INSTALLATION MANUAL Residential and Small Commercial Applications
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 .................................................................
www.baselinesystems.com Soil Moisture + A D E Moisture Threshold/ Cycle Window Sensor Update Hold to adjust Threshold B F Bypass (allow water) Hold to adjust Cycle Window C G Valve Active Allow Water A B C D E F A - 24 VAC B - 24 VAC C - Interrupt 1 D - Interrupt 2 E - Common F - Sensor H Operational Features A Soil Moisture: Water content present in the soil • Value is displayed by default when no buttons are pressed or held.
Step 1 biSensor Placement When planning the biSensor location, take into account variables such as distribution rate, 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 Determining Your Wiring Configuration Option A: This is the most common option and will work on any timer that has an accessible 24VAC power source. Option B: This option is used for systems with zones requiring more frequent watering than the biSensor controlled zones utilizing Baseline's Drip Bypass.
Step 3 Install and Wire the S100 1. Strip the provided harness wire and connect to wire harness as shown: red, blue, yellow, brown, white and green (from left to right). Plug the harness into the S100. 2. At this point also strip the biSensor wire providing enough exposed wire to connect to desired valve. 3. Mount the S100 near your sprinkler timer. The S100 is not weatherproof. 4. Wire the S100 using the option chosen in Step 2.
Step 6 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 should be buried 4” to 6” inches deep in turf areas and deeper for planters and tree areas (root zones). note OPTION A Dig 6”X12” section and ... peel back sod with roots intact.
note Note: It is critical that the soil is well saturated with water, otherwise the moisture threshold calibration in Step 8 will fail. It is also important that you complete Step 8 within one hour of saturating soil. Step 7 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 “Sensor Update” 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 “Sensor Update” button. Next set your threshold slightly above or below this value (An adjustment of 0.1 – 0.2 points is all that should be necessary).
Troubleshooting for Initial Installation Problem Cause Solution Er1 is displayed The S100 cannot communicate with the biSensor Er2 is displayed The S100 has detected excessive current while trying to communicate with the biSensor Er3 is displayed along with another error There was a problem during the S100 24-hour moisture threshold calibration Er4 is displayed (this is a warning message, pressing”Sensor Update”will clear this) Er5 is displayed Unexpected reading during 24-hour moisture threshold
Troubleshooting for Initial Installation (continued) Problem Cause Solution The S100 flashes "88.8" then fades away biSensor is reading a value under 20 when soil appears wet The controller sensor ports will not support the S100 • Use the common interrupt method to wire the S100 There may be air pockets around the biSensor Controller does not have access to 24VAC Some older mechanical controllers • Rebury the biSensor as per Step 6 on page 8.
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 caus
Troubleshooting Lawn Conditions (continued) Lawn Condition Entire lawn is dry Possible Causes 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 biSensor is receiving adequate water, other areas are dry biSensor is receiving adequate water, other areas are wet Zones 1, 3 and 4 are receiving adequate water.
Step 1: Verify biSensor Communication 1) Push the “Sensor Update” button to verify communication. A numeric value should appear. If an Er# appears refer to the Troubleshooting section above. 2) Run a Communication Test: Hold (+)(-) and (Sensor Update) 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 “Sensor Update” 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 Aug06 Rev.
Statement of Warranty Baseline LLC 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.
