Rain Bird Pro Installation, Maintenance And Troubleshooting Manual

RAIN BIRD

Weather Station - Model - PRO

INSTALLATION MAINTENANCE AND TROUBLESHOOTING MANUAL

November 2001 GT27145B

AIN BIRD

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Weather Station – Model – PRO

The Rain Bird “Model PRO” Weather Station, when used in conjunction with the Rain Bird MAXI 5, MAXI “Nimbus” or MAXI “Cirrus” Central Control system, provides the irrigation manager with a powerful tool to aid in the growing of lush, healthy, green turfgrass, while conserving important resources, such as water, power, etc.

The MAXI 5, MAXI Nimbus or MAXI Cirrus software interrogates the Weather Station to gather information that has been gathered on a daily basis, on 5 second intervals for short haul modem only, of the climatic conditions that affect the irrigation application for the area.

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IRD

The Weather Station monitors the following climatic conditions:

Rainfall Wind Speed & Direction Air Temperature Relative Humidity Solar Radiation

The basic PRO Weather Station configuration includes sensors to monitor these conditions, a micrologger to capture this data, a modem to communicate the information to the MAXI Central Computer and a power supply.

The Rain Bird Model “PRO” Weather Station is available in two (2) basic configurations;

The MAXI 5, MAXI Nimbus or MAXI Cirrus software subjects the climatic information that it gathers to a version of the modified Penman Equation. The Penman Equation has been proven through over 35 years of university research, to be one of the most reliable predictors of turfgrass water use requirements.

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Model PRO-SH, which is a

direct wire system intended for use when the weather station is within 20,000 feet of the MAXI Central Computer and communication is via a wire path, between the weather station and the computer.

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Weather Station - Model “PRO”

Model PRO-PH, which is a

phone modem system for use when the weather station is further than 20,000 feet from the MAXI Central Computer or

when they cannot be connected by a communication wire path. The system communicates utilizing a standard, dedicated phone service.

2.0 TOOLS & SUPPLIES:

(Installer Supplied)

The installer needs access to the following tools and supplies for installation of the Weather Station.

TOOLS REQ’D.

Shovel

SUPPLIES REQ’D.

Rake Wire Strippers Screw driver, regular blade Flat Metal File Screw driver, thin regular blade Wheelbarrow Screw driver, Phillips head Hand Saw Open End Wrench 7/16” (2) - Open End Wrench 9/16” Open End Wrench ½” Open End Wrench 3/8” Claw Hammer Magnetic Compass Tape Measure 12’ - 20’ Matr’l. for Concrete Base Form:

(4) 12” Wood Stakes (1) 2”x 4”x 10’ piece of wood (8) 8p double-head nails (8)16p double-head nails 20 ft. of form wire

½ yard of concrete 6 Ft. Step Ladder Concrete trowel & edger Saw Horse Wire Fish Tape or small dia. rope

(2) Standard Size (12” x 18”)

Rectangular Valve Boxes

(3) MGP-1 Maxi Grounding Plate

Assembly (5) MSP-1 Maxi Surge Arrestor (Pipe Type) (for “JR-SH” model ONLY). (6) 5/8” Dia. X 8’-0” copper clad

grounding rods #10 Gauge or larger bare copper grounding wire - length as required. Brass Grounding Clamps - as required (20) 3-M model DBY or DBR Direct

Burial splice kits or 3-M Scotch-lok

3500 series Connector Packs. Belden #9883 or PE-39 direct burial,

communication cable - length as

required. (2) Lengths of type UF power wire

(white and black) - size and length as

required. (1) 4” x 4” electrical junction box with

cover plus connectors as required for

transformer mounting. (2) Open Spade, crimp-on type

connectors - for connecting power

wiring to transformer.

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3.0 WEATHER STATION SITE SELECTION:

Site selection for the Weather Station is one of the most crucial steps in a successful installation and an efficiently operating irrigation system. The site selection will greatly impact the accuracy of the meteorological data collected by the station. The site selection process has many constraints placed on it, and although the “perfect” site is often non-existent, the following generalities should be kept in mind.

In general, the site should be representative of the general area of interest and reflect the general conditions of the project’s turf. The more “t ypical” the site, in this regard, the more useful will be the information gathered. The site should also be away from the influence of obstructions such as buildings, trees, etc.

The weather station should not be located where sprinkler irrigation water will strike sensors or instrument enclosure. The turf around the weather station needs to be irrigated however - so it is recommended that half-circle sprinklers be placed around the base of the weather station and ”throwing OUT’ away from the weather station. In this way the turf can be irrigated and at the same time water can be kept off the sensors and instrument enclosure of the weather station.

The sensors of the weather station should be eight (8) to ten (10) feet above the turfgrass. Remember that the roof of a building IS NOT a good site for the weather station.

The weather station does NOT need to be “hidden”. The Rain Bird weather station has been engineered to be aesthetically pleasing. The urge to “hide” the station needs to be balanced with the selection of the most “typical” turfgrass area. The station should NOT negatively impact the turfgrass environment or utility. In fact, many installations prominently display the Weather Station to demonstrate their commitment to water conservation.

If the site may be prone to vandalism, an open, chain-link, 6 foot high security fence with a lockable access gate should be placed around the weather station. The fence shall be a minimum of eight (8) feet out from the weather station on all sides and should be a type that will not interfere with the accuracy of the sensors.

In your selection of a site - try to avoid sites on or near open dirt fields and asphalt parking areas. These sites are prone to high invective heats that can distort the information. Any areas that are within 90 to 100 feet “up wind” of the weather station can adversely affect the weather station reading accuracies.

The requirements of each weather station sensor must be considered when selecting the proper location for a weather station site. In addition to these generalities, each sensor has its own specialized constraints. While complete information is available, upon special request, for each individual sensor, the following are the highlights of each.

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(a) TEMPERATURE AND

RELATIVE HUMIDITY:

Sensors should be located over an open level turf area at least 30 feet in diameter. The surface should be the typical turfgrass of the area in interest. Sensors should be located a distance away of at least four (4) times the height of any nearby obstruction and at least 90 feet from large paved areas. Sensors should be protected from thermal radiation, and adequately ventilated.

Situations to avoid include:

• large industrial heat sources

• rooftops

• steep slopes

• sheltered hollows

• high vegetation

• shaded areas

• top of a hill

• bottom of a swale

• swamps

• areas where snow drifts occur

• low places holding standing

water

(b) SOLAR RADIATION:

Pyranometers should be located to avoid shadows on the sensor at any time. Mounting it on the southern most portion (northern hemisphere) of the weather station will minimize the chance of shading from other weather station structures. Reflective surfaces and sources of artificial radiation should be avoided. The height at which the sensor is mounted is not critical.

(c ) PRECIPITATION

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A rain gage should be located over level ground that is covered with short grass or gravel. In open areas, the distance to obstructions should be two to four times the height of the obstruction.

The height of the opening should be as low as possible, but should be high enough to avoid splashing from the ground.

The gage must be mounted above the average level of snow accumulation in areas that experience significant snowfall.

Standard measurement heights:

1.0 meter +/- 1.0 cm (AASC)

30.0 centimeter minimum

(WMO, EPA)

(d) DETERMINING TRUE NORTH FOR WIND VANE OREINTATION

Magnetic declination, or other methods to find True North, should be determined prior to installing the

weather station. True North is usually found by reading a magnetic compass and applying the correction for magnetic declination. (Other methods employ observations using the North Star or the sun, and are discussed in the Quality Assurance Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems, Volume IV Meteorological Measurements.) The magnetic declination is the number of degrees between True North and Magnetic North. Magnetic declination for a specific site can be obtained from a USFA map, local airport, or through a computer service offered by the USFS called GEOMAG (see page 7). A general map showing magnetic declination for the contiguous United States is shown below in FIGURE 2.

Declination angles east of True North are considered negative and are subtracted from 0 degrees to get True North. Declination angles west of True North are considered positive and are added to 0 degrees to get True North. For example, the declination for Logan, Utah is 16 degrees East. True North is 360 degrees minus 16 degrees, or 344 degrees as read on a compass.

REFER TO NEXT PAGE FOR FIGURE 2

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FIGURE 2 - MAGNETIC DECLINATION FOR THE

CONTIGUOUS UNITED STATE

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If you are using one of the commercial numbers, the following prompts will appear. Type the responses shown

PROMPTS FROM GEOMAG

(followed by pressing RETURN):

GEOMAG is accessed by phone with a PC and telephone modem and a communications program such as Pro Comm or Windows 95 Hyperterminal. GEOMAG prompts the caller for site latitude, longitude and elevation, which it uses to determine the magnetic declination and annual change. The following information, menu and prompts are from GEOMAG.

GEOMAG is a user-friendly program that provides estimates of the geomagnetic field elements, including declination and total field intensity, based upon Magnetic Models. The program is accessible by modem or through the Internet.

Modem Access:

GLDSV1> c neis [RETURN] Username: QED [RETURN}

Main Menu:

Type Q for Quick Epicenter

Determinations (QED) L for Earthquake Lists (EQLIST) M for Geomagnetic Field

values (GEOMAG) X to log out

ENTER program option: “M”

Would you like information on how to run GEOMAG (Y/N)? Enter N

Modem settings: No parity, 8 data bits

OPTIONS:

and 1 stop bit (i.e., N81).

1 = Field Values (D,I,H,X,Z,F)

Telephone numbers:

2 = Magnetic Pole Positions 3 = Dipole Axis and Magnitude

Phone Number Baud Rates

303-273-8672 2400 303-273-8673 1200 303-273-8678 1200

4 = Magnetic Center [1] : 1

Display values twice [N]: press return Name of field model [USCON90]: press return Date [current date]:

Upon carrier-signal detection, press Return once or twice.

press return Latitude :42/2 N Longitude : 111/51/2W Elevation : 4454 ft

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Example of report generated by GEOMAG:

Model: USCON90 Latitude: 42/2 N Date: 7/27/93 Longitude: 111/51/2W

Elevation: 4454.0 ft

Declination is: deg min 15 59.6

Annual change: deg min 0 -6.1

EXITING:

press “Cntrl-Z” to exit GEOMAG

When the main menu reappears either select another option or Type “X” to log out.

If you used one of the commercial numbers, the GLDSV1> prompt will reappear.

Type “LO” to disconnect.

Use of GEOMAG is free (except for telephone charges). If possible, please avoid using GEOMAG between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., mountain time, Monday through Friday.

The declination in the example above is listed as 15 degrees and 59.6 minutes. Expressed in degrees, this would be

15.99 degrees. As shown in FIGURE 2, the declination for Utah is east, so True North for this site is 360 - 15.99, or 344 degrees. The annual change is -6.1 minutes.

Refer to FIGURE 3 below:

FIGURE 3 - DECLINATION ANGLES

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4.0 WEATHER STATION CONCRETE BASE:

SUPPLIED COMPONENTS

(4) 16p Double Headed nails

10’-0 “ length of form wire

(3) ½” x 12” long “L” Anchor Bolts

½ yard of concrete

Duct Tape

(9) ½” Nuts (3) Flat Steel Washers

TOOLS REQUIRED

(1) Stainless Steel Template (1) 1 ½” Dia. Long Sweep Elbow

Claw Hammer

Hand Saw

INSTALLER SUPPLIED

Saw Horse

Shovel

(1) 2” x 4” x 10’-0” piece of

Pliers & Wire Cutters

forming lumber

INSTALLATION:

For the following procedures - Refer to FIGURE 4 below.

1.0 The Tower for the “PRO”

to accept the end of the elbow

Weather Station - attaches to a user supplied poured concrete foundation

- constructed as shown in FIGURE

4 below.

4.0 Construct the concrete form

2.0 Dig the required foundation

hole - with a 24” square top and slanting outward sides, to the bottom of 32” square. The “Sloping” sides of the foundation are very IMPORTANT in providing the necessary support to the weather station tower, in preventing it from “leaning” or falling over, due to wind load on the station.

5.0 Place a piece of duct tape

3.0 Determine the proper location

of the long sweep elbow and dig a small cavity

that will protrude beyond the concrete base.

with 2” x 4” lumber and 16p double-headed nails. Center the form over the dug hole. Adjacent to the long legs of the form that extend beyond the hole, drive four stakes into the soil. Level the form. Secure the form to the stakes with 8p nails making sure that the form remains “level”.

over one end of the 1 ½” diameter long sweep elbow. Insert the elbow into the hole, with the taped end into the small cavity that you

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have dug on one side of the hole.

template, elbow and anchor bolts in the form.

6.0 Insert the other end of the

long sweep elbow into the center hole in the stainless steel template. Tape the end of the elbow with duct tape.

. 9.0 Steady the template assembly by

putting a 2” spacer between the template and the top of the form. Pour the concrete into the hole and form - it will require approximately ½ yard - screed the concrete level with the top

7.0 Take the three ½” x 12” long

“L” anchor bolts and install two (2) hex huts on to each bolt. Insert one in each of the holes in the template and install one of the flat washers and a nut to secure the anchor bolt to the template.

Refer to FIGURE 5.

of the form. Check to make sure the template is correctly orientated and centered. The bottom of the anchor bolt threads should be about ½” above the top of the concrete. Check to be sure the template is “level” in two (2) dimensions. Use a trowel and edger to finish the concrete.

8.0 Take the form wire and cut it

into two (2) equal lengths. Attach one end of one of the wires to one of the 16p nails on the form. String the wire up over the form and to the

BE SURE THAT YOU HAVE THE TEMPLATE PROPERLY ORIENTATED IN RESPECT TO “NORTH”. Refer to

FIGURE 4.

long sweep elbow - making a turn around it. Continue the wire over to the 16p nail at the other corner of the form (located on the same side of the form as the other nail)

The template should have the two (2) bolt holes, that are parallel with one side of the template, on the north side of the base.

and centering the template and elbow attach the wire securely to the nail. Repeat this same process with the other piece of form wire -

10.0 Wait 24 hours before removing

the concrete form. Wait 7 days before mounting the weather station to the base.

going to the opposite nails and further securing the

REFER TO NEXT PAGE FOR FIGURES 4 & 5

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FIGURE 4 - CONCRETE BASE DETAIL

FIGURE 5 - ANCHOR BOLT/TEMPLATE DETAIL

5.0 EXTERNAL WIRING TO WEATHER STATION: ( Refer to FIGS. 6 & 7)

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WIRING VALVE ACCESS BOX

At the base of the Weather Station and as near to the base as feasibly possible, dig a hole large enough to install a standard 18” x 24” rectangular valve box and cover. The valve box shall accommodate all wiring connections, one rod of a 3-rod grounding grid, MGP-1 grounding plate assemblies and MSP-1 surge arrestors.

WEATHER STATION POWER WIRING

Furnished as part of the Weather Station is a 120VAC to 16VAC power transformer. This transformer can be located in the pedestal of a field satellite controller that is in the near proximity of the weather station or some other convenient weather proof location. Install the transformer in a 4”x 4” metal electrical box with cover. Connect the 120VAC power wires of the transformer to a source of 120VAC power that is not easily turned off. To the output of the transformer, connect a pair of UF wires, of proper size, using “crimp-on” open spade connectors.

The power wires shall be direct buried and run over to the weather station. Connect the 16VAC power wires to the “LINE” side of an MSP-1 surge arrestor, which shall be mounted in an MGP-1 grounding plate assembly. The MGP-1 grounding plate assembly shall be securely mounted on a 5/8” dia. copper

clad, ground rod - one of a 3-rod grounding grid.

NOTE ! The minimum voltage to the transformer shall be not less than 112 volts.

Wire sizing shall be in accordance with the chart given below.

Wire shall be Type “UF” (underground feeder cable) with PVC insulation. The 16VAC power is used to provide constant charging of the battery within the weather station, through the battery charging circuit.

WIRE SIZING CHART

WIRE SIZE DISTANCE (feet)*

18 500

16 800

14 1275

12 2000

10 3250

8 5100

* Transformer to Weather Station

The “EQUIPMENT’ side of this MSP-1 surge arrestor shall be connected to “red” and “black” wires of the 20’power wire cable, which is furnished as part of

the weather station, and MARKED “P/N 9922”. This cable shall be routed through the 1 ½” dia. long sweep elbow

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to the base of the weather station. All wire connections and splices in the power wiring shall be made using 3-M

Model “PRO”- Weather Station

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DBY direct burial connectors. DO NOT apply power to transformer at this

time.

The RED (+RCV) & BLACK (-RCV) pair shall be connected to the RED & BLACK wires respectively, at the

WEATHER STATION COMMUNICATION WIRING

“LINE” end of the other MSP-1 surge arrestor. The RED (+RCV) and the BLACK (-RCV) wires from the “EQUIPMENT” end of this MSP-1

DIRECT CONNECTED - USING SHORT HAUL MODEMS:

(MODEL PRO-SH - Only)

surge arrestor shall be connected to the RED (+RCV) and the BLACK (-RCV) wires of the communication cable furnished with the weather station and

Coming from the Central location, furnish and install a Belden #9883,

marked P/N 9720 “ET SHORT HAUL” “COMM”.

Direct Burial Type, communication cable over to the weather station location. The Belden cable shall consist of three (3) twisted pair of wires (20 Gauge), a bare copper drain wire and an aluminum shield. The three (3) twisted pair shall be color coded as follows; 1 pair “black” and “white”, 1 pair “black” and “green” and 1 pair “black” and “red”.

This communication cable shall be routed through the 1 ½” diameter long sweep elbow to the base of the weather station. All wire connections and splices in the communication wiring shall be made using 3-M DBY direct burial connectors. DO NOT attempt to use any other type connectors as communication signal may be impaired and poor communication resulting.

The BLACK (-XMT) & GREEN (+XMT) pair shall be connected to the BLACK & RED wires respectively, at the “LINE” end of one of the MSP-1

COMMUNICATION CABLE

GROUNDING

surge arrestors. The BLACK (-XMT) and the RED (+XMT) wires from the “EQUIPMENT” end of this MSP-1 surge arrestor shall be connected to the WHITE (-XMT) and the GREEN (+XMT) wires of the communication cable furnished with the weather station

The bare copper drain wire of the Belden cable shall be grounded to the grounding rod, using a brass ground wire clamp. IMPORTANT ! DO NOT ground the drain wire at the Central end of the cable

- just leave the drain wire un-used.

and marked P/N 9720 “ET SHORT HAUL” “COMM”.

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FIGURE 6 - EXTERNAL WIRING DETAIL AT THE

PRO - SH WEATHER STATION

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Rain Bird Pro Installation, Maintenance And Troubleshooting Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

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