Baseline Systems BaseStation 3200 - Manual (Page 28)

C h a p t e r 1 – G e t t i n g S t a r t e d
Page 26
Baseline 3200
Installing biSensor Soil Moisture Sensors
In order to locate a good place for a biSensor, you must first choose which zone or zones sensors
should be installed in. To do this requires that zones be grouped into Schedule Groups. Only one
zone in a Schedule Group will have a sensor, which will make it the Primary Zone. Within this
Primary Zone, you can then choose a good location for the sensor.
Grouping Zones into Schedule Groups (or Hydrozones)
A Schedule Group is a group of zones that have been linked together such that they can all be
controlled with a single watering strategy, typically with a single biSensor.
A Schedule Group can be made of any zones that:

Require irrigation on the same frequency (i.e., same days)

Have similar plant types (turf, shrubs, etc.)

Do not have excessive difference in sun or wind exposure

Are irrigated with similar water application technologies. Assuming zones meet the
criteria above:

Spray, rotor & multi-stream zones can be combined, as long as there is not a 10x or
greater difference in application rates

Drip zones can be combined

Subsurface drip zones can be combined
Each Schedule Group has a Primary Zone (where the moisture sensor is located if one is to be
used), and any number of Linked Zones.
Each Linked Zone will be watered on the same schedule as the Primary Zone, but the specific
water time for each Linked Zone may be individually adjusted in comparison to the Primary Zone.
Choosing the Primary Zone for a Schedule Group
Since zones in a Schedule Group are naturally similar, most zones in any group can make a good
Primary Zone. For larger Schedule Groups, or Schedule Groups with a higher level of variation in
sun or wind exposure, choose a Primary Zone that:

Requires irrigation the most frequently

Has an average or greater sun and wind exposure for the Schedule Group
One important note: in order to simplify programming, the 3200 requires that the zone number
for any Primary Zone be lower than the other Linked Zones in a Schedule Group. For retrofits,
this may occasionally require that you renumber your zones.
Choosing the Sensor Location
Best Results are achieved when the biSensor is located in an area that is average for the zone,
and ideally for the entire Schedule Group. For optimal results, the following should be avoided:

Drainage areas where irrigation or rainwater pools or is channeled

Areas immediately around hardscapes or that receive runoff water from hardscapes
or buildings.
As long as the location of the sensor is average for the zone, excellent water efficiency can be
achieved.