Table of Contents
Summary of Contents for Mea Junior
- Page 1 Junior soil moisture climate monitoring with Weather certainty Get a Green Station Brain User Manual 41 Vine Street Version 2.0 Magill South Australia 5072 November 2013 08 8332 9044 08 8332 9577 mea@mea.com.au www.mea.com.au...
- Page 2 MEA regarding correct installation or operation of a system or its components.
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Page 3: Table Of Contents
Junior Weather Station User Manual Contents Introduction ....................6 Contents of the Shipping Crate .............7 The Assembled Weather Station ............8 Virtual Instruments .......................10 Delta T ........................10 Degree Days ......................10 Dew Point ........................10 Chill Units ........................10 Frost Hours ........................11 Daylight Hours ......................11 EvapoTranspiration ....................11... - Page 4 Junior Weather Station User Manual Leaf Wetness Sensor Maintenance ..............29 Software Installation and Operation ..........30 A Brief Introduction to Magpie ................30 Install Magpie 3 Software and the Logging Scheme ........30 How to Find Magpie Files on Your Computer .............31 Loading the Logging Scheme ..................32 Install the System Battery ..................32...
- Page 5 Junior Weather Station User Manual Testing FTP Unloading in Magpie 3 ..............50 How to Change Parameters for Virtual Instruments ........52 Entering Your Altitude for the Delta T Instrument ........52 Changing the Threshold Temperature for Frost Hours ......53 Entering Latitude and Altitude for the ETo Instrument......54 System Maintenance ................55...
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Page 6: Introduction
Junior Weather Station User Manual Introduction Thank you for purchasing an MEA Junior Weather Station. This manual explains how to install and operate your weather station. Please read it thoroughly before attempting to install or operate your weather station. Please note that your weather station has been ‘built to order’ and the manual may make reference to climate sensors or other features which are not part of your particular system. -
Page 7: Contents Of The Shipping Crate
Junior Weather Station User Manual Contents of the Shipping Crate Your Junior Weather Station has been shipped to you in a large plywood box so that the weather station is well protected in transit. The combined weight of the weather station and the shipping crate is approximately 60 kg. -
Page 8: The Assembled Weather Station
Junior Weather Station User Manual The Assembled Weather Station Following assembly your weather station will look like this. Fig. 1. Junior Weather Station. www.mea.com.au Page 8... - Page 9 Junior Weather Station User Manual Solar panel. The solar panel keeps the system battery charged and powers the data logger and all of the instruments on your weather station. Solar radiation sensor. This sensor measures direct and diffuse (global) solar radiation in a 180°...
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Page 10: Virtual Instruments
Junior Weather Station User Manual Virtual Instruments The inputs from the climate sensors on your Junior Weather Station are combined in Magpie software to calculate additional values, called ‘virtual’ instruments. Delta T Delta T is one of the standard indicators for acceptable spray conditions. It is indicative of evaporation rate and droplet lifetime. -
Page 11: Frost Hours
Junior Weather Station User Manual Frost Hours Frost hours is the accumulation of time below a threshold air temperature of 2°C. The calculation is an indication of the conditions under which frost is likely to occur, not an actual measurement of frost conditions. The result is expressed in hours and is updated at 9 am each day. -
Page 12: Site Preparation
Junior Weather Station User Manual Site 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. - Page 13 Junior Weather Station User Manual Sites chosen should not be: ● Subject to flooding or inundation by storm surge. ● Affected by a high water table. ● Prone to subsidence. ● Unduly susceptible to lightning strike. ● Vulnerable to bushfire.
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Page 14: Hardware Installation
Junior Weather Station User Manual Hardware Installation Required Tools and Equipment To install the weather station and rain gauge you will need: ● A galvanised steel post with an outside diameter of 40~50 mm, 1.5 m long. ● Rapid-set concrete if the post is to be concreted in. -
Page 15: Mounting Post
Junior Weather Station User Manual Mounting Post The weather station is designed to be mounted to a galvanised steel tube with an outside diameter of 40~50 mm. The post needs to be positioned in a place where the sun can shine on the solar panel for most of the daylight hours and tall enough to ensure that the panel can ‘see over’... -
Page 16: Bolt The Weather Station To The Post
Junior Weather Station User Manual Bolt the Weather Station to the Post Mount the weather station to the post as per the diagram below. Loosely fit 2 U-bolts and clamp saddles to the front of the mounting bracket below the logger enclosure (if using a square post the clamp saddles can be left out). -
Page 17: Adjust The Solar Panel
Junior Weather Station User Manual Adjust the Solar Panel The solar panel should face north and be adjusted at an angle suitable for the latitude of the station. Use a compass to north-align the solar panel. Use a 5 mm AF Hex key to remove the 2 tilt adjustment screws. -
Page 18: Level The Solar Radiation Sensor
Junior Weather Station User Manual Level the Solar Radiation Sensor The solar radiation sensor is shipped pre-mounted to its mounting bracket on the cross arm to the rear of the solar panel, but will require levelling on site. Remove the packing materials covering the glass dome of the sensor. -
Page 19: Solar Radiation Sensor Maintenance
The sensor dome is sealed and fully weatherproof. If the dome is damaged or if condensation appears in the dome, please contact MEA. The manufacturer recommends that the sensor calibration be checked every two years. This requires removal of the sensor and return to MEA. www.mea.com.au Page 19... -
Page 20: Air Temperature & Relative Humidity Sensor
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: Undo the plastic nut on the underside of the shelter. -
Page 21: Install The Rain Gauge
Junior Weather Station User Manual Install the Rain Gauge The rain gauge is a tipping-bucket gauge with a resolution of 0.2 mm per tip. This gauge should be located in a cleared area approximately 4 ~ 8 m from the weather station to minimise any effect the system might have on the operation of the gauge. - Page 22 Junior Weather Station User Manual 4 ~ 8 m Fig. 10. Conduit sections for the rain gauge cable: 1. Upright section; 2. Elbow; 3. Long section; 4. Flexible conduit; 5. Paver; 6. Rain gauge. Remove the cable cover on the bottom side of the enclosure. Loosen the mounting screws with a medium Phillips head screwdriver.
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Page 23: Rain Gauge Maintenance
Junior 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. Remove the collector using a 4 mm AF Hex key to loosen the screws in the gauge base. - Page 24 Junior Weather Station User Manual Separate the filter and siphon. The filter can be cleaned using a small brush e.g. toothbrush. Use a pipe-cleaner to clean the siphon nozzle if required. Fig. 17. The filter / siphon assembly. Fig. 18. Separate the filter and siphon.
- Page 25 Hint: If you do not want your weather station to record spurious rainfall, disconnect the cable from the weather station before commencing calibration. MEA can supply calibration kits including a calibrated reservoir with self-regulating flow rate, stand and counter module.
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Page 26: Soil Temperature Sensor
Junior Weather Station User Manual Soil Temperature Sensor The soil temperature sensor is a bead thermistor housed in a rugged stainless steel case. The sensor will need to be buried at a soil depth which represents your zone of interest. -
Page 27: Soil Temperature Sensor Maintenance
Junior Weather Station User Manual Soil Temperature Sensor Maintenance The soil temperature sensor is calibrated for life and contains no serviceable parts. If you suspect that your soil temperature sensor is faulty, please contact MEA. www.mea.com.au Page 27... -
Page 28: Leaf Wetness Sensor
Junior Weather Station User Manual Leaf Wetness Sensor 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%. -
Page 29: Leaf Wetness Sensor Maintenance
Junior Weather Station User Manual Leaf Wetness Sensor Maintenance The sensor contains no serviceable parts. Its factory calibration will last the life of the sensor. Periodically inspect the surface of the sensor for deterioration in the printed circuit. Remove any dust or other materials using a cloth dampened with clean water. Do not use abrasives to clean the sensor. -
Page 30: Software Installation And Operation
Software Installation and Operation A Brief Introduction to Magpie For more detailed information on Magpie please refer to the Magpie 3 User Manual, which can be found on the MEA USB drive. In MEA systems data recording is referred to as logging. Log actions are grouped together in memory locations called buffers. -
Page 31: How To Find Magpie Files On Your Computer
Junior Weather Station User Manual 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) 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... -
Page 32: Loading The Logging Scheme
Junior Weather Station User Manual Loading the Logging Scheme To load the logging scheme into the data logger you will need: ● A laptop computer with Magpie software and the logging program (referred to as a “scheme”) installed. ● A USB type A to type B cable (supplied). -
Page 33: Connect The Laptop To The Weather Station
Junior Weather Station User Manual Connect the Laptop to the Weather station Remove the lid of the logger enclosure. Start your laptop. Plug the B-type connector into the COM port shown below, and the other end into your laptop. Windows will install a generic USB driver. Navigate to the Device Manager to find out which COM port has been assigned to the cable. -
Page 34: Open The Logging Scheme
Junior Weather Station User Manual Open the Logging Scheme From the File menu select Open Scheme The Open a scheme window will open. Select a scheme folder and double-click to open it. Select the scheme file and double-click the icon, or select Open. -
Page 35: Set The Connection Method And Com Port
Junior Weather Station User Manual Set the Connection Method and COM Port From the menu bar select Logger ⇒ Edit Scheme. Go to Operation ⇒ Communications. Set the Communications Method to Direct (via cable). Select the Communications Port your serial cable is attached to. -
Page 36: Program The Data Logger
Junior Weather Station User Manual Program the Data Logger From the menu bar select Logger ⇒ Load Program 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 & time, and that the channel inputs are showing expected values. -
Page 37: Logger Information
Junior Weather Station User Manual Fig. 28. Standard RTI screen: 1. Logger information; 2. Channel Inputs; 3. Channel selection grid. Logger Information Scheme Name 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’... -
Page 38: Channel Inputs
It is possible to customise your RTI display by checking or un-checking these boxes. All are checked by default. If your Junior weather station is the model that uploads data to the Internet, see the section “Test the Packet Data Terminal” on page 47. -
Page 39: Retrieving Measurements
Junior Weather Station User Manual Retrieving Measurements The process of transferring 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. - Page 40 Junior Weather Station User Manual To Unload Using an Internet Connection Set the Communications Method to Remote (via modem). The Communications Port option will be greyed-out. Leave the Baud Rate at 9600. Under FTP Details, ensure that Unload using FTP is checked.
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Page 41: Unload Data
Junior Weather Station User Manual Unload Data The unload process is the same for any connection method (for unloading via cable you will need the appropriate cable connected between the data logger and your computer). To unload data: From the menu bar select Logger ⇒ Unload data. -
Page 42: View Data
Junior Weather Station User Manual View Data The Navigator The navigator is used to select the period of data viewed. There are three methods, New Data Only, Date Range and Length From Reference. New Data Only Displays the data recorded since the last unload. - Page 43 Junior Weather Station User Manual Then select the amount of data you want to see. Select the Apply button, or check the Auto box to automatically apply navigator settings whenever changes are made. www.mea.com.au Page 43...
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Page 44: Open A New Graph
Junior Weather Station User Manual Open a New Graph From the menu bar select Graph ⇒ New Graph. Select the New Graph icon from the scheme toolbar A new graph will be blank by default. Turn traces on or off by checking or un-checking the boxes in the channel selection grid. -
Page 45: Open A New Table
Junior Weather Station User Manual Open a New Table From the menu bar select Table, then select the table corresponding to the buffer you want to see. A new table will show all columns by default. Turn columns on or off by checking or un-checking the boxes in the channel selection grid. -
Page 46: Favourite Graphs And Tables
It is possible to save custom graphs and tables as Favourites. See the User Manual for Magpie 3 for further details. MEA may have created a number of favourite graphs and tables for you. Favourites are created and accessed under the Favourites menu. -
Page 47: Test The Packet Data Terminal
Junior Weather Station User Manual Test the Packet Data Terminal The Packet Data Terminal (PDT) automatically unloads the data logger every hour and sends the data to the Internet using the mobile phone network. To test the operation of the PDT, remove the lid from the logger enclosure and fold down the internal panel to reveal the circuit board. -
Page 48: Observe The Result
Junior Weather Station User Manual 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. - Page 49 Junior Weather Station User Manual Review the Most Recent Result When the PDT is inactive, 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.
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Page 50: Testing Ftp Unloading In Magpie 3
Junior Weather Station User Manual Testing FTP Unloading in Magpie 3 Select the Correct Communications Method Start Magpie 3 and open the scheme. Under the Logger menu, select Edit Scheme to open the Scheme Editor. Go to Operation ⇒ Communications. - Page 51 Junior Weather Station User Manual Unload the Logger From the Logger menu, select Unload Data. Unloading will begin immediately. At the completion of the unload process, you will see the Unload Complete dialog. Open a new Graph or Table and check to see if data has been logged at the last logical logging interval before the test transmission.
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Page 52: How To Change Parameters For Virtual Instruments
Junior Weather Station User Manual How to Change Parameters for Virtual Instruments Entering Your Altitude for the Delta T Instrument From the File menu select Edit Scheme. When the scheme editor opens, go to Configuration ⇒ Instruments. In Instruments List pane, left-click on the DeltaT instrument to highlight it. -
Page 53: Changing The Threshold Temperature For Frost Hours
Junior Weather Station User Manual Changing the Threshold Temperature for Frost Hours From the File menu select Edit Scheme. When the scheme editor opens, go to Configuration ⇒ Instruments. In Instruments List pane, left-click on the Frost instrument to highlight it. -
Page 54: Entering Latitude And Altitude For The Eto Instrument
Junior Weather Station User Manual Entering Latitude and Altitude for the ETo Instrument From the File menu select Edit Scheme. When the scheme editor opens, go to Configuration ⇒ Instruments. In Instruments List pane, left-click on the ETo instrument to highlight it. -
Page 55: System Maintenance
Junior Weather Station User Manual System Maintenance Power Supply Maintenance Failure of the system power supply will result in loss of data. The power supply is less likely to fail if you monitor its performance and perform some basic maintenance procedures. -
Page 56: System Battery
Junior Weather Station User Manual Select Yes to see the validation errors: Fig. 30. The battery validation errors will be similar to the ones shown above. System Battery Pay attention to the logged values for the system battery. There will be a ‘Battery voltage’... -
Page 57: How To Replace The System Fuse
Junior Weather Station User Manual How to Replace the System Fuse The fuse may blow if sensor cables are damaged or the battery is incorrectly connected. The system fuse is a 2 A 250 V 20 mm glass fuse. The fuse holder is identified in Fig. 31.