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Sensors

Installing your BroodMinder

The Citizen Science Package contains two Broodminder-TH (temperature and humidity) or T2 (temperature only) Devices and a Broodminder-W hive scale. Here is where you install these devices:

Routine Maintenance

There is not much routine maintenance that is required. Please note that if your batteries are lasting less than 6 months, something is wrong and you should contact Support@Broodminder.com for replacement or refurbishment.

Spring

We have a video talking about spring maintenance on the support page at mybroodminder.com/resources. In the spring, it is a good time to clean up your devices. You can use 91% or better Isopropyl or Ethyl Alcohol, it will not harm the electronics.

You can place the wrappers in the freezer and then propolis will break off more easily.

Ensure that the scale wrapper is not cracked, that will allow rain to harm the sensors. You can seal any cracks with packing tape.

We also have replacem ent wrappers for all the devices on our website at Broodminder.com.

We also offer Refresh service where we replace the housings and batteries and test the devices. This is a very good option every couple of years to ensure that your devices are operating properly. There is more information at broodminder.com/collections/service-warranty/products/refresh-broodminder-t2

Winter Service check-list

For peace of mind and greater efficiency, we recommend servicing all of your devices at the end of each season. Starting the next season with empty memory devices, loaded batteries and updated firmware will put all the chances on your side.

If you would like us to do this for you go to BroodMinder-Refresh at BroodMinder.com. We will clean, test, add new batteries and housings. If something fails testing, then we will contact you and offer you a refurbished device at 50% the cost of a new device.

Prepare hardware

  • Order some CR2032 batteries to have enough stock

Note

Forget your supermarket and low cost sites where you won't have any quality guarantee. Order a batch of batteries in dedicated shops to get a fair price (about 0,50€). Farnell

  • Collect all your devices and bring them at home, you want to work comfortable
  • Make a full sync of all your devices with the Apiary App to catch any sample that the hub eventually missed (leave your phone syncing and charging and go for a coffee or two)

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T2 Maintenance

  • Change the battery as described in the video

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TH Maintenance

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  • Upgrade firmware as needed (see above)

W Maintenance

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Warning

Pull the battery carefully from one side of the holder while pushing the circuit board against the wooden part. This will avoid tou also pull the board out of the scale or breake the holder under too much pressure

Warning

Once you're done place the small tool carefully into its original location and avoid any interference if it hosts between the two amovible parts of the scale.

Hub Maintenance

  • Charge the battery to its maximum using a phone charger with a micro-usb cable

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  • Install any available firmware updates (Broodminder Cell App will tell you)
  • After upgrading the Cell Hub check you have the right APN either hologram or matooma.m2m (into Configure > Diagnostics > Cell Network > Custom APN)

Warning

Remember the battery (older white style, not the new silver battery) has two modes Always on and Auto off : in the apiary it has to be Always on.

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Device Firmware Updates

All BroodMinder devices have provision for Over-The-Air (OTA) upgrades. These are performed by the Bees app. For more information, go to this link.

resourcesmybroodminder.com/resources

and also read here : Device updating