Pessl Instruments iMETOS mMETOS Blue User manual

µMETOS Blue
User Manual
A Product of
Pessl Instruments GmbH
Werksweg 107
8160 Weiz
Version 07.2016
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Weather Station
µMETOS Blue
Welcome among µMETOS Blue users!
Thank you for choosing a µMETOS Blue for monitoring soil moisture or environmental data. The
µMETOS Blue has been design to monitor data with limited sensor sets. µMETOS Blue measures, logs
and sends the data to the Internet via your smart device. µMETOS Blue systems will be mainly used for:
•Soil Moisture Monitoring with Decagon ECH2O sensors, watermark sensors.
•Irrigation monitoring with flowmeter and presostat
•Diseases forecast with the leaf wetness sensor, rain, air temperature and relative humidity
•MicroClimatic monitoring
Among the particular features on the µMETOS Blue we outline the following:
•Memory size 2MB for 2 to 5 years of weather data depending in amount of sensors and logging
interval
•Uses a smart phone to upload data into FieldClimate.com platform
•Primary battery for 5 years of un interrupt logging
•Selectable logging interval
To use the µMETOS Blue you need a Smart Device with Android operating system, Bluetooth and
Internet data connectivity. Download the APP at Google Play Store.
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Picture(1:(µMETOS(Blue(app(on(Google(Play(Store

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A Product of
Pessl Instruments GmbH
Werksweg 107
8160 Weiz
[e-mail] • [phone]
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Weather Station
iMETOS ECO D3
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Table of Content
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Table!of!Content!.................................................................................................................................!4!
1! Your!µMETOS!Blue!.......................................................................................................................!5!
1.1! PCB!layout!.............................................................................................................................!5!
1.1.1!Power!supply!..................................................................................................................!7!
1.2! µMETOS!Blue!for!soil!moisture!monitoring!...........................................................................!7!
1.3! µMETOS!Blue!for!rain!monitoring!.........................................................................................!7!
2! Start-up!the!µMETOS!Blue!...........................................................................................................!8!
3! Collecting!Data!and!Uploading!it!to!FieldClimate!.........................................................................!9!
3.1! Use!your!µMETOS!Blue!..........................................................................................................!9!
3.2! Register!yourself!as!a!user!on!FieldClimate.Com!................................................................!10!
3.3! Add!the!µMETOS!Blue!to!your!account!...............................................................................!10!
3.4! The!µMETOS!Menu!.............................................................................................................!11!
3.5! Settings!for!your!µMETOS!Blue!...........................................................................................!12!
3.6! Giving!names!to!the!µMETOS!..............................................................................................!12!
3.7! Defining!the!µMETOS!Location!...........................................................................................!12!
4! Installing!the!µMETOS!Blue!........................................................................................................!13!
4.1! Mounting!the!µMETOS!Blue!on!a!pole!................................................................................!13!
4.2! Soil!Temperature!.................................................................................................................!13!
5! Installing!the!soil!moisture!sensors!............................................................................................!13!
5.1! Watermark!Sensors!.............................................................................................................!13!
5.2! ECH2O!sensors!....................................................................................................................!14!
5.3! Joining!Soil!moisture!and!Water!Tension!............................................................................!14!
6! Installing!new!sensors!on!the!µMETOS!Blue!..............................................................................!15!
7! Maintaining!the!µMETOS!Blue!...................................................................................................!15!
7.1! Maintaining!the!rain!gauge!.................................................................................................!15!
8! Uninstalling!.................................................................................................................................!16!

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Your µMETOS Blue
1.1 PCB layout
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Picture(2:(µMETOS(Blue(motherboard
A. Serial port connection socket to PC (via terminal. Baudrate: 38400 Data: 8 bit Parity: None Stop bit:
1 bit)
B. External comunication button with blue LED
C. Rain or flow counter (according to DIP- 2 configuratuin see below)
D. Wind Speed sensor
E. Duty Clicle sensor or Digital input (for Global radiation, wind direction, water level…)
F. Hygroclip sensor for air temerature and relative humidity
G. Leaf wetness sensor or presostat (according to DIP- 2 configuratuion see picture bélow)
H. Extra temperature sensor (air, wet or dry bulb. leaf, water…)
I. Extra temperature sensor (air, wet or dry bulb. leaf, water…)
J. Lithium primary battery for 5 years of power suply
K. Slolar panel connectot ( for future use)
L. Conector for 2 watermark sensors
M. Conector for 2 decagon sensors (sensor selected according DIP-1 configuratuion see picture
below)

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Picture(3:(DIP(Switch(details(

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1.1.1 Power supply
Primary Lithium battery
•Nominal Capacity :20AH
•Size :SIZE D
•Voltage :3.6V
•Weight :110
1.2 µMETOS Blue for soil moisture
monitoring
If your µMETOS Blue was intended for soil moisture
monitoring it comes with a set of soil moisture sensors
connected to the main unit. The sensors connected to it
can be EC 5, HS10, 5TE from Decagon Limited and/or
Watermark sensors or vacuum tensiometers.
This sensors can be connected to the µMETOS Blue itself
or - of it is needed because of the installation or because
of the number of sensors – they can be connected to an
extension box on a serial bus connection.
1.3 µMETOS Blue for rain
monitoring
If your µMETOS Blue is intended for rain monitoring
it will have a rain gauge connected to its main body.
Picture(4:(Logger(with(soil(moisture(sensors
Picture(5:(Logger(with(rain(gauge

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2
Start
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up the µMETOS Blue
To start up the µMETOS Blue you will need an Android based smart phone with:
•Bluetooth
•Location
•Data access
The µMETOS Blue housing is closed with 6 M3 screws. To open them, you will need an Allen key of 2.5
mm. This is part of the delivery. For security issues in shipping the battery is unplugged so you will need
to open it and connect the battery.
•Install https://play.google.com/store/search?q=umetos on your smart phone (see Picture 1)
•Open the case of your µMETOS Blue by releasing the 6 screws
•Plug the battery in it connector (see figure 2)
•Allow (if is not allowed the location service in your smart phone)
•Run your uMETOS APP on your smart device
•Press the connect button on the base of your µMETOS Blue
Note: the APP should launch the Bluetooth connectivity but in some cases the device may block this
option. Please check that Bluetooth connectivity is active.
Click on the left upper angle (see figure below A)
Select Add/Manage (see figure below B)
Peering process will start: when requested, introduce peer default code: 1234
Launch measurement by clicking on the wrench icon (C)
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3
Collecting Data and Uploading it to FieldClimate
Next time you visit the station you can:
•Collect the data (D)
•Upload it to FieldClimate (E)
•Also you can see the data in the screen of your portable
3.1 Use your µMETOS Blue
FieldClimate.Com is the web service you are intended to use your µMETOS Blue with. It allows you to see
the data in graphs or tables. It provides interfaces for automated downloads and it provides a powerful
decision support system for plant protection and irrigation management.
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3.2 Register yourself as a user on FieldClimate.Com
To use the services on
FieldClimate.Com you have
to register as a user. Click the
link in the circle (picture on
the left).
The registration screen,
which comes up now, asks
you for a username and a
password. You will also have
to provide email address,
postal address and some
information about the
company.
Please note you will have to
enter the real email address.
Account confirmation email
with activation link will be
sent to your inbox to finish
registration of your new
account.
3.3 Add the µMETOS Blue to your account
If you received the activation email and you activated the account, you will be able to enter
FieldClimate.Com. Now the system welcomes you with the message that there is no µMETOS Blue
connected to this new account. To change this, press the “Add New Station” link.
It will ask you for a serial number and
a key. Now the little silver colored
sticker which came with your µMETOS
Blue has to be used. This sticker
contains two keys. Key 1 gives the
power to change all the settings on
the µMETOS Blue whereas key 2 is
only valid to access the data of the
system. To be able to set up the µMETOS Blue please enter the key 1 here. If you entered the correct key
your station list will be enlarged by this µMETOS Blue and it can be selected.
Picture(6:(FieldClimate(Login(Mask
Picture(7:(Adding(new(station(to(FieldClimate

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Picture(8:(List(of(added(stations
3.4 The µMETOS Menu
When you selected a µMETOS Blue and
the site has reloaded, the menu visible
on the left side of the screen is valid for
the selected µMETOS Blue. The menu
starts with the given name and serial
number of the station. Pessl Instruments
tried to structure the menu according to
the frequency you will need the different
entries. Therefore the menu starts with
the links used for data presentation. It
can be used to open graphs and tables
of:
•All sensors
•Disease related Climate sensors
•Plant Growing related Climate
sensors
•Sensors for Frost and
temperature monitoring
•Sensors for Soil and
precipitation monitoring
The menu entry “Station Health”shows
battery voltage and solar panel voltage
to inform about the charging situation. “Settings” are used to control the behaviour of the µMETOS in
the field and on the Internet. “Tools” contains a set of helpful functions for data presentation and data
use.
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3.5 Settings for your µMETOS Blue
The settings menu starts with the link “Station info”
which displays information about the name, type and
software of the µMETOS Blue. It shows you the GPS
position that has been set for this station. It lists the
duration of the data recorded on FieldClimate.Com for
this station. From this screen you will be able to look
for the statistics of the Internet connections done by
the µMETOS Blue and some events logged by the
device.
The link “Names” leads you to a screen where you can
enter a given name for the station and for all sensors.
3.6 Giving names to the µMETOS
Every µMETOS Blue is defined with a serial number. For most users it is more convenient to name it after
the site it is installed. Tehrefore the names screen offers the possibility to enter a given name.
When you enter the name, the “Update” button has to be pressed to save this entry on the web server. In
the sensors name menu the given name for the sensor can be entered and the colour for the sensor can
be changed by clicking on the colour field. These settings have to be sent to the web server by pressing
the “OK” button in the specific line.
The logging interval is set to 60 minutes by default. Shortening the logging interval will increase the
power consumption. It can be set to multiples of 5 minutes, between 10 and 120 minutes. The time zone
has to be set. The settings are send to the web server by pressing the “Submit” button.
3.7 Defining the µMETOS Location
The App on the smart device will associate the location to the µMETOSBlue automatically (from GPS, GSM
tower proximity or Wi-Fi) once the location service is enabled.
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Picture(9:(Settings(menu(in(FieldClimate
Picture(10:(Renaming(stations

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Installing the µMETOS Blue
The µMETOS Blue is one plastic part that contains all the electronics, the battery and the antenna. If it is
equipped with a rain gauge, it is just a little longer than without. The heaviest part is the battery which is
why the clamp for the pole sits below it.
4.1 Mounting the µMETOS Blue on a pole
At the bottom of the unit there is a plastic ring with a metal clamp on. This fits on a 33 mm pole. Please
hammer a pole of 1.2 to 2m straight into the ground and set the µMETOS Blue on it. Fix the screw on the
clamp with a 10 mm spanner.
4.2 Soil Temperature
The soil temperature sensor should be buried in the soil. How deep it should be buried depends on the
goal you want to achieve with the sensor. To have an impression of root growth and nitrogen
mineralization in vines or apples in early spring it is best to bury it between 10 and 20 cm. If you want to
assess the emergence possibilities of seeds it depends on the seeding depth of the seed. Using it in corn
(maize) would mean to bury it at 5cm and using it for sugar beets would mean to bury it at 2 or 3 cm only.
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Installing the soil moisture sensors
µMETOS Blue is designed to monitor soil moisture at the crop and to present this data on
FieldClimate.Com. µMETOS might be used to monitor only one site or it can be used to monitor several
sites in a short distance. These sites will be connected with cables.
µMETOS Blue supports different ways of soil moisture measurement. All these different sensors will need
different electronics. For this purpose it will always consist of the main PCB (responsible for logging) and
in minimum one second PCB (responsible for sensor evaluation). If it is made to monitor one spot this
second and only sensor evaluation PCB will be in the same box than the main PCB. If it is used to monitor
several sites with a cable connection, other sites will have their own sensor evaluation PCBs in own boxes.
All the PCBs for sensor evaluation do have a line going towards the µMETOS Blue and a line going
towards the next PCB for sensor evaluation. Several of this sensor evaluation PCBs can be linked together
in a chain. Nevertheless might it be needed to create a network where the sensing sites are going in two
or 3 directions away from the µMETOS Blue. In this case the µMETOS Blue supports up to 3 sensor chains.
For sensor chain 2 and 3 an extension PVB is needed.
5.1 Watermark Sensors
Watermark sensors measure water tension. These sensors measuring range is between 100 and 2000
mBar (10 to 250 kPa or cB). This sensor fits many horticultural crops, berries, stone fruits, vines and
potatoes. Watermark sensors are easy to use and frost-proof.
Basically it is a gypsum block. The gypsum is embedded in a matrix material and gives a defined response
in resistance on different water tension levels. We can measure the water tension on 3 to 5 cBar accuracy.
It showed that it works faster if it is wetted for 24 hours before installation. If you install it in the ground
you will need a hole with the correct depth. Lay it horizontally on the ground and let the cable go

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horizontally first to before you take it up to the top. This avoids water following the cable in the ground,
thus reaching and wetting the sensor.
The watermark PCB can be equipped with an own soil temperature sensor. This sensor is used to do the
temperature compensation of the water tension measurement. It allows you to to measure the soil
temperature in specific blocks where you measure water tension. The irrigation might influence the soil
temperature what can be important in asparagus for example.
5.2 ECH2O sensors
From the range of sensors produced by Decagon LTD we are supporting 2 capacitive soil moisture
sensors EC5 and HS10 and the soil moisture and conductivity sensor TE5. EC5 is a 5 cm long sensor in the
shape of a 2 legged fork. 10HS has the same shape but it is a 10 cm long and a little stronger than its
smaller co product. In an ideal soil, it is possible to press these sensors into the ground. In this case you
might dig a hole down to the maximum depth you like to burry the sensor and you insert the lowest
sensor straight into ground and the other sensors will be pressed into the side walls of the hole.
As soon as you have structured organic matter or stones in the soil this way of installation is not possible.
In this case you will have to dig a trench and to make smaller holes with the different depths you like to
install the sensors. Take some of the soil of the different holes and mix it carefully with water to form a
slurry a dry as possible. Insert this slurry into the hole and now you can insert the sensor vertically into
this slurry. The cables can be buried in the trench.
The PCB supporting the ECH2O sensors can take 3 sensors. It is possible to connect a wide range of
different sensors to this PCB. Therefore a compound with 10 DIP switches is on this PCB. 9 of these
switches are needed. The first 3 switches are for sensor 1, switches 4 to 6 are for sensor 2 and switches 7
to 9 are for sensor 3. If an EC5 is connected the switches have to be off, off, off. A HS 10 sensor needs the
settings On, Off, Off. The TE5 sensor for soil moisture and conductivity needs the setting On, On, Off.
5.3 Joining Soil moisture and Water Tension
Soil moisture measured with capacitive sensors like EC5, HS10 or TE5 responds very well on irrigation,
rain or water use by plants. Nevertheles it does not tell if the water is easy available for hardly held by the
soil. Sensors giving water tension like tensiometers or watermark sensors are showing the plant
availability of the water much better. These sensors are limited to show the dynamics of the soil water. To
use the benefits of both systems Pessl Instruments has developed a PCB on which we can connect 2
watermark sensors, 2 ECH2O probes and a soil temperature.
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Installing new sensors on the µMETOS Blue
Each µMETOS Blue can be expanded to the maximum possible number of sensors. It is equipped with
specific inputs for rain, and soil or air temperature. Along with this it has 3 digital inputs which can be
used for a range of different soil moisture sensors and sensor chains.
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Maintaining the µMETOS Blue
When the solar panel of the µMETOS is exposed to the sun and it gets enough sunlight, it should
recharge the lead acid battery of the system constantly. With this the system should have enough power
for years. The lifespan of the lead acid battery can be expected to be 5 to 6 years with sufficient reloading
form the solar panel. Insufficient reloading will shorten the lifetime of the battery. In case of insufficient
reloading of the battery the system will reduce the frequency of data upload to the amount that is
needed to make sure that no data will be missing. With this, power use will be reduced and battery
power will last longer.
The maintenance needed for the sensors depends on the different sensors. Temperature sensors will not
need any maintenance for their lifetime whereas the rain gauge will only work properly when it is
cleaned periodically.
7.1 Maintaining the rain gauge
The funnel of the rain gauge has several small holes to lead
the water into the dipping bucket. These holes can be
clogged with leaves. Please check the funnel periodically for
leafs. The inner side of the rain gauge is a very attractive for
several insects. Please check this especially at the end of
summer where wasps tend to use the funnel.
The rain gauge can be recalibrated if needed. It should tip at
4ml filled into the double spoon. The tipping point can be
selected by the white plastic screws below the spoon.
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Picture(11:(Unit(with(rain(gauge(

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Uninstalling
µMETOS Blue is mainly used for soil moisture monitoring. If
this is in a permanent crop, it can be out in the field for its
lifetime. But it might be that the position should be changed
or that the crop will not last as long. In this case the µMETOS
Blue has to be uninstalled.
If you intend to do so, plan some time for it. If you would like
to remove the soil moisture sensors and reuse them, you will
have to dig carefully behind the cables. Make sure that you
do not damage them.
If the µMETOS Blue should wait in a shed for the next season,
please disconnect the battery before storing it. To do this,
you have to open the housing with the six screws (with the
2.5 mm Allen key which came with it).
Picture(12:(Rain(gauge