netvox R718PB15 Wireless Soil Moisture/Temperature/Electrical Conductivity Sensor User Manual

netvox R718PB15 Wireless Soil Moisture/Temperature/Electrical

Conductivity Sensor

Copyright©Netvox Technology Co., Ltd.
This document contains proprietary technical information which is the property of NETVOX Technology. It shall be maintained in strict confidence and shall not be disclosed to other parties, in whole or in part, without written permission of NETVOX Technology. The specifications are subject to change without prior notice.

Introduction

R718PB15 is a Class A type device based on the LoRaWAN protocol.
R718PB15 is connected with soil sensor (RS485 type) as detectors for soil moisture, temperature, electrical conductivity, the values collected by the sensor are reported to the corresponding gateway.

LoRa Wireless Technology:
LoRa is a wireless communication technology dedicated to long distance and low power consumption. Compared with other communication methods, LoRa spread spectrum modulation method greatly increases to expand the communication distance. Widely used in long-distance, low-data wireless communications. For example, automatic meter reading, building automation equipment, wireless security systems, industrial monitoring. Main features include small size, low power consumption, transmission distance, anti-interference ability and so on.

LoRaWAN:
LoRaWAN uses LoRa technology to define end-to-end standard specifications to ensure interoperability between devices and gateways from different manufacturers.

Appearance

Main Characteristics

• Using SX1276 wireless communication module
• 2 ER14505 batteries AA size (3.6V / cell) power supply in parallel
• IP Rating: Main body IP65 / IP67 (Optional), Sensor IP67
• Soil moisture detection
• Soil temperature detection
• Soil electrical conductivity detection
• Compatible with LoRaWANTM Class A
• Using frequency hopping spread spectrum technology
• Configurable parameters via third-party software platform, reading data and setting alarms via SMS text and email (optional)
• Applicable to third-party platforms: Actility / ThingPark, TTN, MyDevices / Cayenne
• The product has low power consumption and supports longer battery life.

Note :
The battery life is determined by the frequency and other variables reported by the sensor. Please refer to http://www.netvox.com.tw/electric/electric_calc.html
On the website, users can find various models of battery life in different configurations

Set up Instruction

On/Off

Power on| Insert batteries. (users may need a screwdriver to open)
Turn on| Press and hold the function key for 3 seconds till the green indicator flashes once.
Turn off (Restore to factory setting)| Press and hold the function key for 5 seconds till green indicator flashes for 20 times.
Power off| Remove Batteries.

Note

| 1.     Remove and insert the battery; the device is at off state by default.

2.     On/off interval is suggested to be about 10 seconds to avoid the interference of capacitor inductance and other energy storage components.

3.  At 1st -5th second after power on, the device will be in engineering test mode.

Network Joining

Never joined the network

| Turn on the device to search the network to join. The green indicator stays on for 5 seconds: success

The green indicator remains off: fail

Had joined the network (not at factory setting)

| Turn on the device to search the previous network to join. The green indicator stays on for 5 seconds: success

The green indicator remains off: fail

Function Key

Press and hold for 5 seconds

| Restore to factory setting / Turn off

The green indicator flashes for 20 times: success The green indicator remains off: fail

Press once

| The device is in the network: green indicator flashes once and sends a report

The device is not in the network: green indicator remains off

Sleeping Mode

The device is on and in the network

| Sleeping period: Min Interval.

When the reportchange exceeds setting value or the state changes: send a data report according to Min Interval.

Data Report

The device will immediately send a version packet report along with an uplink packet including soil moisture, soil temperature and soil electrical conductivity values.
The device sends data in the default configuration before any configuration is done.

Default setting:
MaxTime: Max Interval = 60 min
MinTime: MinTime configuration is invalid
*But the software has restriction, MinTime must be configured a number greater than 0.

Soil electrical conductivity unit switching:
0x01 use 0.1 ds/m as unit (default) 0x02 use 0.001 ds/m as unit

Soil type:
0x00 Mineral soil (default) 0x01 Sandy soil
0x02 Clay
0x03 Organic soil

• The function of soil electrical conductivity unit/soil type is supported by the firmware version after 2022.04.20
• After the setting is successful (soil electrical conductivity unit/soil type), the device needs to be powered off and then powered on again before it can be used normally.

Note:

1. The device report interval will be programmed based on the default firmware which may vary.
2. Mintime and ReportChange are not supported by R718PB15 (Invalid configuration).
3. Report cycle will be based on Report Max Time period when sending data packet.
4. Data packet: soil moisture, soil temperature and soil electrical conductivity
5. It would take about 20 seconds for the soil sensor to sample and process the collected value if you were to manually trigger the device by pressing the button, please be patient.
6. Please refer Netvox LoRaWAN Application Command document and Netvox Lora Command Resolver
   http://loraresolver.netvoxcloud.com:8888/page/index to resolve uplink data

Example of ReportDataCmd FPort：0x06

Version– 1 byte –0x01——the Version of NetvoxLoRaWAN Application Command Version DeviceType– 1 byte – Device Type of Device
The devicetype is listed in Netvox LoRaWAN Application Devicetype doc ReportType – 1 byte –the presentation of the NetvoxPayLoadData，according the devicetype NetvoxPayLoadData– Fixed bytes (Fixed =8bytes)

When soil EC unit is set to 0x01, EC unit is 0.1 ds/m (Report type = 0x0A).
The reported data are as follows: 01580A2420C30837FFFF24

(1Byte, unit:0.1V)

| Soil_VWC

(2Bytes,unit:0.01%)

| Soil_Temperature

(Signed 2Bytes,unit:0.01°C)

| WaterLevel

(2Bytes,unit:1cm)

| Soil_EC

(1Byte, unit:0.1dS/m)

1st byte (01): Version
2nd byte (58): DeviceType 0x58 － R718PB15
3rd byte (0A): ReportType
4th byte (24): Battery, 24(HEX)=36(DEC),360.1v=3.6v
5th 6th byte (20C3): Soil VWC, 20C3(HEX)=8387(DEC),83870.01%=83.87%
7th 8th byte (0837): Soil Temperature, 0837(HEX)=2103(DEC),21030.01℃=21.03℃ 9th 10th byte (FFFF): Water Level
11th byte (24): Soil EC, 24(HEX)=36(DEC),360.1dS/m=3.6 dS/m

When soil EC unit is set to 0x02, EC unit is 0.001 ds/m (Report type = 0x10)
The reported data are as follows: 0158102420C308370E5F00

unit:0.1V)

| Soil_VWC (2Bytes)

unit:0.01%

| Soil_Temperature

(Signed 2Bytes,unit:0.01°C)

| Soil_EC (2Bytes)

unit:0.001ds/m

| Reserved (1Byte)

fixed 0x00)

1st byte (01): Version
2nd byte (58): DeviceType 0x58 － R718PB15
3rd byte (10): ReportType
4th byte (24): Battery, 24(HEX)=36(DEC),360.1v=3.6v
5th 6th byte (20C3): Soil VWC, 20C3(HEX)=8387(DEC),83870.01%=83.87%
7th 8th byte (0837): Soil Temperature, 0837(HEX)=2103(DEC),21030.01℃=21.03℃ 9th 10th byte (0E5F): Soil EC, 0E5F(HEX)=3679(DEC),36790.001dS/m=3.679 dS/m 11th byte (00): Reserved

Example of ConfigureCmd FPort：0x07

CmdID– 1 byte
DeviceType– 1 byte – Device Type of Device NetvoxPayLoadData– var bytes (Max=9bytes)

Description

|

Device

|

CmdID

|

DeviceType

|

NetvoxPayLoadData

---|---|---|---|---
Config

ReportReq

|

R718PB15

|

0x01

|

0x58

| MinTime

(2bytes Unit:s)

| MaxTime

(2bytes Unit:s)

| Reserved

(5Bytes,Fixed 0x00)

Config

ReportRsp

|

0x81

| Status

(1byte, 0x00_success)

| Reserved

(8Bytes,Fixed 0x00)

ReadConfig

ReportReq

|

0x02

| Reserved

(9Bytes,Fixed 0x00)

ReadConfig

ReportRsp

|

0x82

| MinTime

(2bytes Unit:s)

| MaxTime

(2bytes Unit:s)

| Reserved

(5Bytes,Fixed 0x00)

1. Configure device parameters MaxTime = 1min
   Downlink: 01580001003C0000000000
   The device returns:
   8158000000000000000000 (Configuration succeeded) 8158010000000000000000 (Configuration failed)

2. Read device configuration parameters
   Downlink: 0258000000000000000000
   The device returns:
   82580000003C0000000000 (device current configuration parameters)

Description

|

Device

| Cmd

ID

| Device

Type

|

NetvoxPayLoadData

---|---|---|---|---

SetSoilTypeReq ForR718PB15

|

R718PB15

|

0x0D

|

0x58

| SoilType(1byte) 0x00_Mineral Soil 0x01_SandySoil 0x02_Clay

0x03_Organic soil

|

Reserved (8Bytes,Fixed 0x00)

SetSoilTypeRsp

ForR718PB15

|

0x8D

| Status

(0x00_success)

| Reserved

(8Bytes,Fixed 0x00)

GetSoilTypeReq

ForR718PB15

|

0x0E

| Reserved

(9Bytes,Fixed 0x00)

GetSoilTypeRsp For R718PB15

|

0x8E

| SoilType(1byte) 0x00_Mineral Soil 0x01_SandySoil 0x02_Clay

0x03_Organic soil

|

Reserved (8Bytes,Fixed 0x00)

3. SetSoilTypeReq: soil type = 0x02 (clay)
   Downlink: 0D58020000000000000000
   The device return:
   8D58000000000000000000 (Configuration succeeded)
   8D58010000000000000000 (Configuration failed)

4. GetSoilTypeReq:
   Downlink: 0E58000000000000000000
   The device returns:
   8E58020000000000000000 (device current configuration parameters)
   Note: After the setting is successful, the device needs to be powered off and then powered on again before it can be used normally.

Description

|

Device

| Cmd

ID

| Device

Type

|

NetvoxPayLoadData

---|---|---|---|---

SetSoilECUnitReq ForR718PB15

|

R718PB15

|

0x0F

|

0x58

| SoilECUnit(1byte)

0x01Use 0.1ds/m as Unit 0x02 Use 0.001ds/m as Unit

|

Reserved (8Bytes,Fixed 0x00)

SetSoilECUnitRsp

ForR718PB15

|

0x8F

| Status

(0x00_success)

| Reserved

(8Bytes,Fixed 0x00)

GetSoilECUnitReq

ForR718PB15

|

0x10

| Reserved

(9Bytes,Fixed 0x00)

GetSoilECUnitRsp For R718PB15

|

0x90

| SoilECUnit(1byte)

0x01Use 0.1ds/m as Unit 0x02 Use 0.001ds/m as Unit

|

Reserved (8Bytes,Fixed 0x00)

5. SetSoilECUnitReq UnitType = 0x02(0.001ds/m)
   Downlink: 0F58020000000000000000
   The device returns:
   8F58000000000000000000 (Configuration succeeded)
   8F58010000000000000000 (Configuration failed)

6. GetSoilECUnitReq:
   Downlink: 1058000000000000000000
   The device returns:
   9058020000000000000000 (device current configuration parameters)
   Note: The EC unit is restored after modification, and the last set value is maintained after leaving the factory.

Example of GlobalCalibrateCmd
FPort: 0x0E

Description

| Cmd

ID

| Sensor

Type

| ****

PayLoad(Fix =9 Bytes)

---|---|---|---
SetGlobal

CalibrateReq

| ****

0x01

| ****

See below

| Channel(1Byte)

0_Channel 1, 1_Channel 2,etc

| ****

Multiplier

(2bytes,Unsigned)

| ****

Divisor

(2bytes,Unsigned)

| ****

DeltValue

(2bytes,Signed)

| ****

Reserved

(2Bytes,Fixed 0x00)

SetGlobal CalibrateRsp

| ****

0x81

| Channel(1Byte) 0_Channel1,

1_Channel2,etc

| ****

Status (1Byte,0x00_success)

| ****

Reserved (7Bytes,Fixed 0x00)

GetGlobal

CalibrateReq

| ****

0x02

| Channel

(1Byte,0_Channel1,1_Channel2,etc)

| Reserved

(8Bytes,Fixed 0x00)

GetGlobal

CalibrateRsp

| ****

0x82

| Channel(1Byte)

0_Channel 1, 1_Channel 2,etc

| ****

Multiplier

(2bytes,Unsigned)

| ****

Divisor

(2bytes,Unsigned)

| ****

DeltValue

(2bytes,Signed)

| ****

Reserved

(2Bytes,Fixed 0x00)

ClearGlobal

CalibrateReq

| ****

0x03

| Reserved

(10Bytes,Fixed 0x00)

ClearGlobal

CalibrateRsp

| ****

0x83

| Status

(1Byte,0x00_success)

| Reserved

(9Bytes,Fixed 0x00)

Sensor Type:
0x17 EC sensor (Electric Conductivity)
0x20 Temperature_Soil_Sensor
0x21 Humid_Soil_Sensor (Soil_VWC)

7. Calibrate The Sensor EC 21.5 dS/m 22 dS/m // + 0.5 dS/m Downlink: 0117000001000100050000
   Cmd ID (01) –SetGlobal CalibrateReq
   Sensor type (17) – EC sensor
   Channel (00) – Channel 1
   Multiplier (0001) – not used in this case, fill in ‘0001’
   Divisor (0001) – not used in this case, fill in ‘0001’
   Delt Value (0005) – 5 *0.1 dS/m = 0.5 dS/m

8. Calibrate The Sensor Soil temperature 27.15°C 26.87°C // -0.28°C Downlink: 01200100010001FFE40000
   Cmd ID (01) –SetGlobal CalibrateReq
   Sensor type (20) – Temperature_Soil_Sensor
   Channel (01) – Channel 2
   Multiplier (0001) – not used in this case, fill in ‘0001’
   Divisor (0001) – not used in this case, fill in ‘0001’
   Delt Value (FFE4) – -28*0.01 °C= -0.28 °C // 0x10000-FFE4

9. Calibrate The Sensor Soil humidity sensor 49.98% 48.39% // -1.59% Downlink: 01210200010001FF610000
   Cmd ID (01) –SetGlobal CalibrateReq
   Sensor type (21) – Temperature_Soil_Sensor
   Channel (02) – Channel 3
   Multiplier (0001) – not used in this case, fill in ‘0001’
   Divisor (0001) – not used in this case, fill in ‘0001’
   Delt Value (FF61) – -159*0.01 %= -1.59 % // 0x10000-FF61

Note:

1. When Multiplier is not 1, Calibration value = DeltValue*Multiplier.
2. When Divisor is not 1, Calibration value = DeltValue/Divisor.
3. With different sensor type, it is forbidden to use that same Channel number.
4. This universal calibration supports calibration of positive and negative numbers.

Installation

Method1. Horizontal Installation

1. Excavate a hole or trench a few centimeters deeper than the depth at which the sensor is to be installed.

2. At the installation depth, shave off some soil from the vertical soil face exposing undisturbed soil.

3. Insert the sensor into the undisturbed soil face until the entire sensor is inserted. The tip of each prong has been sharpened to make it easier to push the sensor into the soil.
   Be careful with the sharp tips!

4. Backfill the trench taking care to pack the soil back to natural bulk density around the sensor body of the soil sensor.

Method2. Vertical Installation

1. Auger a 3-in hole to the depth at which the sensor is to be installed.
2. Insert the sensor into the undisturbed soil at the bottom of the auger hole using a hand or any other implement that will guide the sensor into the soil at the bottom of the hole. Many people have used a simple piece of PVC pipe with a notch cut in the end for the sensor to sit in, with the sensor cable routed inside the pipe.
3. After inserting the sensor, remove the installation device and backfill the hole taking care to pack the soil back to natural bulk density while not damaging the black overmolding of the sensor and the sensor cable in the process.

Cleaning And Maintenance
The EC measurement is very sensitive to the presence of nonconducting contamination on the screws, especially at high EC. The most common source of contamination is skin oil from handling the screws with bare hands
Use the following steps to clean the sensor:

1. Clean the screws using a mild detergent such as liquid dish soap and a nonabrasive sponge or cloth.
   Note: Avoid detergents that contain lotions or moisturizers.

2. Rinse the sensor and screws thoroughly with tap or DI water.
   Do not touch the screws without gloved hands and never contact the sensors with any source of oil or other nonconducting residue.

Information about Battery Passivation

Many of Netvox devices are powered by 3.6V ER14505 Li-SOCl2 (lithium-thionyl chloride) batteries that offer many
advantages including low self-discharge rate and high energy density.
However, primary lithium batteries like Li-SOCl2 batteries will form a passivation layer as a reaction between the lithium anode and thionyl chloride if they are in storage for a long time or if the storage temperature is too high. This lithium chloride layer prevents rapid self-discharge caused by continuous reaction between lithium and thionyl chloride, but battery passivation may also lead to voltage delay when the batteries are put into operation, and our devices may not work correctly in this situation.
As a result, please make sure to source batteries from reliable vendors, and it is suggested that if the storage period is more than one month from the date of battery production, all the batteries should be activated.
If encountering the situation of battery passivation, users can activate the battery to eliminate the battery hysteresis.

ER14505 Battery Passivation:
To determine whether a battery requires activation
Connect a new ER14505 battery to a resistor in parallel, and check the voltage of the circuit. If the voltage is below 3.3V, it means the battery requires activation.

How to activate the battery

1. Connect a battery to a resistor in parallel
2. Keep the connection for 5~8 minutes
3. The voltage of the circuit should be ≧3.3, indicating successful activation.

Note:
If you buy batteries from other than the above four manufacturers, then the battery activation time, activation current, and required load resistance shall be mainly subject to the announcement of each manufacturer.

Important Maintenance Instruction

Your device is a product of superior design and craftsmanship and should be used with care. The following suggestions will help you use the warranty service effectively.

• Keep the device dry. Rain, moisture, and various liquids or moisture may contain minerals that can corrode electronic circuits. In case the device is wet, please dry it completely.
• Do not use or store in dusty or dirty areas. This can damage its detachable parts and electronic components.
• Do not store in excessive heat. High temperatures can shorten the life of electronic devices, destroy batteries, and deform or melt some plastic parts.
• Do not store in a cold place. Otherwise, when the temperature rises to normal temperature, moisture will form inside, which will destroy the board.
• Do not throw, knock or shake the device. Rough handling of equipment can destroy internal circuit boards and delicate structures.
• Do not wash with strong chemicals, detergents or strong detergents.
• Do not apply with paint. Smudges can block debris in detachable parts and affect normal operation.
• Do not throw the battery into a fire to prevent the battery from exploding. Damaged batteries may also explode.

All of the above suggestions apply equally to your device, battery and accessories.
If any device is not working properly, please take it to the nearest authorized service facility for repair.

References

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