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Sentek Drill & Drop Installation Manual

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Drill & Drop Installation Manual
Version: 6.0
Published: 2021
Drill!
Drop!
Done!

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Summary of Contents for Sentek Drill & Drop

  • Page 1: Drill And Drop Probe Extraction Mk

    Drill & Drop Installation Manual Version: 6.0 Published: 2021 Drill! Drop! Done!

  • Page 2: Drill And Drop Probe Extraction Mk

    Please Read This Manual Before Installing the Drill & Drop Probe • This manual was created to provide you with the knowledge to install the Drill & Drop Probe in a fast and correct manner. • Reading this manual will assist you with the choice of the right tools and procedures.

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    List of Contents Page Section Introduction to the Drill & Drop Probe Safety Instructions Installation Equipment Required Recommended Installation - Heavy Soil Type Example Augering Guidelines for the Drill & Drop Bluetooth Probe Installation in Mounded Rows Advanced Installations: Duplex Soils Advanced Installations: Subsurface Drill and Drop Probe Extraction Mk 1 Drill and Drop Probe Extraction Mk 2...

  • Page 4: Introduction To The Drill & Drop Probe

    Introduction to the Drill & Drop Probe • Need for a rapid direct installation method. • Uses a new fully sealed probe. • Rugged construction. • Uses a rigid tripod to maintain the augered hole integrity. • Uses a tapered auger to suit the tapering of the probe. •...
  • Page 5 What is it? OUR NEW INNOVATION: • Click to edit Master text styles The SENTEK Drill & Drop – Second level The tapered Drill & Drop multi-sensor profiling probe • Third level measures: – Fourth level Soil Moisture » Fifth level Salinity...
  • Page 6 Why did we create it? • Soil moisture probes are difficult and time- consuming to install – existing soil moisture probes require a lot of time and energy, especially when inserting down to 1.2 m ( 48”) … until NOW!! •...
  • Page 7 How does this solve the problem? • Drilling tapered • Click to edit Master text styles hole in soil. – Second level • Dropping in a • Third level tapered probe. – Fourth level » Fifth level • Done! See “Sentek Videos”...
  • Page 8 Tapered Auger & Tapered Probe Tungsten Tip The Tungsten-tipped auger is a little longer than the probe. The tapered soil opening created by the auger is therefore deeper compared to the length of the probe body. The resulting soil cavity below the bottom of the probe is designed to accept any soil accumulating at the bottom of the cavity during the installation process.
  • Page 9 Quality of the Drilled Hole for Probe Insertion It is not possible to achieve the quality and integrity of the drilled hole (as shown in the picture above) without using the Sentek Stabilisation Tripod for the tapered auger. Warning: Not using the...

  • Page 10: Safety Instructions

    Safety Instructions Warning! • Read and follow all safety instructions in this Drill & Drop Installation Manual and the safety instructions in the respective manuals of the recommended power tools referred to in this manual.
  • Page 11 Safety Precautions and Working Techniques • A power drill is a high-torque, petrol or electrically powered tool. Some special precautions must be observed to reduce the risk of personal injury. • It is important that you understand and observe the following safety precautions and warnings. Read this installation manual and the respective manuals for the tools recommended in this manual.
  • Page 12 Safety Precautions and Working Techniques Warning • Do not lend or rent your power drill without the respective owner manual and this installation manual. Be sure that anyone using your power drill understands the information contained in the relevant manuals. Warning •...
  • Page 13 Safety Precautions and Working Techniques Warning To reduce the risk of falling as a result of the forces created by the power drill, good footing is most important. Wear sturdy shoes with non-slip soles. Steel-toed safety boots are recommended. Warning Power drill noise may damage your hearing.

  • Page 14: Installation Equipment Required

    Installation Equipment Required...
  • Page 15 1.Installation Tools for Light Soils Stabilisation Tripod with Screw Pins (Metal & Plastic) Pressurised Water Bottle Bucket for excavated soil Tapered Auger Drill & Drop Probe Battery Drill Socket for Screw Pins Trowel 2 sheets of Newspaper...
  • Page 16 2.Installation Tools for Heavy Soils Stabilisation Tripod with Screw Pins Bucket for excavated soil Pressurised Tapered Auger Water Bottle Drill & Drop Probe Socket for Electrical Screw Pins Extension Cord Trowel 2 sheets of Newspaper 740 Watt DEWALT Drill Heavy Duty Battery Drill (40V max)
  • Page 17 3. Recommended Tools Important! A Honda EU20 i 1.6 KVA Generator and a 740 Watt DEWALT Drill have been intensively tested to drill holes in some very heavy textured soils. These tools have not failed in the course of many installations and are Highly Recommended.
  • Page 18 4.Recommended Tools Important! Alternatively, a motorised power head may be used to drive the tapered auger. The one shown is an ECHO EDR-2400 2-stroke engine drill by Yamabiko Corporation.
  • Page 19 5.Recommended Tools Important! (Petrol/Oil Mixture) This is an alternative drill power head from Stihl, which has also proven reliable.
  • Page 20 Do Not Use a Battery-Operated Drill for Heavy Soils which is lower than 40v...
  • Page 21 7.Drill & Drop Tool Kit Extension Foot for hill crops optional Socket Extension optional Extraction Chain optional Screw Pins Tripod Extraction Tool optional...

  • Page 22: Recommended Installation - Heavy Soil Type Example

    Recommended Installation Heavy Soil Type Example...
  • Page 23 1. Tripod Installation • Place 2 sheets of newspaper beneath the Stabilisation Tripod. This allows easy removal of the augered soil later.
  • Page 24 2. Prepare Screw Pins for Drilling • Insert the Screw Pins.
  • Page 25 3. Place Socket into Drill • Place the Socket Tool into the drill and tighten the drill chuck with the chuck key.
  • Page 26 4. Drill Screw Pins into Soil • Place one foot onto the centre of the tripod, position the Socket Tool onto the Screw Pin and keep drilling until the head end of the pin comes to rest on top of the tripod. •...
  • Page 27 5. Insert Tapered Auger into Drill • Insert the Tapered Auger into the drill and tighten the drill chuck...
  • Page 28 6. Augering Insert the auger into the centre of the tripod keeping it as straight as possible. Start the drill and move the auger constantly and gently 10 – 15 cm up and down during the drilling process. Move constantly up and down (10-15cm) during drilling.
  • Page 29 7. Wetting the Auger When the going gets tough in heavy soil, spray some water onto the auger and into the hole. • In clay, this makes the drilling process easier by allowing the lubricated soil ribbons to travel up the auger flight and out of the hole.
  • Page 30 8. Augering to Depth • Auger until the end of the auger flight is level with the top of the bush of the tripod and stop the drill. Then carefully remove the auger from the hole.
  • Page 31 9. Test Depth of Hole Before Probe Insertion • Reintroduce the auger carefully with the drill switched off. • Push the auger until the top end of the flight is level with the hole of the tripod. If the auger will not go down to this level, give the auger a quick spin to take up the soil at the bottom of the hole, then stop the drill, remove it from the hole carefully and clean it once again.
  • Page 32 10. Removal of Screw Pins • Use the drill in reverse mode to unscrew the pins.
  • Page 33 11. Inspect Quality of Hole • Remove the tripod and inspect the quality of the hole. It should be smooth-sided and free of air pockets. • Carefully remove the augered soil from the site using the newspaper.
  • Page 34 12. Prepare a Probe Cable Trench • Use a small trowel to dig a trench to accept the probe cable. • During excavation, place your finger over the hole to prevent any soil falling in.
  • Page 35 13. Preparation for Probe Insertion • Use the spray bottle to wet the probe and the upper walls of the hole. • This is particularly useful as lubrication in clay soils.
  • Page 36 14. Probe Insertion • Insert the probe carefully into the hole pushing it all the way down until the top of the probe is level with the soil surface. • The first sensor will now be located at 5cm depth.
  • Page 37 15. Final Probe Positioning • If the probe protrudes above the soil surface gently push it into final position. Do not use unreasonable force. (any weight beyond 120 kg is considered to be unreasonable force).
  • Page 38 16. Probe Installation Completed The (almost) completed installation of the probe should look like this. The probe should be in firm contact with the soil and you should not be able to push it in any further by hand. Note: The channel for the cable should be filled with soil.

  • Page 39: Augering Guidelines For The Drill & Drop Bluetooth Probe

    Augering Guidelines for the Drill & Drop Bluetooth Probe...
  • Page 40 1.Explanation of Terms and measurements Probe Lengths in cm Use recommended Auger Lengths in cm...
  • Page 41 2. Poor Installs Poor install Poor Install • If the Aerial is not installed correctly it will lead to Top sensor in air and this affects the performance of the sensors buried below it. poor connectivity. • Please make sure the Blue Cap must be fully exposed for better performance.
  • Page 42 3. Good Install Good Install • Aerial fully exposed above ground. • All sensor buried in the soil.
  • Page 43 4. Example : How to measure Height of Flight (not including shaft) above Tripod Graphic is not to scale and is for illustrative purposes only...
  • Page 44 5.Augering Guidelines for good Installs...
  • Page 45 6.Post Insertion of Probe • In clay loam or sand, finish inserting the probe to the correct depth as far as you can with your hand. • Using the metal insertion tube, you can push down until the bottom of the probe cap is level with the soil surface.
  • Page 46 7. Post Insertion of Probe Note : We are not recommending using a plastic tube anymore, as it sometimes slips over the Bluetooth probe and gets stuck.

  • Page 47: Installation In Mounded Rows

    Installation in Mounded Rows...
  • Page 48 1. Extension Foot for Tripod Stabilisation on Hills • When installing the Drill & Drop probe in crops grown on hills an Extension Foot (circled) is used to stabilise Tripod on the hill ridge.
  • Page 49 2. Extension Foot Insertion • Insert the Extension Foot into the Tripod Foot (green circled). • Use the Tripod Foot with the pre-drilled hole (green circled).
  • Page 50 3. Securing the Extension Foot • Align the holes of the Tripod Foot and the Extension Foot, insert the bolt through the holes and tighten with the nut.
  • Page 51 4. Extension Foot Height Adjustment • Loosen the nut and bolt of the height clamp (circled) and slide the leg to the desired height.
  • Page 52 5. Extension Foot Height Adjustment • Re-tighten the nut and bolt (circled).
  • Page 53 6. Tripod Levelling • Use a levelling bubble to position the tripod correctly.
  • Page 54 7. Pin Insertion into Tripod • Insert the Tripod Screw Pins into the holes in the Tripod Feet and Extension Foot. • Use an electric drill to secure the two Tripod Feet on the hill ridge and the Extension Foot in the furrow.
  • Page 55 8. Completed Hill Tripod • Two Tripod Feet are secured near the top of the hill, while the Extension Foot is secured at the bottom of the furrow.

  • Page 56: Advanced Installations: Duplex Soils

    Advanced Installations Duplex Soils...
  • Page 57 1.Installation into Duplex Soils Installation of the Drill & Drop probe into soils with a strong textural difference in the A and B horizons requires pre-drilling of the hole Sand with a an undersized non-tapered auger first, followed by the tapered one.
  • Page 58 2. Use a 24mm Non – Tapered Auger to Pre-Drill the Hole Collar Clay Sand Pre-level the tripod first.
  • Page 59 3.Finish the Job With the Tapered Auger...
  • Page 60 Continue with Step 6 of the Augering Process...

  • Page 61: Advanced Installations: Subsurface

    Advanced Installations Subsurface...
  • Page 62 Subsurface Installations • To hide the probe for aesthetic or protective purposes. • To allow cultivation or harvest above the probe. • To monitor lower soil depths. • To insulate the probe from high surface temperature variations.
  • Page 63 1. Drill & Drop Subsurface Installation Tools Bucket for excavated soil Spade Pressurised Trench Shovel Water Bottle 2 sheets of Newspaper Please note: If you already own an installation kit to install Stabilisation a 120cm Drill & Drop probe you will need to Tripod with purchase the extra Screw Pins...
  • Page 64 2.Tripod Extension Tube The Tripod Extension Tube can be lowered into the soil opening for probe subsurface installation. This tube serves as both stabilisation and centralisation of the Drill & Drop auger.
  • Page 65 3.Loosening the Extension Tube Nut • Loosen the Extension Tube nut to release the Extension Tube.
  • Page 66 4. Adjusting the Extension Tube Depth • Adjust the Extension Tube to the desired depth of the probe below the surface (green arrow) and tighten the Extension Tube nut...
  • Page 67 5. Excavation and Positioning Place excavated soil into bucket • Excavate the soil to the correct depth. Ensure that the bottom of the hole is level.
  • Page 68 6. Positioning the Tripod • Position the Extension Tube in the centre of the excavated hole and install the Screw Pins.
  • Page 69 7. Augering the Soil 150 cm • Use the extended 150cm subsurface auger. • Measure and mark the auger at the required depth. Allow for the tripod centre height of 4cm.
  • Page 70 8. Augering the Soil • Use a water spray bottle to lubricate and pick up the augered soil. • Auger in short stages (30–50cm at a time), clearing the auger flights regularly. • The excavated soil should be moist to maintain the integrity of the hole. Dry soil will collapse inward and lead to air gaps and failure of probe insertion.
  • Page 71 9. Auger Insertion Test • Drill to your auger mark, then carefully take the auger out, remove any soil from it and re-insert it back into the hole without rotating it. • If you can insert it all the way then the hole is deep enough to receive the probe. If not then carefully auger more soil out and retest until sufficient depth is reached.
  • Page 72 10. Removing the Tripod • Before removing the tripod, remove any soil that may have landed in the hole around the Extension Tube . • This will protect the augered probe hole during removal of the Tripod.
  • Page 73 11. The Opening of the Soil for the Probe • The augered hole should be circular with smooth sides visible near the top.
  • Page 74 12. Excavation of Probe Cable Trench • Place a finger carefully inside the augered hole to prevent soil entering and use a trowel to make a shallow 3cm deep trench to accommodate the probe cable...
  • Page 75 13. Probe Insertion • Spray water onto the surface of the probe and a little directly into the augered hole. • Then immediately and smoothly insert the probe to maximum depth by hand.
  • Page 76 14. Probe Insertion Complete • If the insertion is incomplete, then apply smooth body pressure through your foot to insert the probe to full depth. • In the above example, the probe top is located 20cm below the soil surface.
  • Page 77 15. Trenching the Probe Cable • The entire cable is placed in a 20cm deep trench to protect it from cultivation tynes.
  • Page 78 16. Installation of the 30cm Probe • Use the 30cm Installation Auger and Tripod. As before, check the hole depth, make a 3cm deep channel for the probe cable next to the probe, lubricate the probe with a little water and insert it. •...
  • Page 79 17. Installation of the 30cm Probe • The almost-completely installed 30cm probe. The probe cable can be fitted with protective electrical cable conduit and buried adjacent to the probe. • The cable can be left on the surface for convenient removal at times of farm machinery traffic.
  • Page 80 16.EnviroSCAN MULTI with Split-System Sentek probes (5-25 & 25-135cm), rain gauge and ET gauge 120cm Drill & Drop probe permanently buried 20cm below surface Removable 30cm Drill & Drop Probe...
  • Page 81 Drill & Drop Probe Extraction Mk1...
  • Page 82 1.Probe Extraction Tools Spade Trowel Crowbar Wooden Blocks Extraction Tool Chain...
  • Page 83 2. Excavate Soil Adjacent to Probe • Excavate the soil adjacent to the probe to a depth of 20 cm. • Wipe any soil or water from the probe using a piece of cloth. • This will stop slippage of the Extraction Tool.
  • Page 84 3. Fitting the Extraction Tool • Fit the Extraction Tool around the excavated top of the probe with the probe cable located in the square opening of the extraction tool. • Fold the cable down and line it up with the slit formed in the tool.
  • Page 85 4. Fitting the Extraction Tool • Fit the Extraction Tool around the probe so that it is at least 2 cm below the cable entry point.
  • Page 86 5.Correct Positioning of the Probe Cable Tool Lever In close-up: Locate the probe cable in the square opening of the extraction tool and hold it against the probe body below the tool lever as shown. Line the probe cable up with the split in the Extraction Tool. This is done so that in the event of tool slippage, the cable will not be sheared off.
  • Page 87 6.Tightening the Extraction Tool • Move the lever of the tool from left to right as far as possible, being careful not to damage the probe cable. • Grab the tool handle and pull with a gentle twisting motion to remove the probe.
  • Page 88 7. Fitting the Chain • If you cannot remove the probe by hand, fit the Extraction Chain onto the Extraction Tool, one circular ring for each handle and place wooden blocks next to the probe as shown.
  • Page 89 8. Positioning the Crowbar and Blocks of Wood • Locate the square ring on the crowbar and apply tension.
  • Page 90 9. Breaking the Bond Between Probe and Soil • Apply downward force to the crowbar until the probe lifts a little bit and the tight bond between probe and soil is broken. • Adding a little water to the probe and allowing it to infiltrate will aid removal.
  • Page 91 10. Probe Extraction • Gently remove the Drill & Drop Probe when it becomes free of the soil.
  • Page 92 11. Probe Extraction in Clays • If it is not possible to remove the probe with a crowbar and blocks of wood, a High Rise Car Jack may be used...
  • Page 93 Drill & Drop Probe Extraction Mk2...
  • Page 94 1.Probe Extraction Note: For Bluetooth Drill & Drop Probe please skip Step 2. • Dig out probe 15cm (6”) as shown. • Run the cable thought the steel steeve of the Extraction Tool as shown below.
  • Page 95 2. Bluetooth Probe For Bluetooth Probe, you can use the steel steeve of the Extraction Tool. • Spray the small amount of lubricant ((RP7, WD40 or equiv) and place the steel steeve over the Drill.
  • Page 96 2. Use of lubricant for sleeve extraction • Spray a small amount of lubricant (RP7, WD40 or equiv) inside metal sleeve of Extraction tool. • Place metal sleeve over Drill.
  • Page 97 3. Extraction Tool • Push insert into metal sleeve of the Extraction tool as shown below; • Extract Drill & Drop Probe using a level based system as shown below or car jack.
  • Page 98 4.Use of Rubber Mallet • Use rubber mallet to remove Extraction Tool from Drill & Drop Probe.

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