Initially posted 8-27-2014
Bonsai Tree Safety Methods. GPS, Chipping and Movement Sensors.
Safety has been a difficulty for a lot of bonsai artists, particularly these with precious timber or those that have had timber stolen previously. Many individuals have completely different methods for shielding bonsai. This text will cowl a number of examined strategies we use. The strategies described will be carried out with off the shelf parts.
#1, Movement Sensors.
Chamberlain manufactures a terrific movement sensor system, half quantity CWA2000. This technique comes with one wi-fi sensor and one base station. You plug the bottom station into the wall and mount the wi-fi sensor within the space you wish to monitor. The bottom station will help a further 7 sensors, half quantity CWPIR. Two sensors run in a cross sample will cowl a bonsai backyard that’s 30×30 toes. Add extra sensors round your facility for added safety. Eight sensors will present good total safety for a half acre lot. The bottom station beeps one to eight instances relying on which sensors has been activated.
The sensors are good high quality plastic, have nice battery life and a variety of 1 half mile. The bottom station/receiver will run on batteries within the occasion of an influence failure. The batteries will last as long as 18 months. The bottom station and sensors require 4 AA batteries every.
False alarms from flying birds and swaying timber do occur and ought to be a consider your set up. The sensors will be adjusted for 15 or 30 toes. They’re set at 30 toes from the manufacturing unit. False alarms are very uncommon at night time. If the sensor is activated at night time it ought to be taken very severely.
Total the system is simple to mount and program. If you happen to run into issues and or have questions please e-mail me from the contact web page on the web site.
TIPS:
- Keep away from utilizing rechargeable batteries.
- Don’t over tighten the battery covers.
- Windy days might trigger timber to sway and false alarms. If this turns into annoying you
can decrease the station quantity or flip the gadget off altogether till the annoyance passes. - Set up the sensors in a round route round your property in consecutive
order. Instance. Sensor 1, 2, 3… and so forth. It will assist you to simply
determine the situation when a sensor has been activated. Location one will
beep as soon as and placement 8 will beep 8 instances. - If you happen to program the primary sensor and it has two beeps you should restart the
course of. Two beeps means the unit already had a sensor programmed in slot
1 and can trigger points once you add extra sensors. - Check all sensors earlier than mounting them.
- Check all sensors on a bi-monthly foundation. They might turn into deprogrammed or cease
transmitting. - Use good identify model non-rechargeable batteries. You will discover Duracell AA
batteries on Ebay for about 70 cents every. - Keep away from mounting the sensors straight within the path of a sprinkler head.
- Paint the sensors to match the environment. If mounting on a pine tree you’ll be able to
use a pair squirts of grey, brown and maroon for nice camouflage. - The bottom station and sensor combo prices round $40. Extra sensors will be
discovered for $22 to $40 every. I’ve had seen the very best costs on Amazon. The
costs do fluctuate. It can save you a number of {dollars} if you’re affected person.
#2, RFID Tags.
These have been lined earlier than so I cannot go too far into element. They’re very small microchips which might be implanted into your tree or pot for distinctive identification. That is just like a VIN quantity for a automotive or a serial quantity for a cellphones. It helps show possession and tree identification with using a pet scanner. A $20 cell phone and constant pets have figuring out serial numbers, why not your $500 Black Pine? The tags are bought by a number of corporations together with us. Bontag and BonsaiChip to call a number of.
#3, Bonsai Satellite tv for pc Monitoring Gadgets GPS.
That is essentially the most thrilling safety measure I’ve come throughout. An organization referred to as Globalstar has a spin-off LLC referred to as Spot. This firm has a few nice merchandise together with the Spot Hint. The Hint is a s small GPS gadget measuring about 2x3x1 inches. The unit is waterproof. Activation and setup will be difficult however the finish result’s a dependable unit. As soon as its activated you’ll be able to bury it in your bonsai soil about 1/2 inch deep and overlook about it. You possibly can program the unit to examine in by way of e-mail or SMS as soon as a day. The unit will notify you within the occasion it has detected motion and assist you to monitor your tree in close to actual time. You too can setup a “GEO fence”, an digital space to designated as residence. As soon as the tree leaves that space you’ll be notified.
An important function is battery life. Earlier know-how has solely allowed for monitoring units to final about 3 stable days earlier than fees. It’s because GSM monitoring units are principally cellphones with out a keypad. They should talk regularly with cell towers. This leads to extreme battery consumption. Different components akin to variable sign, tower hand-off and gadget monitoring may trigger extra battery consumption.
No want to fret about quick battery life with the Spot Hint. This unit bypasses the entire GSM cell phone tower issues and communicated straight with outer house. Its really a GPS gadget. How cool is that! It conserves battery energy till wanted. It solely transmits a small packet of information as soon as per day to examine in or when motion has been detected.
One other benefit is international monitoring because the gadget communicates straight with LEO satellites, not impartial telephone carriers that may have poor sign areas or solely function in particular areas.
The battery will theoretically final 12-24 months as a result of a bonsai tree is stationary most of its life requiring minimal transmissions. Its essential to make use of the producer really useful alternative AA lengthy life batteries. These batteries value about $5 every. Spot requires two.
Spot presents nice technical help. It is a new know-how for them. The interface will be considerably complicated. The preliminary setup can take a number of days to grasp earlier than you might be assured to bury your monitoring gadget. Its definitely worth the wait. As soon as it has been setup and you’ve got totally examined the gadget you’ll be able to bury and overlook about it. It should examine in as soon as per day and notify you when motion is detected. It should ship location updates through the motion and notify you when the batteries must be modified.
Value is an element. The gadget has a retail worth of $100. I’ve discovered them on sale for $75 and $80 every with mail in rebate. I’d advocate you buy these straight from findmespot.com or a certified supplier to make sure you obtain the correct guarantee and technical help. Many retailers of this product have web site coupon codes that may additional cut back the worth. The opposite expense is the service. It runs $100 per yr or $8.35 per 30 days. It is a stable funding for collections that exceed $10 grand in worth.
Placement is essential. Only a few individuals have hundred thousand greenback collections and might afford a number of monitoring units. I’d advocate you buy one unit and place it on a “bait tree”. This is able to be the tree more than likely to be stolen out of your assortment due to measurement, high quality and placement.
Total it is a good funding for the superior bonsai artist. Its not a whole safety scheme. If added to different safety measures it can make for a sound funding.
If you happen to do buy this gadget and have some Spot/bonsai associated questions be at liberty contact me from the contact web page on the web site. Normal technical help from Spot can also be accessible.
Is essential to notice that this unit is marketed as waterproof however not assured in opposition to water injury. Fundamental mechanical abilities are required when sealing the unit again up after a battery change.
Good luck and thanks for the continued help.