Baseline Inc.
WaterTec™ S100 User Manual Congratula ons on selec ng the WaterTec™ S100 kit, the industry’s leading soil‐moisture sensing unit for residen al and small commercial applica ons. The following manual guides you step by step through the installa on process. You will also find troubleshoo ng informa on to further assist in your installa on. For addi onal informa on, visit us online at www.baselinesystems.com. If you need assistance, please call us toll‐free at 1.866.294.5847.
Table of Contents Before You Get Started ‐ Table of Contents 2, 3 S100 Display & Opera onal Features 4, 5 How to Get a Beau ful Lawn 6 Step 1 ‐ Choose a Loca on for the biSensor 7 Step 2 ‐ Mount & Wire the S100 8, 9 Step 3 ‐ Connect the biSensor & Test Communica on 10, 11 Step 4 ‐ Bury the biSensor (Op ons A & B) 12, 13 Step 5 ‐ Configure the Sprinkler Time & the Cycle Window 14 Step 6 ‐ Calibrate the Sensor (Auto Calibra on Mode) 15 Step 6 ‐ Calibrate the Sensor (Manual Calibra on) 16 E
Display & Operational Features A Display: By default, the display shows the soil moisture content that is present in the soil. A B The soil moisture value is displayed when no bu ons are pressed or held. The soil moisture value is displayed volumetrically, ranging from 0.0 to 50.0. C D F E G To show current soil temperature in Celsius and Fahrenheit, press the + bu on. To display the number of days since the last and previous‐to‐last watering days, press the – bu on.
D Cycle Window: The cycle window is the amount of me allowed for a complete watering cycle to finish. While the cycle window is ac ve, the value in the display alternates between the me remaining in the cycle and the current moisture reading. The S100 is preset for a 12‐hour cycle window. To display the current cycle window dura on, press and hold the Bypass bu on for 2 seconds.
How to Get a Beautiful Lawn Watering SMART is a critical step towards a beautiful and healthy lawn. Water Less Frequently ● When you use the S100 to determine which days to water, the system will water only when needed, promo ng deep roots, conserving water, and saving you money. Water Deeply Set your sprinkler mer to apply ½” to ¾” of water (use cups or cans to catch water for a fixed me to determine applica on rate, and then calculate an appropriate run me).
Step 1 – Choose a Location for the biSensor When planning the biSensor loca on, take into account variables such as sprinkler pa erns, distribu on uniformity, sun exposure and soil type, and other site specific characteris cs that may affect water holding capacity or the rate at which plants use water. The loca on of the biSensor determines how frequently your sprinkler system is allowed to water.
Step 2 – Mount & Wire the S100 Mounting the S100 Mount the S100 near your sprinkler mer. While the S100 is water resistant and is appropriate for wall‐mounted exterior installa ons, the unit is not waterproof. Do not mount the S100 in a below‐grade loca on. Wiring the S100 to the Sprinkler Timer 1. On the sprinkler mer, disconnect the wire that is connected to the common terminal, and then connect that wire to the WHITE wire in the S100 bundle. 2.
Wiring the S100 Bypassing Zones Because the S100 works by interrup ng the common wire in the valve circuitry, it controls watering for all zones on your system unless you bypass specific zones. The S100 allows you to designate two zones in your system that will operate solely based on the configura on in the sprinkler mer without any input from the S100. Connect the BLUE or BROWN wire to the valve terminal that you want to bypass. Do not disconnect the valve wire from these terminals.
Step 3– Connect the biSensor & Test Communication Connecting the biSensor 1. Determine which zone/valve operates the sprinklers in the loca on where the sensor will be buried. Note: The maximum allowable wire distance between the biSensor and the S100 unit is 500 feet. 2. Go to the box where that valve is located. 3. Disconnect the valve wiring inside the box no ng which wire is common and which is “hot.” 4. Splice the black (or white) wire from the biSensor into the common wire connec on. 5.
Connecting the biSensor IMPORTANT! Do not bury the sensor yet! IMPORTANT! Make the ini al connec ons with wire nuts, and then replace the wire nuts with waterproof connectors a er you test the biSensor. Baseline Inc.
Step 4 – Bury the BiSensor (Option A) Option A works well in rocky soil. 1. Using a shovel or edger, cut out a piece of sod approximately 6” x 12” in the loca on where you plan to bury the biSensor. 2. Carefully remove the sod and try to keep the roots intact. 3. Dig a trench about 6” deep and the length of the biSensor in the exposed dirt. 4. Insert the biSensor into the trench. Stand the sensor on its long edge.
Step 4 – Bury the BiSensor (Option B) Option B works well in sandy or loamy soils. 1. With a flat blade shovel, cut a slit in the grass where the biSensor will be placed. Widen the slit with a back and forth mo on. 2. Place the biSensor in the slit horizontally so the top of the biSensor is 2”‐3” deep. 3. Remove any rocks or gravel that are touching the biSensor to ensure there are no air pockets. 4. Cut a slit back to the valve box for the communica on wires.
Step 5 – Con igure the Sprinkler Timer & the Cycle Window Con iguring the Sprinkler Timer 1. Set your sprinkler mer to apply ½” to ¾” of water to each zone each day. By configuring your mer to water every day, you allow the biSensor to water on the best possible days. 2. Use “Soak Cycles” to minimize the amount of runoff. A typical soak cycle might be made up of 2 water periods each equal to ½ your total water me with one soak period equal to the total water me between the 2 water periods. 3.
Step 6 – Calibrate the Sensor (Auto Calibration Mode) The S100 has an Auto Calibra on mode that runs for 24 hours. Auto calibra on sets the moisture threshold based on your soil type. This is important for new installa ons and useful for recalibra ng a biSensor. 1. Heavily saturate the soil around the biSensor with water. If the soil is not properly saturated, the auto calibra on will fail. 2.
Step 6 – Calibrate the Sensor (Manual Calibration) If the auto calibra on does not set an acceptable threshold, you might want to perform the following manual calibra on procedure. 1. Bury the sensor as described in Step 4 (on pages 12—13) using a full bucket of water to remove air pockets around the sensor. 2. Put the S100 in Bypass mode. To enable Bypass mode, briefly press the Bypass bu on.
Error Codes An error code on the S100 warns that an irregular condi on has occurred. Even though your irriga on system will con nue to water when an error code displays on the S100, you should refer to the Error Code table below and the Troubleshoo ng sec on on pages 18 ‐ 19 to determine the status of the S100 and take ac on as necessary. To clear an error code, briefly press the Read/Set bu on.
Troubleshooting the WaterTec S100 Error Code or Condition Er1 is displayed Er2 is displayed Er3 is displayed Er4 is displayed Status The S100 cannot communicate with the biSensor. The S100 has detected excessive current while trying to communicate with the biSensor. biSensor is reading an invalid moisture level. There was a problem during the 24‐hour auto calibra on WaterTec S100 User Manual Recommended Action Double‐check the wiring for corrosion and the waterproof connec ons to the biSensor.
Error Code or Condition Status Recommended Action Er5 is displayed (Press Read/Set to clear this warning message.) Unexpected reading during 24‐hour auto calibra on – final reading was not substan ally different from the first. Make sure no extra water is applied to the biSensor a er auto calibra on starts or the S100 may set a unacceptable threshold. Er6 is displayed Unexpected low reading during the 24‐hour auto calibra on.
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