BaseStation 3200 User Manual – 11.7.5.15 ... - Baseline Systems

BaseStation 3200 Advanced Irrigation Controller Manual
1 – INTRODUCTION
Congratulations on choosing the most capable and easiest to use commercial grade smart irrigation controller in
the world! You will find that the BaseStation 3200 is capable of dramatically reducing your water use while
improving the health and quality of your landscape. Fully central control compatible, the BaseStation 3200
controller will typically pay for itself in one to two seasons based on water waste reduction alone.
The BaseStation 3200 is specifically designed to help you irrigate more efficiently than any other commercial
irrigation controller. The 3200 supports multiple smart watering strategies, including Historical ET, and smart
watering with soil moisture sensors.
At Baseline, our mission is to forever change the way people water plants by providing the smartest, easiest and
most capable irrigation control products ever made. If you have feedback on how we can make our products
better, please do not hesitate to contact us.
IMPORTANT NOTE! Install all electrical components including the BaseStation controller in compliance with local
electrical and building codes.
How to Read this Manual
For first time users, sections 1 through 6 provide an overview of how to get your new BaseStation 3200 controller
up and running quickly, while sections 7 through 10 provide information on advanced functions and
troubleshooting.
For additional information, you can also visit the Baseline web site at http://www.baselinesystems.com
To get the most out of your BaseStation 3200, we recommend that you review the information in this Introduction
before you install and configure your system.
How to Irrigate Efficiently
This section covers some key concepts that are essential to better and more efficient irrigation. When you irrigate
properly, you will reduce or eliminate water waste and improve the health of your plants.
All other considerations being equal, you will see better watering results with soil moisture sensors than with any
other currently available technology. When you set up your BaseStation 3200 to water based on soil moisture
sensor data, your system becomes a “closed loop” – in other words, the soil moisture sensor directly measures the
moisture in the root zone, and the controller adjusts to maintain the desired moisture levels.
• Water deeply and infrequently. Studies show that watering deeply and infrequently promotes deeper root
growth and more drought tolerant plants.
Watering deeply means that the soil should be wetted down to a depth of 6 inches or deeper for grasses and
12 inches or deeper for trees and shrubs.
Watering infrequently means that the next irrigation event (or start time) should be delayed as long as
possible without stressing the plants.
• Deeper roots = more efficient plants. Plants with deeper roots are able to draw more nutrients from a larger
area of soil, making fertilizers and soil treatments more effective.
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