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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.

The following Vantage Pro2 console station configurations can be used with the

Leaf/Soil Station:

• Only one Leaf/Soil Station can be installed as a Leaf/Soil Station per Vantage Pro2

Weather Station.

• Two stations can be installed if one is configured as a Leaf Station and the other

station is configured as a Soil Station in the Vantage Pro2 console.

• Configured as a Leaf Station, the Station supports two leaf wetness sensors and

two temperature probes.

• Configured as a Soil Station, it supports up to four soil moisture sensors and tem-

perature probes.

Note: In any station using soil moisture sensors, the corresponding temperature probe, if installed, will be

used for temperature compensation of the soil moisture sensor.

Tools for Setup

In addition to the components shown, you will need some or all of the following

materials:

• Adjustable wrench or 7/16" wrench

• Medium Phillips Screwdriver

• Ballpoint pen or paper clip (small pointed object of some kind)

• Drill and 3/16" (5 mm) drill bit (if mounting on a vertical surface)

• Stepped Sensor Installation Tool for Soil Moisture and Temperature Sensors (rec-

ommended, see page 16)

Station Type in

Console

Configuration

Number of Leaf

Wetness Sensors

Number of Soil

Moisture Sensors

Number of

Temp Probes

LEAF/SOIL Station 2 4 4

LEAF Station 2 - 2

SOIL Station - 4 4

Summary of content (20 pages)

PAGE 1
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.
PAGE 2
Components The Leaf/Soil Station includes the following components and hardware: Shelter U-Bolts 1/4" x 1-1/2" Lag Screws 1/4" Flat Washers 1/4" Lock Washers 1/4" Hex Nuts 3-Volt Lithium Battery 8" Cable Ties Leaf/Soil Station Components Optional Sensors The following optional sensors are available for the Leaf/Soil Station: #8 x 3/4" Machine Screws #8 Flat Washers U-Bolts 1/4" Flat Washers 1/4" Hex Nuts Leaf Wetness Sensor with 40' (12.
PAGE 3
Installation Steps For ease of installation and use of your Leaf/Soil Station, please follow steps in the order presented.
PAGE 4
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.
PAGE 5
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.
PAGE 6
. 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. One of these should be the ID number you just set on the Leaf/Soil Station transmitter.
PAGE 7
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. Both TEMP and HUM will display temperatures if you are using a temperature probe to test the station.
PAGE 8
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. • There is a problem with the console/receiver. See “Contacting Davis Technical Support” on page 19.
PAGE 9
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. Rotating the antenna so that the transmitting and receiving antennas are parallel to each other may help to improve reception.
PAGE 10
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. Note: If no soil temperature probe is used, the console will use a default temperature of 75ºF (24ºC) to compensate the soil moisture sensor readings. 6.
PAGE 11
• 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. • If no soil temperature sensors are installed, the station will use the default temperature of 75ºF (24ºC) to compensate the soil moisture readings.
PAGE 12
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. SENSOR INTERFACE MODULE Temperature 1 2 3 4 Moisture 1 2 3 4 Cable Clamp Screw Cable Clamp Cable Clamp Mount Rubber Grommets Soil Moisture Sensor Cable Temperature Leaf Wetness Probe Cable Sensor Cable Securing Sensor Cables 3.
PAGE 13
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.
PAGE 14
will use a default temperature of 75° F (24° C) to compensate the soil moisture readings. Test LED SENSOR INTERFACE MODULE 1 Temperature 2 3 4 1 Moisture 2 3 4 Cable Clamp Screw Cable Clamp Cable Clamp Mount Rubber Grommets Temperature Leaf Wetness Probe Cable Sensor Cable Soil Moisture Sensor Cable Running Soil Moisture and Temperature Sensor Connecting Soil Moisture and Temperature Sensors Finishing the Sensor Connections to the Station 1.
PAGE 15
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. • In row crops, locate sensors right in the plant row.
PAGE 16
• 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.
PAGE 17
• 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. After you have installed the soil moisture sensors, the sensors will need one or two irrigation cycles to “break-in” and acclimate to the soil conditions and provide better accuracy. 1/2" PVC Pipe Installation Procedure for Turf/Lawns 1.
PAGE 18
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. 60-100 Usual range to irrigate heavy clay soils 100-200 Soil is becoming dangerously dry for maximum production. Proceed with caution.
PAGE 19
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. (510) 732-9229 – For callers outside the USA or Canada. (510) 670-0589 – Fax. www.davisnet.
PAGE 20
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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .