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Fruit Dendrometer – Type DF6
4. Installation
Tools & accessories:
-
light resistant rubber cord for strain relief of the sensor cable.
-
string cord to hang sensor on fruit carrying branch to release the instrumented fruit from
additional sensor weight
-
2x cable strips to fix string cord to fruit carrying branch
-
Additional tools required: scissors for cutting cords
a) Select a representative fruit for instrumentation.
b) Use the included rubber cord to strain relief the sensor by fixing the sensor cable on the fruit
carrying branch. Please leave enough cable between the fixation point on the branch and the
sensor. In the final installation position, the fruit sensor should be able to move freely with the
instrumented fruit, without tension on the cable.
c) Use the included string cord to hang the sensor at the fruit carrying branch and adjust the
positioning such that the sensor in its final installation position does not exert additional
weight to the instrumented fruit.
IMPORTANT:
- Please mind orientation of the sensor such that rod entrance, as well as wire outlet should
hence always be inclined downwards.
- Please do not tie the string cord directly to the branch to avoid strangulating the branch. To
fix the string cord to the branch you may either use the included cable strips, loosely fixed to
the branch, or the elastic rubber cord and tie the string cord to the fixed strips, or the rubber
cord respectively.
d) Untighten the knurled-head nuts such that the fruit gripper hook can be moved.
e) Open sensor clamping system and carefully insert the fruit between the fruit gripper hook
and the sensor piston.
f) Move the dendrometer body along the sliding rail, so that the sensor rod is pushed in by
about 5 to 10 mm and the fruit is firmly clamped between fruit gripper hook and sensor rod.
Then lock the gripper hook at the desired position by firmly tightening the two knurled-head
nuts.
g) Fix the cable onto the stem or on a ground stake for strain relief of the sensor cable between
instrumented plant and data logger. This can be done using a rope or cable straps. There
should be no tension between the sensor, fixation point at the fruit carrying branch and the
remaining sensor cable.
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