Getting Started
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      Getting Started with ZONE

      Getting started: set up gateways, create a space and strain, and starting a dry on the ZONE dashboard

      Summary

      This article provides a step-by-step guide on how to initiate a dry with ZONE and explains the fundamental concepts that the dashboard is based on. Before accessing the dashboard, you will need to set up gateways.

      Logging into the dashboard

      Navigate to the ZONE dashboard and use your username and temporary password to login to your account which you received from Growvera. 

      Growvera ZONE Login ScreenFigure 1. The Growvera ZONE login screen

      Once you login with your temporary password, you will be prompted to enter a new password and your phone number. This number is for support purposes only. If you have trouble logging in, do not hesitate to reach out via the customer portal.  

      Once you have set your password, you will be navigated to the ZONE dashboard home screen, which will initially be empty. Growvera ZONE Initial Login Dashboard-png

      Figure 2. The blank ZONE dashboard.

      Until we get some dries going, the home screen will stay blank. Time to set up some gateways!

      Set Up Gateways 🛜

      Growvera Utilizes three different gateways

      If your gateway looks like the one below, click here.

      RAK Gateway PoE

      Or, if your gateway looks like the one below, click here.

      RAK Outdoor gateway

      Or, if your gateway looks like the one below, click here.

      Growvera Gateway Ethernet-png

      RAK Gateway Anatomy

      RAK Gateways have 5 core components.

      RAK Gateway Anatomy (1)

      Figure 3. RAK Gateway Anatomy. Note that the antenna will not come connected

      1. Antenna
        When you first receive the gateway, the antenna will not be connected. Screw the antenna all the way into the SMA terminal on the top right side of the gateway for optimal functionality.
      2. Ethernet / PoE port
        For connection to the network. This gateway supports PoE, so you can power and connect the gateway with a single cable. 
      3. Power
        The gateway takes 12 Volt DC power.
      4. Sticker with Gateway ID
        This is the sticker on which the 16 digit unique gateway ID is printed. This ID is used to identify gateways on the dashboard under the Settings tab. 
      5. Status LED
        There is a single indicator LED directly above the Growvera Sticker that will indicate different things. 
        Green LED --> Booting:  The gateway is booting up and attempting to establish a connection
        Blue LED --> Connected: The gateway has successfully connected to the network.
        Red LED --> Failed: The gateway lost network connection and is trying to reconnect.

      RAK Gateway PoE 

      Figure 4. A RAK gateway powered over PoE. Note the red LED indicating that the gateway is offline.

      Powering and Connecting the RAK Gateway

      RAK Gateways transport ZONE sensor data to the dashboard. Gateways require a few things for proper functionality.

      1. Power
      2. Ethernet Connection
      3. Antenna

      1 and 2 can be provided via two separate cables as in Figure 5 or via power-over-ethernet (POE) as in Figure 4. 

      Gateway Boot Sequence ℹ️ 

      When you first power on a gateway, it will take ~1.5 minutes to boot. If all goes well, the LED indicator will turn green (booted) and then blue (network connected). If the gateway never blinks blue, check your network connection and ensure the power is connected. 

       

      RAK Gateway Power and Ethernet

      Figure 5. A Gateway Connected via a Power Cord and Ethernet cable. The blue LED indicates that the gateway is powered and connected to the network

      The antenna is included in the box the gateway came in. Screw the antenna all the way into the SMA terminal on the top-right side of the gateway. Feel free to orient the antenna as you please. 

      Once you have powered and connected the gateway, proceed to positioning the gateway. 

      RAK Outdoor Gateway Anatomy

      RAK Outdoor Gateways have 5 core components.

      RAK Outdoor Gateway Anatomy

      Figure 6. RAK Outdoor Gateway Anatomy. Note that the antennas will not come connected

      1. LoRa Antenna
        When you first receive the gateway, this antenna will not be connected. Screw the antenna all the way into the F-Type terminal on the top left side of the gateway.
      2. Cellular Antenna
        When you first receive the gateway, this antenna will not be connected. Screw the antenna all the way into the F-Type terminal on the top right side of the gateway.
      3. PoE Connector
        For connection to the network. This gateway supports PoE, so you can power and connect the gateway with a single cable. 
      4. Sticker with Gateway ID
        This is the sticker on which the 16 digit unique gateway ID is printed. This ID is used to identify gateways on the dashboard under the Settings tab. 
      5. Status LEDs
        There are 6 different indicators on the bottom right side of the gateway. You will need to examine 3 primary indicators.
        PWR:  The gateway power indicator. Green when good. 
        ETH: The gateway ethernet connected indicator. Green when good. 
        LoRa: The gateway LoRa (wireless protocol used to communicate with sensors) indicator. Green when good. 

      Powering and Connecting the RAK Outdoor Gateway

      RAK Outdoor Gateways are IP65 rated and transport ZONE sensor data to the dashboard. Gateways require a few things for proper functionality.

      1. Antennas
      2. Sealed terminals for waterproofing
      3. Sealed Power over Ethernet (PoE) Connection

      Setting up the Antennas  

      Connect the longer antenna labeled LoRa to the F-Type connector labeled LoRa on the top left side of the gateway. Connect the short antenna labeled Cellular to the F-Type connector labeled LTE-MAIN on the top right side of the gateway. 

      Waterproofing the other Gateway Connectors

      Screw in the F-Type sealing caps over the three other F-Type antenna connectors (labeled Wifi, GPS, and LTE-DIV/LoRa2) to seal these connectors.  

      Connecting and Waterproofing PoE

      The RAK outdoor gateway takes PoE directly. If your network switch supports PoE, you can proceed to waterproofing the PoE connection. If your network switch does not support PoE, use the PoE Injector that came in your gateway kit. Set up the PoE Injector by  

      1. Providing the PoE Injector with power via an outlet
      2. Plugging in the ethernet cable from your local network into the LAN port on the injector. 
      3. Plugging in the ethernet cable that will power your gateway into the PoE port on the injector. 

      ❗PoE Injector is NOT Waterproof ❗

      The PoE injector that comes in the gateway kit is NOT WATERPROOF. If using the injector, ensure that it is not exposed to water or fog. 

      To waterproof the gateway PoE connection point, do the following:

      1. Disassemble the Waterproof Cable Gland:
        1. Unscrew the sealing nut (the rounded nut) from the gland body.
        2. Remove the rubber sealing insert from within the gland body.
      2. Feed Ethernet cable through the gland:
        1. Pass the Ethernet cable through the body of the gland. The RJ45 connector should emerge from the other end of the gland (the other side from where the sealing nut was positioned), ready to be plugged into the gateway.
        2. Plug the RJ45 connector into the Ethernet port on the LoRaWAN Gateway. Ensure it is securely connected.
      3. Install the Gland on the Gateway
        1. Insert the body of the waterproof gland into the designated hole on the gateway's Ethernet port opening.
        2. Use the locknut to secure the gland body to the gateway, ensuring it is tightly fastened.
      4. Seal the Waterproof Gland
        1. Position the rubber sealing insert around the Ethernet cable within the gland body. 
        2. Tighten the sealing nut (rounded) onto the gland body, compressing the sealing insert around the cable to create a watertight seal.
      5. Verify the Seal
        1. Ensure that the gland is properly tightened and that there is a secure, watertight seal around the Ethernet cable.
        2. Check for any gaps or areas where water could potentially enter.
      6. Connect the other end of the Ethernet cable
        1. Plug the other end of the Ethernet cable into your network equipment (such as a router or switch).

      Gateway Boot Sequence ℹ️ 

      When you first power on a gateway, it will take ~1.5 minutes to boot. If all goes well, the PWR, ETH, and LoRa LED indicators will turn green. If the ETH indicator does not show green, check your network connection and ensure the ethernet cable is connected properly. 

      Once you have powered and connected the gateway, proceed to positioning the gateway. 

      Kerlink Gateway Anatomy

      Kerlink gateways have 5 core components.

      Growvera Gateway Anatomy (1)-png

      Figure 7. Kerlink gateway Anatomy. Note that the antenna will not come connected

      1. Antenna
        When you first receive the gateway, the antenna will not be connected. Screw the antenna all the way into the SMA terminal on the right side of the gateway for optimal functionality.
      2. Ethernet Port
        For connection to the network.
      3. Power
        The gateway takes 12 Volt DC power.
      4. Sticker with Gateway ID
        This is the sticker on which the 16 digit unique gateway ID is printed. This ID is used to identify gateways on the dashboard under the Settings tab. 
      5. Status LEDs
        There are three indicators on the front side (the side with the Growvera Sticker) of the gateway. With the gateway oriented so that the antenna is on the right hand side of the gateway, the LEDs indicate the following.
        Left LED --> Power indicator: Solid Green if the gateway is powered properly. Red is bad. The LED blinks while booting.
        Center LED --> Network indicator: Solid Green if network connection is good. Red if the network connection is lost. This LED also blinks while booting.
        Right LED --> Data indicator: Will briefly blink green if it received a transmission from a sensor and red if the gateway is sending a transmission.

      Growvera Gateway Offline-png 

      Figure 8. A gateway that is offline indicated by the red LED in the center.

      Indicators for Setup ℹ️ 

      When you are setting up the gateway, you will only need to pay attention to the left and center LED indicators. 

      Powering and Connecting the Kerlink Gateway

      Kerlink gateways transport ZONE sensor data to the dashboard. Gateways require a few things for proper functionality.

      1. Power
      2. Ethernet Connection
      3. Antenna

      1 and 2 can be provided via two separate cables as in Figure 9 or via one power-over-ethernet (POE) cable using the POE splitter included in the gateway shipment as in Figure 10. 

      Gateway Boot Sequence ℹ️ 

      When you first power on a gateway, it will take ~1.5 minutes to boot. If all goes well, the left Power LED indicator (left) will turn solid green and then the Network LED indicator (center) will turn solid green. If either of these two LEDs are not solid green after ~3 minutes, check the power connection and network connectivity. 

       

      Growvera Gateway Ethernet-png

      Figure 9. A Kerlink gateway Connected via a Power Cord and Ethernet cable. Note the left and center LEDs indicating green mean the gateway is powered and connected to the network, respectively

      The antenna is included in the box the gateway came in. Screw the antenna all the way into the SMA terminal on the right side of the gateway. Feel free to orient the antenna as you please. 

      Growvera Gateway POE-png

      Figure 10. A Kerlink Gateway Connected via a single POE cable using the included POE splitter. Note the left and center LEDs indicating green mean the gateway is powered and connected to the network, respectively

      Positioning

      It is crucial to position the gateways within the drying room you wish to monitor, ensuring they are within range of the ZONE sensors. If you are monitoring multiple rooms, it is possible to use a single gateway as long as the rooms are relatively close together. Without gateways within range of the ZONE sensors, the data will not be transmitted to the ZONE dashboard.

      Multiple Gateways  ℹ️

      For large deployments with multiple gateways, we recommend placing a gateway within each dry room you'd like to monitor. 


      Verifying Connectivity

      Once you have set up your gateways and the indicators are solid green, navigate back to the ZONE dashboard. In ZONE dashboard, click on the Settings tab and scroll all the way down to the Gateways section. If everything went well during setup, you will see all of your gateways represented by tiles with a little green status indicator representing that the gateways are connected to the network and ready to go.   

      GatewayTilesZONE-png

      Figure 11. An example gateway section of the ZONE Dashboard Settings tab, showing one gateway (ID: 7276ff0044071255) as online and the other gateway (ID: 7276ff004407125b) as offline.

      The hard work is done, time to set up your dashboard!

      Creating a Space: Monitoring your Environment 🌡️

      ZONE considers a space to be any location in which plants are being dried. This could be a shipping container, a laminar flow drying room, a box, a dirt lot... or anything else. Name it whatever you like! We suggest that the space be tied, in your mind, to a physical location that you can identify in case we send you an alert.

      Alerting Ranges ℹ️

      When configuring your acceptable ranges for your spaces, bear in mind that the sensors are reporting temperature and humidity from directly next to the drying plants. This can be a dynamic climate that a temperature and humidity sensor placed nearby but not within the plants often does not do a good job capturing.

      Creating a Strain: Nailing your Moisture 💧

      ZONE considers a strain to be any group of plants that are dried together for which a target moisture is trying to be achieved. We suggest you assign ZONE dries for every strain in a given space. If you do not want to do this, please see our knowledge base for a guide.

      Flower Lot Moisture Targets ℹ️ 

      You can get granular with strains and using them to target different moistures per flower lot!

      Start a New Dry: Bringing it all Together 🌟

      ZONE considers a dry to be a strain in a space, dried for a certain amount of time. In this section, you will use the space and strain you just configured to start a new dry.

      Add a New Dry

      Once you have created the dry, you can always go back and update prior to starting the dry 👍

      Setup and Start the Dry

      Assign a Sensor Pack to a Pending Dry

       

      Unwanted T/H Alerts ℹ️

      Sometimes the acceptable temperature and humidity ranges you end up setting for a dry are too tight. You can update these ranges while the dry is ongoing to ensure you receive alerts only when the room has adverse conditions.

      Set Up the Assigned Sensor Pack

      Grab your sensors and push the button, this will activate the plant connection test.

      Plant Connection Test:

      🔴 blinks : sensor is not connected to a plant.

      🟢 blinks : sensor has a great connection to a plant.

      🟡 blinks : sensor has a good connection to a plant.

      Attach your sensor that is blinking red 🔴 to the central stem as close to the head cola as you can. If you have made proper connection with the plant, the sensor will blink green 🟢.

      As soon as the sensor is blinking green, you can move on to the next sensor!

      Once you have connected all your sensors to the plants, go back to your dashboard to start your dry.

      Start the Dry

      After you start the dry, the first data points will be visible within 15 minutes. For an example of the type trends you might see, please see the ZONE in action case studies.

      If the average temperature or humidity falls outside of the range you configured, ZONE will send you an alert. Similarly, once the target moisture you set has been achieved, ZONE will notify you. For more information on the types of alerts and the triggering logic, please see the Alerts article.

      Ending the Dry 🛑 

      Ending a Dry ℹ️

      Ending a dry is an irreversible process, once you have ended a dry, it cannot be restarted.

      Congratulations, you now have all the knowledge to be able to create and start and end dries in ZONE! This is the fundamental mechanism through which you will revolution your drying operations. Check out the ZONE Dashboard Overview for a deeper dive into the ZONE dashboard functionality. 

      Happy drying 🍃