Your Guide to the Frost Alarm System from Hobo
Damage to crops from frost remains a widespread problem for horticulture, cropping, and many other agricultural industries. While frost occurs relatively infrequently in Australia, it is a high consequence event, responsible for damages that runs into the millions.
HOBO frost alarm systems help monitor and minimise this risk. They are ideal for growers who manage their operations remotely. The advanced kit, when used with a relay output module and a user-supplied autostart controller, not only warns of frost, but also automates irrigation, fans, or sprinkler systems to reduce its impact.
About Onset
The Onset Group manufactures HOBO devices. Since humble beginnings in a Massachusetts barn in 1981, Onset has grown to become a global leader in the manufacture and supply of environmental logging and monitoring solutions. Onset's extensive range of environmental measurement tools includes solutions to measure, record, and handle data for environmental management, along with preserving the quality of temperature-sensitive products.
HOBO frost alarm systems are an important part of their environmental monitoring range. They offer two kits, one basic and the other advanced, based around the MicroRX 2102 and RX2000 weather stations (respectively).
About Hobo Frost Alarm System
Hobo Frost Alarm Systems provide an ideal platform for growers looking to monitor sites remotely and receive notifications of important events such as frost conditions. Systems can also cater to the remote control of plant and equipment, such as irrigation. Hobo includes a web portal that provides access to data from any web browser, as well as the ability to change system settings remotely. Both basic and advanced kits incorporate built-in 4G cellular communication for the most extensive coverage, so you can receive SMS and email messages when alarms occur.
The Basic Wired Kit
The MicroRX 2102 cellular data logger is the central component around which this kit functions. Featuring an easy-to-deploy, compact and rugged design, the MicroRX Station offers long-term, reliable environmental monitoring. The configurable station-side alarms provide immediate notification of critical conditions, while Onset's cloud-based HOBOlink platform makes it easy to view, access, and share your data.
The basic kit includes:
- 1 x MicroRX 2102 cellular data logger with five inputs and built-in solar panel
- 1 x Smart Temperature Sensor
- 1 x Solar Radiation Shield
- 1 x SIM Plan for 12 Months
- Web Portal to manage your system remotely
- SMS and Email Messages on alarm
The Advanced Wireless Kit
This station is Onset's most flexible remote data logging station, providing instant access to site-specific environmental data anywhere, anytime via the internet. The design of the advanced kit pivots around the HOBO RX3000 station.
The configuration for frost alarms consists of the HOBO RX3000 station, a temperature sensor, and a user-supplied autostart controller. The autostart controller is required to protect irrigation pumps during the start-up phase by ensuring they have time to prime. A relay in the HOBO RX3000 activates the autostart controller when a frost condition occurs and deactivates it when the danger has passed.
By configuring the RX3000 to activate irrigation at a predetermined minimum temperature and then to turn off at a higher temperature, you can avoid short-cycling the system. For example, irrigation could kick-in when the temperature drops below 1°C, and turn off irrigation at 2°C.
Notifications can also be sent by email or SMS to one or more cell phones when the irrigation system has activated, so you and your team can know immediately when a frost event is happening.
The advanced kit includes:
- 1 x RX3000 cellular data logger with ten inputs
- 1 x HOBOnet Wireless Manager
- 1 x HOBOnet Wireless Temperature Sensor (option to choose additional sensors if required)
- 1 x Solar Radiation Shield
- 1 x Solar Panel 5W
- 1 x SIM Plan for 12 Months
- Web Portal to manage your system remotely
- SMS and Email Messages on alarm
Conclusion
The HOBO RX3000 and MicroRX systems allow you to take advantage of the latest web-enabled technology to monitor and manage sites remotely, which can include getting notified in real-time of important events such as frost conditions. Not only does HOBOlink Software provide access to data from any web browser, but you can also change system settings remotely.
Click here to view the HOBO frost alarms systems.
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