Simple Monitoring Setup Optimizes Greenhouse Temperature Control

Temp & Humidity Data Loggers Find Cooler Zones

greenhouse temperature control application photoCAS DataLoggers provided the greenhouse temperature control and monitoring solution for a small greenhouse currently cultivating several species of herbs for cooking and medicinal purposes. From potting to product, each variety has to be kept at ideal growing conditions before sale. From his own experience, the owner preferred to maintain the crop around 70°F (21°C) and an 80% relative humidity. Last year he had already installed a climate control system, but its effects were heavily localized within the space rather than uniformly spread out. Rather than having to keep checking thermometers placed around the walls, the owner wanted to use data loggers to record and save enough readings to get a realistic temperature and humidity profile to find these colder and drier zones. Once he could see this profile, he would be able to check all current readings against this accurate baseline.

Installation

Since the customer requested an inexpensive greenhouse temperature control solution, CAS DataLoggers provided his application with 50 SwiTrace I-Plug USB Temperature and Humidity Data Loggers. After setting their sample rates to once every 10 minutes, staff placed 15 of the loggers among the plants using the provided self-adhering pouches, with a few placed on hanging pots. Their compact size made them easy to place anywhere needed. Staff activated each using the push-button start, and the data loggers now record the local temperature across a -40°C to +85°C (-40°F to 185°F) range as well as logging the humidity at an accuracy of 3% RH using their internal sensor. Measurements are accurate to a 0.3ºC resolution, and each data logger’s memory stores up to 8,000 samples.

Usage

greenhouse temperature control iplug data loggersTo collect the data after recording is finished, workers just use the built-in USB interface to plug the data loggers into the owner’s PC and read the data, with no USB drivers or other accessories required. After downloading the free software, the owner can view all this environmental data in the form of charts and graphs. In this way, workers can move the data loggers around to pinpoint the greenhouse’s cooler and drier zones so remedial measures can be taken.

Benefits

The greenhouse’s owner was new to data logging, so the I-Plug temperature and humidity data loggers were a user-friendly way for his business to get the benefits of automated data recording. Now the temperature and humidity data are all available in an organized, visual format on his PC, and this information is much more accurate than the thermometers previously used. Having established an environmental profile over weeks of sampling, the USB data loggers now show staff whenever the expected temperatures and RH go too high or low again.

For more information on the SwiTrace I-Plug loggers, greenhouse temperature control or to find the ideal solution for your application-specific needs, contact a CAS DataLogger Application Specialist at (800) 956-4437 or request more information.