YO AgriBox

Overview

Description

YO AgriBox is a LoRaWAN device for measuring soil moisture at up to 3 points. Additionally, the device contains sensors that measure temperature and relative humidity inside the device. YO AgriBox makes it easy to plan and maintain optimum growing conditions for plants.

Figure 1. Device top view

Device sticker placed on the right side of the device enclosure contains information about model, version, LoRaWAN region and 3 parameters important in case of device identification and configuration:

DEV EUI: 64-bit unique device identifier in a LoRaWAN network,
DEV ADDR: address required to connect via ABP activation type to LoRaWAN,
BLE MAC: Bluetooth physical address.

Figure 2. Device sticker

Features

LoRaWAN Technology: Available in multiple versions with LoRa radio configured for various regions and ISM frequency bands (e.g., EU868, US915, AU915), it is compatible with both private and public LoRaWAN networks and supports connections via ABP (Activation by Personalization) or OTAA (Over-The-Air Activation).
Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE): Enables easy configuration through a user-friendly JSON data exchange format, supports firmware updates via OTA (Over-the-Air), and boasts very low energy consumption.
Battery-Powered: 3x AA lithium batteries featuring very low self-discharge, ensuring long-term operation without the need for an external power supply.
Temperature and Relative Humidity: Measures temperature and relative humidity within the device enclosure, providing valuable insights into the surrounding environment.
Volumetric Water Content: Measures volumetric water content with high precision, adapting to different soil types for accurate irrigation management and optimized agricultural practices.
Yosensi Management Platform: Provides a web tool for device configuration, firmware updates, and infrastructure management. Enables comprehensive monitoring of transmitted data and easy device management.
Yosensi Mobile App: Effortlessly manage devices with features to register new ones, configure settings, perform firmware updates, view/send logs, and test LoRaWAN connectivity. Learn more in our detailed Yosensi App blog post.

Specifications

Physical

Figure 3. Dimensions of the device

Device

Attribute	Description
Dimensions	Height: 42 mm Width: 88 mm Depth: 64 mm
Colour	Light Grey
Mounting method	Horizontal Vertical (can be screwed to the wall)
Enclosure material	ABS
Level of protection	IP67, IK09
Weight (without batteries, excl. probes)	134 g

Soil Moisture sensor

Figure 4. Soil Moisture sensor

Attribute	Description
Dimensions	Height: 15 mm Width: 28 mm Depth: 150 mm
Colour	Grey
Cable length	2 m, (custom lengths available upon request)
Enclosure material	ABS
Level of protection	IP68
Weight	75 g

Operating Conditions

°C°F

Attribute	Description
Temperature	0°C to 70°C
Humidity	0 to 90%
Placement	Indoor use
Power supply	3 x LR6 (AA) battery (3 x 1.5 V)
Power consumption	Maximum: 120 mA DC (4.5 V DC)

Measured Values

°C°F

Parameter	Measurement range	Accuracy
Temperature (internal)	-40°C to 125°C	±0.2°C (5°C to 60°C)
Relative humidity (internal)	0% to 100%	±2% (20% to 80%)
Volumetric water content	0% to 100%	-

Controls and Indicators

LED Status Indicator

YO AgriBox communicates its current behaviour to the user by RGBW LED placed on the top.

Diode statuses interpretation

Behavior	Colour	Status
Single flash	Green	General: device is working correctly (power and memory).
Single flash	Red	General: device is working incorrectly (power and memory). LoRaWAN communication: failed to receive an acknowledgement from LoRaWAN Server within specified timeout.
Single flash	White	LoRaWAN communication: LoRaWAN frame sent / confirmation from LoRaWAN Server after receiving the frame.
Slow flashing	Blue	BLE communication: connection to the device via BLE (configuration).
Rapid flashing	Blue	LoRaWAN communication: connecting to LoRaWAN network.

Buttons

The YO AgriBox has a button for resetting the device. Figure 5 shows its placement. To reboot the device, press the reset button for a moment.

Figure 5. Reset button

Installation

Package Contents

Device (without batteries).
PG7 cable gland cap - 3pcs.
Warranty card.
(Optional) Soil moisture sensor - up to 3pcs (depending on the order).

Safety Precautions

NOTE

Go to the Safety Precautions section to see important information on handling, disposal and maintenance.

Installation Guide

Unscrew the device: remove 4 screws from the enclosure.

Figure 6. Unscrew the device

Unscrew the cable gland nut and remove the cap.

Figure 7. Device with removed top cover and PG7 cap marked

Pull the soil moisture sensor through the cable gland. You can connect one, two or three soil moisture sensors as required.

Figure 8. Input cable passing through the cable gland instructions

The soil moisture sensors should be connected according to the markings on the PCB, the sensor placed in CH1 should be inserted into the connectors marked "1" on the PCB, etc. Press the spring contact and insert the appropriate wire into the corresponding slot in the connector:
- brown wire (GND) - selected channel marked with „-” symbol
- green wire (OUT) - selected channel marked with „+” symbol
- Connect the white cable (VCC) to the 3,3 V socket
Tighten the cable gland to immobilize the external sensor wires and maintain tightness.

Figure 9. Connecting input cable instructions

Place three LR6 batteries in the device according to the polarity indicated on the battery holder.

Figure 10. Battery placement instructions

Assemble the device and screw it back together.
The accuracy of the reading depends on the correct installation of the sensor in the soil. Depending on the needs there are several possibilities of sensor installation. Figure 11 shows that the measuring probes can be completely buried and can be placed at different depths in the soil. Soil moisture can be measured with one, two or three sensors. It is also possible to place the sensors without burying them as in Figure 12.

Figure 11. Soil sensor mounting instructions 1

Figure 12. Soil sensor mounting instructions 2

Configuration

Configurable Parameters

A few parameters must be set before sending data to the gateway. The default firmware is configured in OTAA mode with predefined deveui, appkey (OTAA) and appskey, nwkskey (ABP).

Configuration of the device is stored in a JSON file divided into the following sections:

info (generic, read only): information about the device,
lorawan (generic): configuration data for LoRaWAN connection,
ble (generic): Bluetooth settings,
device (dynamic): individual configuration for a specific device (this section’s structure differs for each device),

Sample configuration file for the YO AgriBox device.

{
	"info": {
		"devmodel": "LNAG",
		"fwver": "3.6.2",
		"loraradio": "SX1261",
		"lorawanver": "1.0.2",
		"loraregion": "EU868",
		"blemacaddr": "0123456789ab"
	},
	"lorawan": {
		"subband": 1,
		"nwktype": "public",
		"acttype": "otaa",
		"otaa": {
			"deveui": "0123456789abcdef",
			"appeui": "fedcba9876543210",
			"appkey": "000102030405060708090a0b0c0d0e0f",
			"trials": 3
		},
		"abp": {
			"devaddr": "01234567",
			"nwkskey": "0123456789abcdef0123456789abcdef",
			"appskey": "000102030405060708090a0b0c0d0e0f"
	}
	},
	"ble": {
		"power": 0,
		"interval": 1600
	},
	"device": {
		"measinterval": 600,
		"ch1cablelength": 2,
		"ch2cablelength": 2,
		"ch3cablelength": 2,
		"soiltype": "organic"
	}
}

OTAA & ABP

OTAA	ABP
Device EUI	Device Address
Application EUI	Network Session Key
Application Key	Application Session Key
Number of Trials

Generic Parameters

Generic Parameters for Yosensi Devices.

Click here to see the generic parameters for Yosensi devices.

Parameters

Device Parameters

Name	Description	Possible Values	Default Value	Read/Write
measinterval	Measuring and sending interval LoRa [s]	60¹-999999	3600	R/W
ch1cablelength	Cable length for channel 1	2,5,10,15,20	2	R/W
ch2cablelength	Cable length for channel 2	2,5,10,15,20	2	R/W
ch3cablelength	Cable length for channel 3	2,5,10,15,20	2	R/W
soiltype	Type of soil in which the sensor is placed	organic mineral	organic	R/W
OTAA minimum 60 [s], ABP minimum 120 [s]

Parameters description

nwktype: used for setting the device in public or private network type.
acttype: used for setting the device in ABP or OTAA mode.
deveui, … , appskey: predefined addresses and keys, these parameters are generated using multiple IDs specific to the particular MCU and are unique for each device. They can be changed if needed.
interval: determines the interval of sending broadcast packets, used to connect to every BLE receiver around the device.
subband: used for setting the communication frequency sub-band in LoRaWAN.
measinterval: measurement interval [s] between sending LoRa packets.
ch1cablelength, ch2cablelength, ch3cablelength: cable length of each soil moisture sensor.
soiltype: parameter describing the type of soil in which the sensor is placed. This parameter significantly improves soil moisture collection for a specific soil. Organic type soil includes black earth, peat and muck soils. Mineral type are all the other soil categories. This feature is available with firmware 3.5.0 and above.

Downlink message

You can remotely adjust certain parameters by sending a downlink message through our platform. Simply navigate to the "COMMANDS" section for the selected device.

Update Measurement Interval

It is possible to change the measurement interval (measinterval) by using downlink. Information about changing the parameter will be sent from the server via the gateway.

Example of Downlink Message:

Prefix: 0x03
Measurement Index: 0x00
Data (up to 4 bytes in hex): 0258

Sample Downlink: 0x03000258 - Sets a measurement interval of 600 seconds (10 minutes).

Connecting Nodes to the Network with Yosensi Management Platform

Click here to see how to connect a node using the Yosensi Management Platform.

Node Configuration with Yosensi Management Platform

See how to configure a node in Yosensi Management Platform

Node Configuration via Yosensi Mobile Application

Check how to adopt and configure a node via the Yosensi App.

Frequency Plan

Take a look at the list of frequency plans used in Yosensi.

Payload Description

This datasheet describes the payload protocol developed by Yosensi for communicating with our devices.

Payload Decoder

If you want to connect to your own server, it is necessary to decode the specific payload for each device. To accomplish this, a payload decoder is required, which can be downloaded using the following link: Payload decoder. You can also use our integrated Payload Decoder here. Extended documentation of the protocol can be found in the Payload description on our website.

Compliance Statements

NOTE

To view or download the Declaration of Conformity for YO AgriBox go here

YO AgriBox

Overview​

Description​

Features​

Specifications​

Physical​

Device​

Soil Moisture sensor​

Operating Conditions​

Measured Values​

Controls and Indicators​

LED Status Indicator​

Diode statuses interpretation​

Buttons​

Installation​

Package Contents​

Safety Precautions​

Installation Guide​

Configuration​

Configurable Parameters​

OTAA & ABP​

Generic Parameters​

Parameters​

Device Parameters​

Downlink message​

Update Measurement Interval​

Payload Decoder​

Compliance Statements​