Netafim FROSTIE Manual

GUIDE BOOK
FROSTIE
FROST FIGHTING
CONTROLLER

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction 3
How the Display and Buttons Work 4
The Humidity Menu - monitoring the humidity 5
The Dew Point Menu - monitoring the dew point 6
The Temperature Menu - monitoring the temperature 7
The Log Menu - displaying the Event Log 8
The Hourly Statistics Log 10
The Time Menu - setting the time 11
Error Messages 12
Installing FROSTIE - Placement and Mounting 13
Connecting to FROSTIE 14
Installing Batteries 15
How to install and use FROSTIE 16
Overview 16
Installation for FROSTIE 17
FROSTIE Settings 18
The FROSTIE Alarm Menu - monitor and set-up the alarm 19
FROSTIE Alarm Status Display 20
Testing the FROSTIE installation 21
Routine Maintenance, Care and Cleaning 21
Event Log Table 22
Notes 22
3

INTROduCTION
Every year growers suffer crop damage due to relatively brief extremes of temperature and humidity. Frost damage occurs at low
temperature, when leaf cells freeze and rupture. Heaters or sprinklers may be installed to protect against extremes, but are useless
if not activated in time, and costly and counter-productive if used unnecessarily.
FROSTIE automates the task of monitoring temperature and humidity. When FROSTIE preset thresholds are crossed, FROSTIE
raises an alarm. The alarm may use a solenoid or relay output to activate sprinklers, heaters or other protective equipment. FROSTIE
features:
■High accuracy, high stability temperature sensor
■Integrated humidity sensor shielded from rain and sunlight
■Pulse output to switch 2 or 3 wire DC solenoid or relay
■Configurable alarm temperature settings
■Logging for up to 20 alarm events, with time/date stamps
■Weatherproof enclosure with sealed cable entry
■High contrast display and large buttons
■Long operating life on ordinary alkaline AA batteries
■Hourly log of min & max temperature and humidity for last 24 hours
This manual describes how to install, configure and use FROSTIE. Take time now to familiarise yourself with all its features and
settings. Read the entire manual before installing or using FROSTIE. There is space at the end of the manual to record details of your
installation.
4

HOw THE dISpLAy ANd BuTTONS wORk
FROSTIE’s screens are collected into eight menus, shown below the display: Humidity, Dew point, Temperature, Alarm, Log, Time,
Date and Battery.
NORmALLy yOu wILL BE AT THE TOp OF ONE OF THE mENuS:
Display icon points to bullet to show which menu you are looking at
(flashes other menus if something important is happening) Display shows information relevant to the menu
ENTER enter into the menu to access its screens and settings
EXIT usually does nothing
and take you to the previous or next menu
To previous menu To next menu
Humid Dew Temp Alarm Log Time Date Batt
wHILE INSIdE A mENu:
Display icon is off. (May flash is important things are happening) Display shows a screen of relevant information or a user setting
ENTER takes you to the next screen in the menu
EXIT exits the menu
and changes settings with each press (or hold to auto-repeat)
Display icon
5

THE HumIdITy mENu - mONITORING THE HumIdITy
At any given temperature, air can contain a certain maximum amount of moisture as water vapour, called the saturation content.
Relative humidity is the percentage of moisture in the air compared to the saturation content at the same temperature. When
humidity reaches 100%, moisture condenses and dew or frost forms.
FROSTIE measures humidity once each minute. Running high and low records are maintained, which may be cleared manually at
any time.
The Humidity menu displays the current humidity:
Press ENTER to access the other screens in the Humidity menu:
Lowest Humidity:
Press and at the same time to clear the lowest value (sets it to the current humidity) Press ENTER to move to the next screen.
Highest Humidity:
Press and at the same time to clear the highest value (sets it to the current humidity) Press ENTER or EXIT when finished.
6

THE dEw pOINT mENu - mONITORING THE dEw pOINT
Cooling a body of air reduces the amount of moisture it can contain (saturation content) which in turn increases the relative humidity.
Dew point is the temperature at which the humidity would reach saturation (100%). It is an absolute measure of the moisture content
of the air, and is independent of the air temperature.
A dew point below 0º is referred to as a frost point, because moisture condenses as ice rather than liquid water at that temperature.
This term is not directly related to crop frost damage or to the temperature at which FROSTIE’s alarm is activated.
FROSTIE calculates the Dew point from the temperature and humidity, which are measured once each minute. Running high and low
records are maintained, which may be cleared manually at any time.
The Dew point menu displays the current dew point (frost point):
Current frost point:
Press ENTER to access the other screens in the Dew point menu:
Lowest Dew point:
Press and at the same time to clear the lowest value (sets it to the current dew point) Press ENTER to move to the next
screen.
Highest Dew point:
Press and at the same time to clear the highest value (sets it to the current dew point) Press ENTER or EXIT when finished.
OR
Current dew point:
7

THE TEmpERATuRE mENu - mONITORING THE TEmpERATuRE
Temperature is measured once each minute. Running high and low records are maintained, which may be cleared manually at any
time.
The Temperature menu displays the current temperature:
Press ENTER to access the other screens in the Temperature menu:
Lowest temperature:
Press and at the same time to clear the lowest value (sets to the current temperature.) Press ENTER to move to the next
screen.
Highest temperature:
Press and at the same time to clear the highest value (set to the current temperature.) Press ENTER to move to the next
screen.
Set temperature units:
Press and to switch Celsius / Fahrenheit.
All temperatures will be displayed in this unit Press ENTER or EXIT when finished.
8

THE LOG mENu - dISpLAyING THE EvENT LOG
The event log keeps a list of periods during which the alarm output was turned on automatically. It also stores the temperature and
humidity that were measured at the start of the alarm period.
FROSTIE can be left running unattended for long periods. Every so often, the log should be checked for any alarms that occurred since
the last time it was inspected. Events can be noted in a table like the one on page 23
Start date Start time Duration Temperature Relative
Humidity
31/05/06 5:42 am 4:30 5.37ºC 35 %
Once the events have been noted, the log can be emptied ready to accumulate new events. FROSTIE can hold up to 20 events. If
more than 20 events accumulate, the oldest ones are overwritten first.
TO CLEAR THE LOG:
Go to the Log menu and hold down the EXIT button for 3 seconds to clear all events from the log.
Number of events
Hold EXIT for 3 seconds
9

Number of events:
Press or to show the previous
or next event. The event number is shown
while pressed.
TO REAd THE EvENT LOG:
1. Press EXIT and go to the Log menu.
2. Press ENTER to read the event date, time, duration,
temp, humidity.
3. Press ENTER to select the next event.
4. Repeat from step 2, until all the events have been read.
5. Press EXIT.
10
Press ENTER
Press ENTER
Press ENTER
Press ENTER
Press ENTER
Press ENTER
Start date:
Start time:
Event Duration:
Start temperature:
Event number:
Press ENTER
(next event)
Start humidity: