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1. Solar Panel A 10Watt photovoltaic panel is supplied as standard The solar panel keeps the system battery charged Solar Radiation Sensor Measures incoming solar radiation in a 180 field of view Tripod The tripod provides a stable base for the weather station Wind Sensor A combined wind speed amp direction sensor WWW mea com au Page 10 E Premium Weather Station User Manual Site Selection and Preparation Before installing the weather station select and prepare a suitable site The site selected should be representative of the average conditions over the area of interest If the site is not staffed then the weather station should be located in a secure area or out of sight Any protective fencing should not obstruct the solar panel or solar radiation instruments The following specific requirements should be considered e The nature of the soil or rock must permit relatively inexpensive installation of the system and all its components including any necessary protective fencing e The availability of good mobile phone services coverage if required e Access to the site for calibration maintenance and inspection purposes e The weather station general area should be level and clearly defined e The area should not be artificially watered e Any vegetation surrounding the weather station will need to be cropped to a height of a few cm as part of routine maintenance e The use of compacted hard standin
2. soil moisture anc climate monitoring with ES 41 Vine Street Magill South Australia 5072 p 08 8332 9044 f 08 8332 9577 e mea mea com au w Wwww mea com au Premium Weather Station User Manual Version 6 0 March 2014 E Premium Weather Station User Manual We Notices Copyright Copyright Measurement Engineering Australia Pty Ltd 2014 All rights reserved Under the copyright laws this manual may not be copied in whole or in part by any means without the written consent of Measurement Engineering Australia Pty Ltd Design Changes Measurement Engineering Australia Pty Ltd reserves the right to change the designs and specifications of its products at any time and without prior notice Contact MEA 41 Vine Street MAGILL SA 5072 Telephone 08 8332 9044 Fax 08 8332 9577 Email mea mea com au Web Wwww mea com au Warranty MEA offers a 12 month return to factory warranty on all products The warranty applies to hardware software and system defects only The warranty does not cover acts of misuse by the user or third parties including misuse arising from failure to install or operate a system or its components in accordance with relevant system documentation or failure to seek advice from MEA regarding correct installation or operation of a system or its components EnviroPro probes have a 5 year warranty ThetaProbes have a 2 year warranty Support If you have questions or problems that cann
3. 4 Open anew graph or table and check to see if data has been logged at the last logical logging interval before the test transmission WWW mea com au Page 51 E Premium Weather Station User Manual How to Test the FTP Hardware LOGGER MODEM NETWORK TRANSFER ERROR MODEM STATUS LIGHT STATE PATTERN Out of service ON 5S OFF 0 25S In service ALWAYS ON Call active dial up ON 0 455 OFF 0 25S Offline ON 1S OFF 1S TEST Data active PDT ON 0 1S OFF 0 15S Fig 31 Detail showing the position of the modem status light FTP test button and FTP lights Force an FTP Transfer 1 Press and hold the TEST button until all lights on the panel are lit then release the button 2 An unload sequence will start This involves communicating with the Logger Modem Network and FTP Server in order to complete the process Observe the result Each stage of the sequence is indicated by a green light In order The LOGGER light will flash The MODEM light will flash and then be steadily lit The NETWORK light will flash and then be steadily lit The TRANSFER light will flash and then be steadily lit for a brief period The MODEM light will flash All lights will go out If any part of the sequence fails then the red ERROR light will turn on in parallel with the green light indicating the failed stage of the sequence WWwW mea com au Page 52 E Premium Weather Station User Manual We What t
4. Install the Leaf Wetness Sensor A Y The MEA2040 Leaf Wetness Sensor acts like an artificial leaf and detects the presence of moisture on its surface Rather than simply wet or dry the sensor can measure surface moisture over the entire range from 0 to 100 The sensor should be installed circuit side up The sensor should be installed in a position and at an angle which enables it to best represent a leaf in the canopy of the crop of interest The sensor should be installed at an angle under the foliage where it will be one of the last things to get wet and such that water does not pool on the surface The sensor is fitted with a 45 angle bracket which enables it to be mounted to a post or wooden stake Note that the screw holding the bracket can be undone and the bracket inverted if required Choose a stake or post which allows the sensor to be located at the desired canopy height If necessary a metal extension can be fitted to the bracket Once installed use a cable tie to support the cable to reduce any strain imposed on it or the sensor Wwww mea com au Page 33 E Premium Weather Station User Manual _ Barometric Pressure Sensor If fitted the barometric pressure sensor will be a Vaisala PTB110 The sensor is pre mounted behind the sensor interface card No installation is required by the user The logger enclosure is fitted with a hydrophobic vent to allo
5. 21 Install the Rain Gage scies 22 Install the Soil Temperature Sensor EEN 24 Solar Radiation Sensor EEN 26 Level the Solar Radiation Sensor EEN 26 Install the Wind Sensor EEN 28 Air Temperature and Relative Humidity ccscavscssssesssasscinaccsssessnnncensnsonsavsssanienssenns 32 Install the Leaf Wetness Sensor EEN 33 Barometric Pressure SQNsSOF sessscsescsesssesssesesecosessenesnsesssasenesssssaresecoseaseneensenesaveres 34 Data Logger COMMISSIONING cccrsessscssssscesesconsecosssescsenconsnsessssssceneesoeee DO Connect the System Battery and Uncover the Solar Panel 35 Locate and Install the Data Logger ddsciisanniscmnnuninmnninnnmmnanawndn 36 WWW mea com au Page 3 E Premium Weather Station User Manual We Introduction to Magpie Software cscscccsssscsssssccssssecsssecssssereen 3 7 Install Magpie 3 Software and the Logging Scheme EE 37 How to Find Magpie Files on Your Computer EE 38 Ee Ee e 38 The Magpie Desktop sisciiisiisccicceassisteciscacsundastcasesctieniecsuseans AEN 39 Open a SCHEME EEN 40 Communicating With the Data LOQGE sssciisessssacssesossnsscessasscnsseciuncsnnnseeoncennnese 43 Remote COMMECCION siicccsiscsscosscsecsasccoscscsecteacovscatecas ccessauccosseasscniecorveetcensectestaav euee s 43 Direct CONNECTION via Cable ENEE 44 Program the Data LOG GEN srcunsiatessncessncerrennccecganaaecrinninininsarnnenadada ean 46 The COMMUNICATIONS VWindow EEN 47 R al Time Inf Ori Te 48 LOGGER INFOM
6. Goto Operation gt Communications Remote Details Dial Type Tone D Pulse Phone Number 0429678 195 Modem Setup ATEO DO Comennications Pot 4 BaudRate 1920 FTP Detals Unland using FTP E insert dobal FTP settinas Server address User name Password Click to modify password Streage bolder D Test FTP settings This may take a few moments L ss _ Ginea es ll e _ Press F2to Rebuild F1 for Help Set the Communications Method to Remote via modem Select the Communications Port your modem is attached to Leave the Baud Rate at 19200 Select Finish to save your changes and close the scheme editor Make a dial up connection by selecting the Dial icon SS OS Oy 1ST oe Don t forget to hang up when the session is finished amp A dial up connection can not be made through a broadband modem or router Www mea com au Page 43 E Premium Weather Station User Manual Direct Connection via Cable To communicate with the data logger using a direct cable connection ensure you have a computer which has Magpie software and the system scheme installed and a USB cable terminated with a type B plug on one end and a suitable connector at the other usually type A 1 Open the logger enclosure door using the supplied key 2 Plug the type B plug into the USB socket pictured in Fig 29 3 The connection requires only generic USB drivers for operation Windows should automatically locate and install the
7. Page 15 E Premium Weather Station User Manual e Mark the centre of the intended location of the tripod 4 Diga trench 100mm deep and 4m long extending from the mark This will be used to cover the cables for the rain gauge and the soil temperature sensor Refer to Install the Rain Gauge on page 22 5 Remove the wrapping from the tripod base and expand the legs Fig 3 Tripod closed Fig 4 Tripod open Hint Make sure the feet are pointing outwards If not rotate the legs the opposite way past the collar WWw mea com au Page 16 E Premium Weather Station User Manual We 6 Insert the M8 x 60 screw into the collar Use a 13 mm AF spanner to tighten until the end of the screw is flush with the far face of the collar Fig 5 Secure the collar 7 Locate the tripod so that the upright is directly above the end of the rain gauge cable trench 8 Use a spirit level to check that the tripod is reasonably level This will make the levelling and alignment of sensors easier later on 9 Make any required adjustments to level the tripod then assemble the upper section WWW mea com au Page 17 E Premium Weather Station User Manual e Upper Section Assembly The upper section is the logger enclosure sensor shelter solar radiation sensor solar panel and sensor arm The solar panel solar radiation sensor and wind sensor cables are wired to the logger enclosure t
8. conditions under which frost is likely to happen The instrument accumulates the hours below a user settable temperature threshold by default the instrument uses a set point of 2 0 C The instrument provides a daily total of hours below the threshold Hours of frost requires that air temperature be measured WWw mea com au Page 79
9. internal battery is disconnected the memory will be erased and all data stored in the logger will be lost Unplug the INPUT SIGNALS cable and the packet data terminal and remove the data logger from the enclosure Undo the six screws on the face of the logger using a Phillips No 2 driver and separate the logger from the battery case until you are able to reach the battery connector per Fig 39 on page 66 Pull the battery connector out of the socket and put the data logger to one side face down Invert the battery case to free the battery frame and battery Fit the new battery and cover it with the battery frame Route the battery cable through the notch in the frame as shown in Fig 47 on page 66 Plug the battery into the data logger and re fit the logger to the battery case Place the logger back on the shelf in the logger enclosure and plug the INPUT SIGNALS cable and COMPUTER cable back in Re load the logging scheme see Program the Data Logger on page 46 Check the instrument inputs using the Real Time Information screen and the operation of the packet data terminal as previously described WWw mea com au Page 65 E Premium Weather Station User Manual a VU Ae SE e ch lr Fig 38 Separate the data logger from the battery case Fig 39 The data logger s battery connector Data logger Battery case Fig 40 The data logge
10. power supply is less likely to fail if you monitor its performance and perform some basic maintenance procedures Solar Panel The system relies on the operation of the solar panel to maintain system power 1 Inspect the panel weekly for signs of fouling by bird faeces the build up of dust and obstruction by objects 2 Clean the solar panel using a soft cloth and clean water or water mixed with mild detergent Do not use anything which could scratch the glass cover on the panel 3 Keep surrounding vegetation trimmed so that it will not cast shadows on the panels Battery Validation Errors Your logging scheme has been configured to monitor the system battery voltage Additionally the battery instrument has been flagged to raise Validation Errors if the voltage falls below 12V When downloading data for viewing in Magpie you may see a dialog similar to the one below Validation Errors The imported data has generated one or more sensor validation errors The errors may be indicators of Failed sensors abnormal system Function or Failing power supplies Do you wish to view these errors now Www mea com au Page 60 E Premium Weather Station User Manual S 200 Select Yes to see the validation errors Fig 35 The battery validation errors will be similar to the ones shown above The messages in the validation errors screen will be different according to the battery type and application Hint You will see ba
11. the collector by loosening the three Allen head screws at the base with a 5mm Allen key Use the bullseye level in the base of the gauge to ensure the gauge is level 4 Remove any packing or rubber bands that have been used to prevent the buckets tipping while in transit 5 Ifyou intend to further protect the cable using conduit the gauge will need to be un wired Use a small flat bladed screwdriver to undo the screw terminal connections Pull the cable through the rubber grommet in the rain gauge base Feed the cable through the conduit Push the cable back through the rubber grommet in the rain gauge base Re wire the cable to the screw terminals Bullseye level Fig 10 Ensure the gauge is level Fig 11 The switch wiring Hint The gauge connections are not polarised but it is good practice to re wire the same wire to the same terminal Both wires must go to the same terminal block 6 Replace the collector 7 Ifyou did not use conduit simply lay the cable in the trench and backfill www mea com au Page 23 E Premium Weather Station User Manual We Install the Soil Temperature Sensor The soil temperature sensor is a bead thermistor housed in a rugged stainless steel case The sensor is pre wired to the logger enclosure The site for soil temperature measurements should be a level plot of bare ground about 75 cm and typical of the surrounding soil for w
12. uses as a reference an absolute humidity with a dew point of 14 C If the current dew point is greater than 14 C the apparent temperature will be higher than the current air temperature or lower if the dew point is lower than the reference Apparent temperature requires that air temperature relative humidity wind speed and solar radiation be measured Chill Days Chill Days accumulate below a threshold of 10 C when most plants typically experience little growth Chill Units Utah Method Stone fruit trees such as peaches and nectarines develop their vegetative and fruiting buds in the summer As winter approaches the already developed buds go dormant in response to both shorter day lengths and cooler temperatures This dormancy or sleeping stage protects buds from the effects of cold weather Once buds have started dormancy they will be tolerant to temperatures much below freezing and will not grow in response to mid winter warm spells These buds remain dormant until they have accumulated sufficient chilling units CU of cold weather A chill unit is allocated when temperatures spend time within certain parameters Refer to chill accumulation models When enough chilling accumulates the buds are ready to grow in response to warm temperatures As long as there have been enough CUs the flower and leaf buds develop normally WWwW mea com au Page 77 E Premium Weather Station User Manual e Chill Units are assigned as follo
13. 001 NextG Modem MER2293 includes logger to modem cable antenna MEA2107 power switch Packet Data Terminal MEA2213 Field Termination Strip ProMAX Logger Enclosure MEA2135 MEA103 includes mast amp tripod data logger battery solar panel Weather station Base field termination strip sensor shelter logger enclosure mounting frame for battery and data logger mount for sensor shelter Solar Panel 10W MEA2168 System Battery MEA2155 Data Logger Battery MEA2153 Magpie3 Software MEA3107 includes Unidata logger module Cable USB BPN100296 Packing Crate MEA2350 Sensor Shelter MEA2184 WWw mea com au Page 76 E Premium Weather Station User Manual Virtual Instruments Definitions Magpie can display the inputs from sensors in raw form and perform some basic statistical calculations on the inputs to provide for example minimum maximum and average values for the sensor inputs Magpie is also able to perform more complex calculations on the input of one or multiple sensors and makes these available as virtual instruments some require the use of other virtual instruments Those most commonly used on a weather station are defined below Apparent Temperature Apparent Temperature is an indicator of human thermal comfort It can be used as an Occupational Health and Safety tool for example in determining if working conditions are within safe limits Magpie uses the Steadman mathematical model which
14. 1 E Premium Weather Station User Manual We Install the Rain Gauge The rain gauge is a RIM8020 tipping bucket gauge with a resolution of 0 2mm per tip A separate area approximately 4m from the weather station should be prepared This should consist of a level well drained area free from the effects of any structures or vegetation Objects should not be closer to the gauge than a distance of twice their height above the top of the gauge MEA strongly recommend that the rain gauge cable be trenched in to protect it from animals and machinery For additional protection the cable can be run through plastic conduit not supplied The rain gauge can be placed in any direction from the weather station A concrete circular paver of 300 400mm diameter not supplied can be used to provide a secure base for the rain gauge Avoid using larger concrete surfaces to prevent excessive in splashing For added security the gauge can be bolted to the concrete paver using 6mm expanding masonry bolts not supplied 1 Place the gauge on the paver and mark it through the three mounting holes on the gauge base 2 Place the gauge to one side and drill the paver using a suitably sized masonry bit 6 8mm 3 Bolt the gauge to the paver using 6mm expanding masonry bolts Www mea com au Page 22 E Premium Weather Station User Manual o 1 Place the rain gauge on your preferred footing at the end of the trench 2 Remove
15. 3 Once the load process is complete use the Standard RTI screen to check that the logger has gone from a Primed to a Logging state has the correct date amp time and that the channel inputs are showing expected values 4 Ifyou made a dial up connection remember to hang up the call at the end of the session Loading a logger will erase any data stored in the logger WWw mea com au Page 46 E Premium Weather Station User Manual 7 The Communications Window The communications window can be used to monitor communications between the logger and computer whether directly or remotely connected Whenever a communications sequence is being executed unloading loading dialling etc a Communications button will be available in the sequence status box Click on the button to view communications between the logger and the computer Dialling modem Communications Cancel The communications window can also be shown by choosing Logger gt View Communications The alternating red and blue text being echoed in the communications window indicates that the logger is communicating correctly with the software Communications Window irSB1A00000008 0002 007F 80010081 a g 000000040037 003803104E 1200000027 00007F GOBBASN19098999653 006 60000000058 1A0000G0000000S HHOLES h LE 00000001 0009DE g 00002738 0038 0690 6000000001 00000 00000 00000 00000 0000 00000 OF 6 OF FFF ODOOHOODOOOHOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOF FFF HOOHHO
16. ATION raos TR 49 CAMA PUES ainena a A i 50 Channel Selection Giidnssnesiiassunna naan knna 50 Unload Data E 50 FTP Unloading In Magpie 3sessrissessirissisiosiciiseiieniiiiiniii EN Make Sure Unload Using FTP is Checker 51 Unload the Logger aaiiisssictiinnhadinnaudaiatansiddanmiiiannin 51 How to Test the FTP Hardware ENEE 52 Evapotranspiration and Delta T Virtual Instruments essesseesseessesseeseeseees 55 EVAPOUAMSPIATION sissitssssssssscssecssessaxisessessssesssassstsastessaessansassasseateassosssdssassdssesexsenssee 55 Delta genee seina ee ER Using the Logger Display to Check the Swstem reen 58 Maintenance Weather Station Maintenance seessessoesoesoossossoossossoossossooesosssosossso 60 Power Supply Maintenance ENEE 60 Solar Panel autres Eeer 60 WWW mea com au Page 4 E Premium Weather Station User Manual We Battery Validation Errors ENEE 60 System dE 62 How to Replace the System Battery ENEE 63 How to Replace the Logger Battery EEN 65 How to Inspect or Replace the Main Fuse EEN 67 Elte UL CEO Ee 68 Soil Temperature Sensor Maintenance ENEE 71 Solar Radiation Sensor MiatpteEabER eenegen 71 Wind Sensor Maintenance scssssscsssesssecssecssecssscsnscesscesnecsnecsnecsnecsssesaseesseesseetss Air Temp amp Humidity Sensor Maintenance Leaf Wetness Sensor Maintenance 73 Appendices Sensor Specifications E D Part Numbers EE d Virtual Instruments Definitions cccccc
17. OHOOHHOOOOFF O8FO 5B1A0075 SR1AHHHOHHOS 002 H07F 800100841 g 000000040037 003BC4104E 1260000027 68007F GOBBASA19C9899965200 ONANANANASRIAAAANANAANNAASALILFS ANOLE NOOHHHH1HOHODE g 00002738 0038 0090 8000000001 NAAAAOANAAAAAONAAAOAOOAAANAOOMAOFG OFFFFANNAAANANAAAAAAANNAANANAANAANAANAOFFFFAANNNANAANAANANNAAFF AAFO NSB1A0075 Klak AE O00 O07F 80010081 9000000040037 HO3RC51C4E 1260000027 88007F GORBAIA19098999652 606 88800080050 1A BOOHODSHHOHOSAAILE S449 NE 00000001 HOO9DF 9 00062798 HOSE AID HHHHGHHEG1 000 D DD 0000 00000 00000 0000 00000 OF 64 OF FFF GopopppO DD DD 000 DD 000 DDT TT DD DO DD 00000 T OBFO When there are no communications sequences running and there is no Real Time Information screen active regular blue characters should appear in the left hand margin of the communications window These indicate that the software is using the correct communications port and correct baud rate and that the logger is ready to accept commands from Magpie Www mea com au Page 47 Real Time Information Once you have a connection to the data logger you can see sensor inputs by viewing the Standard Real Time Information screen To open the Standard RTI screen From the menu bar select Logger gt Real Time Information gt Standard OR Select the Real Time Information icon from the logger toolbar s www mea com au Page 48 E Premium Weather Station User Manual E i E E 6S File View Logger Pro
18. Remove any grasses dirt etc from the collector 3 Check the bullseye level in the base and adjust the gauge footing if required Fig 44 Remove the collector from the Fig 45 Clean the collector using a soft base brush WWw mea com au Page 68 E Premium Weather Station User Manual 4 Unscrew the siphon unit This will also free the mesh filter Clean the filter and siphon parts with a non solvent cleaner eg mild detergent using a small stiff brush Do not use a wire brush Fig 46 Turn the collector over and remove the 1 Filter and 2 Siphon 5 If necessary unscrew the slot inside the siphon anti clockwise to dismantle the siphon Use a pipe cleaner to clean the nozzle 6 Clean the inside of the buckets with a clean soft cloth wetted with mild soapy water Do not touch the inside surface of the buckets with your fingers Fig 47 Clean the filter and siphon Fig 48 Clean the bucket compartments WWw mea com au Page 69 E Premium Weather Station User Manual e 7 Rinse all parts and buckets with clean water and reassemble 8 Vegetation surrounding the gauge should be clipped level with the top of the gauge to minimise wind deformation of rainfall and to prevent material falling into the collector The gauge calibration should be checked annually 1 Pass exactly 653 ml of water through the gauge at a slow and steady rate and count the numbe
19. cccssccccsccscscccccscccccccccccccseed 7 Apparent TEM Pe ETC 77 i US 77 Chill Units Utah Method ENEE 77 IR e e E 78 De rees snisscassnicassisussesssnefssssiiocsecosatianssndtsecdsrostenssedsstoscvostdusboscbesbuasousessorsessdtasuniscesien 78 Peltre ee eebe 78 Dew Kette eeeeee eerg eier EE niatsdeattesvaneisanavnannassverianeaatuananeaneuusnuneeaneounes 79 Evapottanspiratlon EEN 79 Ee DEEN 79 WWW mea com au Page 5 E Premium Weather Station User Manual We Introduction Thank you for purchasing a weather station from MEA This document describes the installation and operation of the hardware and software for this system Please read this document thoroughly before installing or operating your hardware and software If you have any questions which are not answered by this document or other supporting documentation supplied with your system please contact MEA using the details on page 2 of this document If you think this document contains errors or omissions please contact MEA Weather stations are usually powered by a 10W solar panel larger panels or mains connection via a plug pack charger are possible allowing off grid deployment The standard range of hardware instrumentation sensors includes e Combined Wind Speed and Direction e Combined Air Temperature and Relative Humidity e Global Solar Radiation e SoilTemperature e Leaf wetness e Rain Gauge e Barometric Pressure Inputs from the above sensors ca
20. d fully weatherproof If the dome is damaged or if condensation appears in the dome please contact MEA 3 The manufacturer recommends that the sensor calibration be checked every two years This requires removal of the sensor and return to MEA Wind Sensor Maintenance Items which require periodic replacement are the anemometer bearings the wind vane bearings and the wind vane potentiometer As the bearings wear the anemometer and vane can become stiff ie the starting threshold will increase In extreme cases the bearings can seize It is recommended that the user test the bearings every year If the cup set or vane do not rotate smoothly or they create detectable noise the bearings must be replaced The frequency of replacement will depend on operating conditions The sensor can be returned to MEA for servicing In addition to bearing inspection the user should inspect the sensor for damage to the sensor body vane cup set or cable WWW mea com au Page 71 E Premium Weather Station User Manual Air Temp amp Humidity Sensor Maintenance The manufacturer recommends that the calibration of the sensor be checked on an annual basis This involves a two point calibration with the sensor head fitted to a humidity chamber containing reference salt solutions Return the sensor head to MEA for calibration To remove the sensor 1 Undo the three nylon wing nuts on the underside of the sensor shelter and lift the shelter st
21. drivers when the connection is made Windows will go through a Found New Hardware routine Continue after the operating system has advised that Your new hardware is installed and ready to use USB RS232 O Fig 29 Connect a USB cable for direct communications with the logger www mea com au Page 44 E Premium Weather Station User Manual Open Magpie amp your scheme Open the scheme editor and go to Operation gt Communications Set the Communications Method to Direct via cable Select the Communications Port your serial cable is attached to Leave the Baud Rate at 9600 E St SO er e Select Finish to save your changes and close the scheme editor nen Jl mge E aeann Direct Details Communications Pot Baud Rate Remote Detals Dial Type Tone Pulte 0429 678 195 up ATEO DO H t Baud Rate 19200 FTP Detals Unlaad using FTP Press F2to Rebuild F1 for Help WWw mea com au Page 45 Program the Data Logger Programming the data logger should only need to be done infrequently when your monitoring system is installed or returned from service after replacement of the data logger s internal battery or after making changes to the Configuration section of your scheme To program the data logger 1 Connect to the data logger using your preferred method 2 From the menu bar select Logger gt Load Program ot vo 8 Cirle ded from 30 06 2011 to 4 07 2011
22. e Required Tools e Spanner 13mm AF e Spanner 10mm AF e Spanner 8mm AF e Allen key 6mm AF e Allen key 5mm AF supplied e Allen key 2 5mm AF supplied e Screwdriver small flat e Screwdriver medium flat e Screwdriver medium Phillips No 2 e Side or diagonal cutters e Step ladder e Hammer e Spirit level e Shovel e Compass e Laptop with Magpie amp the logging scheme installed USB cable cable supplied Most sensors are pre wired to the weather station Large sensors normally located away from the mast such as the rain gauge will have their cables attached A Take care not to pull on or damage the cables when removing the weather station from the shipping crate WWW mea com au Page 14 E Premium Weather Station User Manual Tripod Mount Tripod Base Assembly and Orientation 1 The feet of the tripod are located at 120 intervals on an 850mm radius The weather station is to be located at the centre of the area Refer to the following diagram when considering where to place the feet of the tripod The diagram shows the rain gauge cable trench running south but it can be in any convenient direction 2 The solar panel must face north Si Ze ei eg e Logger enclosure A I 1 Sensor shelter Trench for the rain gauge cable 1 Rain gauge Y Fig 2 Typical weather station layout The solar panel must face north www mea com au
23. e Logger menu select Edit Scheme to open the Scheme Editor SW Go to Configuration gt Instruments Select the DeltaT instrument and find the Formula field Left click the far right end of the formula field to reveal the formula editor button Click on the button to open the Formula Editor Soy Sr S Ww SN Scroll down to the bottom of the formula window and type the altitude in whole metres in the Altitude field go Click OK to save your changes and close the formula editor 9 Click Finished to save your changes and close the scheme editor Forme Cano E Enter or select a formula name and add arguments as required Formula DeltaT_Alt X Temp_c AirTemp RelHumidity Humidity vce rs L m IL Geet TL mee Fig 34 The formula editor for DeltaT from altitude Hint There is no need to re program the logger following this change WWw mea com au Page 57 E Premium Weather Station User Manual Using the Logger Display to Check the System To use the keypad and LCD display to view the sensor inputs e Onthe Logger keypad press ONT e Press SCHEME e The first screen on the LCD display will show the time date the Scheme name and the Logger Status Check that the time date and Scheme name are correct and that the Logger Status is Logging e Usethe A and V keys to scroll through the sensor list and check that the reported values are consistent with ambient cond
24. e file install exe and double left click on it to run it Any software located in the Installers folder will be installed to your computer in the locations listed below WWW mea com au Page 37 E Premium Weather Station User Manual al How to Find Magpie Files on Your Computer By default Magpie 3 will install to C Program Files Magpie 3 for 32 bit Windows operating systems or C Program Files x86 Magpie 3 for 64 bit Windows operating systems The scheme and subsequent data files will be installed at either of the following locations Windows XP and 2000 C Documents and Settings All Users Documents MEA Magpie Schemes In Explorer Documents will be displayed as Shared Documents Windows Vista and Windows 7 C Users Public Documents MEA Magpie Schemes In Explorer Documents will be displayed as Public Documents Launch Magpie When Magpie is installed it will create a shortcut icon on your desktop Open Magpie by selecting the shortcut from your desktop Magpie3 WWw mea com au Page 38 E Premium Weather Station User Manual The Magpie Desktop gt Magpie 3 Demo Project MyProject mpj MyScheme SCM aL A EE PN IN NE ECON ER Project toolbar Scheme Logger toolbar toolbar Fig 28 The Magpie Desktop Navigator Adjust the period of data that you can see in graphs and tables Scheme Toolbar Open a new table or a new graph or wind rose Menu Bar Access the File View Logger Project Table a
25. e of interest Standard depths for soil temperature measurements are 5 10 20 50 and 100cm Installation of the soil temperature sensor is simple 1 Dig a hole to your desired depth 2 Place the sensor in the hole and carefully backfill o Q Fig 12 The soil temperature sensor can be installed vertically or horizontally www mea com au Page 25 E Premium Weather Station User Manual Solar Radiation Sensor LPo2 41192 Hukseflux 15 1 uviW m Thermal Sensors The solar radiation sensor is a Hukseflux LP02 The LPO2 measures the solar radiation in a 180 field of view this is known as Global Solar radiation Level the Solar Radiation Sensor The solar radiation sensor is shipped pre mounted to its mounting bracket on the sensor arm to the rear of the solar panel but will require levelling on site ils 2 Remove the packing materials covering the glass dome of the sensor Position the stepladder so that you can see the built in bullseye level on the solar radiation sensor If the bubble is centred inside the black ring on the level then no further adjustment is required If levelling adjustment is required use a medium Phillips No 2 screwdriver and an 8mm AF spanner to loosen the mounting screws Use a 4mm AF Hex key to adjust the 3 levelling screws until the bubble is centred inside the black ring on the bullseye level Tighten the mounting screws evenly Ch
26. eck to ensure that the in line connectors on the solar radiation sensor cable are connected WWwW mea com au Page 26 E Premium Weather Station User Manual Fig 13 Levelling the radiation sensor Fig 14 Loosen the mounting screws Fig 15 Adjust the levelling screws Fig 16 Check the in line connectors WWw mea com au Page 27 E Premium Weather Station User Manual We Install the Wind Sensor The wind speed and direction sensor is a Vaisala WMS301 It has an integrated wind vane and cup anemometer It needs to have its cable connected and be connected to its mount on the sensor arm and it needs to be north aligned Cupset nut Vane assembly Fig 17 Contents of the wind sensor box WWw mea com au Page 28 E Premium Weather Station User Manual 1 Locate the white box containing the wind sensor Carefully remove the vane assembly and the cupset Place the cupset on the spindle at the top of the sensor Ss Ser N Locate the cupset nut and O ring Ensure the O ring is seated in the groove on the underside of the cupset nut 5 Secure the cupset to the vane assembly using the cupset nut Finger tighten only Fig 18 Cupset assembly WWW mea com au Page 29 E Premium Weather Station User Manual We 6 The wind sensor mount is already fixed to the sensor arm Careful
27. ent screws 3 Swing the solar panel up until it is at your latitude 15 from horizontal 45 works well enough throughout most of Australia The tilt adjustment bracket has 7 positions pick the one closest to your desired tilt 4 Re insert the tilt adjustment screws and tighten Fig 8 Adjust the angle of the solar panel WWw mea com au Page 19 E Premium Weather Station User Manual Installation and Adjustment of Sensors With the installation of the tripod base and upper section of the weather station completed you can now install and adjust the climate sensors Protection of Sensor Cables Some sensors such as the rain gauge leaf wetness sensor and soil temperature sensor are supplied with long lengths of cable to allow the sensors to be deployed away from the weather station Exposed cable is vulnerable to damage by animals birds machinery and the sun MEA recommends that sensor cables be protected by placing the cables in a trench and covering them In areas subject to light traffic only a trench of 100 mm depth will do In other cases eg deployment of a sensor in a paddock which is ploughed the trench needs to be deeper than the maximum expected depth of disturbance As well as trenching running the cable through plastic conduit can provide an extra level of protection The use of conduit can also make the removal of sensors for servicing or replacement easier In some cases not a
28. gs is not recommended as this can give unrepresentative soil and air temperature results e An open level area of approximately two metres diameter is required for deployment of the tripod mount e A separate area approximately 4m from the tripod mount should be prepared for the rain gauge see Install the Rain Gauge on page 22 e The ground should be firm As a general guide the distance of any obstruction eg fences trees buildings less than 15 m in height and of an isolated nature is to be at least 4 times the height of each obstruction away from the weather station For obstructions higher than 15 m or of a more general nature the distance to the weather station will need to be increased up to 10 times the height of the obstructions if they cover more than 45 of azimuth Isolated thin masts closer to the enclosure may be acceptable provided they do not prevent direct solar radiation from falling on the weather station and lie down wind of the prevailing winds in rain situations WWw mea com au Page 11 E Premium Weather Station User Manual Sites chosen should not be e Subject to flooding or inundation by storm surge e Affected by a high water table e Prone to subsidence e Unduly susceptible to lightning strike e Vulnerable to bushfire Wwww mea com au Page 12 E Premium Weather Station User Manual y Hardware Installation Www mea com au Page 13 E Premium Weather Station User Manual W
29. he Lights Mean There are five LEDs on the front panel to give basic status information During normal operation the lights indicate when specific activity occurs They also help to indicate the source of a potential fault If the LOGGER MODEM or NETWORK lights are lit or flashing whilst the ERROR light is on an error has occurred at this stage The table below indicates the LED states for an unload flashing green light green light on permanently LGR MDM NET TFR ERR Activity A Indicates communication with the data logger The PDT is configuring or dialling the modem or is accepting a received call D The modem is connected to the packet data network or is receiving a call PDT is negotiating with the packet data network PDT is logged on to the FTP server 27 Data transfer is in progress Ki Indicates a successful transfer Wwww mea com au Page 53 E Premium Weather Station User Manual We Review the Most Recent Result When there is no FTP operation in progress all lights are off to save energy The result of the most recent transfer can be obtained by briefly pressing the TEST button If an error occurred then the light corresponding to the source of error will flash more than one green light may flash along with the red ERROR light The lights will go out after a few seconds LGR MDM NET TFR ERR Activity A transfer has not been attempted since power was applied Logger information is lost or inva
30. hich information is required The Australian Bureau of Meteorology recommend the following e Thermometers should not be in shadows cast by other instruments while the elevation of the sun is 3 or greater above the horizon e Thermometers should not be placed in a hollow where water can accumulate or be located where the ground becomes wet from the runoff from a valve or run off from recording rain gauges spillage from an evaporation pan or water used to wash the instrument shelter e The soil should be representative of the soil for the locality and should not have been unduly disturbed by civil works e The water table should not rise to the level of the deepest thermometer The sensor can be installed horizontally or vertically The sensor typically comes with 20 m of cable The sensor cable should be trenched in and or protected with conduit in order to protect it from damage by machinery or animals WWw mea com au Page 24 E Premium Weather Station User Manual The sensor can be run through the same conduit or laid in the same trench as the rain gauge cable if convenient A If the rain gauge cable trench is used do not bury the soil temperature sensor under the rain gauge Excavate a branch trench and install the soil temperature sensor at least 0 5 m from the rain gauge so that the sensor is not subject to runoff from the rain gauge The sensor will need to be buried at a soil depth which represents your zon
31. hrough the sensor arm A Take care to support both the logger enclosure and the sensor arm when handling the upper section assembly to avoid damage to the cables 1 Lift the upper section free of the crate and slide the clamping block onto the upright section of the tripod There is a lip inside the clamping block which will stop the block sliding too far 2 Orient the logger enclosure and solar panel so that the solar panel faces north 3 Tighten the socket cap screw in the clamping block using a 6mm Allen key LI Clamping block Fig 6 The weather station upper Fig 7 Slide the clamping block onto the section tripod upright 4 Place a spirit level on the upper surface of the sensor arm and check for level Make any further required adjustments to level the weather station 5 Secure the weather station by driving the supplied tent pegs through the holes in the feet of the tripod 6 Tighten all remaining nuts and bolts on the tripod using a 13 mm AF spanner WWwW mea com au Page 18 E Premium Weather Station User Manual Solar Panel Alignment The solar panel should face the equator and be adjusted at an angle suitable for the latitude of the station 1 Use a compass to north align the solar panel amp sensor arm 2 Adjustment to the angle of the panel is made via a pair one on each side of the panel of tilt adjustment screws Use a 5mm AF Allen key to remove the tilt adjustm
32. itions Hint Wind direction will not be displayed on the LCD screen The logger display will turn itself off after 15 20 seconds The display can be locked on if desired e Press ON e Press CONFIG e Use the V key to scroll down twice until you see the screen in the photo at right e Press ENTER To turn the display OFF e Press ON e Press CONFIG you will see the screen at right e Press ENTER A Failure to turn the display OFF after locking it ON can result in failure of the system power supply and loss of data Wwww mea com au Page 58 E Premium Weather Station User Manual x o Maintenance www mea com au Page 59 E Premium Weather Station User Manual e Weather Station Maintenance Regular maintenance is important for the reliable functioning of your weather station Some basic maintenance such as cleaning the solar panel and the rain gauge doesn t take a lot of time or require specialised tools or knowledge Some other maintenance procedures are more complex and do require specialised equipment MEA can maintain your weather station for you at our workshop in South Australia or an MEA technician can perform the maintenance on site during a field visit If you would like MEA to maintain your weather station contact us using the details inside the front cover of this manual Power Supply Maintenance Failure of the system power supply will result in loss of data The
33. ject Table MultiTable Graph WindRose Favourites Options Window Help ex Dels M TH Baan TE E a OQ AR Method db Length From Reference v EM Reference X FistRecord Length allof data Logger Information ELLIOTT Logger information Logging 5 00 20 04 2012 2 03 05 PM Channel inputs iron tan MDa Channel selection grid Communications CR Fig 30 Standard RTI screen Logger Information Scheme Name If you have more than one MEA measurement system check that this is the correct scheme before unloading Logger State Can be Primed Logging or Stopped Data will only be recorded when the data logger is in a Logging state Scan Rate The rate at which the logger is programmed to sample the sensor inputs Logger Time Check to see if the logger date time is correct The logger takes its time from the computer which is used to load it It does not dynamically update changes between Standard and Daylight Savings times Www mea com au Page 49 Channel Inputs Inputs from the connected sensors will usually update at the scan rate of the logger Exceptions are sensors that are only read at intervals exceeding the scan rate The logger will display the last held value Channel Selection Grid It is possible to customise your RTI display by checking or un checking these boxes All are checked by default Unload Data The process of tra
34. lid non critical error Errors occurred during communication with data logger Failure occurred whilst making the connection Network authentication or FTP login failed oe e ae Transaction error or timeout occurred with the FTP server se Indicates a successful transfer WWw mea com au Page 54 E Premium Weather Station User Manual e Evapotranspiration and Delta T Virtual Instruments Evapotranspiration and Delta T are virtual instruments see Virtual Instruments Definitions on page 77 That is their output is a calculated one derived from a formula which uses the output of one or more hardware sensors and sometimes other virtual instruments To function correctly the Evapotranspiration and Delta T instruments require you to input some site specific information into their formulas Evapotranspiration Evapotranspiration requires that the latitude and altitude of the weather station be entered into the formula in the scheme editor To enter latitude and altitude into the Evapotranspiration instrument 1 Establish the latitude and altitude of the weather station using your preferred reference source maps Google Earth etc 2 Open Magpie amp your scheme Under the Logger menu select Edit Scheme to open the Scheme Editor Cl Go to Configuration gt Instruments Select the Evap instrument and find the Formula field Left click the far right end of the formula field to reveal the formula editor b
35. ll of the supplied cable will be required You can shorten the cable and re terminate it if you are suitably equipped and experienced Alternatively the excess cable can be buried Short lengths of excess cable can be neatly bundled and cable tied to the mast upright WWw mea com au Page 20 E Premium Weather Station User Manual e Notes on the Use of Conduit for Cable Protection MEA recommend the use of PVC tube with an internal diameter of approximately 20mm for protection of the rain gauge and other cables Conduit and fittings are not supplied by MEA as you should be able to buy them locally more cost effectively Example Conduit Protection for the Rain Gauge Cable The conduit arrangement should consist of 1 A short section of flexible conduit to protect the rain gauge cable where it exits the gauge 2 Along section of at least 4m to run from the mounting pad for the gauge to directly beneath the weather station A 90 elbow 4 A section of 500mm or so to act as an upright section which can be cable tied to the upright section of the tripod base 5 Once the cable has been run through the conduit fill the space at the top of the upright section with silicone rubber sealant to prevent rainfall from entering the conduit Rain gauge Flexible conduit Upright Long section Fig 9 Conduit arrangement for the protection of the rain gauge cable WWw mea com au Page 2
36. ly pull the wind sensor cable free of the wind sensor mount on the sensor arm 7 Push the keyed connectors together at the wind sensor base and tighten the connector locking collar with your fingers 8 Align the notch in the vane assembly and the north indicating nub in the mounting adaptor and fit together Fig 19 Connect the wind sensor cable Fig 20 Align the notch amp the nub WWw mea com au Page 30 E Premium Weather Station User Manual We 9 Finger tighten the locking collar 10 The grub screw on the wind sensor mount is aligned with the north indicating nub Make sure it is pointing north If required use the 2 5mm AF Allen key supplied with the sensor to adjust the orientation of the sensor TE Locking collar Fig 21 1 Locking collar 2 Grub screw WWW mea com au Page 31 E Premium Weather Station User Manual e Air Temperature and Relative Humidity The combined air temperature and relative humidity instrument is a Rotronic HC2 S3 It is housed in the louvred sensor shelter The sensor is pre installed prior to shipment and will require no further adjustment Fig 22 The air temperature and relative Fig 23 HC2 S3 air temperature amp relative humidity sensor is housed in the humidity sensor Shown here with sensor shelter the sensor shelter removed WWw mea com au Page 32 E Premium Weather Station User Manual
37. n be further used in virtual instruments see Virtual Instruments Definitions on page 77 including e Evapotranspiration e Degree Days e Chill Units e DeltaT e Apparent Temperature e Dew Point e Frost Hours e Daylight Hours www mea com au Page 6 E Premium Weather Station User Manual o Data is usually collected from the weather station using an Internet connection The data from the weather station can also be transferred to a computer using a serial cable directly connected to a computer desktop or laptop Information from the weather station is displayed on a computer using MEA Magpie software for Windows Data can be displayed as Tables Graphs or Wind Roses and exported to third party applications such as spreadsheets WWw mea com au Page7 E Premium Weather Station User Manual al Parts List The weather station is typically shipped in a plywood crate A A weather station crate can weigh as much as 70 kg when full Use lifting aids or seek assistance when handling the crate The follow parts should be included in the consignment you have received www mea com au USB drive containing software installers and documentation USB cable Data logger 12V 7 Ah SLA System battery Tripod Mast including sensor arm and sensor shelter Heavy duty tent pegs for securing the tripod Logger enclosure containing Mounting bracket for the sensor interface card data logger and s
38. nd Graph menus amp so on Logger Toolbar Make a dial up connection hang up a dial up connection unload the logger view the standard RTI screen or open the scheme editor Projects Toolbar Open new or existing projects Workspace This is where tables graphs and projects appear when they are opened Www mea com au Page 39 E Premium Weather Station User Manual Open a Scheme There are a number of different ways to open a scheme You can 1 Use the Magpie Helper EN Magpie Helper Select a task to begin using Magpie 3 SA Open Scheme a Open an existing Magpie scheme Open Project Open an existing Magpie project ES New Scheme Create a new Magpie scheme r New Project Create a new Magpie project a Magpie Help Open the Magpie Help Recent Files vicharb scm fiow scm midlton scm eliott som hndmrsh scm newerest scm en pioa 2 OR select Open Scheme from the File menu Wwww mea com au Page 40 SE iW Se E Premium Weather Station User Manual e e 3 OR select a scheme from the recent files list at the bottom of the File menu drop down Open Project Close BW Save Scheme As Open Scheme Folde 1 g magpie jobs 2100 2199 job2124 vicharb vicharb scm 2 g magpie jobs 2100 2199 job2124 midlton miditon scm 3 g magpie jobs 2100 2199 job2124 hndmrsh hndmrsh scm 4 g magpie jobs 2100 2199 job2124 goolwa goolwa scm 5 g magpie job
39. ng a cloth dampened with clean water Do not use abrasives to clean the sensor 3 Avoid touching the surface of the sensor with your fingers as the deposition of fats or grease will change the surface tension of the sensor potentially causing it to retain water for artificially long periods 4 Ifthe sensor cable crosses a road or track it should be protected in conduit and trenched in Periodically inspect the sensor cable for damage WWW mea com au Page 73 E Premium Weather Station User Manual e ec Appendices Wwww mea com au Page 74 E Premium Weather Station User Manual Sensor Specifications Sensor Sensor Type LPO2 Ae Thermopile Solar radiation WMS301 Dual reed switch Cupset WMS301 d Potentiometer Vane HC2 S3 Platinum Air temp HC2 S3 Thin film polymer Rel humidity pay PTB110 R Silicon Baro pressure 6507A e NTC thermistor Soil temp MEA2040 Capacitative Leaf wetness printed circuit RIM8020 CM Tipping bucket Rain gauge Wwww mea com au Range 0 2000 Wm 0 60m s 0 3557 40 60 C 0 100 800 1060hPa 8 9 4 33 C 0 100 0 500mm hr Accuracy 2 5 3m s SR 0 1 C 0 8 0 6hPa 0 2 C 0 2 3 Page 75 E Premium Weather Station User Manual We Part Numbers Pyranometer LPO2 Wind Sensor WMS301 Air Temp Relative Humidity nies Soil Temperature 6507A Barometric Pressure PTB110 Leaf Wetness MEA2040 Rain Gauge RIM8020 Data Logger 7
40. nsferring recorded data from the data logger is known as unloading Unloading copies data from the data logger to your PC Unloading does not erase the data in the data logger Data can be unloaded by direct cable connection or by remote connection The unload process is the same for either connection method To unload data 1 From the menu bar select Logger Unload data or select the unload icon on the logger toolbar 8 G t CALEA Woaded from 7 01 2003 to 24 11 2009 Apply F Auto WWw mea com au Page 50 E Premium Weather Station User Manual e FTP Unloading in Magpie 3 Make Sure Unload Using FTP is Checked 1 Make sure the monitoring station has been operating long enough to log some data Typical log rates are 10 or 15 minutes 2 Ensure your computer is connected to the Internet Start Magpie 3 and open the scheme 4 Set the connection method to Remote via modem see section Remote Connection on page 43 5 Make sure that Unload using FTP is checked 6 Click Finished to close the Scheme Editor Hint Magpie will remember the last communications method you used Unload the Logger 1 From the Logger menu select Unload Data 2 Ifthe computer has direct access to the Internet then unloading will begin immediately 3 Atthe completion of the unload process you will see the Unload Complete dialog Unload Complete The logger unload was successful
41. ot be resolved using the information in this manual contact MEA technical support using the details above If phoning ask for technical support and explain the issue Your issue will be referred to a technician for action at the earliest opportunity Quoting your MEA Job Reference Number will enable us to quickly locate your details Charges may apply for support other than warranty support Phone support is generally available Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm Central ie South Australian Standard or Summer Time Site visits will incur charges for labour travel time and where applicable accommodation and meals MEA technicians can only offer support for issues relating directly to the operation or maintenance of products supplied by MEA WWW mea com au Page 2 E Premium Weather Station User Manual al Contents Introduction DEE R E E A E A EA E S Parts LISE ee 8 Weather Station ett eelerer euer 9 Site Selection and Preparation 00 EEN 11 Hardware Installation Required TOONS TS E Tripod MOU scscstssesscsccceiscsssusrscoussscsssnocousconcusnsconsissedsuscssssnedsisisnessinienes 15 Tripod Base Assembly and Orientation ENEE 15 Upper Section Assembly EEN 18 Solar Panel Altonment ENEE 19 Installation and Adjustment of Sensors geegegesgeegeeeggang mre t Protection Of Sensor Cables ENEE 20 Notes on the Use of Conduit for Cable Protecton 21 Example Conduit Protection for the Rain Gauge Cable sss
42. r of times the bucket tips 2 Repeat the procedure 3 times to obtain an average A correctly calibrated gauge should tip 101 times 3 tips ie between 98 and 104 tips on average 3 If required calibration adjustment is made by altering the height of the stoppers beneath the tipping buckets A pair of 8mm AF spanners is required e Raise both stoppers an equal amount to increase the number of tips Lower both stoppers an equal amount to decrease the number of tips e Alter the height of the stoppers 1 4 1 2 a turn each time before re checking the calibration EM Fig 49 Pass 653 ml of water through the Fig 50 Adjust the stoppers beneath the gauge bucket if required Hint If you do not want your weather station to record spurious rainfall unplug the wired terminal block in the gauge base before commencing calibration MEA can supply calibration kits including a calibrated reservoir with self regulating flow rate stand and counter module WWw mea com au Page 70 E Premium Weather Station User Manual al Soil Temperature Sensor Maintenance The sensor contains no serviceable parts Clearly mark any trench lines to help prevent damage during future ripping operations Periodically inspect any exposed cable for damage Solar Radiation Sensor Maintenance 1 If the solar radiation sensor dome is dirty wipe it with a cloth dampened with clean water 2 The sensor dome is sealed an
43. r with the battery removed www mea com au Fig 41 Route the lead through the notch in the frame Page 66 E Premium Weather Station User Manual e How to Inspect or Replace the Main Fuse The solar charge regulator allows charging of the system battery The charge regulator is suitable for solar panels up to 20 watts The charge regulator is fused with a 2A 250V 20 mm glass fuse Solar panel inputs and system battery connections are located at terminal block P9 A Do not allow the charge regulator heatsink to come into contact with bare skin The heatsink can become very hot in operation 1 2 Oy ior ee Disconnect the system power supply by unplugging P9 Twist the lid of the fuse holder anti clockwise to release the lid and pull the fuse clear of the holder Test or replace the fuse Place the tested or replaced fuse in the lid as shown in Fig 43 Insert the lid fuse into the holder and twist clockwise to secure Plug P9 back into its socket SS l OTTO Fig 42 The main fuse holder Fig 43 The fuse is held captive in the lid www mea com au Page 67 E Premium Weather Station User Manual Rain Gauge Maintenance Routine maintenance should include cleaning the accumulated dirt and debris from the collector funnel and buckets as well as ensuring that the gauge is level 1 Remove the collector using a 5mm AF Allen key to loosen the screws in the gauge base 2
44. racting the wet bulb air temperature from the dry bulb temperature The difference is expressed in C Delta T requires that air temperature relative humidity and barometric pressure be WWw mea com au Page 78 E Premium Weather Station User Manual measured The value can also be derived from air temperature relative humidity and the site altitude input by the user Dew Point Dew point is the temperature to which the air would have to be cooled to in order for condensation of water vapour to occur given the current moisture content of the air Dew point requires that both air temperature and relative humidity instruments be measured Evapotranspiration ETo data can be a useful tool for irrigation scheduling Evapotranspiration is the combined loss of water from a soil surface evaporation and from the stomatal pores of plants transpiration Magpie uses the FAO Penman Monteith model to calculate ETo The model assumes a constant in the form of a mathematically derived reference grass crop and applies climatic variables to determine a value The instrument is logged daily and provides ETo as depth in millimetres ETo requires that air temperature relative humidity solar radiation wind speed and daylight hours be measured and that the latitude and altitude for the site be entered into the formula Frost This instrument does not directly measure the presence of frost but is used to indicate
45. raight up to expose the sensor 2 Unscrew the locking collar on the sensor head and pull the head clear of the sensor body 3 Replace the sensor shelter so that the connector on the sensor body is not exposed to the weather ND Fig 51 The sensor shelter is secured by 3 Fig 52 Remove the sensor head for nylon wingnuts calibration The shelter itself should be inspected for cleanliness The shelters are attractive to spiders Large populations of spiders can result in higher relative humidity readings so the webs should be removed from the shelter as often as necessary Take care to avoid spider bites when removing webs Spray the sensor shelter with insect spray or submerge it in a container of water If sprayed spiders will come out in all directions re approach the shelter with caution Use a brush and or short piece of wire to remove webs from between the louvres Wipe the outside of the shelter with a clean cloth moistened with clean water Replace the shelter when finished do not leave the air temperature and relative humidity sensor exposed to the weather WWwW mea com au Page 72 E Premium Weather Station User Manual Leaf Wetness Sensor Maintenance The sensor contains no serviceable parts Its factory calibration will last the life of the sensor 1 Periodically inspect the surface of the sensor for deterioration in the printed circuit 2 Remove any dust or other materials usi
46. s 2100 2199 job2124 flow flow scm 6 g magpie jobs 2100 2199 job2124 elliott elliott scm 4 OR select the Open File icon from the toolbar wa Www mea com au Page 41 The Open a scheme window will open Gel Q AL me Users Public Public Documents MEA Magpie Schemes les Scorch Schemes 5 e Date modified Type 6 03 2012 501 PM File folder 26 09 2011 9 S1 AM File folder 6 03 20125 01PM File folder 6 03 2012501 PM__ File folder 6 03 2012 5 01PM File folder 7 02 2012 441 PM_ File folder 30 09 2011 4 05PM File folder 6 03 2012501PM__ File folder 5 10 2011 10 52AM_ File folder 6 03 2012501 EM File folder I Computer 5 10 2011 11 00 AM File folder Local Disk C DVD RW Drive D Training 2011 Filename Scheme Files Cam sl L s HL Ge be Open scheme J SO Ss Date modified Type 6 03 2012 S501 PM_ File folder 6 03 2012 5 01 PM E Computer amp Local Dick C2 lien Filename ELUOTT SCM i Scheme Files sem Select the scheme file and double click the icon or select Open ODslelm Helaani www mea com au Page 42 E Premium Weather Station User Manual al SE Cea Communicating with the Data Logger There are two ways to connect to a data logger direct connection with a cable and remotely by dial up Remote Connection 1 Open Magpie amp your scheme 2 Under the Logger menu select Edit Scheme to open the Scheme Editor SW 3
47. s been installed it should be programmed with the logging scheme using Magpie software The following section introduces some Magpie basics and tells you how to program the data logger and retrieve data from the logger WWw mea com au Page 36 E Premium Weather Station User Manual Introduction to Magpie Software In MEA systems data recording is referred to as logging Log actions are grouped together in memory locations called buffers The data logger behaviour is specified by a program referred to as a logging scheme Magpie is used to write schemes and load them into the data logger The logging scheme is also used to view recorded and real time data on a computer Recorded data can be viewed as graphs tables and wind roses Graphs and wind roses can be exported as image files Tables can be exported as CSV files for use in third party spreadsheet programs such as Microsoft Excel The following pages explain the basics of Magpie software If you can not find answers to any question you have about the operation of the software on the following pages please consult the Magpie 3 User Manual If you have mislaid your copy of the Magpie 3 User Manual you can download it as a PDF document from the Downloads section of our website Install Magpie 3 Software and the Logging Scheme Install Magpie 3 and the logging scheme from the supplied MEA USB drive 4 Plug the drive into your computer and navigate to it Locate th
48. the terminal block itself Do NOT pull on the wires www mea com au Page 63 E Premium Weather Station User Manual We 4 Unplug the INPUT SIGNALS and COMPUTER cables and remove the data logger Hint Only handle the cables by their connectors Do NOT pull directly on the cable 5 9 Slide the battery out from behind the sensor interface card and disconnect the battery cables Stand the battery up on its end to free it from the enclosure Install the replacement battery see Connect the System Battery and Uncover the Solar Panel on page 35 Plug P9 back into its socket to restore power to the weather station Return the data logger to the logger shelf and plug in the INPUT SIGNALS and COMPUTER cables Re program the data logger see Program the Data Logger on page 46 10 Close the logger enclosure door www mea com au Page 64 E Premium Weather Station User Manual e How to Replace the Logger Battery The data logger contains an internal battery The purpose of the battery is to preserve data and continue the logging program if the external power supply fails If the external power supply fails the internal battery will not last more than a few days If the external power supply does not fail then the life of the internal battery is effectively the shelf life of the battery around five years To replace the data logger s internal battery 1 Unload the data logger When the
49. ttery validation errors in the first lot of data following installation of the weather station or following changing of the system battery or logger internal battery if the logger goes to a Logging state before the system battery is connected Www mea com au Page 61 Premium Weather Station User Manual qj System Battery n roof runoff and rainfall logging system GmRoof scm Graph System battery voltag E File Logger Table MultiTable Graph WindRose Favourites Qptions Window Help Oc S 0 Sk4 380 amp 7 S le a Method gf Length FromReferene Gh Reference v FirstRecod Length All of data X Apply Mac15 O Mer 0 E 15 0 System battery voltage 23 04 2012 to 26 04 2012 14 0 13 0 12 0 11 0 10 0 90 800 16 00 0 00 800 25 Apr Min Battery V Ave Battery V Max Battery V Communications OO Fig 36 Graph of the system battery The voltage should stay in the green band Pay attention to the logged values for the system battery Open the graph under Favourites gt Graph gt System battery voltage A healthy battery trace will appear similar to the one shown in Fig 36 Short voltage peaks occur a the start of the day when sun begins to shine directly on the panel Values of around 13 5 V should be observed until the sun is no longer shining on the panel On very cloudy days charging may be subdued Voltages should not typically decline to values of less than 12 5 V overnight A If
50. utton Click on the button to open the Formula Editor os Oe e a Scroll down to the bottom of the formula window and type the latitude in the Latitude field using a minus symbol if you are south of the equator Do not use a degree symbol 9 Type the altitude in whole metres in the Altitude field 10 Click OK to save your changes and close the formula editor 11 Click Finished to save your changes and close the scheme editor Hint There is no need to re program the logger following this change WWw mea com au Page 55 fen Gadd X Delete D Dypicate Instruments List AirTemp SolTemp Hep T iif Logger requires reloading Press F2to Rebuild F1 for Help Fig 32 Locate the Evap instrument in the scheme editor and open the formula editor Enter or select a formula name and add arguments as required Formula FAOEvap Fig 33 The formula editor for FAOEvap WWw mea com au Page 56 E Premium Weather Station User Manual We Delta T Delta T is a virtual instrument see If your weather station is fitted with a barometric pressure sensor then Delta T will be calculated from pressure Otherwise Delta T will be calculated from altitude and you will need to enter the altitude of the weather station into the formula in the scheme editor To enter latitude and altitude into the Evapotranspiration instrument 1 Open Magpie amp your scheme Under th
51. voltage values for the system battery fall to less than 11 V the battery may be damaged Www mea com au Page 62 E Premium Weather Station User Manual ez C How to Replace the System Battery The system battery should give 5 or more years of trouble free service if the solar panel is kept clean and unobstructed and the system is not subject to electrical shorts from damage to the system wiring However the battery will eventually require replacement The battery should be replaced with an identical 12V 7 Ah Sealed Lead Acid type MEA can supply these batteries To replace a battery 1 Unload the data logger Hint Replacing the battery will involve removing the data logger from the enclosure When the INPUT SIGNALS cable is disconnected the logger will enter a stopped state The only way to return it to a logging state is to re program it which will erase all stored data So it is important to unload the data logger now 2 Open the logger enclosure 3 The input output terminal blocks are located on the right hand side of the circuit board Terminal block P9 is the lowest terminal block To power the system down unplug P9 Grasp the block firmly and pull it toward you to unplug it A el 01010101 TO CAUTION 110 HOT g n OS 010 Ta O LI Q 5 q Fig 37 The power terminal is at the lower right of the sensor interface card Hint Only handle
52. w the enclosure to equalise to ambient atmospheric pressure WWw mea com au Page 34 E Premium Weather Station User Manual Data Logger Commissioning Connect the System Battery and Uncover the Solar Panel 1 Locate the System Battery and place it on the logger shelf per Stand the battery on it s end first then rotate it down so that the back end is behind the sensor interface card and you can still access the terminals Fig 24 Stand the battery on its end 2 Connect the battery leads then slide the battery to the right until it is covered by the sensor interface card Fig 25 Connect the battery leads red to Fig 26 Slide the battery behind the red and black to black sensor interface card WWwW mea com au Page 35 E Premium Weather Station User Manual e 3 Remove any packing materials covering the solar panel Locate and Install the Data Logger 1 The data logger is shipped in its own cardboard box Remove the logger from its box and place it on the logger shelf in the logger enclosure per Fig 27 2 Plug the computer cable into the COMPUTER port 3 Plug the Input Signals cable into the INPUT SIGNALS port Fig 27 Install the data logger A Handle the ribbon cables only by their connectors Never push or pull directly on the cables themselves A damaged cable can prevent your system from logging or transmitting data Once the data logger ha
53. ws e 1 hour below 1 4 C 0 0 chill unit CU e 1 hour between 1 5 2 4 C 0 5 chill units CU e 1 hour between 2 5 9 1 C 1 0 chill units CU e 1 hour between 9 2 12 4 C 0 5 chill units CU e 1 hour between12 5 15 9 C 0 0 chill units CU e 1 hour between 16 18 C 0 5 chill units CU e 1 hour over 18 C 1 0 chill units CU Chill Units requires that air temperature be measured Daylight Daylight Hours accumulates the period of time input from a solar radiation sensor in Watts per square metre is above a user settable threshold The instrument uses a default value of 10W m and provides a daily total of hours above the threshold Daylight requires that solar radiation be measured Degree Days Growing Degree Days are a measure of heat accumulation which can be used to assess or predict plant maturity Degree days are found by subtracting a base temperature from the daily average air temperature The base temperature used is usually 10 C below which most plants typically experience little growth Similarly the accumulation of degree days is capped at a maximum air temperature of 35 C above which most plants do not grow any faster The base and capping temperatures are easily adjusted to more accurately reflect specific crop characteristics Degree days requires that air temperature be measured Delta T Delta T is used in agriculture as an indicator for spraying conditions Delta T is found by subt
54. ystem battery Sensor interface card Barometric pressure sensor if ordered Sensors as ordered Wind speed and wind direction Air temperature and relative humidity Soil temperature Rain gauge Leaf wetness Solar radiation Page 8 E Premium Weather Station User Manual Weather Station Terminology Solar radiation sensor On S is O Wind sensor jal i a fi Il Solar panel d e Sensor arm Sensor shelter Logger enclosure A Leaf wetness sensor Rain gauge lt 1 Soil temperature sensor a ag Ae ee ZE Bee SC ane R en ee aan ae E er Jo a S DN Ee ENN EE DEEN ENGEN Fig 1 Premium Weather Station Sensor Arm Typically the wind and solar radiation sensors and the solar panel are mounted on the sensor arm WWW mea com au Page 9 E Premium Weather Station User Manual We Leaf Wetness Sensor Mimics the wet state of a leaf To be installed in a nearby vegetation canopy Logger Enclosure This enclosure houses the following system components e Data logger e Sensor interface card to which the sensors are wired for input into the logger e System battery e Barometric pressure sensor if ordered Sensor Shelter A large louvred radiation screen Typically houses a combined air temperature and relative humidity sensor Soil Temperature Sensor To be buried at your preferred depth

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