Many factors affect when/how your unit rains. You may have to play around with the settings to determine the optimal conditions for your plants.


Soil Moisture Sensor Calibration

This will affect when your unit rains.


  1. Go to Settings > Soil Probe Calibration
  2. Take the probe out of the unit and wipe it dry, leaving it in the open air.
  3. Wait 15 secs before Pressing "Next"
  4. Take the probe out of the unit and dip in a glass of water
  5. Wait 15 secs before Pressing "Next"
  6. You’re done! To test whether the calibration worked.
    1. Try simulating the wet soil condition by sticking the probe in a glass of room-temperature water.
    2. Try simulating the dry soil condition by wiping the probe dry and leaving it in the open air.
  7. After you have calibrated the probe, the rain will fall. Afterwards, check the moisture level on the home page. To optimize the rainfall for your unit, we recommend the following settings:
    1. If the moisture level shows 90-100%, set your theme's moisture setpoint to 80%
    2. If the moisture level shows below 90%, set your theme's moisture setpoint to 10% less than what appears. For example, if the level on the home page is 56%, then set the level on your theme to 46%.

Note that measuring soil moisture is not an exact science. You may need to do some trial-testings to get it right. 

Here are some additional tips we have for you:

  • If you want a high-humidity climate, you should place the sensor in a dryer location: near the tank walls and where it is more rocky.
  • If you want a low-humidity climate,  you should place the sensor in a wetter location: towards the center and where there dirt that retains water well.


Rain Pump Calibration

This will affect how your unit rains.


  1. Go to Settings > Rain Pump Calibration
  2. Calibrate the pump according to instructions in the app
  


Rain Modes

There are three rain modes available: ON (Auto), OFF, and INTERVAL


ON (Auto) Mode


By default, the rain will occur automatically. If this is not the case, check the following:

  1. Go to Advanced Settings and type in the Direct Command "z0202"
  2. Check the water level in the reservoir. If the level is too low, it will not rain.
  3. Within the selected theme, check the soil moisture setting. Make sure that it is not set to 0%.
  4. Make sure that your soil probe is properly calibrated to reflect your soil conditions.


OFF Mode


If you do not want the unit to rain at all, please follow these steps:

  1. Go to Advanced Settings and type in the Direct Command "z0202"
  2. Set the moisture level in the selected theme to 0%. 

Please remember to water your plants manually, they still need water!


INTERVAL Mode

When set to INTERVAL Mode, the SmartTerra will rain a set number of times per day. It will only rain during the daytime (between sunrise to sunset).
  1. Go to Advanced Settings and type in the Direct Command "z0201"
  2. Additionally, type in the command (see below) to set the frequency.
    1. "q011" : 1 time/day
    2. "q012" : 2 times/day
    3. "q013" : 3 times/day 
    4. "q014" : 4 times/day 
    5. "q015" : 5 times/day



Not Raining Properly

There may be several reasons:


1. The rain tracks are not correctly positioned or oriented.


It is possible that the tracks have shifted or rotated, perhaps during shipping. Open the lid, and check that the Rain Drippers (holes of rain tracks) are facing downwards towards the tank. Also, there should be spacing at the end of the rain tracks for air to vent out.


If one or both of the rain tracks are out of place, try shifting or rotating them by hand. If you are unable to do that, please see the video below which will guide you on how to adjust them.



This video shows how to adjust the rain tracks. You will need: a screwdriver.



2. The pump is not calibrated


If it is still not raining properly, you may have to recalibrate the pump through the app.

  1. Go to Settings > Rain Pump Calibration
  2. Calibrate the pump according to instructions in the app
  



3. The rain tracks are clogged


Wipe along the track with a piece of cloth, and check whether the rain tracks are clogged. If that is the case, poke through the holes with a sharp end.


4. The pump has been displaced or the pipe is not connected to the pump


Check that the pump is placed at the back of the reservoir where there is a rectangular dent. Also, make sure that the pipe is properly connected to the pump.


To access the reservoir, you must disassemble the unit. Visit the Component Guide to learn how.