NutriDose 2

Nutridose

In addition to dosing of EC and pH raise or lower, this controller has a number of features that set it apart from other dosers. For example, has a full PC interface, it allows a different EC to be set for day and night, has additional outputs that can be used for two-zone, to-waste applications. It also measures the nutrient (or grow-bed) temperature and can also switch on a heater (or chiller) to control this.

The two extra outputs can be used to switch on pumps and valves to allow it to operate as a simple two-zone batched fertigation system (or even to remotely control events such as reservoir dumping or adding additional water to dilute the EC). When used for fertigation, the controller can be coupled to an Autogrow Enviro-Sensor (with PAR light sensor) so that it can use its built-in solar integrator for triggering irrigations. This causes the controller to irrigate after a (user set) amount of sunlight has been received

The NutriDose II has an advanced PC interface that provides data logging and subsequent graphical display of EC, pH and nutrient temperature as well as the ability to remotely set the controller. It provides remote alarms ie at the PC (via its sound card) and also telephone alarms (via its MODEM) to a pager or cellular phone. The Compugrow software allows the user to trigger events from the PC such as (1) switch dosing ON/OFF, (2) start irrigation (3) dump main tank (4) Add water to the main tank. By using remote access software, it is possible to dial into your supervising PC from anywhere in the world and to view the readings, graphs , and settings, and to make any changes you wish. Of course this feature is password protected.

  • EC resolution 0.1CF (0.01 mS/cm)
  • pH resolution 0.01 pH
  • Temperature resolution 0.1 Deg C
  • Temperature in Deg C OR Deg F
  • Two year warranty
  • Conductivity in EC (mS/cm) or CF units
  • Different day and night setpoints for EC
  • Logs EC, pH, Temp to disk every 5 or 1 min
  • Easily recalibrated
  • Dose using peristaltic pumps or solenoid valves
  • Controller continues to operate if PC goes down
  • Compugrow software operates under W95/W98/W2000
  • PC can be up to 1200m from controller

NutriDose 2b

The NutriDoseII b is designed for use in a batched multi-station fertigation system. The main controller is used in conjunction with other modules to allow the system to be configured to best suit the grower's needs.

Ten stations, expansion modules are also easily added to provide from 10 to 30 irrigation stations.

A smart environment sensor module is available to provide data for triggering irrigations. Based around a solar integrator, this module monitors solar irradiance, air temperature, relative humidity and uses these factors to modify the solar integration rate. This means that if the environment is very sunny, very hot, and very dry then the watering frequency will be at maximum whilst for dull, humid, cool conditions it will be at a minimum. For outside use, the Autogrow weather station can provide additional information such as wind velocity and rainfall to further modify integration rates and reset the integration counters of outside zones if rainfall exceeds a set limit. During the evening, night, and early morning, irrigations may be triggered on a time-of-day basis whilst during the sunny part of the day triggering may be by means of a solar integrator. For example, a user may set the system to irrigate all stations at 6 pm, 10:30 pm, 3:15 am, 7:30 am, 7:45 am, and then switch to the solar integrator time zone in which each station has its own solar integration trigger. This allows crops that require frequent irrigations to be mixed with those that only require infrequent watering. In addition, each irrigation station has its own EC and pH value allowing quite different crops to be catered for.

Each irrigation station can have its own solar (modified) trigger point and when reached a batch tank is prepared for that station just before irrigation. The tank is pre-filled but not dosed until a trigger is reached. It then doses and stirs to suit the station in question and then immediately irrigates that station. This allows each zone to receive a different EC and different additives. Batching provides for better mixing and greater accuracy than an in-line system but obviously takes longer to perform complete irrigation of all zones. This makes it suitable and very cost-effective for small to medium systems having relatively few irrigation zones or those that do not need very frequent watering.

Finally, each station can be dosed from one of two different sets of stock solution tanks. This allows two different nutrients to be selected. In many cases, a vegetative mix and a generative mix will be available to suit both mature and immature crops. Alternatively, a different mix may be used for daytime or night-time waterings.

Where Tee tape is used, alternate zones can be used for Tee tape draining back into the main tank. This avoids the drip problem experienced at the lower end of drip tape runs.

NutriDose 2i

Nutridose

he NutriDoseII i is designed for use in a in-line injection in a multi-station fertigation system. The main controller is used in conjunction with other modules to allow the system to be configured to best suit the grower's needs.

A smart environment sensor module is available to provide data for triggering irrigations. Based around a solar integrator, this module monitors solar irradiance, air temperature, relative humidity and uses these factors to modify the solar integration rate. This means that if the environment is very sunny, very hot, and very dry then the watering frequency will be at maximum whilst for dull, humid, cool conditions it will be at a minimum. For outside use, the Autogrow weather station can provide additional information such as wind velocity and rainfall to further modify integration rates and reset the integration counters of outside zones if rainfall exceeds a set limit.

Ten station, expansion modules are also easily added to provide from 10 to 30 irrigation stations.

During the evening, night and early morning, irrigations may be triggered on a time-of-day basis whilst during the sunny part of the day triggering may be by means of a solar integrator. For example, a user may set the system to irrigate all stations at 6 pm, 10:30 pm, 3:15 am, 7:30 am, 7:45 am and then switch to the solar integrator time zone in which each station has its own solar integration trigger. This allows crops that require frequent irrigations to be mixed with those that only require infrequent watering. In addition, each irrigation station has its own EC and pH value allowing quite different crops to be catered for.

Each irrigation station can have its own solar (modified) trigger point and when reached irrigation occurs. The injection can be by pulse-proportional solenoid valves (PWM) into venturi injectors or direct into an in-line mixing vessel, by proportional injection pumps (0..10V), pulse frequency pumps, or by a proportional valve (0..10V) into a venturi. All switched outputs are 24V AC which is the industry standard.

Finally, each station can be dosed from one of two different sets of stock solution tanks. This allows two different nutrients to be selected. In many cases, a vegetative mix and a generative mix will be available to suit both mature and immature crops. Alternatively, a different mix may be used for daytime or night-time waterings.

The controller uses a modified PID algorithm to achieve accuracy and is self-learning so that when any zone is irrigated, the initial settings are based on what was learned during the previous run.

This is a complex controller with a large number of settings. Although it is quite possible to set it up from the local display panel it is certainly much easier to set it from the PC. The PC also logs data, such as EC, pH, Temperature, Air temperature, relative humidity, solar PPFD (PAR), solar integration and if you have the outside mini-weather station it will also log wind speed and rainfall. The logged data is displayed graphically using a very simple interface that makes use of a pop-up calendar to select the period that you wish to view.

Events, such as the times of irrigations, are also captured by the PC and are displayed in a table format.

The PC can be positioned close to the controller or up to 1.2Km away using low-cost computer network cable (CAT5 cable). If the PC is connected to the local telephone network then it is possible to access the data and make setting changes from anywhere in the world by using remote access software such as PCAnywhere. In addition, the Autogrow help desk can use PCAnywhere to access your PC to provide assistance with settings and also perform simple diagnostics.