Autopot 4Pot XL - User Manual

mail@autopot.co.uk I www.autopot.co.uk I +44 (0)844 8581520 mail@autopot.co.uk I www.autopot.co.uk I +44 (0)844 8581520
Your 4Pot XL system
set-up guidelines
Ensuring that the AQUAvalve floods
and drains correctly
Care and maintenance
Making sure your AQUAvalve floods and
drains correctly is simply achieved and
only takes a few seconds.
Hold the AQUAvalve at eye level so that
you can see the silicon fitted to the top float
resting on the hole below it.
The silicon must create a tight seal when
touching the hole.
If it looks like it is not sitting parallel on the
hole below, simply lift the top float and
apply pressure to one side of the silicon,
drop the float and hold at eye level again.
Repeat the procedure if necessary.
At the end of your growing season, clean
the AQUAvalve using warm soapy water.
Using an old tooth brush will help.
The AQUAvalve is easily disassembled.
The top float will slide all the way across
and the bottom float is unclipped from its
pivoting position. The circular discs fitted to
the top float can also be removed by using
pliers to grip the raised point.
At this point is it advisable to remove the
silicones to avoid them being lost.
It is also handy to have a paper clip or
pipe cleaner to hand so that you can push
it through the AQUAvalve nozzle, this will
remove any lime scale build up that may
have occurred during the growing season.
Blowing through the AQUAvalve nozzle will
also help to remove any build up. Do not
under any circumstances use a drill & drill
bit to clear the AQUAvalve nozzle.
This will potentially damage the
AQUAvalve beyond repair.
Simple care
guidelines
11
2
2
3
4
Ensure the silicon is sitting parallel on
the hole below it. Hold at eye level
to check the position is correct
plants
Allow
your
to
establish
before turning your
system
on
.
4
Layout 2
Layout 1

Summary

Simple Care Guidelines

Ensuring AQUAvalve Floods and Drains Correctly

Verify AQUAvalve flooding and draining by checking silicon seal alignment at eye level.

Care and Maintenance

Clean the AQUAvalve with soapy water, disassemble, and clear the nozzle carefully.

4 Pot XL System Set-Up Guidelines

Place Root Control Disc

Insert the circular root control disc, gold face down, into the pot.

Connect Pipe to AQUAvalve

Remove collar, push pipe through, attach to AQUAvalve, and rescrew collar gently.

Fill Pot and Water Plants

Fill the pot with medium, plant, water through, and allow to drain outside the tray.

Connect AQUAvalve to Tray

Connect AQUAvalve to the tray, ensuring the 'half moon' is on the T section.

Position Tray Level

Ensure the tray is positioned correctly and is level for proper system operation.

Cut Pipe to Appropriate Length

Cut the 6mm or 16mm pipe to the required length for the setup.

Insert Grommet and Pipe into Tank

Push the top hat grommet into the tank and then push pipe through it.

Insert Filter into Pipe

Inside the tank, push the 6mm filter into the 6mm pipe.

Place Pot in Tray

Place the pot into the tray, ensuring it is clean for proper function.

Place Lid Over Valve onto Tray

Place the lid over the valve onto the tray, securing the system.

Overview

1. Function Description
2. Important Technical Specifications
3. Usage Features
4. Maintenance Features

The AutoPot 4Pot XL system is an automatic plant watering system designed to provide consistent and controlled hydration to plants, promoting healthier growth with minimal manual intervention. The system utilizes gravity and a unique AQUAvalve mechanism to deliver water and nutrients to plants as needed, without the need for pumps or electricity.

Function Description:

The core function of the 4Pot XL system is to automate the watering process for up to four plants. It operates on a simple yet effective principle: a central reservoir (47-liter tank) supplies water and nutrient solution to individual plant trays via a network of 6mm pipes. Each tray contains an AQUAvalve, which is the intelligent heart of the system. The AQUAvalve senses when the water level in the tray drops below a certain point and then opens to allow more solution to flow in from the reservoir. Once the desired water level is reached, the AQUAvalve closes, preventing overwatering and ensuring that plants have access to water only when they need it. This wet/dry cycle encourages robust root development and prevents waterlogging. The system is designed to allow plants to establish themselves for 7-10 days after potting before the automatic watering is initiated, which helps in developing a stronger and healthier root system.

Important Technical Specifications:

• System Capacity: Designed for four plants.
• Reservoir: 1x 47-liter tank and lid. This large capacity minimizes the frequency of refilling.
• Plant Trays: 4x 1Pot XL trays and lids. These trays house the pots and the AQUAvalve.
• Pots: 4x 25-liter pots. These are larger pots suitable for bigger plants or longer growth cycles.
• AQUAvalve: 4x AQUAvalve units, the proprietary mechanism for automatic watering.
• Piping: 4 meters of 6mm pipe, connecting the reservoir to the AQUAvalve units.
• Connectors:
  • 2x 6mm in-line tap for controlling water flow.
  • 2x 6mm cross connector for branching the pipe network.
  • 4x 6mm tee connector for connecting individual AQUAvalve units.
• Grommet: 1x 6mm top hat grommet for sealing the pipe entry into the reservoir.
• Filter: 1x 6mm golf filter, placed inside the tank to prevent debris from entering the pipework.
• Root Control: 4x XL root control discs, placed at the bottom of the pots to prevent roots from growing into the AQUAvalve and blocking it. These discs should be placed gold face down.
• Dimensions (1Pot XL):
  • Tray: 380mm (width) x 372mm (depth) x 285mm (height).
  • Pot: 330mm (diameter) x 275mm (height).
  • Tank: 375mm (width) x 300mm (depth) (approximate, based on visual representation).
• Minimum Tank Elevation: The tank must be raised a minimum of 150mm above the highest AQUAvalve to ensure proper gravity flow.

Usage Features:

• Gravity-Fed System: Operates without electricity, pumps, or timers, making it energy-efficient and reliable.
• Automatic Watering: The AQUAvalve ensures plants receive water and nutrients on demand, preventing both over and under-watering.
• Modular Design: The system is easy to set up and expand. The instructions detail how to connect the reservoir to the pipework and then to individual AQUAvalve units in each tray.
• Substrate Compatibility: Recommended for use with free-draining substrates such as soil/perlite, coco/perlite, soil/clay pebbles, coco/clay pebbles, or rockwool/clay pebbles.
• Nutrient Delivery: Compatible with mineral fertilizers. Organic fertilizers are not recommended as they can block the small pipework.
• Easy Setup: The system comes with clear, step-by-step instructions for assembly, including how to push the 6mm top hat grommet into the tank, insert the 6mm filter, connect the pipework, and attach the AQUAvalve to the trays.
• Root Control: The XL root control discs prevent roots from interfering with the AQUAvalve's operation, ensuring long-term reliability.
• Tank Refill Indicator: It is advised to refill the tank when approximately 1/3 of the solution is left, never allowing the tank to run completely empty.
• Establishment Period: A crucial usage feature is the recommendation to allow plants to establish for 7-10 days after potting and initial manual watering before activating the automatic system. This promotes a stronger root system.

Maintenance Features:

• AQUAvalve Cleaning: At the end of each growing season, the AQUAvalve should be cleaned with warm soapy water, ideally using an old toothbrush.
• Easy Disassembly: The AQUAvalve is designed for easy disassembly. The top float slides across, and the bottom float unclips from its pivot. The circular discs on the top float can also be removed with pliers.
• Silicone Seal Maintenance: The silicone seal within the AQUAvalve is critical for proper flooding and draining. Users are instructed to hold the AQUAvalve at eye level to ensure the silicon is sitting parallel on the hole below it, creating a tight seal. If not, pressure can be applied to one side of the silicon to adjust its position.
• Nozzle Clearing: A paper clip or pipe cleaner can be used to clear any lime scale build-up in the AQUAvalve nozzle. Blowing through the nozzle can also help.
• Warning Against Drilling: It is explicitly stated that a drill or drill bit should never be used to clear the AQUAvalve nozzle, as this will potentially damage it beyond repair.
• Substrate Cleaning: Before placing pots in the trays, all substrate should be cleaned from the bottom and sides of the pots to ensure the system remains clean and free from blockages.
• Preventing Blockages: The use of mineral fertilizers is recommended over organic ones to prevent blockages in the small pipework.

Autopot 4Pot XL Specifications

General

Brand	Autopot
Model	4Pot XL
Category	Irrigation System
Language	English