Trouble with Automatic Watering System and Earthtainer

tomacco · May 13, 2009

Now that my tomato plants have gotten huge and are drinking water by the gallon every few hours, I finally broke down and purchased the EarthBox Automatic Watering System.

I retrofit it to the EarthTainers according to Ray's latest instructions.

It waters the container just fine, but I can't get it to shut off. I'm also using PVC pipe that is thicker than the EarthBox supplied stuff so I cannot get the clips to fit on the pipe without danger of breakage.

Any suggestions? I have heard the diaphragm try to click closed a few times but then it just reopens and continues watering.

tomacco · May 13, 2009

I went ahead and tested the on/off functionality in a cup of water and it seems to work just fine.

So my problem must be that either my tubing isn't long enough or my fill tubes are too long.

I had trouble retrofitting this because I am using Schedule 40 PVC pipe and I had to saw through it by hand with the pipe still in the 'tainer. I now see that the AWS uses thin wall PVC.

I also noticed that the new hose I put on the sensor and bell assembly is not perfectly straight and this may be causing problems.

Has anyone else had similar issues? How did you solve them?

Bdobs · May 13, 2009

I had the same issues when installing the AWS into my Earthtainers. My Earthtainers are done to Ray's directions to a T, but the AWS wouldnt shut off.
You just need to find the proper length to cut the clear tubing.
A couple issues contibuted to my problems. Like your tubing, mine wasn't perfectly straight, so you lose some length there. Also, my boxes arent perfectly level.

You'll just need to cut new lengths of the clear tubing untill you find the sweet spot.
It took me three times, but they are now working like a charm

Brian

tomacco · May 13, 2009

Thanks Bdobs.

Did you end up keeping the same Schedule 40 PVC filler pipe that Ray recommends in his plans?

If so, how are you keeping the sensors in place? Mine are kind of resting on top of the pipe, but it's not very solid.

Bdobs · May 13, 2009

I used the same 1.5" ID sch 40 like Ray recommends. The AWS valve clips fit inside the tubing and the valves rest on the two flat tabs, vs clipping them to the tubes for the Earthbox

tomacco · May 14, 2009

Just to finish this thread... I added a longer tube between the sensor and bell assembly and everything is now working!

Thanks Bdobs and Ray!

May 13, 2009	#1
tomacco Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 16	Trouble with Automatic Watering System and Earthtainer Now that my tomato plants have gotten huge and are drinking water by the gallon every few hours, I finally broke down and purchased the EarthBox Automatic Watering System. I retrofit it to the EarthTainers according to Ray's latest instructions. It waters the container just fine, but I can't get it to shut off. I'm also using PVC pipe that is thicker than the EarthBox supplied stuff so I cannot get the clips to fit on the pipe without danger of breakage. Any suggestions? I have heard the diaphragm try to click closed a few times but then it just reopens and continues watering.

May 13, 2009	#3
Bdobs Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Martinez, CA Posts: 92	I had the same issues when installing the AWS into my Earthtainers. My Earthtainers are done to Ray's directions to a T, but the AWS wouldnt shut off. You just need to find the proper length to cut the clear tubing. A couple issues contibuted to my problems. Like your tubing, mine wasn't perfectly straight, so you lose some length there. Also, my boxes arent perfectly level. You'll just need to cut new lengths of the clear tubing untill you find the sweet spot. It took me three times, but they are now working like a charm Brian __________________ -Brian

May 13, 2009	#5
Bdobs Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Martinez, CA Posts: 92	I used the same 1.5" ID sch 40 like Ray recommends. The AWS valve clips fit inside the tubing and the valves rest on the two flat tabs, vs clipping them to the tubes for the Earthbox __________________ -Brian

May 14, 2009	#6
tomacco Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 16	Just to finish this thread... I added a longer tube between the sensor and bell assembly and everything is now working! Thanks Bdobs and Ray!