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Assembly & Installation

1. The Enclosure Assembly 📦​

Your kit comes with a protective box. Electronics hate water, and since this device lives next to your plants, we need to shield the "Brain" (ESP8266) from accidental splashes.

Step 1: Secure the Electronics

  1. Take the Mounting Board (the flat plate).
  2. Peel the adhesive backing off your Breadboard and stick it firmly to the center of the mounting plate.
  3. Use a small dab of hot glue or double-sided tape to secure the Relay Module next to the breadboard. Make sure no metal pins from the relay touch the other parts.

Step 2: Cable Management

  1. Pass the Power Adapter cable through the side slot of the box and plug it into your breadboard power module.
  2. Pass the Pump Wire and Sensor Wires out through the front slots.
  3. Gently tuck the excess jumper wires inside the box. Ensure no wires are pulled tight.
  4. Snap the lid onto the box.

💡 Pro Tip: Use a zip-tie to bundle the wires coming out of the box. This prevents them from being yanked out if someone trips over them.

2. The 3-Way Water System 💧​

Your kit includes a special 3-way connector. This allows one single pump to water multiple plants at once.

  1. Connect the output of the Water Pump to the main input of the 3-Way Splitter using the vinyl tubing.
  2. Cut three smaller pieces of tubing and connect them to the three outputs of the splitter.
  3. Important: Try to keep all three tubes the same length. If one tube is much shorter, water will take the easy path and only water that one plant!

3. Real-World Installation 🌻​

Now, let's take it to the plants.

1. Positioning

  • Place the Water Bucket on the floor.
  • Place the Enclosure Box on a shelf or table above the water level. (This prevents water from siphoning back into the box if the pump fails).
  • Place the Soil Sensor into the soil of your most "sensitive" plant. Push it in until the gold contacts are almost buried.

2. Calibration in Soil Soil is different from a cup of water. You might need to adjust the sensor sensitivity.

  1. Power up the system.
  2. Look at the tiny lights on the Soil Sensor Module.
  3. If the soil is dry but the pump isn't running -> Turn the blue potentiometer dial Clockwise until the LED on the module lights up and the pump starts.
  4. If the soil is wet but the pump is still running -> Turn the dial Counter-Clockwise until the pump stops.

4. Safety & Maintenance​

  • Refill the Tank: Don't let the pump run dry. Check your water bucket every few days.
  • Sensor Corrosion: Over months, the metal prongs on the soil sensor might corrode (turn green). If this happens, clean them with sandpaper or replace the sensor input.