GAIA A18 Air Quality Monitoring Station
solar panel powered and long distance LoRA radio

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Gaia A18 product view

Overview

The GAIA A18 is an improved GAIA A12 design, with solar panel power and long-distance radio, allowing the station to operate in areas where either power supply or WiFi connectivity is unavailable.

Battery and Solar Powered

The GAIA A18 can operate using the battery for seven days without a recharge (when using LoRa). The solar panel battery can recharge the battery within a few hours under direct sun conditions. Using both the solar panel and the battery, the station can operate forever off-grid, provided there are a few sunny days every week.

Battery & Power Consumption:

  • Battery Model: 18650 LiPO battery (standard battery)
  • Capacity: 3400 mAh 3.7V (12.5 Wh)
  • Lifetime: 7+ days without solar harvesting (using LoRa)
  • Sensing Cycle: 30 seconds every 5 minutes (configurable)
  • Power Consumption: 130µA in sleep mode, ~100mA in sensing mode

Solar Panel:

  • Max output: 8V 500mA (4W)
  • Dimensions: 220 * 130 * 7mm
  • Weight: 260g

Monitoring Device:

  • Dimensions: 115 * 90 * 55 mm, excluding antenna
  • Weight: 450 grams, excluding battery
  • Weight: 600 grams, including battery

Additional accessories included with the station:

  • 10m waterproof power cable
  • 3400 mAh 18650 battery
  • fixation straps

Optional extensions (let us know at ordering time):

  • Optional SD-Card storage for off-network operation.
  • Optional GPS module for geolocation
  • Optional high gain WiFi antenna

Enhanced Connectivity using LoRa ("Long Range")

The GAIA A18 can operate using WIFI like the GAIA A12. But it also comes with "long-range" connectivity support (LoRA), allowing you to locate your station several hundreds of meters up to several kilometers from your network gateway (depending on the line of sight). The GAIA A18 comes with an external WIFI/LoRA gateway.

The GAIA A18 also contains an optional internal GPS sensor to make it easier to locate your remote stations.

Pricing

The GAIA A18 with both solar panel+battery and LoRa features connectivity costs 350.
It is also possible to get the A18 with only one feature (either Solar or LoRa) for 280.
Support for the GPS cost an additional 50.

Product version GAIA A12 GAIA A18 Solar GAIA A18 LoRa GAIA A18 Solar+LoRa GAIA A18 Solar+LoRa+GPS
Network Connectivity WiFi WiFi LoRa + WiFi LoRa + WiFi LoRa + WiFi
Power Supply Power Outlet Battery + Solar Panel Power Outlet Battery + Solar Panel Battery + Solar Panel
Accessories 10 meters power cable 10 meters power cable
Solar Panel
10 meters power cable
LoRa gateway
10 meters power cable
Solar Panel
LoRa gateway
10 meters power cable
Solar Panel
LoRa gateway
GPS no no no no yes
Cost 200 280 280 350 380

GAIA A18 Solar+LoRa package content:


Ordering and Inquiry

Fill in the form below to get a quotation including the shipment cost.

Let us know if you have any additional requirements or questions
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Frequently Asked Questions:

  • Payment: It can be done using any regular credit card.
  • Discount: 10% discount when ordering 5 pieces, 20% when ordering 10 pieces or more.
  • DC Adapter: Products are shipped with localized power plug adaptors (USB power supply) for US, EU, AU and UK.

Installation & Mounting Instructions

Mounting:

Mounting with straps
Mounting with screws

There are 2 options for mounting the monitoring box:

  • Using screws: The GAIA enclosure is made of a standard outdoor ABS box, which comes with 4 holes dedicated to screwing the box.
  • Using standard plastic straps: The GAIA station is delivered with 2 straps of 1 meter, which can be used to fix the station on a pole.

Distance:

  • The station comes with a 10-meter (33-foot) power cable (5V with DC3.5 connector), so the station should be located no more than 10 meters away from the nearest power source. If needed, we can provide a longer power cable (contact us in this case).
  • The monitoring station uses a regular external WIFI antenna, which allows the station to be at most 20 meters away from the nearest WiFi access point. In case a longer distance is needed, an enhanced external antenna can be used (contact us in this case).

Location:

Average daily traffic
(vehicles per day)
Minimum distance in meters
≤1,000 10
10,000 10
15,000 20
20,000 30
40,000 50
70,000 100
≥110,000 250

Overall, the most important is to place the station somewhere protected from direct winds, rain, and dust sources.

For official stations, there are two more requirements, with the intent to locate the station on sites representative of the ambient air quality levels:

  • Height: The station should be mounted at a height above a minimum of 1.5 meters. The objective is to prevent dust resuspension, which can happen if someone is walking near the station.
  • Distance from road traffic: The station should be located at least 10 meters away from the nearest road. See the table on the right for full specifications.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How do the GAIA stations compare to the purple air stations?
  • Check the comparison page.
  • Can I see how the GAIA station is made?
  • Yes, check the internals page.
  • Can I access the station data?
  • We provide both API and CSV data download.
  • How is the WIFI setup done?
  • Check the setup page.
  • I need longer power cables:
  • Let us know at ordering time, we can provide cables up to 20 meters.
  • Can I use a PMS6003 instead of the PMS5003?
  • Yes, the upgrade costs 50 per station.
  • I do not want to share my exact location on the map:
  • No problem, you can decide which coordinates (latitude & longitude) are used for your station.
  • Can the station be operated offline, eg without WiFi:
  • Yes, check the GAIA A20, which supports up to 1 month offline data storage. It also comes with a solar panel and battery for off-grid usage.
  • Can the GAIA stations be integrated with Home Assistant:
  • Yes, we provide all the needed API for the integration.

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Back to the GAIA Air Quality Monitoring station page


About the Air Quality and Pollution Measurement:

About the Air Quality Levels

AQI Air Pollution Level Health Implications Cautionary Statement (for PM2.5)
0 - 50 Good Air quality is considered satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk None
51 -100 Moderate Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution. Active children and adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should limit prolonged outdoor exertion.
101-150 Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected. Active children and adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should limit prolonged outdoor exertion.
151-200 Unhealthy Everyone may begin to experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects Active children and adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should avoid prolonged outdoor exertion; everyone else, especially children, should limit prolonged outdoor exertion
201-300 Very Unhealthy Health warnings of emergency conditions. The entire population is more likely to be affected. Active children and adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should avoid all outdoor exertion; everyone else, especially children, should limit outdoor exertion.
300+ Hazardous Health alert: everyone may experience more serious health effects Everyone should avoid all outdoor exertion

To know more about Air Quality and Pollution, check the wikipedia Air Quality topic or the airnow guide to Air Quality and Your Health.

For very useful health advices of Beijing Doctor Richard Saint Cyr MD, check www.myhealthbeijing.com blog.


Usage Notice: All the Air Quality data are unvalidated at the time of publication, and due to quality assurance these data may be amended, without notice, at any time. The World Air Quality Index project has exercised all reasonable skill and care in compiling the contents of this information and under no circumstances will the World Air Quality Index project team or its agents be liable in contract, tort or otherwise for any loss, injury or damage arising directly or indirectly from the supply of this data.



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