Stroud EnviroDIY User manual

EnviroDIY Monitoring Station
Basic overview of the
EnviroDIY monitoring station
functionality:
•The solar panel charges the
Lithium Ion Polymer (LiPo)
battery.
•The LiPo battery powers the
mayfly data logger.
•The Mayfly data logger records
data collected from the
sensors.
•If there is cellular telemetry, the
cell board sends data to online
portal ( MonitorMyWatershed.org).
Solar panel &
mounting bracket
LiPo Battery
Mayfly Data Logger

Battery overview
Vendor we use: Adafruit
Different battery sizes we typically use
•Lithium Ion Battery Pack –3.7V
2500mAh - $14.95
•Lithium Ion Battery Pack - 3.7V
4400mAh - $19.95
•Lithium Ion Battery Pack - 3.7V
6600mAh - $29.50
Note**
•do not buy random battery packs on
Amazon or other vendors without
checking with Stroud first
•the majority of lipo batteries made for
radio controlled cars/aircraft have
backwards polarity wires on the
connectors, which will blow up the
Mayfly if you connect them.

Battery overview cont.
•The LiPo battery is located at the very
top of the logger box, above the mayfly
data logger.
•These batteries come with a JST cable
attached which allows it to be plugged
directly into the mayfly data logger.

Battery overview cont.
Where the battery plugs into the
Mayfly Data Logger :
•There are two identical JST connectors
on the mayfly data logger labeled LIPO
BATT. The battery can plug in to either
one of these to power the mayfly.

Solar Panel Options
From left to right: a 6 W, 3.5 W, and 2 W solar panel
with solar panel bracket at top.

Solar panel extension cable
Plug into mayfly
data logger JST
connector
labeled SOLAR
Plug into the
solar panel

Solar panel cont.
•The solar panel cable
plugs into the mayfly
through a JST connector
labeled SOLAR on the
mayfly.
•When both the solar
panel and the battery are
plugged into their
appropriate spots, the
battery will be charged via
solar energy.

Battery charging indicator
•When both the battery and
the solar panel are
connected to the mayfly, a
tiny yellow-orange LED
light will shine showing that
the battery is being
charged
•The LED light will not shine
for two reasons
•1.) the battery is full
and therefore does
not need to be
charged
•2.) There is a
malfunction that is not
allowing the battery to
charge.

How to interpret battery voltage
Basic rule of thumb to follow:
○4.0V or above: fully charged battery
○3.7V-3.9V: sufficiently charged battery
○3.7V is the nominal voltage (Nominal voltage is the default,
resting voltage of a battery pack). The middle ground between
fully charged and the low voltage cutoff
○3.5V-3.7V: start to keep an eye on the battery pattern
○3.5V or below: if it stays at or below 3.5V for an extended
period of time you may want to replace your battery. If you see
that your station has dropped offline and your battery is below
3.5V, your battery died and needs to be charged or replaced.

Examples of proper battery charging patterns
Example of a station that is in full sun (Ridley Creek PURC2S) :
Fully charges at 4.18V - 4.20V during the day and drops down to around
4.10V at night.

Examples of proper battery charging patterns cont.
The battery does not always need to be fully charged for the station to function properly.
Example of a station that is very forested (Mine Hole Brook PKMH2S) :
During the winter, the battery voltage stays around the Nominal Voltage (3.7V). The sun
is at a lower angle and daylight hours are shorter, so the battery does not fully charge,
but still charges enough to keep the station running.

Examples of proper battery charging patterns cont.
Mine Hole Brook PKMH2S-
same station as mentioned before, after the winter solstice the battery
begins to recover and the battery returns to being fully charged daily.

Failing Battery Patterns
Punches Run in Nolde State Forest : You can see the end of April the charging
pattern is normal, staying between 4.0V and 4.2V.
Then once the vegetation starts to come in, in May, the battery has trouble keeping
up. The spikes represent when the battery was replaced.

Failing Battery Patterns
Pennypack Creek PUPP3S –Battery is still charging, but an
overall downward trend below 3.7V.

Failing Battery Patterns
Sandy Run PUSR1S –downward trend with no charging shown at
all. This indicated there is no solar panel connected. Either the
solar panel wire / connector got damaged or possibly an indicator
of vandalism

Failing Battery Patterns
●PUCR1S Crum Creek –The charging pattern is normal at the beginning,
then suddenly drops from 4.0V to 3.4V over a few days. This is a pattern
of unusual activity, you would follow up with a field visit.

WHAT TO DO IF YOUR BATTERY IS NOT CHARGING
EFFICIENTLY
1. Go out to your site and make sure the solar panel is clear of any
vegetation.

WHAT TO DO IF YOUR BATTERY IS NOT CHARGING
EFFICIENTLY
2. See if there is a better angle to point the solar panel depending on
the time of year or if there is a gap in the foliage
(the U-bolt can be loosened using a 7/16” wrench)

WHAT TO DO IF YOUR BATTERY IS NOT CHARGING
EFFICIENTLY
3. Buy a spare battery and a battery charger to cycle through batteries
if your station battery regularly has trouble keeping a charge.

Spare battery and battery charger details
●Note** Only buy the battery charger Stroud suggests –Most sold
on amazon have backwards polarity wires and will damage your
battery.
●Links to purchase charger and and details are provided in the
EnviroDIY online manual in section 8.2.6
○(https://www.envirodiy.org/mayfly-sensor-station-manual/#power-management)