Rain Bird WS-PRO2 Operating instructions

WS-PRO2 Weather Station
Installation, Operation,
Maintenance, and Troubleshooting
Manual
GTB 27176
July, 2007

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Table of Contents
1.0 General Information................................................................................................ 4
2.0 Installation Tasks..........................................................................................................6
2.0.1 Tools Required................................................................................................... 6
2.0.2 Preparation......................................................................................................... 7
2.1 Site Selection ................................................................................................................ 9
2.1.1 Wind Speed and Direction................................................................................. 9
2.1.2 Temperature and Relative Humidity................................................................ 10
2.1.3 Precipitation..................................................................................................... 11
2.1.4 Solar Radiation................................................................................................. 11
2.1.5 Soil Temperature.............................................................................................. 11
2.1.6 Determining True North for Wind Vane Orientation...................................... 11
2.1.7 NSSDC CGM Service...................................................................................... 12
3.0 Base Tower Installation .............................................................................................. 15
3.0.1 Base Installation............................................................................................... 15
3.0.2 Installation of Concrete Base........................................................................... 16
3.1.0 Base Tower Components................................................................................. 17
3.1.1 Tower Installation............................................................................................ 17
3.1.2 Weather Station Grounding............................................................................. 19
3.1.3 Grounding Procedure....................................................................................... 19
4.0 Instrumentation Installation........................................................................................ 25
4.1.0 Enclosure, Datalogger, Power Supply............................................................. 27
4.1.1 Battery Installation........................................................................................... 27
4.1.2 Solar Panel Installation.................................................................................... 29
4.1.2 AC Power Installation...................................................................................... 30
4.1.3 Enclosure Installation....................................................................................... 31
4.2 Communication and Data Storage Peripherals................................................... 37
4.2.1 Phone Modems................................................................................................. 38
4.2.2 Short Haul Modems......................................................................................... 39
4.2.3 Sealing and Desiccating the Enclosure............................................................ 41
5.0 Installation of Sensor Arm.......................................................................................... 43
5.1.0 Components ..................................................................................................... 43
5.2.0 Installation........................................................................................................ 44
5.3.0 Sensor Connection.......................................................................................... 44
5.4.0 RH and Temperature Radiation Shield........................................................... 44
6.0 Sensor Installation....................................................................................................... 47
6.1.0 Wind Sensor..................................................................................................... 47
6.2.0 Rain Gauge Installation.................................................................................... 50
6.3.0 Pyranometer..................................................................................................... 50
6.4.0 Soil Temperature Sensor (Optional)................................................................ 52
6.5.0 Sensor Schematics ........................................................................................... 52
7.0 Maintenance and Troubleshooting.............................................................................. 56
7.1.0 Maintenance..................................................................................................... 56
7.1.1 Instrumentation Maintenance........................................................................... 57
7.1.2 Batteries ........................................................................................................... 57

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7.1.3 Desiccant.......................................................................................................... 57
7.1.4 Sensor Maintenance......................................................................................... 57
7.2.0 Troubleshooting............................................................................................... 59

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WS-PRO2 Weather Station
1.0 General Information
The Rain Bird WS-PRO2 Weather Station, when used in conjunction with the
Rain Bird Cirrus, Nimbus II, or Stratus II Central Control system, provides the
irrigation professional with a powerful tool to aid in the growing of lush, healthy,
green turf grass, while conserving important resources, such as water and
power.
Rain Bird Smart Weather software interrogates the WS-PRO2 weather station to
retrieve information that has been gathered on a daily basis of the climatic
conditions that affect the irrigation application for the area.
The Smart Weather 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 turf grass water use requirements.
The Weather Station monitors the following climatic conditions:
•Rainfall
•Wind Speed & Direction
•Air Temperature
•Relative Humidity
•Solar Radiation
The standard WS-PRO2 configuration includes sensors to monitor these
conditions, a data logger to capture this data, a modem to communicate the
information to the Smart Weather software located on the central control
computer and a power supply.
The Rain Bird Model “PRO 2” Weather Station is available in four (4) basic
configurations:
Model WSPRO2SH - A direct wire system intended for use when the weather
station is within 20,000 feet of the Central Control Computer and communication
is via a wire path between the weather station and the computer. A separate
power source is required for this weather station.

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Model WSPRO2PH - A phone modem system for use when the weather station
is further than 20,000 feet from the Central Control Computer or when they
cannot be connected by a communication wire path. The system communicates
utilizing a standard, dedicated phone service. A separate power source is
required for this weather station.
Model WSPRO2SHS – A direct wire system intended for use when the weather
station is within 20,000 feet of the Central Control Computer and communication
is via a wire path between the weather station and the computer. This weather
station utilized solar power instead of a local power source.
Model WSPRO2PHS - A phone modem system for use when the weather station
is further than 20,000 feet from the Central Control Computer or when they
cannot be connected by a communication wire path. The system communicates
utilizing a standard, dedicated phone service. This weather station utilized solar
power instead of a local power source.

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2.0 Installation Tasks
2.0.1 Tools Required
The tools required for weather station installation are listed below.
2.0.1.1 Tools Required for Tower Installation
WS-PRO2 Tower
Shovel
Rake
Open end wrenches: 3/8", 7/16", ½", (2) 9/16"
Magnetic compass
6' Step ladder
Tape measure (12’ to 20’)
Claw hammer
Level (24” to 36”)
Hand saw
Materials for concrete form:
(4) 1" x 2" x 12" stakes
(2) 2" x 4" x 96" lumber
(12) 8p double-head nails
(8) 16p double-head nails
20 ft form wire
½ Yard concrete
Concrete trowel, edger
Electrical Fish tape or 20 feet of small diameter rope
Wheelbarrow
2.0.1.2 Tools for Instrumentation and Maintenance
WS-PRO2 Tower
Lock and key for enclosure
Magnetic declination angle (Section 4)
Magnetic compass
Straight bit screwdrivers (small, medium, large)
Phillips-head screwdrivers (small, medium)
Small diagonal side-cutters
Needle-nose pliers
Wire strippers
Pocket knife
Calculator
Volt / Ohm Meter

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Electrical Tape
Step ladder (6')
Station manuals
Station log and pen
Open end wrenches: 3/8", 7/16", ½", (2) 9/16"
Socket wrench and 7/16" deep well socket
Adjustable wrench
Pliers
Conduit and associated tools (as required)
Felt-tipped marking pen
Claw hammer
Pipe wrench (12")
2.0.2 Preparation
Immediately upon receipt of your weather station
•Open shipping carton(s).
•Check contents against invoice and shipping checklist. Contact
Rain Bird immediately about any shortages.
•Weather station is packed in the shipping box in layers (Figure1,
Figure 2, and Figure 3).

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THIS SIDE UP
CutTo Open Box
T
HIS SIDE UP
Figure 1
Top Layer Instruction
Manual
Cardboard
Containing Wind Vane
Manual
WindVane
Figure 2
Top
Packing
Middle
Packing
Bottom
Packing
WS-PRO2
To
p
La
y
e
r
WS-PRO2
Bottom Layer

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301-T
Bottom Layer
BATTERY
DESI PAK
Figure 3
2.1 Site Selection
Selecting an appropriate site for the weather station is critical in order to obtain
accurate meteorological data. In general, the site should be representative of the
general area of interest, and away from the influence of obstructions such as
buildings and trees.
The weather station should not be located where sprinkler irrigation water will
strike sensors or instrument enclosure.
Some general guidelines for site selection are listed below, which were
condensed from EPA (1988)1, WMO (1983)2, and AASC (1985)3 publications.
2.1.1 Wind Speed and Direction
Wind sensors should be located over open level terrain, and at a distance
of at least ten times (EPA) the height of any nearby building, tree or other
obstruction, as illustrated in Figure 4.

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Figure 4
2.1.2 Temperature and Relative Humidity
Sensors should be located over an open level area at least 9 m (EPA) in
diameter. The surface should be covered by short grass, or where grass
does not grow, the natural earth surface. Sensors should be located at a
distance of at least four times the height of any nearby obstruction and at
least 30 m (EPA) 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
H
10H
10T
Height of tree (T)
Logan,Utah MADEIN USA

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•Shaded areas
•Swamps
•Areas where snow drifts occur
•Low places holding standing water after rains
2.1.3 Precipitation
A rain gage should be sited on level ground that is covered with short
grass or gravel. In open areas, the distance to obstructions should be two
to four times (EPA, AASC) the height of the obstruction.
2.1.4 Solar Radiation
Pyranometers should be located to avoid shadows on the sensor at any
time. Mounting it on the southern most (northern hemisphere) portion 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.
2.1.5 Soil Temperature
The measurement site for soil temperature should be at least 1 square
meter and typical of the surface of interest. The ground surface should be
level with respect to the immediate area (10 m radius).
Standard measurement depths:
10.0 cm ± 1.0 cm (AASC)
5.0 cm, 10.0 cm, 50.0 cm, 100.0 cm (WMO)
2.1.6 Determining True North for Wind Vane Orientation
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*; where 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 an internet service called NSSDC CGM (Section 2.1.7). A
general map showing magnetic declination for the contiguous United
States is shown in Figure 5.
Declination angles east of True North are considered negative, and are
subtracted from 0 degrees to get True North as shown Figure 8.
Declination angles west of True North are considered positive, and are
added to 0 degrees to get True North as shown in Figure 9. For example,

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the declination for Logan, Utah is 13.80° East. True North is 360°- 13.80°
or 346.2° as read on a compass.
Note: 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
Measurements4.
Figure 5
2.1.7 NSSDC CGM Service
The NSSDC CGM (Corrected Geomagnetic) Service provides an easy
way of determining magnetic declination of a specific site. Since magnetic
declination fluctuates with time, it should be determined each time the
wind vane orientation is adjusted. It can be accessed on the internet at:
http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/space/cgm/cgm.html
If you know the latitude and longitude of your site, fill out Form 1 for an
accurate magnetic declination. Below is an example for Logan, Utah
U.S.A (Figure 6). If you do not know the latitude and longitude of your
site, fill out Form 2 for estimate of magnetic declination. Note that
longitude is expressed in 0 to 360 degrees east of the Greenwich prime
meridian, and that north latitudes are positive.
A table containing similar information to the following will be returned later
submitting Forms 1 or 2.

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Figure 6
Figure 7
Transformation between CGM and GEO coordinates and modeling of the
geomagnetic field parameters is required.
Results of GEO-CGM calculations:
L-value MLTMN
Lat. Long. Lat. Long. Re H,Nt D,deg Z,nT angles N/S:+E/W in UT
Starting point at 0.0 km:
41.78 248.15 49.37 311.42 2.36 20676 13.8 49806 15.01 5.97 7:53
Geocentric CGM IGRF Magnetic Field Oval & Azimuth
Magnetic declination is bold in this example to show its location in the
table. A positive declination is east, while a negative declination is west.

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The declination in this example is 13.80 degrees. As shown in Figure 5,
the declination for Logan, UT is east, so True North for this site is 360 –
13.80, or 346.2 degrees.
Figure 8
Declination Angles East of True North Are Subtracted From 0 to Get
True North.
Figure 9
Declination Angles West of True North Are Added to 0 to Get True
North

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3.0 Base Tower Installation
CAUTION: Do not fit the WS-PRO2 Tower sections together until the
appropriate time. Once attached, they cannot be detached.
The WS-PRO2 Tower provides a support structure for mounting the WS-PRO2
weather station components. Figure 10 shows a typical Tower installation option.
The tower is designed to withstand winds of 100 mph. The lightning rod
assembly is attached after the instrumentation enclosure is installed.
Figure 10
(Note: Figure 10 does not demonstrate the surge protection and grounding requirements
for the system)
3.0.1 Base Installation
3.0.1.1 Supplied Components
(3) ½ inch L-Bolts
(9) ½ inch Nuts
(1) Anchor Template
Refer to Section 2 for components supplied by installer.

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3.0.2 Installation of Concrete Base
1. The ET Tower attaches to a user supplied concrete foundation
constructed as shown in Figure 11.
2. Construct the concrete form with 2" x 4" lumber and 16p nails.
3. Assemble the template and anchor bolts. There should be two nuts
below and one nut above the template on each bolt.
4. Clear an area large enough to set the form at the desired elevation.
5. Dig a hole 2 feet x 2 feet x 2 feet. Lighter soils may require a
deeper hole. About 20 inches below the top of the hole, gouge a
small cavity in one wall of the hole. The cavity should be about 4
inches deep and just large enough in diameter to insert one end of
the conduit. Make certain the cavity "points" in the direction from
which power and communications cables will come. For example
the cavity will “point” towards a valve box if one is being used.
6. Center the form over the hole. Adjacent to the form, drive four
stakes into the soil. Secure the leveled form to the stakes with the
8p nails.
7. Cap the ends of the conduit with duct tape. Position the conduit
and wire into place by securing the wire to nails in the form.
8. Fill the hole and form with approximately ½ yard of concrete.
Screed the concrete level with the top of the form. Center the
template assembly over the conduit and press into the concrete.
Put 2 x 4 spacers between the template and the top of the form.
The bottom of the bolt threads should be about ½ inch above the
concrete. The template must be level in two dimensions. Use a
trowel and edger to finish.
9. Wait 24 hours before removing the concrete form. Wait 7 days
before mounting the WS-PRO2 Tower.

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Figure 11
3.1.0 Base Tower Components
3.1.0.1 Supplied Components
(1) Upper Tower Section (Tapered)
(1) Lower Tower Section
(6) ½ inch Washers
(1) 12 foot 10 AWG Ground Cable
(1) Tower Cap
(1) 20' communications cable
(1) 20' power cable
Refer to Section 2 for components supplied by installer.
3.1.1 Tower Installation
Attach the tower to the base as shown in Figure 12.
1. Dig a hole close to the concrete base to access the lower conduit
opening. From the hole, trench to the power and communications
sources. Remove the duct tape from both ends of the conduit.
2. Remove the template. Attach the two pieces of the tower. This is a
permanent connection and cannot be undone. Lay the tower on
the ground with the base next to the concrete foundation.
3. Thread communications and power cables through the tower and
conduit. Electrical tape will help.
SIDE VIEW
TOP VIEW
ANCHOR BOLT
FORM
FORM WIRE
CEMENT PAD
SMALL
CAVITY
2
4"
24"
24"
TEMPLATE
2"
NORTH
FORM WIRE

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4. Cut and save a 9 inch piece of 12 AWG ground wire from the 12
foot length provided. Thread the remaining 11 foot ground wire
through the tower. Secure all wiring so it does not slip back into the
tower or conduit.
5. Place the tower cap over the tower end.
6. Raise the tower on a still day. Place a washer on top of the two
nuts on each foundation bolt. Taking great care not to damage
cables between the tower and conduit, raise the tower and lower it
onto the conduit and mounting bolts. Install a washer and nut on
each bolt and hand tighten. Check plumb of the tower by placing a
level on the north and east sides of the lower tower section. Adjust
the topmost of the two lower nuts (leveling nut) on each bolt as
necessary. When plumb is established, lock the leveling nut in
place by tightening the lowest nut against it. Tighten the three top
nuts with the wrench.
Figure 12
12AWG Wire 4AWG Cable
Ground Lug

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3.1.2 Weather Station Grounding
3.1.2.1 Supplied Components
(1) 5 foot 4 AWG Ground Cable
(1) Copper Ground Lug, Bolt
(1) Ground Rod, Clamp
Refer to Section 2 for components supplied by installer.
3.1.3 Tower Grounding Procedure
Ground the tower as shown in Figure 12.
1. Place the ground rod clamp on the ground rod which is a part of the
three rod grounding grid. Secure it about 3 inches from the top. Do
this before the rod is driven into the ground. Be careful not to
damage the clamp with the hammer
2. Taking care not to damage power or communications lines, drive
the ground rod using a fence post driver or sledge hammer.
3. Strip 1 inch of insulation from both ends of the 4 AWG ground
cable. Strip 1 inch of insulation from the lower end of the 12 AWG
ground wire. Install the tower grounding lug to the tower base with
the 7/16 bolt provided (Figure 12). Loosen the lug's set screw and
insert the 4 AWG and 12 AWG wire. Tighten the set screw.
4. Loosen the ground rod clamp. Insert the 4 AWG wire. Tighten the
clamp (Figure 12).
3.2.0 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.
3.3.0 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

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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”
diameter 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.
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. This cable shall be routed through the 1
½” dia. long sweep elbow to the base of the weather station. All wire
connections and splices in the power wiring shall be made using 3-M DBY
direct burial connectors. DO NOT apply power to transformer at this time.
WIRE SIZE Distance (feet*)
18 500
16 800
14 1275
12 2000
10 3250
8 5100
POWER WIRE SIZING CHART
* Transformer to Weather Station
3.4.0 Communication Wiring
3.4.1 Direct Connect – Short Haul Modems
Coming from the Central location, furnish and install a Belden
#9883, 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
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