DAVIS WeatherLink Irrigation Add. User Manual

WeatherLink® for Irrigation Control

Addendum

Introduction

This Data Logger is designed for use with most common irrigation systems, including those provided by Rain Bird, Rain Master, and Toro. For the industrial controllers used in agriculture and turf management, it provides electronic pulse outputs for wind, rain, and evapotranspiration (ET). Homeowners can add our optional solar radiation sensor to their VantagePro™ weather station to turn their irrigation system on or off based on evapotranspiration. All users can use the alarm settings in the Vantage Pro™ console or Weather Envoy™ to inhibit the irrigation cycle based on weather conditions. The data logger will inhibit th e ir ri gation cycle if ANY of the alarms are active.

This product also contains the functionality of the WeatherLink for Vantage Pro Serial version. Please consult the WeatherLink for Vantage Pro™ Getting Started Guide and on-line Help files for information on the use of the WeatherLink installation), package contents, and optional accessories for this product.

If you plan to install this product in a Vantage Pro™ console, use the notch in the Battery Door located adjacent to where the PC connector protrudes and above the AC power connector to bring out the Connector Block wire.

If you plan to install this product in a Weather Envoy™, it is recommended that you knock out the left-most tab with the Weather Envoy’s PC connector facing you and loop the Connector Block wire around the datalogger connector to the Weather Envoy™ and bring it out where this tab was removed.

Hardware Installation and Requirements

In addition to the requirements for Wea the rLink , the Irrig ation cap abi lity of this product has the following additional hardware requirements.

• One Free Serial Port or One Free USB port with the Serial to USB

• Computer running any version of Windows™ with at least 3 MB

program (including its hardware requirements and typical

adapter (Part # 8434) connected to a Windows PC.

free of RAM and 512 KB free of hard disk space.

• Industrial Irrigation Controller with inputs for wind, rain, and/or ET;

or a Residential Controller with a Common or a Rain Sensor connection. Irrigation wire as appropriate to your Irrigation Controller

• Solar Radiation Sensor, P/N 6450 to use evapotranspiration (ET) to

control the irrigation cycle. In addition to the ET pulse output, the Rain – ET algorithm uses this inform ation. More info rmation is provided below.

• Small Slotted Screwdriver

• Relays: You may need to obtain your own relays in order to switch

equipment at voltages higher than 28 Volts or power levels above 10 Watts.

Note 1: Your Residential Irrigation Controller may be connected in series to both the ET and Alarm inputs on the Irrigation datalogger if you wish the Irrigation system to also be suspended due to, say, high winds or cold temperatures, for example, in addition to the Rain/ET balance.

Note 2: Due to its normal operation, this product will draw more current from the Vantage Pro™ Console and Weather Envoy™ than in typical use. Davis recommends you use the power adapter provided with your product if you are concerned about battery life.

Software Installation and Setup

Installing the Software

Follow the installation instr uct ions for We ath erL ink®. This will also install the configuration software. The install disc contains this program as well as WeatherLink

Running the Configuration Software

To run the configuration software, double-click on the Streaming Data Utility icon in the Streaming Data Utility directory of the WeatherLink select the Streaming Data Utility from the Start Menu under the WeatherLink

if you ever need to install the program manually.

directory.

directory or

Finding the Correct Serial Port

The configuration software includes a procedure for locating the serial port to which your streaming data logger is connected or determining whether that serial port is working.

Note: Using the Auto Detect command in WeatherLink the serial port. The Loopback command will help you determine whether the serial port is functioning. Consult the WeatherLink Getting Started Guide and on-line Help files for more information.

Use the Serial Port Settings dialog box to select the correct COM port and baud rate to communicate to the streaming data logger. The correct baud rate will be the one set in your Vantage Console, and in WeatherLink. The default value is 19200 baud. You may manually set the COM port setting or use the Auto Detect button to automatically find where your streaming data logger is connected.

can help you locate

for Vantage Pro™

Note: If you have more than one streaming data logger connected to your system, it is highly recommended that you manually set the com port and baud rate.

Logger Type

The software indicates the logger type and firmware revision level of the streaming data logger in the logger type box.

Time Out Period

Normally, the Irrigation data logger will send pulse data to an Automated Irrigation Sprinkler System Controller. However, the Irrigation data logger utilizes a time-out period for ceasing Irrigation functions whenever software attempts to communicate to the logger. The default setting is 5 seconds. You may adjust this value if you wish Irrigation functions to resume sooner or later after communicating to the logger using WeatherLink

or the

Streaming Data Utility.

Note: Once communications to WeatherLink are initiated and successful, the streaming data logger will be unable to com municate with the Streaming Data Utility until the Time Out Period expires. If you need to communicate to the logger with both the Streaming Data Utility and WeatherLink

, you

should communicate using the Streaming Data Utility first.

Use Residential

Check this dialog box if you choose to use the Irrigation data logger with a Residential Irrigation System Controller to inhibit the watering cycle. This type of sprinkler controller will be what is typically installed by most homeowners and will have inputs for a Common and in many cases a Rain Sensor. See the Installation section below for installation instructions.

Do NOT check this box if you are using this product in an Industrial application where the controller has inputs for wind, rain and/or ET.

Units

Choose whether you want to enter your Rain and ET values in inches or millimeters. This will not affect how the rain or ET outputs function. The Rain will still output according to the rain collector type and ET will always output every 0.01 inch.

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