PLS360 incorporates PLS’s unique “automatic beam shutoff” when the tool exceeds its self-leveling range of eight degrees.  The advantage of the PLS360 over competitive rotating lasers is that there is no need for slow rotating of the beam to see it in bright conditions.  There are no confusing buttons on the PLS360, just one for off and on.  An adjustable wall bracket is included in the carrying case to fasten the PLS360 to wall molding for use in hanging acoustical ceiling tile.

Acoustical Ceiling Installation

The contractor should remove the PLS360 from its carrying case and first make certain that the laser tool has batteries by turning on the tool.  Then take the wall bracket and attach it to the bottom of the PLS360 by turning the black knob clockwise.  Once the wall bracket and the PLS360 are tightly connected, loosen the black vertical knob that allows the tool to slide to the bottom of the wall bracket.  Turn on the PLS360 and then place your hand over the top of the laser and squeeze the spring-loaded lever to the left to open the bracket.  Carefully insert the bracket over the wall molding and release the spring-loaded lever to form a tight clamp onto the molding.  The bottom of the wall bracket should be resting against the wall to give added support to the laser.   

If the task at hand is to complete the hanging of the wall molding on the jobsite, raise the PLS360 up until the laser line is aligned perfectly with the wall molding to which the wall bracket is attached.  Tighten down the black adjustment knob.  The contractor now has a bright and accurate laser “chalk line” to reference when fastening the rest of the wall molding.

Now it is time to install the grid.  Because the wall molding has been installed completely around the room, you must choose the proper place to mount your PLS360 for optimum performance.  It is best to choose a spot where your laser “chalk line” is uninterrupted and can be seen clearly throughout the jobsite.  Try to mount the PLS360 on a bearing wall if possible and avoid mounting the laser above heavily trafficked places such as doorways or where another sub-contractor might be staged and working.  Taking these precautions will minimize transferring any unnecessary vibrations to the PLS360 and assure the contractor of a stable and accurate laser line to work with on the jobsite.

There are two ways to install the grid using the PLS360.  The first is to align the beam exactly with the wall molding after the PLS360 has been re-mounted to the wall.  Now hang the grid to the laser line that is visible throughout the room.  The second and more efficient method is to use an optional magnetic laser target.  This method allows the contractor to avoid having the grid that has already been installed block the laser beam from the rest of the job.  This method also offers a more precise and quick placement of the grid.

Magnetically fasten the target to the wall molding across the room from the PLS360.  Loosen the black vertical adjustment knob and lower the PLS360 until the laser line is aligned with the offset mark that is precisely two inches from the bottom of the finished grid height.  Now that the contractor has established “instrument height” for the PLS360, the magnetic target can now be fastened to any piece of grid and tied of to the exact position.  Depending on the size of the job, a contractor might have as many as ten targets available to the installers to use.  This affordable magnetic ceiling target is available from PLS as an accessory. 

Electrical

The PLS360 may be used for a variety of electrical installation projects:  establishing precise heights for the installation of hanging fixtures such as chain-hung fluorescent lights in a commercial space, providing a level laser line for installation of receptacles and switches and providing a reference line for chases and for the installation of wall-hung fixtures.

Exterior Applications

The PLS360 may be used outdoors with the PLS Laser Detector (PLS-SLD) for a wide variety of construction projects.  The PLS-SLD is a rugged, water-resistant detector that affords the contractor the ability to locate the laser beam in bright light environments.  The PLS-SLD has two liquid crystal displays, one on the front and another on the back.  These LCDs indicate the detector’s position relative to the laser beam with an “up” arrow indicating that the detector is too low and a “down” arrow meaning that the detector is too high.  A solid line in the center of the display means that you have found exact level.  The PLS-SLD also provides an audible tone so that the contractor does not have to look at the displays in order to find level on his projects.  A fast beep means the detector is too high, a solid tone means that you have located grade or level and a slow beep means that the detector is too low.  The PLS-SLD also has a setting for detection accuracy.  This feature may be set from fine to course depending on the application.  The PLS-SLD is sold with a grade rod clamp that will fasten to most available grade rods.

Checking Grade

The PLS360 may be used to check grade elevations when preparing a site for excavation.  Rough level a tripod in a safe location somewhere on the property.  It is important not to set up a tripod directly in the area that is to be excavated.  Fasten the PLS360 to the tripod and turn on the laser.  Then fasten the PLS-SLD to your grade rod and find the predetermined finished pad height also known as a benchmark.  Slide the PLS-SLD up or down the grade rod until the “on Grade” symbol is seen on the LCD.  Take note of the detector’s position on the grade rod for that day.  You may place a piece of tape on the position as a reminder of its location.  You will never be able to set up the PLS360 and tripod at the same elevation every day, so each morning you must set the “instrument height” on the grade rod.  You are now ready to check grade throughout your jobsite.  Walk to one corner of the proposed building pad, place the grade rod on a spot and hold the grade rod plumb “vertical “ and slide the PLS-SLD up or down until grade “level” is found.  If you had to lower your PLS-SLD to find grade, then you are on a high spot that needs to be cut; if you had to raise your detector above instrument height, then it is necessary to add fill as you are in a low spot.  As each measurement is taken you would mark the earth with spray paint denoting the cut or fill amount needed.  When finished, you will have many strategically place circles with numbers inside that say, for example, +7 or –7.  The operator of the machinery that cuts the building pads now has elevations for guidance.

Foundations

The contractor must set the “instrument height” on the PLS-SLD the same as if he were checking grade.  Find the benchmark on the jobsite that denotes the finished slab or footing height.  Many contractors will simply use a notched wooden stake instead of a grade rod when setting their forms boards.  This is because one had will be used to hold the notched stake with the attached PLS-SLD against the top of the form board, and the other hand on a hammer to drive in the duplex nail to fasten the form board to the concrete stakes.  A grade rod would be too ungainly for this task.  Generally, a contractor would use two PLS-SLDs for each team of workers setting the form boards.  One person at each end of the form board would raise or lower the stake with the     PLS-SLD attached until a solid tone indicating level is heard.

Then fasten the form board to the concrete stakes and move onto the next form board.  It is advisable to periodically check the current instrument height against the original known fixed mark or benchmark.  Tripod legs could potentially settle into the earth resulting in a level operating laser but the original instrument height would be changed.