RAINPOINT WiFi Soil Moisture Meter TCS005FRF, Must be Used with TTV103WRF or TTV203WRF WiFi Sprinkler Timer and TWG004WRF WiFi Hub (Only Include Soil Sensor) Patio, Lawn & Garden
$66.99
Note Before Purchase: The WiFi Soil Moisture Temperature Meter must be used with TTV103WRF/TTV203WRF WiFi Sprinkler Timer (not included) and TWG004WRF WiFi Hub (not included). Otherwise, the APP function of the soil sensor will not work. Smart Control WiFi Sprinkler Timer: Automatically turn off or on the paired WiFi sprinkler timers (not included) based on soil temperature and humidity to control exactly when and how much to water. No more worrying about forgetting to water or overwatering your plants or lawn. 3-Probe Professional Home Soil Tester: Using three-probe detection technology, it can measure a larger area of soil, with faster detection speed and higher accuracy. Moisture Accuracy: 5% (from 0%~50% RH) or 10% (from 51%~100% RH). APP Monitor Soil Moisture & Temperature: Track and record 10-day soil moisture and temperature history and graphs via the RainPoint APP. The soil data is sent back to the APP every 5 minutes for update. Soil Moisture Range: 0% ~ 100%, Soil Temperature Range: 14℉~122℉. Indoor & Outdoor Use: The soil meter is IPX5 waterproof, and the three probes are made of 304 stainless steel. Rainproof and resistant to soil acid and alkali, the design is lightweight and portable, suitable for outdoor use. An ideal soil test tool for home plants, gardens, lawns and farm kits. Build Automated Irrigation Systems: Single WiFi Moisture Sensor works as an add on only. It requires RainPoint TTV103WRF/TTV203WRF WiFi Sprinkler Timer and TWG004WRF Wi-Fi Hub for use. Only ONE WiFi Moisture Sensor can be used per zone of WiFi water timer.
Product Description
The WiFi Soil Moisture Temperature Meter must be used with TTV103WRF/TTV203WRF WiFi Sprinkler Timer (not included) and TWG004WRF WiFi Hub (not included). Otherwise, the APP function of the soil sensor will not work. And it only supports 2.4Ghz WiFi. Thank you!
Smart Irrigation System
1 WiFi Hub can be paired with 4 WiFi Water Timers.
1 WiFi Water Timer Valve can be paired with 1 WiFi Soil Sensor
RainPoint Soil-Based Smart Watering
1 WiFi Water Timer Valve Can Be Paired With 1 WiFi Soil Sensor
Unlike other WiFi water timers, RAINPOINT will capture weather and soil data (when paired with soil sensors), automatically control timers and adjust watering levels based on field conditions such as weather, soil moisture and temperature. You can rely on RAINPOINT to water correctly and enjoy your saved time. If you pair a WiFi soil sensor with your WiFi water timer and Wi-Fi hub. The soil temperature and moisture data monitored by the soil sensor will be displayed on RAINPOINT APP. The soil sensor can stop the timer running the watering plans automatically according to the data. You can also set automatic watering conditions based on soil moisture and temperature data to realize intelligent and precise watering.
TWG004WRF WiFi Hub
1 WiFi hub can be paired with 4 WiFi water timers (1-Zone or 2-Zone).
- Only supports 2.4Ghz WiFi
TTV203WRF WiFi Water Timer
2-Zone WiFi Water Timer can be remotely controlled anytime, anywhere.
- 1 two zone wifi water timer can be pired with 2 wifi soil sensors.
TTV103WRF WiFi Water Timer
1-Zone WiFi Water Timer enables smart watering to simplify your watering efforts.
- 1 one zone wifi water timer can be pired with 1 wifi soil sensor.
TCS005FRF WiFi Soil Sensor
Automatically delays watering when the soil moisture is too high, and starts manual watering 1~60 minutes when the soil moisture is too low.
Package Dimensions 5.67 x 5.55 x 4.65 inches
Item Weight 8.1 ounces
Manufacturer RAINPOINT
ASIN B0BRL416WF
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| Package Dimensions | 5.67 x 5.55 x 4.65 inches |
|---|---|
| Item Weight | 8.1 ounces |
| Manufacturer | RAINPOINT |
| ASIN | B0BRL416WF |
60 reviews for RAINPOINT WiFi Soil Moisture Meter TCS005FRF, Must be Used with TTV103WRF or TTV203WRF WiFi Sprinkler Timer and TWG004WRF WiFi Hub (Only Include Soil Sensor) Patio, Lawn & Garden
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GPotts –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great product and support
Great product, works as advertised and feels like solid quality. Customer support is very very responsive and professional… Overall great product and great service!! Oh almost forgot, great warranty too!
ryan pishion –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Easy to use
Easy to use, keeps track of moisture so you don’t have to,
Matthew Kidd –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Works great once you have it paired
I have purchased a total of four moisture sensors for watering and irrigation. They pair very easily to each water meter. Do keep in mind each moisture sensor’s distance and line of site. I would recommend that anyone buying the water meter product purchase this item for additional telemetry and automation.
Music nerd –
2.0 out of 5 stars
Multi zone headache
I bought three of these to measure different zones in my yard. No matter what I do, only two ever show data even though all three connected successfully.
Sunny –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great product to save water $
It was easy to setup by following the instructions properly. You have to put the batteries and press a button in the compartment to make it work. I love the fact that it saves water by avoiding sprinkler when moisture level is 30 pct.
bb –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Reliable
Reliable device.
Jimmy –
2.0 out of 5 stars
Batteries drain every 2 weeks
Up to my 3rd set of batteries, when it works it’s pretty accurate but when battery low it disconnects. Seems I’m getting 4/5 days reading out of every 10days.
2 people found this helpful
jason s4 –
2.0 out of 5 stars
Limited range
Seems like it would be useful, if you didn’t have your garden too far away. After relocating my garden further from the house, the sensor no longer connects to the hub, rendering it useless.
Tyler K. –
2.0 out of 5 stars
Not intuitive or accurate.
Set up was not intuitive, the instructions are poorly translated. It hasn’t rained in 5 days, but still says the humidity of my soil is 88%. It is dry to the touch when probed. Wish I could return, but I am outside my return window.
Hungry Bear –
2.0 out of 5 stars
I look forward to the design improvements from the next version.
Though it does what it says it will do, it’s difficult to connect to the system, difficult to switch from one zone to another, and has a very limited range. It will test your patience as it is very temperamental.
Onthophagus –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Worked well for a year – Great customer service
A little difficult to set up, especially if you have two watering/sprinkler zones, but once it was set up it worked great for one and a half growing seasons. During the second growing season (year 2), water got into the sensor, and it constantly showed 100%. Unfortunately, I could not open the top compartment and attempt to dry the sensor out as it is secured by special screws that need a specific bin to open. However, customer service immediately sent me a replacement unit in year two. I will install it next year.
Mark & Ale JamesMark & Ale James –
5.0 out of 5 stars
IMPORTANT! How to connect it.
I belive the poor reveiews are due to user error and the poorly translated instructions. I hope these instructions help someone. Note: If you have more than one zone, It can only be linked to one zone at a time.IMPORTANT! How To connect it: 1. open the battery cover and insert batteries. You will see a green light. 2. Once the green light turns off, press the reset button by the batteries for about 5 seconds. A red light will come on. 3. open the app 4. Click on the water timer you want to use. 5. Ensure you are looking at the Zone you wish to link it to and the red light is still on. Note: You may have 1 or 2 zones, depending on your timer. 6. Click the sensor button on the bottom of your screen. 5. Locate the grayed out “Soil Sensor” on the lower half of your screen 6. Turn it on by clicking the on/off button to the right of it. Once connected it will turn green. 7. Ensure it is connected by looking at the graph. It will provide a reading even when not in the soil. 8. Replace battery cover and insert it into the soil in your desired location.I have not lost my connection at anytime since I have started using it. I am giving it five stars because it works as described despite the poor instructions that came with it.If you want to use it for more than one zone you will need to purchase additional sensors or reset the sensor each time you move it.I have 4 zones but I only use it for my vegetable garden.
10 people found this helpful
Ja007 –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Verdict is still out.
Product arrived on time in a intact outer box. Actual packaging of device was not intact. Everything seemed to good though. You will need 3 AAA batteries before setup. The instructions in the products box were way to difficult. Just watch the setup video on YouTube. Product has been set in ground for a few hours now and still no data but shows connected in app. We will see if it takes a little more time. So far the overall RainPoint setup has been working with no issues.
Alexander Reeser –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Seems to work OK, reviews worry about long term reliabliity
As far as I can tell, it’s accurate enough. I do wish it had 10% moisuture increments rather than only 20% for skipping watering. I also wish you could make the adjustment on the app rather than the sensor. it would also be nice if you could register more than one sensor per wifi timer… It is quite large for a container garden but ok for my uses. Some of the reviews indicate that over time water may get into the battery compartment and corrode the device but time will tell. luckily they let you register for a 5 year warranty so that theoretically should cover any long term problems. I think it is expensive for what it is.
BigSky2CDA –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good Sensor; User Interface could be improved.
Works as expected. Would be nice if it had adjustable soil humidity % levels from the touch of a phone as opposed to on the unit itself. This requires pulling it out of the ground, removing the battery cover and pressing some buttons.
Boris Sandoval –
4.0 out of 5 stars
No control automatico
Esperana cue el sensor del humedad del suelo, apagara el riego automaticamente Al obtener la humedad programada en el suelo…
trc0324 –
5.0 out of 5 stars
I’ve saved a lot of water!
I had the bluetooth version of the soil meter that transmitter to a readout in my house. That was great for letting me know when to water rather than on a set schedule. The Wi-Fi version is so much better since I can see it on my phone and make it more of an on-demand system. I was using about 80 gals of water per watering but I’ve only needed to water a few times all summer because I was able to monitor the moisture level of the garden.
A. Encao –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Easy Setup
Packaging was minimal. Setup time was maybe 5 minutes if you count the time it took to go to my garden. Connected quickly based on the instructions provided (have app open on phone, be close to the sprinkler controller, hold button until red light comes on, click ‘pair’ on the app and sit for a few seconds). Started working nearly instantly. Soil was dry (0 – 10%) I watered by hand and let it sit for a minute, manual check and I was up to 50%. Looking forward to watering based on moisture level from now on
Astrodonkey –
3.0 out of 5 stars
needs frequent battery changes
This sensor is ok. It’s not too difficult to set up and it seems to do the job. The trouble is that the batteries needs replacing every 7-10 days, which is a chore: you need to use a screwdriver, and the app doesn’t let you know at all you just have to realize it’s not collecting data anymore.I would say you can probably live without this.
JonathanJonathan –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Item
I was wanting a way to gather more data about my garden and understand why some veggies are doing better or worse than others. I’m using the Rain Point Wifi irrigation timer for watering the garden and this was a no brainer to help out with it. So far I’m very pleased with the RainPoint ecosystem of devices. The Timers are about 2 months in use and I just installed the sensor today.Edit: Wanted to add a photo and still working great, so it shows I have been over watering so hoping by fixing that I can get my garden to take off!
David T. –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Pared easily with the water timer.
This soil moisture sensor has been useful with my water timer!
TechNashville –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great for keeping grass green
It’s a very good little sensor. Lasts about 2 months on one set of batteries. Helps the system by telling it not to water if the soil is already moist enough. You can adjust the moister monitor between 20 and 80 percent humidity.
Douglas Crompton –
1.0 out of 5 stars
Would not recommend
I purchased this to use with my Rainpoint timer. It connected OK but when inserted in the soil about 30 feet from the hub it would not stay connected. I made several attempts to reconnect but it would reconnect for a while and then again disconnect. It never reconnected without going through the pairing process again by removing the batteries and pressing the pairing button. Rainpoint admitted that it does not work well and apparently they have a new WIFI product in development. If you need a moisture sensor, I would wait for that because this unit will give you nothing but aggravation.
Michael Dwyer –
1.0 out of 5 stars
Doesn’t Work and Frustrating Design
Bought this sensor to pair with my Rainpoint sprinkler timer. It was never able to connect for more than a minute or two before it lost connection. Each time it lost connection, I had pull it out of the ground, unscrew the 4 tiny screws, press the sync button in the battery compartment, then put it all back together and back in the ground, ONLY for it to disconnect all over again moments later. The wifi antenna within the device is clearly not strong enough, especially for a device that is meant to be used outside the home where wifi signals are likely to be weak. I’ve given up trying to use it as I already moved it as close to the house as possible and it still wont connect. Will be returning and switching to a system that doesn’t rely on spotty outdoor wifi connects to work.
One person found this helpful
Mike –
5.0 out of 5 stars
This is a nice compliment to the RainPoint Valves.
This sensor has been a good addition to the RainPoint irrigation system. With the information this sensor creates I can dial in my watering for my garden and keep my water bill down while giving my plants the water they need.
Russell A. Hatfield –
1.0 out of 5 stars
Will not last, circuit board will get wet and corrode after a few weeks.
Worked about a month, then like others I started having problems keeping it synced with the timer and app. I opened the sensor and discovered water on the circuit board and significant corrosion as a result.Expect that your unit will fail quickly too unless perhaps you open it before use and coat the board and internals with silicone or epoxy to provide sufficient water proofing for the circuit board.Great when it worked, but horrible waterproofing design for a device designed to literally be soaking wet from rain and irrigation!To the manufacturer: The board should be sealed in epoxy or some other solid sealer with no exterior buttons/openings to allow water in! Settings/limits could easily be controlled within the app, not via buttons on the device which clearly let water in after a few weeks of day night heat/cool cycles.
5 people found this helpful
Steven R WoodenSteven R Wooden –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful add on to rainpoint water system
This unit is a great addition to the wonderful rainpoint water timer. I have a raised bed garden with automatic watering. It is tremendously helpful to monitor and control water moisture using this unit. It’s easy to set up and maintain.
The Only Zeke –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Time saving device!
Plants need a certain amount of moisture and this tool makes it easy to monitor it. When attached to the water timer it makes it super simple to keep your plants watered!
Kevin –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best Watering tool yet
I had some trouble getting it configured but once configured, it worked wonderfully. Living in the desert, water conservation is so important and this device lets me calibrate my watering system to be more efficient!
Amazon Customer –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great option to monitor the soil.
I got this so I could monitor my soil while on vacation and it worked perfectly. So I decided to add one to my front yard as well.
Amazon Customer –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Works great for small garden
This helps me make sure I keep the moisture level for my small garden just right. Rainpoint customer service is the best. Any problem with their products they have went out of their way to resolve either by phone or email.
François –
2.0 out of 5 stars
complicated product and not accurate
1° It starts with the product description. Is it so hard to mention that this product needs 3 AAA batteries and they are not included ? I would have ordered the batteries with it.2° The instruction manual is unclear. It mixes product description with instructions instead of keeping the apart. Makes it complicated.3° Product lost connection after 2 days. So I set it up again. This means taking it out of the ground, unscrewing back panel… etc.4° sensor works not well: even after haevy rain, it tops at 31%. But you cannot set it that low to stop watering.5° Representation in app. Even now it connects again, the graph with the measurements stops on yesterday.Conclusion: I return the product.
One person found this helpful
Amazon Customer –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Works perfectly as advertised. RELIABLE.
I bought my original wifi timer over a year ago. Added the moisture sensor this year. Both work perfectly. The app gives me all the info I need.I have used other timers but will always use the Rainpoint system in the future.
Elis –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Customer service is the best
We have 2 timers ( single zone and 2 zone). After reading so many reviews, we opted to Rainpoint. Timers were working perfectly and having a censor seemed like a good idea. Connection and installation were easy, but first censor kept dropping the connection. I contacted customer service and representative Kristy was very helpful and knowledgeable. After trying several options with repositioning replacement is on the way. Good company, I would recommend this company products.Smart wifi irrigation is the way to go.
Mr. Peebles –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Useful device to monitor watering
This device connects to the TWG004WRF WiFi Hub that comes with the rainpoint wifi sprinkler and allows to get live moisture and temperature data on your phone. I cannot say about accuracy, because i don’t have any other device to compare, but is good to create a baseline for watering the yard, plants or others.So far is in the middle of the backyard and is holding kids traffic.only limitation is the wifi reach, not very far. i have to have it facing the room where the wifi hub is plugged, otherwise looses wifi.
Liz –
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not real useful
I bought 4 of these to go with the wifi valve. Only 2 are reliably connected. Instructions say to change the WiFi channel, but don’t specify how. It poured rain all night last night and the readings haven’t really changed and still show very dry soil.
David Hershkowitz –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Works great with RainPoint digital timer
I really like the flexibility the sensor adds to the watering system. It adds a great dimension to the system. I originally had trouble connecting the sensor to digital control, so I emailed customer support. They responded the next day with very helpful and detailed instructions. I followed the instructions and in five minutes everything was working perfectly.I kept the default setting at no watering above 60%. This sensor helps to control my foundation plantings. The lawn has sprinklers that are controlled by different system.
CDRSteveCDRSteve –
2.0 out of 5 stars
ALMOST LASTED A FULL GROWING SEASON
I have three of these moisture sensors which I use in my flower beds and raised vegetable garden locations. I noticed that one of the units had stopped functioning and upon investigating found that it had suffered from water intrusion and was corroded internally (circuit board area – battery compartment was clean and dry). Decided to inspect my other two units and they were fine. However, I did notice that the “good” units were significantly more difficult to open (break seal) that the unit that failed. Quality control issues? Will contact company for warranty support.
One person found this helpful
Matt –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Does what it is supposed to
Connects to app fairly easily without instructions. Starts and stops the watering based on moisture % as it is supposed to.
ASA –
5.0 out of 5 stars
A must have to keep garden at proper moisture level
Works well for temp and moisture level of garden. Integrates and works with automated waterer.
Kevin N.Kevin N. –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Corrected Review
Update 08-18-22 13:04I did not understand how to use the one sensor to stop irrigating while raining, but sense then I have communicated with their support (which is very responsive) and learned how to use the smart feature to run a 24 hour delay on both sides of the timer when the moisture level is above a threshold. This is exactly what I wanted and have adjusted my review to 5 stars.Original ReviewI don’t want to repeat the things said over and over again in other reviews, so let me address some things I don’t believe were previously mentioned.I wanted something that would stop me from watering the plants while it’s raining outside. This device sounded like it may do the trick and the price is reasonable. So here is what I like and don’t like.Pros1. Seems to be built sturdy, though it’s plastic, it feels pretty tough.2. It will give me current soil temperature and moisture content and it does it in a nice way with my existing app.3. Setting it up was pretty easy.Cons1. You have to adjust the moisture threshold, that stops the watering, directly on the device. I can not set this from the app, I have to push buttons on the device itself and this is a pain, though it’s probably one of those things you will only set once and then forget about it. Additionally, I can only adjust the the threshold in 20% increments.2. If you have a two zone irrigation timer like me, this device will only stop the watering for one zone. So, if you have a two zone timer, you’ll need two of these if you don’t want your system watering while it’s raining. My two zone timer waters my front yard and back yard flowers. I do this because of water pressure issues, and my front flowers may need more water than the back. But, when it’s raining, it’s raining, I don’t want or need TWO moisture devices to tell me this so it will stop all watering.In summary, if you already have a rainpoint timer, this is a nice little add-on, but it’s not perfect and I believe the things I mentioned above are easy fixes. If they would address the things I mentioned above, this would be easily a 5 star product.
2 people found this helpful
Angela –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great tool, with some workarounds (read for tips)
This seemed like the most reasonably priced option for a low-maintenance soaker hose system I had set up in my raised garden beds. I bought the wifi timer and this soil sensor and after a little fiddling to get it connected (you have to tap the on/off icon in the app for the sensor while holding down the reset button, not after the green light goes off like the instructions say) everything was going great for a week and a half until the sensor stopped working. I took it out, reconnected it, and placed it back in the ground and it worked for a couple of days before going offline again. At that point I sent a message to the seller and they were quick to respond and after a bit of back and forth, they offered to send me another unit. Once I received the new unit and verified that it was working, I set to taking apart the old unit that no longer worked so I could do some in-depth troubleshooting to make sure I didn’t get a repeat experience with the new.What I discovered was that the unit is definitely not waterproof and the circuit board was corroding due to moisture getting inside. There are a couple of white silicone rings (one around/inside the battery compartment and the other inside the main body under that) that are supposed to keep water out, but they are not nearly robust enough to do the job. In order to make the unit more waterproof, I’m doing two things, one of which requires somewhat specialty goo that I happened to have on hand and the other of which is super cheap and not professional-looking in the least…but will get the job done better than doing nothing at all. Here’s my advice based on what I’m doing:1. You’ll need to open up the interior compartment as well as the battery compartment for this, so be prepared with a small tri-wing screwdriver. Get some gasket maker goo (under 10 bucks for a tube) and cover the two areas where the silicone rings are, one at a time, making sure to install the covers back on before the goo dries. Don’t worry, it’s not permanent goo–you’ll have to put a little more muscle into removing the two covers again if needed, but it won’t hurt anything. You’ll probably want to make sure you’ve done all the connection stuff with the app before you goo it up.2. This is where quality engineering and creativity come into play. Grab yourself one of those Ziploc plastic bags from your pantry, open it up, and put the whole thing in there, spike down. Poke those spikes through the bottom and zip the top and around those holes you just made at the bottom (I just used rubber bands). Then go stick it in the dirt and see what happens.All bases now being covered, I’m hoping no more issues arise. If they do, I’ll be sure to update.
19 people found this helpful
Motor City Madman –
1.0 out of 5 stars
Does not work. Cannot maintain a connection. Only way to reset connection is to remove batteries
I was really wanted this rain sensor to work. I recently bought the TTV103WRF WiFi water timer and thought this would be a great addition to monitor my soil moisture and to provide a shutoff when the soil was too damp. Unfortunately it didn’t really work well with the water timer. The process to add the sensor was not very easy and the instructions were awful. There is a useless YouTube video showing how to connect the sensor, but that didn’t help.Once connected, the sensor did provide soil temperature and moisture level, but the Parameter screen used to show it is quite silly. There is a ton of room on the screen to provide the Temperature and moisture in addition to other data on the screen, but the programmer chose to create a rotating banner in the middle of the screen to show the standard water usage of the timer first, then shows the sensor data. The screen scrolls pretty fast, so sometimes you have to wait a while for the sensor data to come back (when the sensor is actually working). Your first clue the sensor has disconnected is that the banner no longer rotates and only shows water usage.The other screen provided is an actual sensor tab. You would hope that it would display the current sensor values, but it does not. It shows a graph, that is out of date and very hard to read. The X axis shows the date, but not any kind of time. (The date by the way only shows up in the european format of DD/MM instead of the american format of MM/DD) There is a Soil Sensor toggle on the screen, which turns green the few times you are connected. Most of the time it is grayed out. If you are connected and you turn the slider off, you will permaently lose connection until you remove the batteries in the sensor and let it restart. There is no other way to get it to connect again once you lose the connection.All of my distances were close. The Water timer was 4 meters from a wifi hub with signal strength of -51db or excellent. The sensor was 2 meters away from the water timer, which is well under the 30 meter limit.So far the water time appears to be working fine. It’s too early here in Michigan to start using it, so I am just ttrying to test everything and get ready for the season. Looks like I will run the water timer without the sensor this year as I am in the process of returning. it.
7 people found this helpful
AmazonianAmazonian –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very Helpful Addition to the RainPoint Irrigation System
I have plants that I want to maintain in a remote location and would like to know soil conditions & temperature to help me adjust the irrigation schedule without having to call the neighbor and find out if it rained, so I ordered this moisture and temperature sensor to go along with the Wifi Water Timer System ( https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0BP7G1FTP ). Note, this sensor must work with the system and is not a stand-alone Wifi sensor. The RainPoint Moisture & Temperature Sensor communicates via RF frequencies to the Hub, which in turn communicates with the Wifi system which allows me to control the irrigation through the RainPoint app and Wifi actuated Water Timer. (see photo of system) Setup of the System is easy (I followed the detailed instructions in the printed manual, but there’s also a link to a setup video); you’ll need a WiFi Router that operates on the 2.4 GHz frequency, and 4 AA batteries for the Water Timer (the yellow & gray device with the hose connections). The app for my android phone was available on the Google Play store (iPhone app is available on the App Store), so I downloaded it, opened it on my phone, and followed the instructions to connect the app to the router. Next I followed the instructions to connect the Hub (the oval device with the outlet), then installed the batteries into the Water Timer, and followed the instructions for pairing the Water Timer to the Hub. (Note that the Water Timer communicates with the Hub, and the Hub communicates with your Router, so the Water Timer doesn’t directly pair with the router.) When the Hub was active and the RainPoint App was installed on my phone, I set up the Sensor. As per the instruction manual, I unscrewed the four small screws in the small panel in the middle of the bottom of the sensor (Note this will require a small jewelry screwdriver or a #1 sized Phillips head screwdriver) and installed three AAA batteries but left the battery compartment open. I then opened the RainPoint app on my phone, tapped the “sensor” icon at the bottom of the main page to take me to the sensor page (see photo). I then pressed the small black, recessed button on the Sensor that is located between the batteries and the three soil sensor prongs. (Note this is hard to press if you have fat fingers like mine, so you can either use your fingernail, or the tip of the screwdriver, or other small object). Once this button is pressed, a red light glows on the top side of the sensor indicating it is in pairing mode. Then go to the RainPoint app that’s already on the “sensor” page and look for the grayed-out soil sensor switch and touch it to turn it on. (See included screenshot photo) Just to the left of the switch icon, you will see a small loading symbol indicating that the Hub is pairing with the sensor. Mine took about 15-20 seconds to pair, and then the soil sensor was active. After I securely replaced the battery cover, I was ready to use the sensor. The RainPoint software that runs on my phone is intuitive and easy to operate; From the Main “Parameter” menu, it lets me know how many gallons (or liters) of water have been used, the battery status, whether the water is running or not, and the next scheduled irrigation. From the “Irrigation control” menu, I can choose between 1 and 60 minutes of irrigation, and from the “Plan” menu, I can set my watering schedule and implement rain delays if desired. The soil sensor can be set up to activate the water timer based on the soil moisture levels, but note that this setting must be performed on the sensor device, not in the software. In playing with the system, I discovered that some of the features are really helpful for remote monitoring, for instance, the Water Timer not only turns the water on and off, but it measures the water usage, allowing you to know whether the water is actually flowing. With the moisture sensor in place, the soil temperature and humidity will also be indicated on the main page, and graphed on a chart on the sensor page – very handy! I also like that the app sends me push alerts on my phone letting me know when the system is active and when it stops. Additionally, the Hub has an integral 110 volt outlet that can be controlled by the RainPoint app so that devices such as grow lights can be activated -the software even has a built-in timer function for this outlet. Suffice to say, this is a powerful system with lots of options I’ve not even mentioned. I was pleased to get more control over my irrigation system and be able to operate it remotely for about $100 including the sensor. I consider myself to be fairly technically proficient, however, with all emerging technologies there are little hiccups, both with the product and with user error, so I also had a chance to communicate with RainPoint’s Customer Service. They were responsive and helpful, in answering my questions both by telephone and by email.
4 people found this helpful
Mike –
2.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful when it works
This thing is wonderful with the timer, when it works. I’m on my third one and I think it has a design flaw or something. After a few weeks of use, it just doesn’t sync anymore, and the device becomes unresponsive. I set it and forget it. And then it just stops working.From what I’ve read in the comments, this thing isn’t waterproof… so until rainpoint upgrades, I wouldn’t waste the time, unless you want to read some of the other reviews to beef up the protection yourself.I really wanted this to work, it was smart, and saved me money on watering. However, it’s more of a headache to keep replacing.
YB –
3.0 out of 5 stars
Works as advertised but limited range
Had no problem setting up (press button next to batteries until red LED comes on, then activate slider in sensor tab in the app, then wait 10-15 seconds until sensor added). Readings seem accurate, and it will stop watering when target soil humidity is reached. Target can only be set manually at sensor (not in the app), but that is probably because sensor communicates with timer and gateway infrequently to conserve battery.Took two stars off because sensor is advertised to work within up to 100 meters (300+ feet) from the timer. In my case, it would not work more than 20 meters away from the timer, which meant that I could not monitor the soil at the place I needed to. I will return and try a different unit in case I got a defective unit. Also, even though it seems to be using zigbee, the WiFi hub seemed not to work as a zigbee repeater. The sensor would not connect when placed 15 meters from the WiFi hub, but 35 meters from the timer. The gateway would connect to the timer 20 meters away, but not to the sensor. The sensor needed to be less than 20 meters from the timer itself. If distance is not an issue in your application, then it would be a 5-star device.
4 people found this helpful
Jill E Shaner –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Moisture sensor works!
The first unit I connected worked for a couple weeks and then the soil temperature reading stopped working, the soil moisture reading still had a good reading. I contacted customer service and they responded very quickly and gave instructions to reset the device. That didn’t work so they sent a new unit and both temperature and moisture levels are working for this unit.Regardless of the issue with temperature reading, the soil moisture reading worked as expected and was just as described. I set a the desired moisture level so the RainPoint water timer ran the irrigation on the scheduled date/time only when water was needed. This worked perfectly! The timer ran irrigation when moisture was low and did not run when moisture was high.
Yong L. –
5.0 out of 5 stars
It does the work!
This works to tell the soil moisture level and temperature. Takes out all the guess work. It works flawlessly with the timer and is easy to set up based on the instruction.I may take half a star off because of the manual buttons interface on the soil reader as well as the tools needed to access the battery compartment. Overall, a great product!
Richard K. –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Programming
I can’t figure out how to install the new moisture meter. I deleted the old moisture sensor from the system which I think might’ve been a mistake. Now I can’t figure out how and where to install the new one into the app. I’ll keep trying. I’ll figure it out eventually or call you guys.
Tammy –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Using the soil moisture sensor takes the “guess-work” out of watering your garden.
Upon purchasing this product, I skimmed over the instructions, and found them to be quite lacking in substance and detail. I immediately thought I had wasted my money, but thankful for Amazon’s Return policy.Because the instructions were vague and grammatically incorrect, I decided to do some research on the brand’s website. Fortunately, there was more detail about setting up the sensor, and the abilities of the sensor.After getting the sensor to connect to my home network’s 2.4Ghz setting, I proceeded with setting up the sensor. It is important to know that the information obtained by the soil sensor will communicate to the water timer if watering is warranted, or should be skipped. Also, the soil sensor with override the watering timer, if there has been rain at my residence, and this helps me be more water-conscious and avoid wasting water. Because of this feature, it is important to verify your home’s address and coordinates in the Rainpoint app. The app will obtain weather information from various sources, and if efficient rain has been in the area, the sensor will prevent your garden from being over-watered.I definitely feel this product is very useful and worth its value. Also, with the app on my phone collecting the information from the water timer and the soil sensor, I can ensure my garden is being maintained correctly.
One person found this helpful
Doron Helfman –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Poor quality product
The sensor worked for couple weeks and than just stopped. Had to replace the batteries and re-connect. It seems to only work with line of sight to the irrigation computer. The battery cover is very fregile and after few times of unscrewing and putting back together it starts breaking and falling apart. Screws rust pretty quick.The irrigation computers seem to be working very well . It is very disappointing that the sensors are made of such poor quality.I don’t recommend using the sensors. Waste of money.
Edwin –
2.0 out of 5 stars
Doesn’t sense changes in soil moisture
I bought one of these a month ago to sense soil moisture after rainfall and prevent overwatering my plants. The unit paired fine, and I placed it in the ground under my plants, as instructed. After about 3 hours, I checked the reading and it said 36% moisture (my existing soil moisture meter, which is calibrated, was reading 76% in the same area). I set the cutoff threshold at 60% moisture, assuming that the next heavy rain would saturate the soil and trigger the unit to stop watering. No such luck. After over 2” of rainfall, this unit was still reporting 36% soil moisture. My existing moisture meter was now at 99%. Obviously a defective unit. I notified Amazon and they promptly sent a replacement unit. Unfortunately, same story with the replacement (except it reads 45% moisture and doesn’t change more than 1% despite another heavy rain event). My experience with these two units has caused me to abandon this system as a way to conserve water and protect my plants from overwatering. I returned the second unit and am searching for a reliable alternative.
One person found this helpful
COTommy –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Operations manual needs work
The install/ operating manual is written by a person who doesn’t use English as a primary language. I have 40+ years of systems engineering and IT experience. I was able to figure out what to do. I can’t imagine what someone without a technical background has to go through installing. This goes for all of the RainPoint WiFI controllers. Someone should read this stuff. It’s not that hard to do.The products are excellent!
PiNeeks –
3.0 out of 5 stars
SoSo, but only option
Really bad instructions, it keeps disconnecting from my phone, I am working with them to sort that out. The UI in the app could use a better look and feel, and to set the rain delay function is abnoxious, and I have not idea if the rain cancellation setting works, there is no indicator in the app.. will let you know after some use and whether or not I just got a faulty one as far as the connection.
One person found this helpful
Amazon Customer –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great water meter
We are currently using 2 meters in raised planter beds in No. Ga., paired with a dual rainpoint valve. They work great, are easy to pair and are very accurate. We can see immediate changes in both temperatures and relative moisture in a very short time after starting soaker hoses or even rain storms. Would highly recommend.
Shane –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Provides soil info and more
The sensor was easy to sync up with the water meter and it started gathering and reporting on my soil conditions immediately. I inserted the unit into the ground just over a week ago and at the time the soil humidity was shown to be 38%. After some rain showers over the past 48 hours the soil humidity is now at 85% and I noticed the water meter skipped the scheduled water cycle this morning since I set the threshold at 60% (default threshold setting). This is exactly what I was looking to accomplish with this system and it has so far performed excellent in every capacity. I’m beyond pleased and would recommend this watering system to anyone who asks.
5 people found this helpful
Devin Raccuglia –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Works well
Awesome product, excellent way to track your garden. Just beware I did have range issues but they were mostly determined line of sight issues. Don’t expect the signal to penetrate a corner of house reliably, once the sensor had LoS with facet base, everything works.
James C. Gardner –
2.0 out of 5 stars
Stupid design, ridiculous instructions, and poor support
If the device loses its Wi Fi connection, it has to disassembled to access the to reset it. The reset button is located within the battery compartment and requires removal of four screws. Also the process of setting the desired soil moisture is awkward and unclear. A phone call for clarification of the process reached a rather rude person who was definitely annoyed by my request for help. There are apparently no alternative devices that will work with Rain Point.
Kindle Customer –
1.0 out of 5 stars
Save your cash
This thing is not worth the money. Its not easy to setup and keeps losing connection which requires a disassembly to fix. In addition the length of the sensor legs too short to gett to the deep roots of plants like tomatos, peppers, etc.
William Bowen Sr. –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very well constructed and easy to assemble. Instruction were clear.
Very well made.
One person found this helpful