07395.267 Manual Leaf and Soil Moisture Temp Station 2.fm Page 1 Friday, February 4, 2005 5:50 PM Wireless Leaf & Soil Moisture/Temperature Station Installation Manual For Wireless Vantage Pro2™ and Vantage Pro2 Plus™ The Wireless Leaf & Soil Moisture/Temperature Station (referred to in this document as the Leaf/Soil Station) can be used with any Wireless Vantage Pro2 weather station to measure leaf wetness, soil moisture, or temperature.
07395.267 Manual Leaf and Soil Moisture Temp Station 2.
07395.267 Manual Leaf and Soil Moisture Temp Station 2.fm Page 3 Friday, February 4, 2005 5:50 PM Installation Steps For ease of installation and use of your Leaf/Soil Station, please follow steps in the order presented.
07395.267 Manual Leaf and Soil Moisture Temp Station 2.fm Page 4 Friday, February 4, 2005 5:50 PM Installing the Battery 3-Volt Lithium Battery 1. Insert the 3-volt lithium battery into the battery holder, matching the “+” sign on the battery with the “+” sign next to the battery mounting brackets. 2. Note the location of the DIP switches. You will work with them during the next installation step.
07395.267 Manual Leaf and Soil Moisture Temp Station 2.fm Page 5 Friday, February 4, 2005 5:50 PM Soil Temperature Sensor Connection Temporarily connect a temperature probe to the TEMP 1 terminal block connector. 1. Use a pen or small screwdriver to open the connector “jaws” as shown in the illustration to the right. 2. While the jaws are open, insert the temperature probe leads, then let the connector jaws close in on the lead by removing the pen or small screwdriver.
07395.267 Manual Leaf and Soil Moisture Temp Station 2.fm Page 6 Friday, February 4, 2005 5:50 PM . Battery Holder ON 1 2 3 4 DIP Switches Transmitter DIP Switches in Top-right Corner of SIM Setting Console/Receiver(s) to Same ID 1. Put your console into Setup Mode — press and hold DONE and press the down arrow (-). • The console displays the words: “RECEIVING FROM...” and “STATION NO.” followed by the transmitter IDs that your console detects.
07395.267 Manual Leaf and Soil Moisture Temp Station 2.fm Page 7 Friday, February 4, 2005 5:50 PM Testing Station Communications 1. If you are using a Soil Moisture sensor to test the station, press TEMP until you see “SOIL MOIST” displayed on the console screen where the inside temperature is usually displayed. If you are using a Leaf Wetness sensor, press HUM until you see “LEAF WET” displayed where you usually see the inside humidity.
07395.267 Manual Leaf and Soil Moisture Temp Station 2.fm Page 8 Friday, February 4, 2005 5:50 PM If the LED flashes repeatedly but your console isn’t picking up a signal anywhere in the room, it could be related to one of the following causes: • The DIP switches were not correctly set on the transmitter. Review the procedure on page 5. • The ID was not correctly set on the console/receiver. Review the procedure on page 6. • Reception is being disrupted by RF (radio frequency) interference.
07395.267 Manual Leaf and Soil Moisture Temp Station 2.fm Page 9 Friday, February 4, 2005 5:50 PM Testing Transmission from Proposed Location It is very important to test reception from the proposed location before permanently mounting the Leaf/Soil Station. • Place the shelter at the intended mounting site, or have someone hold it there, so you can walk around with the console/receiver for a few minutes.
07395.267 Manual Leaf and Soil Moisture Temp Station 2.fm Page 10 Friday, February 4, 2005 5:50 PM 2. Place a flat washer, a lock washer and a hex nut on each of the bolt ends. 3. Using an adjustable wrench or 7/16" wrench, tighten the nuts. 4. Place the second U-bolt around the pole and through the two holes at the bottom of the shelter. 5. Put a flat washer, a lock washer, and a hex nut on each bolt end, and tighten the hex nuts.
07395.267 Manual Leaf and Soil Moisture Temp Station 2.fm Page 11 Friday, February 4, 2005 5:50 PM • To use one soil temperature sensor to provide compensation for multiple soil moisture sensors, install the temperature sensor in TEMP 1. • If the station is configured as a combined LEAF/SOIL station, the value displayed for Leaf Temperature #1 will be same value displayed for Soil Temperature #1. The same is true for Leaf and Soil Temperature #2.
07395.267 Manual Leaf and Soil Moisture Temp Station 2.fm Page 12 Friday, February 4, 2005 5:50 PM Finishing the Sensor Connections to the Station 1. Secure sensor cables within the cable clamps located next to the grommets. 2. Secure the cable clamps using the by screwing them to the cable clamp mounts inside the housing near the grommets.
07395.267 Manual Leaf and Soil Moisture Temp Station 2.fm Page 13 Friday, February 4, 2005 5:50 PM Mounting the Sensor on a Pipe To mount the sensor on a pipe, stake, or pole with outside diameter between 1" and 1-1/4" (25 mm and 31 mm), secure the sensor to the pipe using the 1-1/2" U-bolts, 1/4" flat washers, and 1/4" hex nuts as shown below. Use a 7/16" wrench or adjustable wrench to tighten the hex nuts.
07395.267 Manual Leaf and Soil Moisture Temp Station 2.fm Page 14 Friday, February 4, 2005 5:50 PM will use a default temperature of 75° F (24° C) to compensate the soil moisture readings.
07395.267 Manual Leaf and Soil Moisture Temp Station 2.fm Page 15 Friday, February 4, 2005 5:50 PM Sprinkler Irrigation • Sprinkler irrigation usually provides a more uniform distribution of water to the ground surface, but there can be great differences in penetration and holding capacity due to soil type variations, soil interfaces and contour. Try to place your sensors in the areas where variations occur. • In tree crops, locate sensors at the drip line.
07395.267 Manual Leaf and Soil Moisture Temp Station 2.fm Page 16 Friday, February 4, 2005 5:50 PM • Guidelines on proper depths for specific crops and conditions can be obtained from your local farm advisor. Irrometer also maintains an excellent resource listing the suggested placement for soil moisture sensors by crop at www.irrometer.com. Installation Procedure 1. Soak the soil moisture sensors overnight in water. • Always “plant” a wet soil moisture sensor.
07395.267 Manual Leaf and Soil Moisture Temp Station 2.fm Page 17 Friday, February 4, 2005 5:50 PM • Carefully backfill the access hole with soil to eliminate any air pockets. 5. You can solvent weld the 1/2” Class 315 PVC Tape tubing to the sensor collar for easier installation and removal. • Use a PVC/ABS cement (IPS Weld-on #794 or Sensor equivalent). Wires 6.
07395.267 Manual Leaf and Soil Moisture Temp Station 2.fm Page 18 Friday, February 4, 2005 5:50 PM Centibar Reading Soil Condition 0-10 Saturated Soil. Occurs for a day or two after irrigation. 10-20 Soil is adequately wet (except coarse sands which are drying out at this range) 30-60 Usual range to irrigate or water (except heavy clay soils). Irrigate at the upper end of this range in cool humid climates and with higher water-holding capacity soils.
07395.267 Manual Leaf and Soil Moisture Temp Station 2.fm Page 19 Friday, February 4, 2005 5:50 PM Contacting Davis Technical Support If you have questions about your Leaf/Soil Station, or encounter problems installing or operating the station, please contact Davis Technical Support. Note: Please do not return items to the factory for repair without prior authorization. (510) 732-7814 – Monday – Friday, 7:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Pacific Time. support@davisnet.com – E-mail to Technical Support.
07395.267 Manual Leaf and Soil Moisture Temp Station 2.fm Page 20 Friday, February 4, 2005 5:50 PM cable, stripped and tinned Maximum Cable Length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 AWG: 800’ (244 m), 22 AWG: 1200’ (365 m) Wireless Communications Transmit Frequency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . US Models: 902-928 MHz FHSS, Overseas Models: 868.0 - 868.6 MHz FHSS. ID Codes Available . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Output Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .