How can I make my outdoor AirVisual device's data public?

1. Choose your location

Our AirVisual Outdoor is designed to perform well in outdoor environments. When installing an outdoor AirVisual device, follow the below instruction:

• Access to stable power supply and internet connection.

For sustained readings you will need a power supply and internet connection.

*Important*: we recommend using an indoor and/or fully covered power outlet, to ensure complete protection from weather conditions.

A good installation example

• Protect the monitor and the power socket from weather

The AirVisual Outdoor is splash resistant from top, front, and back. However, direct injection of water into the device is still likely to damage it. Therefore, we still need to pay attention to the installation enviroment.

If you are using an AirVisual Pro, you can consider using existing building structures such as a porch, covered balcony, or overhanging roof, otherwise a simple covering such as a Stevenson's screen will offer a good shelter.

The power adaptor is to be installed in a weatherproof enclosure or indoors with the cable routed through a wall or window feed-through.

A good installation example

• Good airflow - important!

The AirVisual Outdoor takes its readings by passing air through its central sensor. Airflow is maintained via the monitor's internal fan, but you will still need to ensure the air can get in easily. Make sure either the bottom of the AirVisual Outdoor is completely unobstructed (or better, both), and that air can freely flow around the device as well.

*Important*: If you are using an AirVisual Pro, allow at least 20cm of open space above the Pro's middle hollow, so that airflow can freely enter from above. 

• Install the device in correct direction - important!

DO NOT mount the AirVisual Outdoor upside down. To prevent the entry of insects and large particles, the PM sensor is covered by a porous screen that is not splash resistant.

Install the AirVisual Outdoor vertically, e.g. onto a wall or pole, with the air inlet openings facing downwards. Do not mount the AirVisual Outdoor horizontally on a surface as this may reduce sensor lifetime and allow moisture to enter the device.

wrong installation example

• Installation height

Install the device with a minimum clearance of 1m / 3ft above any horizontal surface to avoid splash back.

The most representative readings are close to where people are breathing (ie, not far up in the sky). If you plan to install it higher than 50 meters, please contact us at contributor.services@iqair.com to discuss options and data validation.

*Important*: Do not use the equipment at altitudes exceeding 2,000 meters (6,560 feet).

• Drip loop for the power cable

The AirVisual Outdoor power adaptor must be placed so that it will not get in contact with water or snow. We recommend use a "drip loop" for the power cable to prevent water entering the device or the power adaptor.

• Away from polluting sources

Cars, outdoor BBQs, chimneys and kitchens are all highly localised sources of air pollution that might affect the ambient air quality reading of the AirVisual device.

2. Register your device to your AirVisual profile

You can register your AirVisual device to your profile either through the IQAir Web Dashboard or mobile app.

App: open the "Devices" tab from the app "My Air" screen > Add a new device.

IQAir Web Dashboard: log in, click your profile's drop-down menu and choose 'Devices' tab > click "Register a device".

3. Submit your device publication online

You can choose to submit your publication either through the AirVisual App or the IQAir Web Dashboard.

App: go to your device detail page, click on the setting menu on the top-right corner > Data publication > follow the instructions.

IQAir Web Dashboard: From your "Devices" page, you can access the device detailed information. Simply click the blue "Publish data" option displayed at the top right corner of the page. 

Follow the instructions on the screen and fill out the submission form:

1) You will be asked on the GPS co-ordinates of your monitor. When supplying these, please consider your own privacy and safety. In certain countries, we usually recommend applying 100 meters deviation.

2) Give your station its name as it will be seen on the map (including a relevant geographical name, also you may want to add a personal touch, e.g. your business name, if installed by a business), its GPS coordinates, the city, state and country.

3) Add location information on your monitor. To add a monitoring station to a country/state/city which is not yet listed, simply choose "Other Country" from the dropdown list (as below), and fill in the desired country name.

4) You will be asked to submit some photos to show the device's installation. Send photos from 1 meter with different angles and a picture 10 meters away for us to verify the environment. Confirm that you don't have any exhaust or smoke in the device's vicinity such as: cooking, heating stove, BBQ, people smoking, etc.

The pictures will not be public and used only to validate the installation, unless you choose visible for them. You can upload pictures for your brand or your workplace for marketing purposes.

5) Submit!

4. Update your contributor profile

You can edit your contributor profile in your account setting. The contributor profile can serve as a communication channel between you and your target audience.

5. Validate your publication

Once received, we will then validate your device's readings for 3-5 working days, before giving you any feedback. If the system finds any issues, we will come back to you with more instructions. 

Congratulations! You have moved your community a step closer to beating local pollution.

Now your neighbours and global air quality data enthusiasts can draw valuable conclusions and preventative actions from the state of your community's air.

* Note: this feature of sharing outdoor data to the public is currently NOT available in mainland China due to regulatory reasons preventing the publication of non-governmental outdoor air pollution data. We're working with some very smart and understanding people in the Chinese ministry of environment and we hope to get an authorisation from the government to make this feature available in the mid-term future.