Autogrow MultiGrow User manual

MultiGrow
Installation Guide

MultiGrow Installation Guide
V2.0 MultiGrow Installation Guide Copyright© 2018 Autogrow Systems Ltd 2
Contents
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 3
Note for Installers - Disclaimer ........................................................................................................................................................3
Installation of Electronic Equipment ...............................................................................................................................................3
Power Supplies ................................................................................................................................................................................3
Bus Network .................................................................................................................................... 4
General ............................................................................................................................................................................................4
Bus Addressing.................................................................................................................................................................................5
Bus Terminators...............................................................................................................................................................................6
Module Connections....................................................................................................................... 7
General ............................................................................................................................................................................................7
MultiGrow Controller ......................................................................................................................................................................7
Output Modules (Paired & Single) .................................................................................................................................................10
EpMT Remote Sensors Module .....................................................................................................................................................13
Environment Sensor Module .........................................................................................................................................................14
Temperature Transmitter Module.................................................................................................................................................15
Weather Station & Sensors............................................................................................................................................................16
Testing and Troubleshooting...................................................................................................... 17
General ..........................................................................................................................................................................................17
Common faults ..............................................................................................................................................................................18
Installation notes ...........................................................................................................................................................................18
Appendix......................................................................................................................................... 19
Installation Drawings .....................................................................................................................................................................19
Bus Network Layout Example ........................................................................................................................................................19
Cat 5 Bus Network Wiring Example ...............................................................................................................................................19
Main Controller Bus Network Connections ...................................................................................................................................19
Single Output Module Bus Network & Output Connections .........................................................................................................19
Paired Output Module Bus Network & Output Connections.........................................................................................................19
Output Module Power Supply Segregation Guide.........................................................................................................................19
EpMT Module Bus Network & Sensor Connections.......................................................................................................................19
Sample Pot Installation ..................................................................................................................................................................19
Environment Sensor Bus Network Connections ............................................................................................................................19
Environment Sensor Mounting Guide ...........................................................................................................................................19
Temperature Transmitter Module Bus Network & Sensor Connections .......................................................................................19
Weather Station Module Bus Network & Sensors Connections ....................................................................................................19
Weather Station Mast Mounting Recommendations....................................................................................................................19
Bus Details Fillable Form................................................................................................................................................................19
Output Module Details Fillable Form.............................................................................................................................................19
Notes: .............................................................................................................................................. 20

MultiGrow Installation Guide
V2.0 MultiGrow Installation Guide Copyright© 2018 Autogrow Systems Ltd 3
Introduction
Please read and fully understand this entire manual before commencing any installation
works.
Note for Installers - Disclaimer
The MultiGrow Controller is a sophisticated piece of computing equipment incorporating modern
standards of information technology, and process control. As such, it must be installed by a suitably
qualified electrical tradesperson. This manual is written as a guide and sets out minimum standards
for installation. Failure to comply with the requirements of this manual, may result in damage to
and/or malfunction of the MultiGrow controller and connected equipment. Autogrow Systems
Limited does not take any responsibility for damage to equipment, or for other consequences arising
from installation which does not comply with the requirements and recommendations set out in this
guide.
Installation of Electronic Equipment
All electronic equipment will last longer if kept in a cool, shaded and dry environment. In addition,
modern electronic equipment is sensitive to electrostatic discharge and so personnel contact with
circuit boards and connectors inside boxes must be minimised. An electrostatic wrist strap and
connecting lead should be used especially if working on a plastic or carpeted floor or if wearing
synthetic shoes and clothing.
When installing equipment outside that is exposed to weather or even inside the humid greenhouse,
pay attention to rubber seals around the lids of equipment boxes and ensure cable glands are
tightened well onto the cables and sealed properly to the enclosure.
Power Supplies
Within the MultiGrow Controller, the PC and multi USB board are supplied by a 12V DC regulated
power supply. Only the adapter supplied with the controller should be used however if it requires
replacing, please contact Autogrow for a replacement.
All peripherals within the MultiGrow system operate on 24v DC however the relays on the Output
Modules can be supplied by 24v AC if required to operate solenoid valves. Please see special wiring
notes regarding this in the Module Connections section. The type of power supply connected to an
Output Module determines the voltage at the output. This should be considered when selecting
devices and is likely an interface relay may need to be used to control some devices.
In situations where multiple output modules are used in a single location, these may be supplied
from a single larger 24v DC Power Supply. However, if the output modules are in different locations
then separate smaller power supplies are recommended and will be more convenient.
Note:
Devices such as solenoid valves and peristaltic pumps may typically have a current rating of 1 Amp but are
likely to draw an in-rush current of up to 2 Amps. If four or more of these devices can be energised at the
same time (auto or manual) then the in-rush may exceed 8A and it would be possible to blow the 7.5A fuse
that is used to protect each group of 5 outputs. To avoid this problem, high current outputs should be split
across the two groups (outputs 0,1,2,3,4 and 5,6,7,8,9) or use interface relays to switch a larger current.

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V2.0 MultiGrow Installation Guide Copyright© 2018 Autogrow Systems Ltd 4
It is recommended to supply power to the MultiGrow controller through a UPS, this will ensure no
unnecessary shutdowns due to power fluctuations. It is also a good idea to power the internet router
through the same UPS.
ONLY 24 v DC voltage is to be supplied over the CAT5 Bus network. Supplying power over CAT5 is very
convenient for sensors as they often only require enough power to energize their electronics.
Bus Network
General
The MultiGrow Controller will communicate with its peripherals (Output Modules, EpMT Remote
Sensors, Environment Sensors etc.) via the Peripheral Bus Network. This is simply a Cat5 Ethernet
cable that daisy-chains between the modules, terminals are provided in the MultiGrow Controller
and on the circuit board in each module. Colour coding is stipulated in the wiring diagrams. Please
find these in the Appendix.
The weather station shall be on its own Weather Bus Network and terminals are provided within the
MultiGrow Controller. One or two weather stations can be connected to the Weather Station Bus.
The second (optional) weather station provides some redundancy in case of failure of the first or
may be required for accurate readings over a very large site.
Autogrow recommend a stranded CAT5 twisted pair Ethernet cable be used for the Bus Network.
However, if the cable is to be run outside or underground, the cable should be special gel-filled
exterior cable with a hard sheath. If it’s run in an electrically noisy environment or in a situation
where lightning is frequent, a screened cable should be used. The use of solid core cable should be
avoided as the cores tend to break easily and will cause communication faults that are difficult to
diagnose. If solid core is to be used, then extra care must be taken to securely fix the cable and
reduce any free movement. The absolute maximum length of each Bus Network is 1600m and this
will only provide reliable communications if it has been expertly installed using appropriate cable
and installation methods.
It is important to follow the colour coding and terminations in the following diagram; no other
combination of cores or cable type is to be used. Further wiring diagrams are available in the

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V2.0 MultiGrow Installation Guide Copyright© 2018 Autogrow Systems Ltd 5
Appendix.
Bus Addressing
Every module on the Bus Network must have a unique address so that
messages can be sent uniquely to each module. Each type of Autogrow
Module has its own range of addresses. Within each type, the individual
address is set using a small rotary switch on the circuit board inside each
module.
For example, you can have an Output Module and an Environment Sensor
with the same rotary address because they are different types of modules, but you cannot have the
same rotary address on two output modules.
So, if the switch is set to 0, then that module address will be 0 within its type. If the switch is set to 1
then that module address will be 1 within its type. The installer needs to set the address on each
module and ensure that every module of the same type has a different address. It is recommended
that the address is recorded on the outside of the module enclosure and in the installation notes.
The rotary address switches have a range as follows:
The above addressing scheme provides for up to 16
similar devices on the Bus Network. If more than 16
devices are required, then it is possible to flick the
Addr Ext dip switch on the PCB to allow another
consecutive 16 addresses for each module type. This
will allow for 32 modules of the same type on the Bus
Network. Up to a total of 128 Autogrow modules can be connected onto a single bus network.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D E F
Address 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Switch
Rotary Address Guide

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Bus Terminators
It is important that each of the Bus Networks has a
terminator at each end of the Bus Network daisy-chain. The
terminator is a method of placing a start and end to the Bus
Network. Every module has a terminator switch built-in.All
these switches must be left off except the switches at each
end of the daisy-chain where they shall be in the on position.
Note:
If a switch is left closed in the middle of the bus it will seriously degrade the communications which may
then work intermittently or not at all.

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V2.0 MultiGrow Installation Guide Copyright© 2018 Autogrow Systems Ltd 7
Module Connections
General
The MultiGrow Controller should be installed in a position well away from water splashes or
mist/vapour. Preferably outside the greenhouse if you intend to operate at high humidity. It should
be mounted in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight or even inside an electrical panel.
Fit the exterior mounting tabs to the enclosure then screw to the wall. If using the dry wall (plaster
board) anchors, use the longer screws supplied but if fixing to a solid board use the shorter screws.
If the modules are to be located within the greenhouse then a secondary enclosure to protect
against UV and water / moisture may be required. These can be supplied by Autogrow.
See details for the controller and each module below.
MultiGrow Controller
Inside the MultiGrow Controller are the connections for user interface, Bus Network connections and
Ethernet connection.

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V2.0 MultiGrow Installation Guide Copyright© 2018 Autogrow Systems Ltd 8
The Autogrow 17” touch screen can be connected to the controller via the supplied HDMI and USB
cables however a standard computer monitor, with HDMI or Display port connectors can be
connected. Connections are on the PC within the MultiGrow Controller, in addition a keyboard and
mouse should be connected to the USB ports.
Connections on the PC back face within the controller are shown below.
To connect the MultiGrow Controller to a local network Use a standard CAT5
Ethernet network cable to connect to a PC or router. On the controller connect
the Ethernet cable to the Ethernet jack on the Multi USB board. On the
interface navigate to Configuration > Admin > Network to obtain the IP
address.
Autogrow recommends a fixed Ethernet connection for network connectivity. However, the
MultiGrow can connect to a Wi-Fi network. For large installations, specialist IT technician support
may be required to set up a large-scale Wi-Fi coverage using managed access points or repeaters.
The Earth connector at the top-left of the board must be connected by heavy copper wired to a
nearby grounding point (earth stake). This provides a path to earth for unwanted voltage spikes
arriving on any of the busses including the Ethernet. If this is not done the system will be very
vulnerable to damage from lightning induced voltages.
If shielded cable is used the shield should be connected to the earth terminal also. (it is not
connected internally). For the shielded cables there should only be one connection to earth to avoid
problems with differing earth potentials across the network.
The on/off switch above the power input, switches the power to the Multi USB board and the
controller PC. To shut down the controller it is important to use the user interface to navigate to
Admin > Power > Shutdown
Once the screen has gone blank then flick this switch to the off position. Until the
switch is in the off position the fans will remain running.

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V2.0 MultiGrow Installation Guide Copyright© 2018 Autogrow Systems Ltd 9
The diagram below shows the Bus Network connections on the Multi USB board, the wiring diagram
is also available in the Appendix.

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V2.0 MultiGrow Installation Guide Copyright© 2018 Autogrow Systems Ltd 10
Output Modules (Paired & Single)
Paired Output Module
The Paired Output Module is intended for use with Vents, Screens
or modulating valves that have open and close functions. The
Paired Output Module has 4 paired outputs labelled pair 1
through to pair 4 and 2 single outputs labelled output 4 and
output 9. All outputs share the two “common”return
connections.
Pair 1 uses outputs 0,1 Pair 2 uses outputs 2,3
Pair 3 uses outputs 5,6 Pair 4 uses outputs 7,8
In all cases, the first output is for the OPEN function and the second for the CLOSE function. The
switches on the front of the module are configured so that each paired output can be in Manual or
Auto and then the function to Open or Close. This configuration will ensure that the two functions for
each paired output are interlocked and cannot operate at the same time. It is also recommended
that the power contactor sets for each device are also electrically interlocked in the contactor panel.
Single Output Module
Single output modules are wired and set up in a similar manner to
Paired Outputs. They are almost identical to the paired unit other
than the outputs being individually switched.
The switches on the front of the module allow each output device
to be individually operated in Manual or Auto or can be isolated in
the Off position. It is recommended that if works is to be carried
out on any mains powered equipment to isolate the mains power
supplied to that equipment
These manual override switches are a handy function for the initial configuration setup and for any
fault-finding requirements. As the relay contact in the module is a “wet contact” this allows the output
to be switched and operated even if the module has lost communications and there is still power at
the module.
For both Paired and Single Output Modules the Bus Network connections are the same and the
output connections are clearly shown on the PCB of each module. All output voltages are configured
the same as the power supply connected to that Output Module. In most cases a 24v DC power
supply will be connected, this means each output on that module the voltage of the output will be at
24v DC.
Ensure the Power Switch is selected to “Plug Pack” in all cases.