KC - Digital Farming - DMS Installation and Operation Manual - 26102017
KC - Digital Farming - DMS Installation and Operation Manual - 26102017
KC - Digital Farming - DMS Installation and Operation Manual - 26102017
CAUTION
The following text contains instructions aimed at preventing unwanted system operation,
installation or conditions that, if not followed, might void the warranty.
ATTENTION
The following text contains instructions aimed at enhancing the efficiency of usage of the
instructions in the manual.
NOTE
The following text contains instructions aimed at emphasizing certain aspects of operation or
installation of the system.
ELECTRICAL HAZARD
The following text contains instructions aimed at preventing bodily injury or direct damage to the
DMS and/or the infrastructure in the presence of electricity.
SAFETY FOOTWEAR
The following text contains instructions aimed at preventing foot injury.
PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
The following text contains instructions aimed at preventing damage to health or bodily
injury in the presence of fertilizers, acid or other chemicals.
NO PARTS OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE REPRODUCED, STORED IN AN AUTOMATED DATA FILE OR MADE PUBLIC IN
ANY FORM OR BY ANY MEANS, WHETHER ELECTRONIC, MECHANICAL, BY PHOTOCOPYING, RECORDING OR IN ANY
OTHER MANNER WITHOUT PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE PUBLISHER.
ALTHOUGH NETAFIM TAKES THE GREATEST POSSIBLE CARE IN DESIGNING AND PRODUCING BOTH ITS PRODUCTS
AND THE ASSOCIATED DOCUMENTATION, THEY MAY STILL INCLUDE FAULTS.
NETAFIM WILL NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR DAMAGE RESULTING FROM THE USE OF NETAFIM'S PRODUCTS OR
THE USE OF THIS MANUAL.
NETAFIM RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES AND IMPROVEMENTS TO ITS PRODUCTS AND/OR THE ASSOCIATED
DOCUMENTATION WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE.
NOTE
All the drawings in this document are for the purpose of illustration only. The actual product details
and infrastructure condition may differ in any actual application.
FOREIGN LANGUAGES
In the event that you are reading this manual in a language other than the English language, you
acknowledge and agree that the English language version shall prevail in case of inconsistency or
contradiction in interpretation or translation.
CONTENTS
Introduction 4
General instructions 4
Safety instructions 4
Description
Introduction 5
Main benefits 5
System view 5
Ordering options 6
General technical data 7
Dimensions 7
Weight 7
Installation
Before installation 8
Tools needed 8
Materials needed 8
Unpacking 8
Placement 8
Assembly and installation - step by step 9
Aluminum stand assembly 9
Drain manifold installation 9
EC sensor insertion 10
Drain collector funnel and strainer installation 10
EC-pH transducer installation 11
Electrical connection box installation 11
Steel clips to gutter connection 11
Gutter end cap to gutter connection 12
Gutter on aluminum stand placing 12
Gutter and stand adjustment 12
Wiring 13
Initial operation
Crop and dripperline placing on the DMS gutter 14
Calculating the number of drippers on the DMS gutter 14
Entering the pulse value and drain delay time in the controller 14
EC measurement 14
Maintenance
Tipping spoon cleaning 15
Drain nozzle cleaning 15
Collector strainer cleaning 15
Troubleshooting
No drain reading in the controller 16
Wrong EC sensor reading 16
The NMC controller does not receive pulses 16
List of parts 17
Warranty 18
NOTE
This manual describes the installation process of the DMS full kit version A, that includes drain
quantity and EC measurement. When installing other DMS versions, refer only to the relevant steps.
However, the operation, maintenance and troubleshooting chapters refer to all the DMS versions.
CAUTION
Read the safety instructions below before beginning installation of the DMS.
General instructions
• Installation should be performed on a hard, leveled floor or on a flat, hard leveled plate.
• Do not apply excessive force or pressure to the components during the installation or operation.
Electricity
• Ensure that a suitable electrical power supply is available in the vicinity of the installation for the DMS
electrical connection.
Safety instructions
• All safety regulations must be applied.
• Ensure that the installation is carried out in a manner that prevents leaks which could contaminate the
environment, soil or ambient area.
• Protection provided by the equipment could be impaired if the equipment is used in a manner other than
that specified by the manufacturer.
WARNING
In an agricultural environment - always wear protective footwear.
WARNING
Measures must be taken to prevent fertilizer infiltration of the water source, to avoid water pollution.
CAUTION
When opening or closing any manual valve, always do it gradually, to prevent damage to the
system by water hammer.
WARNING
Always use protective equipment, gloves and goggles when handling fertilizers, acid and
other chemicals!
By combining the DMS with an NMC controller or the uManage™ monitoring system, the grower is
having an extra set of tools to regulate and keep an eye on the water dosage, as well as to protect the
plants from being deprived of water as a result of short irrigation or long delay between irrigation cycles.
The grower can achieve an increase in production by simply reacting correctly to the amount of drain water.
The DMS consists of growing gutter ended with a collector which collects the drain water that leaks on a
tipping spoon.
The controller measures the number of pulses, convert it to a volumetric amount of drain and present it
also as percentage of the total water that has been given to the plants.
For more information on viewing and using the measured drain, please refer to the NMC-PRO (or other
irrigation controller) user manual.
Main benefits
• Increases production by precise reaction according to the actual amount of drain water.
• A high accuracy volumetric sensor connects the system with any type of irrigation controller or with the
uManage™ monitoring system.
• An EC sensor monitoring the EC of the drain water allows a significant reduction in fertilizer expenses.
• The system includes a 2 meter gutter that can carry any type of media (Coconut, Rock wool, Volcanic
rock and more).
• The system includes a modular aluminum stand that can be installed in any soilless application.
• Fast and easy installation.
System view
Front view - operative system with crop and drip irrigation
D
GRP gutter,
2-meter
H
EC transducer
EC sensor
Ordering options
The DMS can be ordered in 4 versions
Dimensions
DMS external dimensions (W/D/H*) Package dimensions (W/D/H**)
DMS full kit A 204/48.5/104 cm (80.3/19.1/41.0")
205/45/46.1 cm (80.7/17.7/18.2")
DMS full kit B 204/37/104 cm (80.3/14.6/41.0")
DMS lite A
33/26/21 cm (13.0/10.2/8.3") 24.8/27/56 cm (9.8/10.6/22.0")
DMS lite B
*The height varies by ±1 cm (±0.5") according to the adjustment of the legs.
**The package height includes the pallet height of 15 cm (6").
Weight
Net weight* Packed weight*
DMS full kit A 50 kg (110 lbs) 75 kg (165 lbs)
DMS full kit B 45 kg (99 lbs) 70 kg (154 lbs)
DMS lite A 13 kg (29 lbs) 15 kg (33 lbs)
DMS lite B 8 kg (18 lbs) 10 kg (22 lbs)
*Order of magnitude only - final weights are issued with the product order.
3.5mm flat-blade
screwdriver
Spirit level
Materials needed
• Cables 2 x 1.5mm2 for connection between the irrigation controller and the DMS tipping spoon.
Unpacking
• Check the ShockWatch label attached to the DMS
packaging and ensure the indicator is white.
If the indicator is red - follow the instructions
on the ShockWatch label.
• Gently open the package and make sure all the parts
are present.
Placement
• The DMS sould be placed at a location which represent the best the average transpiration of the plants
in a certain irrigation block.
• The distance between the DMS and the irrigation controller should not exceed 300 meter (1000 feet).
• If the ground surface is not solid (i.e. concrete), then make sure a leveled, solid platform is placed under
the legs of the DMS aluminum stand.
NOTE
• If the greenhouse gutters are detachable, you can assemble the DMS in advance on a remote
location and place it in its final location when assembled. To do that, begin by dismantling a section
of the greenhouse gutter, place the DMS and put the section of greenhouse gutter back in place
passing through the DMS legs under the lower aluminum bar (see illustration on page 5).
• If the greenhouse gutters are not detachable, you will have to assemble the DMS in its final
location. To do that, disconnect the lower horizontal crosspiece of each DMS leg. Place the legs
in their intended location, bestriding the greenhouse gutter (mind their orientation - the middle
horizontal crosspieces should face outward) and reattach the lower horizontal crosspieces.
Then continue the assembly process beginning on page 9.
• Adjust the DMS gutter in order to have a -2º slope towards the tipping spoon location (downstream).
EC-pH transducer
Tipping spoon
2 5 3 1
NMC controller 3 4
To derive the allowed number of drippers, measure the actual drain flow rate:
1. Conduct regular irrigation until the water content in the growing medium stabilizes (the growing medium
water content stabilizes after approximately 15 days).
2. Hold a measurement cup of minimum 1 liter (0.26 gallon) under the tipping spoon and measure the
amount of water accumulated in the cup during 3 minutes.
3. Multiply the result by 20.
• If the result is within the DMS drain flow rate range - 5 to 20 l/h (1.3 to 5.3 GPH), proceed to entering
the pulse value in the controller as described below.
• If the result is lower than the minimum DMS drain flow rate - 5 l/h (1.3 GPH), add drippers and plants
on the DMS gutter, proportionally as to reach the minimum DMS drain flow rate.
• If the result is higher than the maximum DMS drain flow rate - 20 l/h (15.3 GPH), plug drippers
and remove plants from the DMS gutter, proportionally as to reduce the drain flow rate to the
maximum DMS drain flow rate.
EXAMPLE
Number of Flow rate of all the Drain flow rate on the DMS gutter (l/h)
drippers on the Single dripper drippers on the DMS
DMS gutter capacity (l/h) gutter (l/h) 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%
10 20 5 6 7 8 9 10
15 2 30 7.5 9 10.5 12 13.5 15
20 40 10 12 14 16 18 20
Entering the pulse value and drain delay time in the controller
Enter the pulse value in the irrigation controller (i.e. NMC-PRO, menu 7.9) according to the table below.
Pulse value related to drain flow rate
Drain flow rate (l/h) Pulse value (ml/pulse)
Up to 10 5
10-13 6
13 or higher 7
EC measurement
See the enclosed EC/pH transducer manual.
B
A
3
8
12
13
11
4
7
11
10
14 15
1
8
2
If the installation was not reported or was reported later than 30 days from the date of installation,
Netafim™ will warrant the DMS for a period of 18 months from the date of production, according to its
serial number.
If a defect is discovered during the applicable warranty period, Netafim™ will repair or replace, at its
discretion, the product or the defective part.
This warranty does not extend to repairs, adjustments or replacements of a DMS or part that results from
misuse, negligence, alteration, force majeure, lightning, power surge, improper installation or improper
maintenance.
If a defect arises in your Netafim™ product during the warranty period, contact your local Netafim™
representative.
Limited warranty
This warranty is subject to the conditions in Netafim's official warranty statement.
(For the full text of Netafim's official warranty statement, please contact your local Netafim™
representative).