INSTALLATION MANUAL Residential and Small Commercial Applications Sensors just make sense
WATERTEC™ S100 INSTALLATION MANUAL Congratulations on selecting the WaterTec™ S100 kit, the industry’s leading soil-moisture sensing unit for residential and small commercial applications. The following manual will guide you step-by-step through the installation process. Pages 11-17 contain troubleshooting steps to further assist in your installation. Additional information can be found online at www.baselinesystems.com Before You Get Started.................................................................
WATERTEC™ S100 INSTALLATION MANUAL Congratulations on selecting the WaterTec™ S100 kit, the industry’s leading soil-moisture sensing unit for residential and small commercial applications. The following manual will guide you step-by-step through the installation process. Pages 11-17 contain troubleshooting steps to further assist in your installation. Additional information can be found online at www.baselinesystems.com Before You Get Started.................................................................
WaterTec S100 Soil Moisture Sensor TM Soil Moisture READ / SET BYPASS WETTER + Moisture Threshold/ A % E Window D Cycle - B *C F G DRYER MADE IN USA BUSY DRY / ALLOW Operational Features A Soil Moisture: Water content present in the soil ● Value is displayed by default when no buttons are pressed or held. ● Press the “+” button to show current soil temperature. ● Press the “-” button to show the number of days since the last and previous to last watering days.
Step 1 biSensor Placement When planning the biSensor location, take into account variables such as sprinkler patterns, distribution uniformity, sun exposure and soil type, or other site specific characteristics that may affect water holding capacity or the rate at which plants use water. The location of the biSensor will determine how frequently your sprinkler system is allowed to water.
Step 2 Install and Wire S100 Valve Common Interrupter Black wire connects to the clock common. Orange wire connects to one side of the 24 VAC going into the clock. Test each to find the one that supplies power. White wire connects to the field common. Green wire connects to the zone (on the clock) that the sensor is wired across. Red wire connects to the sensor and valve in the field. Brown and Blue wires can be connected to a zone to bypass S100 based watering, if needed. Only one zone per wire is allowed.
Step 3 Setup Sprinkler Controller and Set Cycle Window 1. Set your sprinkler controller to apply 1/2” to 3/4” of water to each zone each day. This will allow the in-ground moisture biSensor to choose the best possible days to water. For instructions on how to check distribution rate, see STEP 2 on page 15 of the Troubleshooting section. (If needed, refer to the sprinkler timer’s manual for operational instructions).
Step 5 biSensor Installation The biSensor has several burial requirements. There must be good contact between the soil and the biSensor, and it needs to be buried lying on its side. If buried flat, the biSensor readings can be wrong due to moisture pooling on the surface of the biSensor. The biSensor is buried 2” to 3” inches deep in turf areas and deeper for planters and tree areas (root zones). Wet the ground thoroughly before beginning either Option below.
note Note: It is critical that the soil is well saturated with water, otherwise the moisture threshold calibration in Step 7 will fail. It is also important that you complete Step 7 within one hour of saturating soil. Step 6 Verify All Connections Reconnect biSensor to desired valve. Verify that all connections are functioning properly after the biSensor has been buried. 1. Verify communications with biSensor by pressing the “Read / Set” button. A numeric reading indicates success.
Future Adjustments Manual Threshold Adjustment: As the grass roots grow back around the biSensor, the threshold may need to be adjusted. Observe lawn conditions and then adjust the threshold as needed. To manually adjust your moisture threshold begin by taking a biSensor reading (after a watering cycle) by pressing the “Read / Set” button. Next set your threshold slightly above or below this value (an adjustment of 0.5 - 1.0 points is all that should be necessary).
Troubleshooting for Initial Installation Problem Cause Solution Er1 is displayed ● Connections need to be waterproof and free of corrosion ● Check biSensor wires for damage The S100 cannot communicate with ● Check biSensor for damage the biSensor ● After making repairs follow the "Verify biSensor Communication" instructions under Step 1 at the end of this section Er2 is displayed ● Double-check the wiring and connections to the biSensor The S100 has detected excessive ● Verify connections inside the v
Operational Troubleshooting & Adjustments Main Problem Er1 is displayed Er2 is displayed Specifics ● Check the wiring and connections to the biSensor ● Connections need to be waterproof and free of corrosion ● Check biSensor wires for damage The S100 cannot communicate with ● Check biSensor for damage the biSensor ● After making repairs follow the "Verify biSensor Communication" instructions under Step 1 at the end of this section ● Double-check the wiring and connections to the biSensor The S100 has de
Troubleshooting Lawn Conditions Use this diagram in reference to the zones in this Troubleshooting section Lawn Condition Area around the biSensor is dry but the lawn is wet ZONE 1 ZONE 2 ZONE 3 ZONE 4 Possible Causes Plugged head over biSensor Broken or missing head near biSensor Object was placed over the biSensor Area around the biSensor is wet but the lawn is dry Zone 1 is wet, remaining lawn is dry Broken or leaky head near the biSensor causing water to pool around the biSensor Broken line cau
Troubleshooting Lawn Conditions (continued) Lawn Condition Possible Causes Entire lawn is dry System Malfunction Run times on all zones are too short Entire lawn is too wet Moisture Threshold is too low Heavy rain fall immediately after or during a watering cycle Run times on all zones are too long Moisture Threshold is too high Water distribution is not uniform biSensor is receiving adequate water, other areas are dry biSensor is buried in an area that receives above average watering Water distribu
Step 1: Verify biSensor Communication 1) Push the “Read / Set” button to verify communication. A numeric value should appear. If an Er# appears refer to the Troubleshooting section on pages 11-12. 2) Run a Communication Test: Hold (+)(-) and (Read / Set) buttons simultaneously for 3 seconds. This test will flash alternately between “SEn” and “###.” ### will start at 100 then count down to 0, repeatedly communicating with the biSensor. This process takes about two minutes.
Step 4: Continued ● The biSensor is placed in an area that receives far less than average water. This will cause the system to operate more frequently then desired. If it is determined that the biSensor is not receiving an average to slightly below average amount of water check the performance of all the related system components: - Check all sprinkler heads affecting the area to ensure they are functioning properly.
Step 7: Changing the Moisture Threshold The S100 Moisture Threshold calibration calculates a threshold for an average system. If the distribution uniformity at your site is above or below average it may be necessary to adjust the threshold for fine tuning. It may also be necessary once the roots have grown around the biSensor. ● While the “Read / Set” button is being held, use (+)/(-) buttons to change the moisture threshold. ● Raising the threshold will result in more frequent watering.
INSTALLATION NOTES: 18 WaterTec S100 Manual June08
Statement of Warranty Baseline Inc warrants to the original consumer, purchaser that the WaterTec S100 and associated biSensor will be free from defects in material and workmanship for the period of one year from the installation date. This warranty is exclusive and in lieu of all others, whether oral or written, expressed or implied.