Grodan GroSens 2.2 User manual

GroSens 2.2:
Core Installation Guide
Grodan Quick Guide

Physical installation
Step 1: Number of Gateways & placement
Step 2 & 3: Placement of Bridge, connection to Gateway
Step 4 & 5 Placement of GroSens sensors
Optional: Converter to climate computer
Firewall
Detailed Installation
Let’s Start
Step 1: Gateway installation
Step 2: Bridge installation
Step 3: Add GroSens Root Zone sensors
Step 4: Add GroSens Climate sensor
Step 5: Create a room/section
Step 6: View data on Desktop Viewer
GroSens 2.2: Core Installation Guide
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Physical installation: Placement & mounting
Placement of gateway: important for optimal coverage
• Typical range is 150 meters (veried in greenhouse with crop)
NOTE: In indoor facilities, the range maybe less if walls/doors are between the
sensor and the gateway
Placement of bridge:
• Typically placed in the ofce, close to server/switches/climate computer/desktop
• Infrastructure requirement: DHCP server required to give bridge IP address
Bridge and gateway connection:
• Use a good quality CAT5 full copper ethernet cable or better for connections
over 10 meter.
• For long connections (>100 meter) ensure you:
• Add PoE ampliers (for PoE connections)
• Add switches, long-range router or ber (for data connections)
• Gateway requires PoE (power over Ethernet).
• Network should support DHCP
Root zone sensor: mounting and placement
• Height indicator should be tight to slab (slight resistance should be felt when
inserting the root zone sensor)
Climate sensor:
• Avoid direct sunlight (will inuence temperature measurement)
• Advice to place at similar position as climate computer measurement boxes
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Physical installation: Ethernet and power connections
Overview of a basic ‘desk’ setup
• Bridge
• Power supply of the bridge
• Ethernet connection to the bridge
• PoE (power supply for the gateway gadds power to the blue
ethernet cable)
• Ethernet connection to the PoE
• Ethernet + Power for the gateway
• Gateway
• Switch (not delivered by Grodan, e.g. Netgear GS105) to connect bridge/
gateway/customer network. Instead of a switch cables 3 and 5 can also be
plugged in directly on the customer network (cable 10
is not needed then).
• Power supply of the switch
• Ethernet connection to the customer network router with internet.
• Converter (needs 12 v power, included)
• Ethernet connection to converter
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NOTE: Before installing in the
greenhouse/server room
it is recommended to connect
the devices in an ofce and see
if all devices can be installed via
the app. Next move bridge and
gateway to the actual location.

Step 1A: Number of gateways & placement
Placement of gateway is crucial for optimal coverage
Divide greenhouse into squares of 200x200 meters and put gateway in the
middle of each square
Squares larger than 200x200 meters will suffer from coverage loss in corners
Note: 150 meters range holds for placement high in the greenhouse (6 meters or higher).
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Full coverage
with optimal
placement
Example 6 ha greenhouse
Example 4 ha greenhouse
No coverage
in corners with
1 gateway Full coverage
with 2 gateways

Step 1B: Gateway mounting
Gateway to be put as high as possible in greenhouse
• Crops contain water and will cause interference. High placement (> 6 meter) of
gateway will result less interference of the crops.
• Indication of range:
- placement at 6 meters height g range about 150m
Avoid interference of antennas with shields, windows or other moving elements
Antennas must be in vertical direction – LoRa antenna on top
• Horizontal antennas reduce the range
• Ethernet connection must be on bottom side to reduce risk of water leakage
- Casing is waterproof when mounted correctly
Use custom-made bracket for rectangular poles
• Bracket has been designed for poles up to 110x110 mm as 90% of the greenhouses
use this set up. In case that recommendation does not t: hole drilling or a custom
solution is necessary
• Bracket has long arm to separate antennas from metal pole to optimize the range
• Bracket has been optimized for ease of mounting
Outdoor placement
• Can increase the range signicantly with more than 300 meter range possible
• Requires careful installation to take care of lightning risks
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LoRa
Ethernet
Cable (PoE)
Two bolts only Two bolts only

Step 2 & 3: Placement of bridge, connection to gateway
Placement of bridge is not critical. Considerations are:
• Usually placed in the ofce close to other IT equipment (PCs, climate
computer, switches/router)
• Bridge needs to be connected to internet (advice is to have at least 20 Mb/s
internet connection)
• Bridge has passive cooling (no fan)
• Avoid excessive heat (ambient temperature should stay <50 deg C)
Bridge and gateway must be connected through ethernet cable
• Bridge and gateway must be in same network (LAN) with DHCP support
• Most connections will be longer than 100 m (100 meter is maximum range
for regular ethernet)
- Use full copper cat5 or better ethernet cabling
- Use simple router as repeater every 100 m
- Use special long-range switches with ranges up to 200 m*
- Use ber connection (including ber-ethernet converters)
- After the PoE you have a limited range. Use full copper cat5 or better
ethernet cabling to reach up to 100 meter after the PoE
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Example 4 ha greenhouse
Note: Grodan is not a network installer as
such please work with a reputable network
provider.
We can give advice but are not responsible
for the proper network setup and internet
connection at the grower.

Step 4 & 5 Placement of GroSens sensors
GroSens Rootzone sensor mounting
• Alignment plate mounted with single screw which can be changed easily
• Very clear slab height indicator on back of sensor
GroSens Rootzone placement
• Use the height indicators on the sensor to position in the slab or block
GroSens Climate sensor mounting
• Hanging with wire or chain
• Pole mount using tie wrap
• Wall mount is possible but not recommended – air ow is reduced when placed
against wall
GroSens Climate sensor placement considerations
• Place in similar position as the climate computer sensor is recommended
• Ensure sufcient air ow for accurate measurements
• Avoid direct sunlight to prevent impacts to temperature read-out (up to 5 deg C
difference possible)
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Rootzone sensor placement
Climate sensor placement

Optional: Converter to climate computer
Converter placement
• Placement between router and climate computer.
Input of the converter
• V+/V-: 5 volts
• Ethernet cable from router (bridge should be connected in same network).
Output of the converter
• VO0 (0-5 volts): WC 0-100%
• VO1 (0-5 volts): EC 0-20 mS/cm
• VO2 (0-5 volts): Temperature 0-50 degrees Celsius
Outdoor placement
• Can increase the range signicantly with more than 300 meter range possible
• Requires careful installation to take care of lightning risks
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+-
Will be taped off

Firewall: Most facilities have rewalls installed
This could lead to problems for the GroSens bridge as it needs
access to the internet domains via the following ports
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(in case of issues contact [e-mail])
Detailed Installation

Let’s Start: Terms and Conditions
Select grower type:
Vegetables: Vegetables, fruit
and ower crops
Other: For medical crops
Review and accept
Terms of Use
Select region the
grower is located
Connect phone to the LAN via
WiFi for the best installation
experience
Select set-up
GroSens system
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Let’s Start: System explanation
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Step 1: Gateway installation
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RAK
Laird

Step 1: Gateway installation
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Step 1: Gateway installation
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Step 2: Bridge installation
Scan QR code located on
the bottom of your bridge
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example

Step 2: Bridge installation
NOTE: Software update can take
up to 15 minutes (based on a
> 20Mb/s internet connection).
Do not unplug the bridge from
power during this step
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Step 2: Bridge installation
Optional: Connection to e-Gro
account.
NOTE: if you have not subscribed
to e-Gro you will skip this step
Enter facility name and press
next
Select timezone, press OK
and next
Enter your email address for
recovery purposes. Note this
is needed for events such as
getting a new phone or when
disconnected from the cloud
bridge
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Step 2: Bridge & gateway connection
NOTE: Connection may
take up to 15 minutes
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