The Air Quality Station contains the following sensors:

• Temperature (resolution 0.01 ^oC , accuracy 0.3 ^oC)
• Humidity (resolution 0.01 %, accuracy 3 %)
• Wind Speed (resolution 0.01 m/s, accuracy 0.5 m/s)
• Wind Direction (resolution 1 deg, accuracy 3 deg)
• Particulate Matter PM2.5 (resolution 1 ug/m3, accuracy 10 ug/m3)
• Particulate Matter PM10 (resolution 1 ug/m3, accuracy 10 ug/m3)

About Monitoring Air Quality

• The IIoT Air Quality Station measures air quality at both the <2.5-micron level and the <10-micron level (<2.5 ug/m3 and <10 ug/m3)
• The FreeWave Portal displays the data on the dashboard using the ug/m3 values
• You may be familiar with websites like AirNow which is a US government map of air quality. The AirNow numbers displayed are not a number match of the ug/m3 reading.
  • E.g US AQI of 15 ≠ 15 ug/m3. There is a calculator available to convert between the two units.
• Also, many jurisdictions in the world have their own air quality indexes where different index values refer to different ug/m3 readings. Please refer to your local country/state/province for the relevant index information should it be required

Installation Considerations

• The sensor contains a laser and this will remain calibrated for 12 months, after this time it requires re-calibration and/or replacement.  The specific module within the sensor is replaceable and costs US$85 + freight
• When humidity reaches 90%, the PM readings obtained from the air quality sensor become less accurate and will appear higher than the actual levels in the air
• The Air Quality Sensor should not be installed directly next to the other antennas. FreeWave antennas are omnidirectional and radiate in a doughnut shape. By placing the Air Quality Sensor directly next to an antenna, the antenna's performance can become limited which can interfere with the Fusion Mini's ability to collect data and transmit.
• As described in the specifications, the air quality sensor requires a 50mm hollow pipe for installation. 

Cold Climate Conditions

• In cold climates under 0 C / 32 F, lithium batteries will not charge when the solar panel receives sunlight. This is due to a restriction imposed by the battery manufacturer. In cold climates, charging a battery in cold weather can lead to lithium metal plating forming on the anode of the Fusion Mini leading to a potential battery short and failure
• In cold climates under 0 C / 32 F, lithium batteries have decreased performance and will discharge quicker than normal
• In snowy conditions, the panel can get covered in snow and the Fusion Mini will not charge. The snow covering the panel must either be removed manually or wait for ambient temperatures to rise to melt the snow. There is research being conducted on special coatings for the solar panel to reduce/eliminate snow build-up. You can view more here: https://news.umich.edu/spray-on-coating-could-make-solar-panels-snow-resistant/. Please note: These are not commercially available as yet.
• While the standard Fusion Mini is battery power with solar charging, there are options available for either external battery support or main power support for colder climates.
• If the Fusion Mini is configured for external battery support, then that is its permanent state. It cannot be used as a standard Fusion Mini with a Lithium battery. 
• Should you wish to discuss external battery support or mains power adapters, please contact FreeWave Support.

Days of Autonomy

Defined as the number of days that the battery can supply the device and associated sensor power loads without any support from the solar panel.

• The solution has a normal days of autonomy of 7-days, however, cold conditions and frequency of sensor readings will affect this.  We suggest running the Air Quality sensor only hourly to save battery (note we will move to a larger battery by default eventually).
• In cold conditions (below 0 C / 32 F) the days of autonomy can be reduced by as much as 60%.