Mass Start Scale

Mass Start Scale

image

The mass start scale is composed of 2 main parts

  1. The removable top board: plate with frame to hold your seedling trays, pots, etc
  2. The bottom frame: with 1 load cell in each corner (4 total) as well as the case to house the battery and electronics.

Usage

⚠️
Please ensure the scale is on a level surface and the top board is placed snug within each corner bracket of the bottom scale frame. An unbalanced frame can lead to weight fluctuations and inaccurate measurements.
Correct placement of the top board within the corner bracket of the bottom frame.
Correct placement of the top board within the corner bracket of the bottom frame.
Incorrect placement. Top board is hovering above the corner bracket of the bottom frame.
Incorrect placement. Top board is hovering above the corner bracket of the bottom frame.
  • Initiate an individual measurement by placing the magnetic telescopic pen onto the Sigrow logo sticker placed on the bottom frame of the scale (see video below for example). You will hear a beep.
  • Tare your Mass Start by placing the magnetic telescopic pen and hold onto the Sigrow sticker.
Example of 1. Short press to send message. 2. Long press to Tare

Scale Settings

NameDescription
Time sample

30mins. The factory default is 30 minutes.

Maximum weight

20kg

Accuracy

± 20 grams

Button - short press

send data reading at time of press

Button - long press (hold 5sec)

tare, set weight to zero

💡
The factory default sampling time is 30mins. If another time sample is required, the time sample can only be changed in the factory. Please note, a frequent time sample may affect the battery life.

Use Case

The Mass Start Scale facilitates monitoring the irrigation of germination and seed trays. This is done by measuring the water content and through these values determining the oxygen water balance of the soil.

Using the dry and wet point values, you can set alerts in the sigrow app

Water Content

👉
Tracking the water content allows the user to maintain their plants in the ideal range, thus eliminating fungi, increasing germination rate, and decreasing water use

By establishing the weight of the dry point and weight of the wet point, it is possible to determine the ideal range in which the plants should remain. With these minimum and maximum capacity values (drought and over saturation), it is possible to provide water when it is really needed, thus avoiding generating stress in the plants.

How to track water content:

Steps for tracking with positive values:

  1. Tare empty scale, place dry plant or seed tray on scale.
    1. Take note, this weight is the dry point.
  2. Tare scale with dry plant on top
  3. Water the plant and take note of new weight.
    1. This weight is the wet point.
  4. Leave the plant on the scale and watch how weight changes over time. (Weight change = water content in short time span)

Oxygen / water balance

Using the dry and wet points established above, it is possible to determine the oxygen water balance. For example, the dry point for your plant is 500g and the wet point is 1000g. Then for example around 700g your plants have the best water to air ratio.

With the use of the Mass Start Scale, it is possible to visually read the weight and determine the status of the oxygen water balance inside the pot at any time!

This is only applicable for certain plant states, not when the plant is growing rapidly as the weight and range will change too quickly.