PlantCare Plantomat PRO User manual

Instructions for use
PlantCare Plantomat®PRO
The intelligent, long-term watering system.

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Contents
1. Safety pointers................................................................................................................... 3
2. Scope of supply/optional accessories........................................................................... 4
3. Operating principle........................................................................................................... 4
3.1 General overview: Container and Plantomat® PRO ....................................................................... 5
4. Plantomat® PRO conguration and controls ............................................................... 6
4.1 Equipment overview................................................................................................................................. 6
4.2 Key functions ............................................................................................................................................... 7
4.3 Display symbols..........................................................................................................................................8
5. Select and prepare the plant container ........................................................................ 9
5.1 Container options ...................................................................................................................................... 9
5.2 Preparing the container.........................................................................................................................10
6. Installing your Plantomat® PRO.................................................................................... 11
6.1 Preparing your Plantomat® PRO .........................................................................................................11
6.2 Connecting the moisture sensor........................................................................................................12
6.3 Power supply .............................................................................................................................................12
6.4 Inserting your Plantomat® PRO and planting the container....................................................13
7. Operation.......................................................................................................................... 14
7.1 Switching on/o.......................................................................................................................................14
7.2 Filling the water reservoir .....................................................................................................................14
7.3 Settings - Overview .................................................................................................................................14
7.3.1 Possible moisture settings.................................................................................................................15
7.3.2 Possible watering cycle settings .....................................................................................................15
7.3.3 Watering amount..................................................................................................................................15
7.4 Programming.............................................................................................................................................16
7.4.1 Standard mode......................................................................................................................................16
7.4.2 EXPERT mode.........................................................................................................................................16
7.4.3 Additional functions in EXPERT mode ..........................................................................................17
7.5 Alarm displays ...........................................................................................................................................18
8. Troubleshooting .............................................................................................................. 18
9. Maintenance/care ........................................................................................................... 19
10. Putting out of operation.............................................................................................. 19
11. Disposal/environmental protection.......................................................................... 20
12. Technical specications ............................................................................................... 20
13. Appendix ........................................................................................................................ 20

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1. Safety pointers
• Please read these instructions carefully and note the pointers given. Use these instructions to familiarize
yourself with the Plantomat®PRO, its correct use as well as the safety instructions.
• Ensure that only watertight plant containers are used for indoor applications and use a protective
underlay if necessary.
• Use only original PlantCare accessories.
• If using an optional original power adapter, please note the following points:
• Inspect all accessories for any damage. A damaged power adapter must not be used and
needs replacing.
• The Plantomat® PRO must only be installed while unplugged.
• Power cable extensions must be located where there is no risk of tripping over them.
• Maintenance and plant care work should only be carried out after disconnecting your
Plantomat® PRO from the power supply.
• The Plantomat® PRO should only be repaired or modified by qualified specialists.
• If the Plantomat® PRO is damaged or fails to work properly, it must be switched off.
Proper use:
The Plantomat® PRO is intended for the automatic irrigation of indoor and outdoor plants. It must only be used
for water or for water with fertiliser.
Important: Before lling the water reservoir, make sure that the Plantomat® PRO has been
correctly installed and switched on. This is the only way that the level sensor can warn
against overlling the water reservoir.

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2. Scope of supply/optional accessories
Scope of supply
Please check the contents of the pack for completeness.
• Plantomat® PRO with attached water pump and level sensor
• Moisture sensor
• Pump tube (1 m)
• Perforated watering tube
• Plantomat® PRO non-slip guide tube (anti-slip protection packed separately)
• Servicing tube with cap and anti-slip protection (anti-slip protection packed separately)
• 2 cable ties for pump power cable
• Replacement tip with felt for moisture sensor
Optional accessories
• Relay box to control solenoid valves by means of isolated switch
• Extension cable for moisture sensor (5 m)
• Photovoltaic cell
• Power adapter
• GSM modem for water and battery alarm transmission using SMS
• External water pump with Plantomat connection to refill the water reservoir
• Data export cable and software to export the logbook
3. Operating principle
Plantomat® PRO measures moisture levels in the plant substrate at regular intervals. As soon as the minimum
moisture level set by the user is reached, water is pumped up from the reservoir and distributed over the
substrate by means of perforated watering tube.
Plantomat® PRO is easy to use and is ready to use only a few seconds after installation in the plant container.
The factory settings in standard mode thus assist less experienced users.
EXPERT mode permits full system exibility. Fine adjustments can be made to moisture settings here and the
desired time interval between two watering cycles can also be freely selected. In addition, measurement of
the current substrate moisture level can be made and this value set for subsequent watering sessions (see also
section 7.4.3 “Magic Finger”).
Initially, it is recommended that you observe the plants and adjust the settings as necessary.

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3.1 General overview: Container and Plantomat® PRO
1Electronics
2Moisture sensor
3Battery compartment
2 x 6 AA batteries. A photovoltaic cell or a power
adapter are optional alternatives*.
4Watering tube
5Level sensor
Prevents the water reservoir from being
overlled
6Water pump
Solenoid valve connection as an option*
7Plantomat® PRO guide tube
8Servicing tube
9Watertight outer container
10 Plant insert
11 Water reservoir
12 Supporting element if required
* Optional accessories
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1Protective cover
2Electronics
3Opening for battery compartment
4Battery compartment
5Pump tubing
6Watering tube connection
7Level sensor
Prevents the water reservoir from being overlled
8Water pump power cable
9Water pump
10 Level sensor cable
4. Plantomat® PRO conguration and controls
4.1 Equipment overview
11 Display
12 ON/OFF key
13 Selector keys
14 SET/OK key
15 Manual pump switch on
16 Alarm LED
17 Moisture sensor connection
18 GSM modem (SMS) or
data export cable connection
19 Photovoltaic cell, power adapter or
external rell pump connection
20 Watering tube outlet
(Illustrations may dier from original product.)
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4.2 Key functions
Basic functions Key Action
Switching on Press briey
Switching o Press until display goes out
Select standard mode Appears automatically when rst switched on
Select or exit EXPERT mode SET Keep pressing until «EXPERT» appears in the display
or disappears to exit that mode
Programming SET Press briey
Select a function/increase
a setting value
Press several times until the desired symbol
or gure appears in the display (conrm with SET)
Reduce a setting value Press several times until the desired symbol
or gure appears in the display (conrm with SET)
Conrming a function SET Press briey
Keypad lock/keypad unlock Keep pressing until the key symbol appears
or disappears in the display
Switch on the water pump
manually PUMP Keep pressing for as long as needed
Acknowledge alarms
or
Press briey

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4.3 Display symbols
Setting the moisture level
1Continuously
moisture-loving plant
1Moderately
moisture-loving plant
1Moderately
moisture- to dry-loving plant
1Set moisture level manually
(EXPERT mode)
Setting the watering cycle
2Watering cycle, indoors:
every 5 days
2Watering cycle, outdoors:
every 24 hours
2Set watering cycle manually
(EXPERT mode)
Input or display panel
3Plantomat® PRO is now
measuring the moisture level
3The water has now reached the
level sensor.
Stop lling immediately!
3Programming completed
4
Litres
(watering amount per watering cycle)
5
h/d for hours/days
(setting for the watering cycle)
6min Watering time in minutes
(only with solenoid valve operation)
7% Moisture level in %.
8Water alarm: water reservoir
needs relling!
9Frost alarm: substrate
temperature is below 3°C.
10 EXPERT «EXPERT» programming mode
11 Keypad locked
12 Battery alarm:
please replace the batteries
13 Moisture display: current
moisture level in the substrate
6 bars = substrate is very moist
1 bar = substrate is fairly dry
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5. Select and prepare the plant container
5.1 Container options
Installing a Plantomat® PRO is very easy and possible in almost all the plant containers available on the market.
The only adjustment to be made is to drill two holes in the plant insert using standard tools. These holes are
needed to insert the Plantomat® PRO guide tube as well as the servicing tube.
Various container options are possible for indoor or outdoor use:
Indoor - option 1
Leakproof container
with integral plant insert.
Indoor - option 2
Leakproof container with
separate plant insert and
supporting elements.
Outdoor - option 1
Leakproof container with
integral plant insert.
An additional overow
tube, which must be
mounted leakproof,
drains o rainwater.
Outdoor - option 2
Container is not leakproof.
A separate plant insert and
supporting element are
used. A leakproof inner
pot is used as the water
reservoir.
A single Plantomat® PRO can also water several plants on a balcony or terrace simultaneously.
This requires a water reservoir as well as the corresponding watering tubing/valves and a
power connection for the best results. Further information on this is available at
www.plantcare.ch.
1Container
2Plantomat®guide tube
3Servicing tube
4Plant insert
5Supporting element if required
6Overow tube
7Inner pot
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B
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4 4
1Adhesivetape long
2Cablefixer 1x
3Adhesivetape short
4Cablefixer 1x
PC_PM_IFU012
Instruction forTube Preparation
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5.2 Preparing the container
Suggested plant inserts and supporting elements
Plant inserts
If your plant container does not have an integral plant insert, you can use a soft plant
insert available from garden centres.
Supporting elements for plant inserts
If using a separate, soft plant insert, it must be supported with a supporting element. An
inexpensive solution for a supporting element is given below. The individual elements can
be obtained from any garden centre or DIY store.
1Soft plant insert
2Flower-pot saucer
3Standard plastic tube larger than for example Ø110mm, depending on the size of the
container and the weight of your planted plant insert. The length of the standard tube
can be adjusted to t.
4Holes drilled in the plant insert and saucer for the Plantomat and servicing tube
(q.v. below)
Drilling holes in the plant insert:
ADrilling a hole for the Plantomat® PRO guide tube
BDrilling a hole for the servicing tube
For soft plant inserts: Drill 2-3 holes with a diameter of approx. 2 mm so that excess water
can drain away. Cover the holes with standard non-woven fabric.
Standard hole saw Standard punch
for hard plant insert or saucer for soft plant insert
Preparing the tubes
Q.v. separate installation information enclosed for the Plantomat’s
guide & servicing tubes.
Fitting the plant insert and tubes
1Insert the plant insert and, if required, the supporting element into
the outer container
2Fit the guide and servicing tubes prepared according to the separate installation
information through the holes drilled in the plant insert
Note: The point where the tubes enter the plant insert does not require sealing.
Excess water or rainwater can thus drain away into the reservoir.
Both of the tubes supplied are standard sizes. If these are too short for your plant
insert, you can obtain longer tubes in any hardware store.
Aø53mm
Bø25mm
Aø50mm
Bø22mm