I think I may have worked out what this does, and if so I have a suggestion for a change. In this hot weather our WaterMate Mini ( Harvst-242 ) has run out of water more than once. We use a water butt filled from the green house roof. Even though the water level has dropped below the pump there hasn't been any email from the WaterMate - but maybe that isn't how it works, and it's just an audible alert ? And does that alert just happen when it's pumping ?
If it is just an audible alert then could there be an option to email, as the above/below temperature emails ? It is set up to water when we are not normally in the garden, so we would never hear an audible alert.
Hi NotADog,
Just a quick question, are you receiving email alerts for high temperature? and you do have the low water button selected showing blue?
Mine only show low water when pumping.
Yes, I get email alerts for high temperature, so emails work. And yes, the low water button is selected ( blue ).
When you say you show low water when pumping, does that mean you get an email if it detects low water when pumping, or you just get an audible alert if it detects low water when pumping ?
I've seen that some people do get emails for low water, looking at other posts.
Hi NotADog
My setup is only set for email alerts,
If when the pump is switched on it runs out of water or if their is no water for the pump to pump it should send an email, I have also had the alert when I left a tap closed on the outlet side of the pump, ( I use the taps to switch to different parts of my second zone watering area )
Do you have a filter? on the inlet side of the pump blocked?
This is copied from Stacy's reply on another post today,
The low water alert can be a bit confusing. It is triggered when the control box is detecting that the pump is using less power than normal ( pumping air ).
I've finally managed to get a low water email by lifting the pump out the water while it's watering. So now just to work out why it can run dry and not send an email.
There is no filter ( unless it's built into the pump ), and it doesn't look blocked, runs fine and the flow rate looks normal.
Hi NotADog,
How long did you have the pump out of the water for before it emailed the low water alert, and how long do you normally water for?
Also did you lift the pump out more then once? if you did, do you get a second low water alert?
Regards Paul
Hi Paul,
Normally water for 60 to 90 s ( different zones and times ). How long the pump has to be out the water doesn't seem consistent. Maybe 20 s, doesn't always email.
What does seem consistent ( well, three times in a row ) is if it is already out the water when it starts watering, and that just needs a 10 s test manual water. But that never seemed to happen in real use, just when I've tested it just now. That way the pump is about on level with the horizontal watering pipe ( ie, when I lift it up ). In normal use the pump is about 1 m below the horizontal watering pipe, near the bottom of a water butt.
I keep getting a low water email on my mini, every time it tries to water, if you are in the greenhouse at the time it sounds an alarm also. The Water but has plenty of water in it. THe system sometimes manages to water anyway, sometimes it doesnt - so very unreliable!!
I have tried taking the system apart and cleaning all parts, removing and cleaning the filter and checked the connections. I am most frustrated!!
Hi NotADog,
Still can't think why you are not getting the low water alert while pumping no water, I wonder if it something to do with pressure / resistance in the outlet side of the pump.
What sort of watering devices / length of pipework are you using, ( has it ever worked since installed in the water butt ) also I suppose if it did work and the water was low you would only get one email everytime it watered via the Harvst App, due to it only connecting for a short period every 30 minutes.
Regards Paul
Hi rf,
Do you get any different results if the water level in the water butt is higher or lower? also how long does the pump run for before it alarm? or do it alarm out without trying to pump?
Regards Paul
It alarms immediatly it tries to water and no water is being pumped now, the water butt is nearly full. I am having to water manually.
I am getting an alarm every time it tries to water, so for both 1 and 2 sectors.
I have checked the Hose pipe, there is no kink, so am completely baffled.
Hi rf,
Can you hear the pump whirr when it’s asked to water?
if yes, could you remove the pump from your irrigation pipe work and water butt, attach a piece of hose about a meter long to the pump place the pump in a bucket full of water then wait until the next timed watering or use the manual button on the control unit to test if it pumps water.
If no, are you able to test the pump safely on a 12volt car battery or similar.
Also, what happens when you turn off the low water alarm / alert?
I have already tried the pump, sometimes it works, but not often.
I have now switched off the main low water alarm/alert, it appears to have started watering.
Hi Paul,
Sorry for the delay in replying. One email each time it watered would be enough, if it happened !
I have about 3m of pipe LDPE in one zone, about 5 m on the other zone. Each pipe has a sprayer every 0.5 m or so. The shorter zone has 3 sprayers and a length of 4 mm pipe with 2 sprayers. The longer zone has 6 sprayers.
It has only worked if I have manually lifted the pump out the butt.
That does mean that if it runs out of water with the pump in the butt ( and doesn't alarm ), the pump is about 1 m lower than the horizontal LDPE pipe zones.
If I lift it out the butt the pump would be approximately level with the LDPE pipe zones.
The LDPE pipe zones run horizontally around the greenhouse.
Hi NotADog ( Chris )
Not sure now if you have a problem with your system or whether it’s a Harvst Server problem? I’m getting high temperature alerts & resolved alerts okay, but today I disconnected the input to my pump to substitute no water, ran the watering cycle twice with at least 30 minute gaps, and guess what, no low water email alert, and it used to work fine.
Regards Paul
My pump is a submersible one ( so that's why I have to lift it out to simulate lack of water ). Yesterday it did what others have done - it alerted for low water when there was plenty available, so I will start by cleaning the pump later today.
I don't think the submersible pumps have an input filter though, just a strainer for larger debris.
I'm also considering a pump upgrade ( assuming the 10 W panel will be sufficient to drive it ). That way I can have filters both sides of the pump if I want.
Chris
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If it is just an audible alert then could there be an option to email, as the above/below temperature emails ? It is set up to water when we are not normally in the garden, so we would never hear an audible alert.
Just a quick question, are you receiving email alerts for high temperature? and you do have the low water button selected showing blue?
Mine only show low water when pumping.
When you say you show low water when pumping, does that mean you get an email if it detects low water when pumping, or you just get an audible alert if it detects low water when pumping ?
I've seen that some people do get emails for low water, looking at other posts.
Chris
My setup is only set for email alerts,
If when the pump is switched on it runs out of water or if their is no water for the pump to pump it should send an email, I have also had the alert when I left a tap closed on the outlet side of the pump, ( I use the taps to switch to different parts of my second zone watering area )
Do you have a filter? on the inlet side of the pump blocked?
This is copied from Stacy's reply on another post today,
The low water alert can be a bit confusing. It is triggered when the control box is detecting that the pump is using less power than normal ( pumping air ).
Regards Paul
There is no filter ( unless it's built into the pump ), and it doesn't look blocked, runs fine and the flow rate looks normal.
Chris
How long did you have the pump out of the water for before it emailed the low water alert, and how long do you normally water for?
Also did you lift the pump out more then once? if you did, do you get a second low water alert?
Regards Paul
Normally water for 60 to 90 s ( different zones and times ). How long the pump has to be out the water doesn't seem consistent. Maybe 20 s, doesn't always email.
What does seem consistent ( well, three times in a row ) is if it is already out the water when it starts watering, and that just needs a 10 s test manual water. But that never seemed to happen in real use, just when I've tested it just now. That way the pump is about on level with the horizontal watering pipe ( ie, when I lift it up ). In normal use the pump is about 1 m below the horizontal watering pipe, near the bottom of a water butt.
Chris
Chris
I have tried taking the system apart and cleaning all parts, removing and cleaning the filter and checked the connections. I am most frustrated!!
Still can't think why you are not getting the low water alert while pumping no water, I wonder if it something to do with pressure / resistance in the outlet side of the pump.
What sort of watering devices / length of pipework are you using, ( has it ever worked since installed in the water butt ) also I suppose if it did work and the water was low you would only get one email everytime it watered via the Harvst App, due to it only connecting for a short period every 30 minutes.
Regards Paul
Do you get any different results if the water level in the water butt is higher or lower? also how long does the pump run for before it alarm? or do it alarm out without trying to pump?
Regards Paul
I am getting an alarm every time it tries to water, so for both 1 and 2 sectors.
I have checked the Hose pipe, there is no kink, so am completely baffled.
When you say manually do you mean watering can, or on manual control? ( If manual control does it works correctly? )
Regards Paul
Can you hear the pump whirr when it’s asked to water?
if yes, could you remove the pump from your irrigation pipe work and water butt, attach a piece of hose about a meter long to the pump place the pump in a bucket full of water then wait until the next timed watering or use the manual button on the control unit to test if it pumps water.
If no, are you able to test the pump safely on a 12volt car battery or similar.
Also, what happens when you turn off the low water alarm / alert?
Regards Paul
I have now switched off the main low water alarm/alert, it appears to have started watering.
Sorry for the delay in replying. One email each time it watered would be enough, if it happened !
I have about 3m of pipe LDPE in one zone, about 5 m on the other zone. Each pipe has a sprayer every 0.5 m or so. The shorter zone has 3 sprayers and a length of 4 mm pipe with 2 sprayers. The longer zone has 6 sprayers.
It has only worked if I have manually lifted the pump out the butt.
That does mean that if it runs out of water with the pump in the butt ( and doesn't alarm ), the pump is about 1 m lower than the horizontal LDPE pipe zones.
If I lift it out the butt the pump would be approximately level with the LDPE pipe zones.
The LDPE pipe zones run horizontally around the greenhouse.
Chris
Not sure now if you have a problem with your system or whether it’s a Harvst Server problem? I’m getting high temperature alerts & resolved alerts okay, but today I disconnected the input to my pump to substitute no water, ran the watering cycle twice with at least 30 minute gaps, and guess what, no low water email alert, and it used to work fine.
Regards Paul
I don't think the submersible pumps have an input filter though, just a strainer for larger debris.
I'm also considering a pump upgrade ( assuming the 10 W panel will be sufficient to drive it ). That way I can have filters both sides of the pump if I want.
Chris