Handheld or Remote Grain Monitoring, Which Is Better?

Grain temperature control has been an integral part of the bottom line for farmers and grain managers over the years. Fortunately, farmers have had the choice between handheld and remote grain monitoring technologies for a while now. Which is right for you?

Grain management requirements shift when a farm’s storage needs expand. It may be through acquisition or rental of more farmable land or moving storage from coops to on-site. If that’s not your operation, then staying with handheld may still be your choice. On the other hand, it’s possible that you too have outgrown portable monitors.

The good news is that the answer is already at hand. Practically everything that you can switch off and on these days is now linked to the Internet of Things. The term “smart” is probably what first drew your attention to these technologies. Smartphones, smart houses, and smart automobiles are just a few examples of the newest technological advancements.

All kinds of autonomous technology in farming can communicate without needing human interaction. Agriculture has also made such innovations as a full-featured remote grain monitoring system that’s “smart” in every way for farmers.

However, some farmers still don’t have access to the Internet from their geographic location. These farmers and others with smaller operations can benefit from handheld grain monitoring.

So, let’s take a look at these two monitoring systems to weigh the benefits for your situation.

What is Remote Grain Monitoring System?

Temperature cables installed in your grain bins capture data, transmit it to a sensor board, and then analyze it. Farmers can monitor the temperature cables using Crop Link, which gets data from the sensor board. Crop Link transmits the data to an Internet server. If you want to view the current temps in your bins, you can log in to the app and do it through your smartphone or computer.

Benefits of Remote Grain Monitoring

First, you can customize your remote grain monitoring with GrainTrac. It takes the uncertainty out of grain storage, whether you are a farmer with shifting demands or a grain manager. It creates a system specifically for your grain storage based on your specifications. Other benefits of remote grain monitoring are:

  • Save a lot of time, money, and legwork with remote grain monitoring.
  • Have remote real-time access to grain temperature information 24/7.
  • Store data on grain temperature fluctuations and trends for further analysis.
  • Using historical data and patterns, you can make better grain storage choices.
  • Remote grain monitoring informs you of the problem as soon as grain heat activity is detected.
  • A remote grain monitoring system means you do not have to gather data, scale bins, or visit bin locations manually.
  • Data shown in real-time and historical graphs are easy to interpret.
  • A reading may be taken and stored every 30 minutes, every four hours, or on-demand using remote grain monitoring.
  • A theft monitoring circuit sends an alarm to your smartphone/email when grain handling equipment is activated or stopped. Additionally, you may set up alerts to monitor truck loading and unloading at bin locations throughout the harvest season.
  • Weather sensors that measure rainfall, humidity, and wind are also available as extra monitors.

What is Handheld Grain Monitoring?

Handheld grain monitoring prevents spoiling by detecting grain changes before they occur too. The difference is the need to physically visit bins to take readings. You access grain temperature measurements from the same temperature monitoring cables simply by plugging in the monitor. Using these portable systems is a cinch to use and provide an affordable option.

Benefits Of Handheld Grain Monitoring

The handheld grain monitoring system was the first breakthrough in grain storage. Once described as the most advanced and user-friendly grain storage monitoring system on the market, it’s still relevant. It can offer producers real-time digital reporting of current and limited previous storage temperature levels. Other benefits include:

  • Use the same temperature cables inside bins as remote systems.
  • User-friendly controls and a big, clear display allow the user to observe linked groupings of cables and the storage history in a table or graph.
  • Helps the producer to select when and for how long to activate aeration fans.
  • It’s easy to upgrade to a remote system later without draining bins or disrupting storage.

The Choice is Yours

There are a lot of benefits to monitoring the temperature of your stored grain. Temperature and moisture are the two most common reasons grain goes out of condition. If you’ve never used handheld or remote grain monitoring systems before and have questions, Tri-States Grain Conditioning can help you out.

Ask us about options here, live chat with us here, or call us at 1 800 438 8367.

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