Installation agro-weather station

This section shows the installation procedures for the WiForAgri agro-weather monitoring stations.

WHAT YOU WILL HAVE

Pole
Instrument
Electronics box (including antenna and activation plug)
Plastic disc (25 cm)
Kit of stainless steel screws and nuts kit and filter
Pole stand kit (includes stand and 2 pipe clamps)
Documents

Pole installation

The standard WiForAgri station is supplied with a 2m long self-balanced stainless steel pole which makes the station self-installing on the dedicated pole in a few minutes of work. The first operation to carry out is the choice of the exact point of positioning of the pole.

When choosing the installation site, we recommend the reading of the following guidelines; do not hesitate to contact the Customer Care for any doubts and/or further information: our experts are available to identify with you the optimal installation point.

Choose a position where the pole and the station will not be a hindrance for work operations in the field (for example for the passage of the tractor and for other foreseen mechanical operations).
Keep away from trees, buildings and other high obstacles that can interfere with the rain measurement (shielding effect) or can create shadowing of the station.
If your field is approximately flat, choose a fairly central position with respect to the cultivated area. For flat fields of limited size (under 3 hectares) even a perimeter position to the field is perfectly suitable.
If your field is located on a slope, you have two possible and both valid approaches to identify the optimal installation area:
- A) choose a fairly central position with respect to the cultivated area while maintaining an average altitude. This choice is recommended for large vineyards with clear micro-climatic differences between the upper and lower parts of the vineyard;
- B) based on a historical knowledge of the vineyard, choose the most sensitive and most predisposed position to the attack of the main pathologies from which you want to defend yourself. This choice is the most cautious and is recommended for small-medium sized vineyards.

Below is an image illustrating how to install the post directly into the ground (recommended) or how to screw it onto a pre-existing curb/wall/plinth.

To install the post directly into the ground, it is sufficient to dig about 50cm deep, bury the square plate of the post, cover the excavation if necessary, reinforcing it with some fill stones.

To install the pole using plugs, it is necessary to identify a solid fixing base of at least 40x40x40cm and it is also necessary to drill the square plate of the pole to fix it using metal plugs (not supplied).

The pole can also be fixed to the wall using commercial-use clamps, which are not provided.

The pole has a circular section. At the two ends of the pole (upper and lower) 2 plates are welded wider than the diameter of the pole.

→ The plate that must be buried or dowelled is the square one without holes (it is used to stabilize the pole in the ground).

→ The circular perforated plate goes upwards: there are three holes on it. Make sure that one of them faces North.

Installation of pluviometer and attached sensors

In this phase the installation pole has already been positioned and fixed correctly; immediately take note of the serial code of the station that you will need later (it is a numerical code present on a small silver sticker behind the micro-computer and/or on/under the rain gauge).
Take the white plastic disk, remove the protective films, and lay it on the top end of the pole, matching the 3 symmetrical holes to those on the pole, so as to prepare for the subsequent fixing. Be careful to place the hole different in size from the side toward which you plan to mount the box containing the electronics.

Put the station upside down on a smooth surface (e.g., cardboard) and screw three M5 nuts onto the threaded rods about 2cm from the head and insert the corresponding washers.

Then rotate the instrument carefully to the washers and lay it on the white disk. Insert the three bars into the through holes in the disk and pole head, passing the cable with connector through the largest hole in the covenant. About 1.5cm of screw will come out from underneath the pole head.
Make the green tab at the base of the rain gauge (leaf wetness sensor) face north; release the station slowly with your lower hand while holding it with your upper hand over the rain gauge to check its still precarious balance.

Adjust with the lock nuts the leveling of the instrument by resting a level on the upper mouth. Once satisfactory leveling is achieved, tighten the nuts as in the figure below. If desired, also put lock nuts on to secure.

Electronic box installation

Install the electronics box, including battery and mini solar panel, by attaching it to the already prepared stand, as shown in the following pictures, tightening the two metal clamps provided. The suggested location is about 40-50cm below the head of the pole facing SOUTH.

Connect the cable coming from the rain gauge into the appropriate connector, paying attention to its proper insertion, and screw the supplied antenna all the way down.

To screw the antenna correctly, hold the connector firmly with one hand to prevent it from rotating; with the other hand, screw the antenna gently to the end of the stroke; gently tighten the antenna screwing with one hand only, just enough and without using tools.

The device is ready to use: to turn it on, insert the activation plug and screw it onto the appropriate connector located at the bottom/bottom of the electronic module.