WaterTecTM S100 Installation Manual

The Simple W

ater Manager

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 pro-

cess. Also included are troubleshooting steps to further assist in your installa-

tion. For additional information visit online at www.baselinesystems.com

Before You Get Started—Read the entire manual Before installing your new WaterTec S100, operate the sprinkler system to ensure the system is

functioning properly and all heads are properly adjusted. For best results you will need to know the

application rate of your sprinklers as this usually varies greatly from zone to zone. Ideally each zone would receive the same amount of water (1/2” to 3/4”). Baseline recommends that, prior to

installation, you replace any back-up batteries your timer requires. You may need to refer to the

original owner’s manual.

@Copyright 2009, Baseline, Inc. All Rights Reserved WaterTecTM, biSensorTM and biLineTM are trademarks of Baseline Inc.

Before You Get Started - Table of Contents 2,3 S100 Display & Operational Features 4,5 How to Get a Beautiful Lawn 6 Step 1 - biSensor Placement 7 Step 2 - Install and Wire the S100 8 Step 3 - Connecting the biSensor 9 Step 4 - Installing the biSensor - Verify Connections 10,11 Step 5 - Setup Sprinkler Controller 12 Step 6 - Moisture Threshold Calibration 13 Future Adjustments 14 Error Codes 15 Troubleshooting the WaterTec S100 16,17 Installation Notes/Warranty Statement 18,19

Table of Contents

BY PASS

READ / SET

DRY /ALLOW

BUS Y

*

%

+ WETTER

- DRYER

MADE IN USA

Soil Moisture SensorWat erTecTMS100

B

F

E G

CA

D

Display & Operational Features 4

A) Display: Soil Moisture content present in the soil. (Default)

Soil Moisture value is displayed when no buttons are pressed or held. Soil moisture value is

displayed as volumetric, ranging from 0.0 to 50.0.

Press the “+” button to show current soil temperature in Celsius and Fahrenheit.

The “-” button displays the number of days since the last & previous to last watering days.

A number 1 will appear first, followed by the number of days since the last watering date. A number 2 will appear next, followed by the number of days since previous to last.

B) Read / Set

Brief button press: Causes the biSensor to take a moisture reading.

Hold button: Displays current Moisture Threshold value.

C) Moisture Threshold Adjustment: Value at which the S100 will allow watering.

While the Read / Set button is being held, use (+)/(-) buttons to change the moisture thresh-

old.

5 D) Cycle Window: The cycle window is the amount of time for a complete watering cycle to finish. The time remaining in the cycle window and current moisture readings will

alternate being displayed while the cycle window is active.

Holding the Bypass button for 2 seconds displays the current Cycle Window duration.

Use (+)/(-) buttons while holding Bypass to change the Cycle Window to a value be-

tween 0 and 24 hours. Default is 12 hours. E) Bypass: Allows the sprinkler timer to operate without interruption from the S100. Bypass mode

is indicated by a periodic flashing of “OFF” on the S100 display and a double flash

from the Dry/Allow water light.

Brief button press: Toggle the Bypass function. When enabled the Dry/Allow Water

light will turn on and double blink.

F) Busy Light: This light indicates that the valve the sensor is attached to is currently active (watering). No automatic sensor readings will be taken while the busy light is on.

G) Dry / Allow Light: This light indicates that the S100 is allowing your sprinkler timer to water

based upon its user defined settings (the system will begin watering at the next start

time programmed on the sprinkler timer).

Calibration Cycle: for initial installation or to re-calibrate the biSensor.

Hold the (+)(-) and (Bypass) buttons simultaneously for 3 seconds. The screen will

flash between “CAL” “24 H” and the moisture reading. The “24 H” will count down,

on the hour, until the calibration is complete. Watering is stopped during this time.

Communication Test: checks the biSensor for about two minutes for any potential errors.

Hold the (+)(-) and (Read / Set) buttons simultaneously for 3 seconds. For more infor-

mation, refer to the Troubleshooting section.

Water Less Frequently

● Using the S100 to determine which days to

water will promote deep roots and will water

only when needed, conserving water and

saving you money.

Water Deeply

Set your sprinkler timer to apply 1/2” to 3/4”

of water (determine water application rate for

each station and calculate an appropriate run

time - use cups or cans to catch water for a

fixed time to determine application rate). Each

station may have a different water run time.

With the use of “Soak Cycles” you can mini-

mize the amount of runoff you experience. A

typical soak cycle might be made up of two

water periods each equal to 1/2 your total wa-

ter time with one soak period equal to the total

water time between the two water periods.

For helpful suggestions for watering strategies

refer to: www.baselinesystems.com/support/

faq.html

How to Get a Beautiful Lawn Watering SMART is a critical step towards a beautiful and healthy lawn.

6

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. If the biSensor is placed in an area that is wetter than average it will cause your

system to operate less frequently, possibly causing dry spots. If the biSensor is placed in an

area that receives less than average water it will cause the system to operate more frequently.

Baseline biSensor placement recommendations

Place the biSensor midway between two heads

(should only receive water from one station).

Place the biSensor in an area that receives aver-

age to slightly below average water.

Keep away from sidewalks and driveways to

avoid water from car washing or other factors.

The maximum allowable wire distance between

the biSensor and the S100 Monitor is 500 feet.

SENSORLOCATION

SENSORLOCATION

SENSOR LOCATIONSENSOR

LOCATION

N

SECONDARYLOCATION

SECONDARYLOCATION

Step 1 biSensor Placement 7

The illustration to the right identifies heavy shadow and runoff areas in Red and ideal biSensor locations in Light Green. Avoid

Red areas when installing your biSensor. Dark green areas with

some shadow can be used as a secondary location.

Step 2 Install and Wire the S100

Mount the S100 near your sprinkler timer. The S100 is water resistant and is appropriate for wall-mounted exterior installations. The S100 is not waterproof, and should not be mounted in below-grade

applications.

Using your sprinkler timer, manually run all stations to ensure that the connections are solid.

Valve Common Interrupter -

8

Black wire connects to the common terminal on the controller (clock).

Orange wire connects to one side of the 24 VAC going into the clock. Touch the orange wire to the 24v

terminals on the clock to find the one that supplies power. (the S100 Display will turn on)

Disconnect (from the clock) the valve common wire and connect it to the White wire from the S100.

Disconnect (from the clock) the valve control wire for the station that controls the valve with the sensor

attached and connect it to the Red wire from the S100.

Connect the Green wire to the terminal (on the clock) that the valve control wire was attached to.

For stations you wish to bypass S100 based watering control - connect the Blue or Brown wires to the terminals of the stations you do not want under S100 control. Only one station per wire is allowed.

These stations will operate solely based on the sprinkler timers configuration, without any input from the

S100.

BYPASS

READ / SET

DRY /ALLOW

BUSY

*

%

+ WETTER

- DRYER

MADE IN USA

Soil Moisture SensorWat erTecT MS100

Connect sensor wires acrossvalve solenoid.

Step 3 Connect the biSensor - Verify All Connections

Connect the sensor across the valve closest to the location chosen for the sensor.

Ensure the Red wire from the sensor is connected to the valve control wire and the Black or

White wire to the common wire. The maximum allowable wire distance between the biSen-sor and the S100 Monitor is 500 feet.

*It is very important that you use waterproof connectors after all connections have been verified.

Verify communications by pressing the “Read / Set” button.

A numeric reading indicates success.

A display of Er1 or Er2 indicates a wiring error.

In the example, the

blue wire from the

S100 is connected

to Station 1 on the sprinkler clock. As

a result, Station 1

will bypass sensor control and water-

ing for Station 1

will be based solely on the sprin-

kler clocks config-

uration

9

Works well for rocky soil

1.Using a shovel or edger cut out a piece of sod approximately

1-foot long by 6-inches wide in the area where you plan to

bury the biSensor.

2.Carefully remove the sod and try to keep the roots intact.

3.Dig a small trench the length of the biSensor in the exposed

dirt.

4.Insert the biSensor into the trench, burying it on its long

edge. If buried flat, biSensor readings can be wrong due to

moisture pooling on surface of the biSensor.

5.Remove any rocks or gravel that are touching the surface of

the biSensor to ensure there are no air pockets.

6.Cut a slit back to the valve box for the communication wires.

Take care to bury them deep enough to avoid damage from

aeration or other activities.

7.Using a bucket of water saturate the soil surrounding the

biSensor and compact the soil around it tightly.

8.Refill hole, replace sod and saturate the area thoroughly.

Once saturated, compact soil firmly around the biSensor.

The biSensor must make good contact with the surrounding

Step 4 BiSensor Installation Option A 10

Note: Ensure the biSensor is buried 2” - 3” below the grass line for optimal readings. This depth also helps prevent

future damage, i.e., aerators, etc.

Note : 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 read-

ings 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.

Works well for sandy or loamy soils

1.With a flat blade shovel, cut a slit in the grass where the

biSensor will be placed. Widen slit with a back and forth

motion.

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 communication wires.

Take care to bury them deep enough to avoid damage from

aeration or other activities.

5.Using a bucket of water saturate the soil surrounding the

biSensor and compact the soil around it tightly.

Step 4 BiSensor Installation Option B 11

12

The cycle window is the time allowed to complete a watering cycle once the first station has started watering. This time should be adjusted to be at least one hour more than your complete required cycle

time. The S100 comes preset with a 12 hour cycle window. If your system needs more than twelve hours

to complete a watering cycle or you choose to water your lawn several times per day you may want to set your own cycle window.

To set the cycle window hold the “Bypass” button for 2 seconds. This will display the current cycle window.

While holding the “Bypass” button, use the (+)/(-) buttons to change the cycle window to a value

between 0 and 24 hours.

When the cycle window is finished, and the moisture is still below the threshold, the cycle window

will start again if a valve is running. It is important the cycle window is set to fit all watering needs plus an additional hour for padding.

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. 2. With the use of “Soak Cycles” you can help maximize

the amount of water your soil can absorb. A typical

soak cycle might be made up of two water periods, each

equal to 1/2 your total required watering time with one

soak cycle period between the two water periods.

3. For helpful suggestions for watering strategies refer to:

www..baselinesystems.com/support/faq.html

Step 5 Setup Sprinkler Controller and Set Cycle Window

Step 6 Setting Up the biSensor - 24 Hour Calibration

The S100 comes with 24 hour long auto-calibration capability that will set the moisture threshold based on your soil type. This is important for new installations. and useful for recalibrations of sen-

sors.

Before running the moisture threshold calibration; ensure that the soil around the biSensor is heavily saturated with water. If not properly saturated, the calibration will fail. Write down the current date,

time and sensor reading to be used as a reference point.

Date ________________ Time ____________ Sensor Reading _________________

1. Hold the (+)(-) and (Bypass) buttons simultaneously for 3 seconds. The screen will flash be-tween “CAL” “24H” and the current moisture reading. The “24H” will count down on the hour

until the calibration is complete. Watering is paused during this time. It is important that the

biSensor does not receive any water during calibration. This process will fail or provide false

feedback if it does. If you wish to exit the auto-calibration mode for any reason, hold the

(Read / Set) button for three seconds.

2. If the calibration succeeds, the moisture threshold will be automatically set, and the system will

allow watering when soil moisture drops below this threshold. If an error occurs during calibra-

tion, the screen will flash “Er4” indicating calibration failed, and then another “Er#”. This # represents the reason for failure. See Troubleshooting for information on the various error mes-

sages. The S100 will need to be re-calibrated. In addition, in the event of a failure, the S100 will

go into “bypass” mode allowing for normal timer-based watering.

13

Note: If the biSensor receives water during the 24 hour calibration period, or was not totally saturat-ed, the calibration will either fail entirely or set an incorrect threshold for your lawn. If this

happens you will need to re-saturate the soil and restart the auto-calibration.

Future Adjustments 14

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).

Raising the threshold will result in more frequent watering.

Lowering the threshold will result in less frequent watering.

Automatic Moisture Threshold Calibration: If you need to re-calibrate your mois-

ture threshold, simply begin by re-saturating the ground surrounding the biSensor. The

dirt surrounding the biSensor needs to be holding as much water as it can, it may take a

few applications of water to accomplish this. Once saturated, follow the “Moisture

Threshold Calibration” process discusses earlier in this manual to calibrate your mois-

ture threshold.

Manual Run: Before you can run a station manually, you must press the “Bypass”

button on the S100. This will turn-off the biSensor control and prevent a cycle window

from starting. You must then press the “Bypass” button again once your manual cycle is

over to enable biSensor control.

ER1 Communication Error Incorrect Wiring

Bad Connections

Damages Wire

ER2 Over Current Error Bad Valve Solenoid

Short Circuit Wires.

ER3 Bad Reading from biSensor biSensor stick is damaged

biSensor is not buried in the ground.

ER4 24-hour Moisture Threshold Calibra-tion Failed

This error also displays one of the other error codes listed in this table to indicate the reason for the failure.

Press Read/Set to Clear Error.

ER5 Value Out of Range Error during the 24-hour Moisture Threshold Calibra-tion

This indicates the biSensor readings fall outside of the expected range.

Can be caused by failure to saturate the soil in the beginning or by the watering of the site during calibration.

If an ER4 occurred, the S100 will deter-mine the best possible moisture threshold based on the measured moisture values and allow the sprinkler system to water based upon this setting.

ER6 Low Reading during the 24-hour Moisture Threshold Calibration

This indicates that there was a low read-ing during calibration. Re-run Moisture Threshold Calibration Process.

Remove any air pockets around Sensor.

Error Codes 15

ER 1 is displayed The S100 cannot com-

municate with the bi Sensor

Double-check the wiring for corro-

sion and the waterproof connections to the biSensor.

Check biSensor for damage.

Ensure biSensor is in contact with

soil/moisture.

After making repairs, run the

“Communications Test” .

ER 2 is displayed The S100 has detected

excessive current while trying to communicate

with the biSensor

Verify connections inside the valve

box are tight.

Check for a faulty valve solenoid.

Check for lightning damage.

Double-check the wiring and connec-

tions to the biSensor.

ER 3 is displayed Moisture biSensor is

reading an invalid

moisture level.

Inspect moisture biSensor and re-

place if necessary.

Ensure biSensor is buried properly.

ER 4 is displayed There was a problem

during the Moisture Threshold Calibration

This error is accompanied by one of

the other error codes. Refer to the secondary ER# for possible solution.

Troubleshooting the WaterTec S100 16

ER 5 is displayed (This is a warning

message, pressing

“Read/Set” will clear this)

Unexpected reading dur-

ing 24-hour moisture threshold calibration,

final reading was not

substantially different from the first.

Make sure no extra water is applied to

the bi Sensor after calibration starts or

the S100 may set a non-optimal

threshold.

ER 6 is displayed Unexpected low reading

during the 24-hour mois-ture threshold calibration.

Ensure soil is compacted around sensor

with not air pockets or rocks touching.

Re-saturate soil and re-run the 24–hour

moisture threshold calibration.

Display is blank. LEDs are off.

S100 is not receiving

24 VAC

Make sure the 24 VAC transformer is

plugged in and receiving power

Ensure the 24 VAC line and common

line from the S100 are wired correctly.

biSensor is reading a value under 20. Soil

appears wet

There may be air pockets

around the biSensor.

Re-bury the biSensor . When re-

burying the biSensor, be especially careful that NO rocks are touching the

blade of the sensor as this can lead to

false readings.

Controller does not have access to

24 VAC

Some older mechanical

controllers do not have access to 24 vac.

Purchase and install a 24vac transform-

er.

For more information on this go to

www.baselinesystems.com

17

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Installation Notes 18

19

WaterTec S100 - May 2009