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Vineyard & Winery Elf EN

Hardware installation - complete guide from purchase to integration

Updated at: • 6 min read

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  1. Introduction
  2. Part 1: Ecowitt weather station
  3. What to buy
  4. Step 1: Physical installation
  5. Step 2: Ecowitt configuration
  6. Step 3: Getting the API keys
  7. Step 4: Integration with VineyardElf
  8. Part 2: OpenSprinkler - sprinkler control
  9. What to buy
  10. Step 1: Physical installation
  11. Step 2: First-time setup
  12. Step 3: Testing the system
  13. Step 4: Integration with VineyardElf
  14. Part 3: Frost protection - the whole system in action
  15. How it works together
  16. Configuring the frost loop
  17. Our settings (Pustkowie Vineyard)
  18. Tips from experience
  19. Cost summary
  20. Problems? Questions?
  21. Related articles

Introduction

This guide walks you through buying and installing a complete vineyard monitoring and protection system:

  • Ecowitt weather station - temperature, humidity, wind, rainfall
  • Ground-level thermometer - crucial for frost protection
  • OpenSprinkler - remote control of irrigation/sprinklers

This is the same stack we run at our own Pustkowie Vineyard, which in spring 2025 successfully protected the vines from frost (the temperature dropped to -1.9°C, with 0% losses).

Part 1: Ecowitt weather station

What to buy

Basic kit (recommended):

  • Ecowitt GW1100 or GW2000 - WiFi gateway (~€35-60)
  • WH32 or WH31 - outdoor temperature/humidity sensor (included in kits or ~€20)

Optional (useful):

  • WS69 or WH65 - full station (wind, rain, UV) (~€100-140)
  • WN34 - ground-level temperature sensor (crucial!) (~€15)

Where to buy:

  • Amazon and local marketplaces
  • Home-automation retailers
  • Directly from ecowitt.com (longer shipping)

Step 1: Physical installation

Gateway (GW1100/GW2000):

  1. Place it inside a building with WiFi coverage
  2. Connect it to power (USB or a power adapter)
  3. Position it where the radio signal from the sensors can reach

Outdoor sensor:

  1. Mount it on a post or wall on the north side (out of direct sunlight!)
  2. Height: 1.5-2 m above the ground
  3. Away from buildings and concrete (they store heat)

Ground-level sensor (WN34) - IMPORTANT for frost:

  1. Place it about 10-20 cm above the ground
  2. In the middle of the vineyard, not at the edge
  3. Shield it from direct sunlight (a small cover)
  4. This is the sensor that decides when the sprinklers turn on!

Step 2: Ecowitt configuration

Mobile app:

  1. Download “Ecowitt” from the App Store or Google Play
  2. Create an account
  3. Add the device (GW1100/GW2000):
    • Reset the gateway (hold the button)
    • Connect your phone to the gateway’s WiFi network (ECOWITT-XXXX)
    • Enter your own WiFi network details
    • The gateway will connect to the internet

Pairing sensors:

  1. Insert batteries into the sensors
  2. In the app, open the gateway settings
  3. The sensors should appear automatically
  4. Assign channels (e.g. Channel 1 = main, Channel 2 = ground level)

Step 3: Getting the API keys

In the Ecowitt console:

  1. Log in at ecowitt.net
  2. Go to View Devices and make sure you can see data
  3. Click Settings → API Keys
  4. Generate:
    • Application Key (a long string)
    • API Key (a shorter one)
  5. Save both keys - you will need them for VineyardElf!

Step 4: Integration with VineyardElf

  1. In VineyardElf, go to Settings → Weather station
  2. Choose the type: Ecowitt
  3. Enter:
    • Application Key
    • API Key
  4. Save and wait about 5 minutes
  5. Your data should appear on the dashboard!

Tip: Make sure Ecowitt is set to send data to the cloud (this is enabled by default).

Part 2: OpenSprinkler - sprinkler control

What to buy

Controller:

  • OpenSprinkler 3.0 AC (~$170) - for 24V AC valves (standard)
  • OpenSprinkler 3.0 DC (~$160) - for DC (latching) valves

Where to buy:

You will also need:

  • Solenoid valves (one per zone) - Hunter, Rain Bird, etc.
  • Valve wiring (two-core cable for each valve)
  • 24V AC power supply (often included)
  • Optionally: rain sensor, flow sensor

Step 1: Physical installation

Controller:

  1. Mount it in a dry location (electrical box, garage)
  2. Connect the 24V AC power supply
  3. Connect an Ethernet cable or set up WiFi

Valves:

  1. Install the valves on the irrigation pipes
  2. Run a two-core cable from each valve to the controller
  3. Connect:
    • One wire from each valve to COM (common)
    • The other wire to the matching zone (1, 2, 3…)

Wiring diagram:

Valve 1: wire A → COM, wire B → Zone 1
Valve 2: wire A → COM, wire B → Zone 2
Valve 3: wire A → COM, wire B → Zone 3
... and so on

Step 2: First-time setup

Connecting to the network:

  1. Connect an Ethernet cable (the easiest option) or:
  2. Hold the B2 button - the controller creates a WiFi hotspot
  3. Connect to the “OS_XXXXXX” network (password: opendoor)
  4. Open 192.168.4.1 and configure WiFi

Finding the IP address:

  1. Check in your router which IP the OpenSprinkler received
  2. Or use the OpenSprinkler app (iOS/Android)
  3. Note the IP address (e.g. 192.168.1.105)

Web panel:

  1. Open http://[IP-ADDRESS] in your browser
  2. Default password: opendoor (change it!)
  3. Configure:
    • The device name
    • The time zone
    • Zone names (e.g. “Sprinklers section A”, “Drip line rows 1-5”)

Step 3: Testing the system

Manual run:

  1. In the web panel, go to Manual Control
  2. Turn each zone on for 1 minute
  3. Physically check that the valves open and water flows
  4. Listen for the click of the solenoid valve

Troubleshooting:

  • No click → check the wiring
  • Click but no water → the valve is blocked or there is no pressure
  • Valve does not close → damaged valve or wrong polarity (DC)

Step 4: Integration with VineyardElf

Option A: Via IP address (local network)

  1. In VineyardElf, go to Settings → OpenSprinkler
  2. Enter:
    • The controller’s IP address (e.g. 192.168.1.105)
    • The device password
  3. Save

Option B: Via OTC (remotely, through the cloud)

  1. In the OpenSprinkler app, generate an OTC (One-Time-Code)
  2. In VineyardElf, enter the OTC instead of the IP
  3. This works even when you are not on the same network!

Testing the integration:

  1. The OpenSprinkler status should appear on the VineyardElf dashboard
  2. Try starting the sprinklers from within VineyardElf
  3. If it works - success!

Part 3: Frost protection - the whole system in action

How it works together

Ecowitt (ground-level thermometer)
         ↓
    Temperature: -0.5°C
         ↓
    VineyardElf detects the risk
         ↓
    Sends a command to OpenSprinkler
         ↓
    The sprinklers turn on automatically
         ↓
    Ice on the buds protects them from frost!

Configuring the frost loop

  1. Make sure that:
    • The Ecowitt station is running and sending data
    • OpenSprinkler is connected
    • You have a ground-level thermometer (this is what counts for frost!)
  2. In VineyardElf:
    • Go to Frost protection
    • Set the temperature threshold (default: start below 2°C, stop above 3°C)
    • Choose which zones should turn on
  3. Enable the loop:
    • Click Start the frost loop
    • The system will begin monitoring 24/7
    • You will get an alert when the sprinklers turn on

Our settings (Pustkowie Vineyard)

  • Start threshold: ground temperature below 2°C AND a downward trend
  • Emergency threshold: temperature below 0.5°C (start immediately)
  • Stop threshold: temperature above 3°C
  • Zones: 6 sprinkler zones, all turned on together
  • Season: March 1 - June 14

Tips from experience

  1. Test before the season! - Run everything manually and check
  2. Check the water pressure - Sprinklers need at least 2-3 bar
  3. Monitor water usage - A night of sprinkling uses a lot of water
  4. Have a backup - An SMS alert when the system turns on
  5. The ground-level thermometer is crucial - The temperature at ground level can be 2-3°C lower!

Cost summary

Item Approximate price
Ecowitt GW1100 + sensor ~€50-70
Extra WN34 thermometer ~€15
OpenSprinkler 3.0 ~$170
Valves (x6) ~€70-140
Wiring, connectors ~€25-50
TOTAL ~€330-450

It is an investment, but a single season saved from frost pays for itself many times over!

Problems? Questions?

  • Check our other knowledge base articles
  • Email [email protected]
  • Join the winemakers’ group on Facebook
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