GrowCube

Description¶

GrowCube is a smart watering product designed by Elecrow. It offers you a variety of plant watering methods, with four independent soil moisture sensors and water outlets design, GrowCube can water four plants intelligently and independently. In addition, by monitoring soil moisture in real-time, GrowCube can water plants autonomously and take good care of your plants.
Module: AAK45440K

Key Features¶

• Intelligent Automatic Watering

① Obtaining soil moisture data for plant growth in real-time by reliable soil moisture sensors
② GrowCube APP contains over 3000 kinds of plants growth humidity guidance data, keeping a comfortable growth humidity environment for the plant
③ Alternative option to avoid watering during the sun exposure period

• APP Exclusive Plant Housekeeper

① Illustrating the plant soil moisture curves and recording the watering operations
② Dedicated plant diary for recording the growth process
③ Real-time display of environmental temperature & humidity and soil humidity
④ Massive knowledge-base database for plant maintenance to better cultivate your lovely plants

• Comfortable Use in Multiple Scenarios

① Three watering modes, it also supports watering manually and timing quantitatively
② Equipped with 1.5L large water tank, provides enough water for 2 weeks by one refill
③ Availability on external water supply is sufficient for large outdoor watering demand
④ The original nozzle is suitable for various sizes of plant pots
⑤ Simple and stylish appearance matches the watering scenarios in office, home and many other places
⑥ GrowCube APP supports multi devices working simultaneously, switching freely between different usage scenarios
⑦ Offline operation - the device can operate normally when there is no active network

• Easy to Operate and Easy to Use

① Easy and quick installation with the aid of sensor magnetic plug-and-play interface design
② One-click settings to start the GrowCube APP
③ Adding water is easy and convenient
④ Built in smart protection systems for water shortage alarm, block prevention and sensor detection.

Host Appearance¶

Water Tank
Press to open and close, maximum water capacity is 1.5L.

Unlock Button
GrowCube will be locked when the blockage occurs or the water tank is empty or the sensor is abnormal for more than 3 times. After troubleshooting or adding water, press the unlock button to restore normal operation of the device. If you hold down the button for 3 seconds, the network will be reconfigured.

Reset Button Hole
Press and hold the reset button with something like a needle for 3 seconds then restore GrowCube to factory settings.

Temperature And Humidity Sensor
Measure the ambient temperature and humidity of GrowCube.

Working Status Indicators

External Water Tank Hole
When an external large water tank is required, using a water pipe to connect the external water tank from this hole.

Soil Moisture Sensor Interface A/B/C/D
Interfaces for independent 4-way soil moisture sensor.

Power Supply
12V/2A power adapter interface.

Water Outlet Interface a/b/c/d
Independent four water outlets. Using water outlet and soil moisture sensor in pair. A-a, B-b, C-c, D-d.

Get Started¶

Installation¶

Steps To Use GrowCube¶

1. Install the filter, install the filter at the water inlet of the water tank, and insert it vertically as shown in the figure right.

2. Connect the soil moisture sensor to the GrowCube and insert the other end into the soil. There are four sensor interfaces(Marked A to D) on the GrowCube, and you can connect a sensor to any one of them. For example, when using port a to water plants, connect the sensor to port A of the GrowCube(Pay attention to the buckle position of the sensor connector and device interface). Then insert the soil moisture sensor vertically into the soil, the insertion depth should be more than ⅔ of the sensor, and the sensor insertion position should be as close as possible to the rhizome of the plant.

3. Cut water pipes based on the distance from GrowCube to plants.

4. Connect the cut water pipe to GrowCube. Note that when you use sensor “A” for the plant,you should use a water outlet “a” at the same time.

5. Connect the water pipe to the nozzle.

6. Bend the nozzle to fit the size of the plant disk so that the nozzle can reach the root area of the flower as much as possible.

7. Fix the nozzle through the bracket if necessary.

8. Fill the GrowCube tank with water, being careful not to exceed the maximum level.

Note :
According to different usage scenarios, an external water source can also be used to supply water.
First, unplug the rubber plug on the back of GrowCube.
Then, insert the water tube into the water cube through the external hole.
Next, unplug the filter at the water inlet inside the GrowCube box, and insert the water pipe into the water inlet.
In order to prevent the GrowCube from alarming due to lack of water in the water pipe, please keep the inlet and outlet pipes full of water ( via manual watering), and then set the auto watering mode or smart watering mode.

1. Turn on the power supply of GrowCube, wait for the red and blue lights to flash alternately, which means the state of waiting for network configuration.

Install APP¶

Android users go to Google Play to search for "GrowCube" , download and install it.
iOS users go to the Apple Store to search for "GrowCube", download and install it.

Network Configuration¶

The GrowCube has two working modes, Networking Mode and Direct Connection Mode. We recommend users to use the networking mode, which is connected to the router wifi at home or the wifi in the office environment, the device and the mobile phone can establish a local area network connection. Multiple devices can be added this way. Of course, if you are in an environment without WiFi, you can also use direct connection mode. The device itself will open access point, allowing the phone to connect directly. In direct connection mode, only one device can be controlled at the same time and only locally stored plants can be added instead of using the cloud database.

Networking Mode¶

Before configuring the network for the GrowCube, let's take a look at how GrowCube Networking Mode works:

The GrowCube is connected through the home / office WiFi network, it is the intermediary between mobile phone and GrowCube information transmission.
Here are the steps for GrowCube to configure the network:

• 1. Open the app and enter the Mode Selection page, select "Networking Mode" and enter the Set GrowCube Network 'page, enter the home/office WiFi name and home/office WiFi password to be used, click "Continue", and there will be a pop-up "XXXX (your WiFi name) has been Saved";

Note: There is a drop-down selection menu at the WiFi name, users can choose WiFi by themselves, the recently used WiFi will be displayed first, do not use 5G network as it is currently not supported.

• 1. Go to Connect The Device page, make sure that the red and blue indicators on the front of the GrowCube are flashing alternately before you initiate the connection, if not, the device is not ready to be connected. Please press the side button for 3s until you hear the "beep" sound. At this time, you can search for the WiFi named GrowCube xxxx launched by the device itself, where xxxx is a random combination of numbers and letters. Use your phone to connect the WiFi as prompted, check "The above operations have been confirmed" , and then click "Next". If the phone is already connected to the WiFi, the Networking page can be normally entered, and the App will send the WiFi name and password just saved to GrowCube, then GrowCube will connect by itself.

• 1. After enter the Networking page, turn on the phone WiFi and disconnect the WiFi connection between the phone and GrowCube. And then connect the previously saved home/office WiFi to ensure that the phone and the device are connected to the same wireless network. In this page, the App will continuously check:

① Whether the device has been connected to the home/office WiFi ,
② Whether the phone has also been connected to the corresponding home/office WiFi ,
③ Whether the device and the phone have established connections through the home/office WiFi .

If the first step fails, the interface will pop up as follows, and you can choose to re-enter or reconnect. Re-entering will return to the WiFi Configuration page and re-enter the WiFi name and password. If you choose to reconnect, it will try to connect again using the current saved WiFi name and password.

If the second step fails, the interface will pop up as follows, you need to disconnect the WiFi connection between the mobile phone and GrowCube and then connect to the current home/office WiFi.

If the third step fails, the interface will pop up as follows, you can choose to reset or reconnect. Resetting will re-enter the Mode Selection page. Reconnecting is to return to the page and perform three rounds of connection attempts and detection again. If the above three steps are completed, the configuration is successful.

• 1. After the network configuration successfully saved, enter the Configured Successfully page and generate the device name. The name can be renamed according to your preferences. At this time, the blue indicator on the front of GrowCube is solid.

• 1. Click "Click here into the homepage" to enter the Home page of the GrowCube APP and start your smart maintenance journey.

Direct Connection Mode¶

• 1.Select "Direct connection mode" on the Mode Selection page and enter the page of the Directly Connected Device. Connect the WiFi named GrowCube xxxx as prompted and click "Next".

• 2.After the device is successfully connected to the mobile phone, enter the Configured Successfully page, generate the device name, click "Click here into the homepage" to enter the GrowCube APP home page.

Watering Parameter Settings¶

• 1. Add Plants

On the Plants page，click to add plants. Do not add exceed four plants.

• 2. Choose Water Outlet

According to the soil moisture sensor interface and water outlet used by the added plant, select the corresponding watering outlet in the APP. Note that the soil moisture sensor interface should be paired with the water outlet. In this example, the soil moisture sensor of A is used, so it is necessary to choose a as the plant watering outlet accordingly.

• 3. Choose Plant

Enter "plant name" in the search box, and when you find the plant, click to select it.

• 4. Choose Watering Mode For Plant

Choose the watering mode according to your need.

• 5. Save Settings And Start Smart Watering

Give the plant a nice nickname, such as "my beauty" and click Save to start planting. If you choose the smart watering mode, you can also choose whether to avoid watering during the sun exposure period. Turn on the switch and the device will not water from 9AM-6PM every day.

Back to the Plants page, you can see all the plants being planted. Click on the blank space except for the plant name and plant picture to enter the detailed page of the plant's watering status. Click on the plant name or plant picture to enter the detailed introduction page of the plant.

• *6. Add New Category

If the plant is not found in the plant database, please go to the Garden first, and then click toadd a new plant category. Enter the plant nickname, scientific name and take a photo of the plant. After customizing the suitable humidity range, click "Save". Go back to the Plants pageand click to enter Add Plant page. You can find the plant in the list. After selecting it, click "Save" to add the plant successfully.

FAQS¶

Q1： Does the device fail to run in direct connection mode?
A：In the direct connection mode, the mobile phone is connected to the WiFi sent by the device itself. If the connection fails, please re-plug and unplug the device.
Q2: Failed to establish connection between mobile phone and WiFi in network mode?
A: Firstly, check whether the home/office WiFi is stable and whether it is a 5G network (the device does not support 5G network at present). Then check whether the input home/office WiFi and password is correct. Finally, check whether there are incorrect connections caused by multiple GrowCube devices in the same environment.
Q3: Can't use the plant database?
A: Check whether the device is in direct connection mode, because in direct connection mode, the mobile phone is connected to the WiFi of the device, which does not have the function of networking.
Q4: What is the purpose of the Micro USB port on the back of the device?
A: The Micro USB port is used to flash the firmware before the device leaves the factory. Do not use it to power the device.
Q5: Once the power supply is plugged in, the blue and red lights of the device doesn’t turn on?
A: Please check whether 12V/2A power supply is used.
Q6: The sensor value is abnormal, such as high value or no change.
A: Check whether the insertion position of the sensor is normal (whether it is in the vicinity of the spray nozzle); Check whether there are foreign bodies such as dust or dirt in the magnetic suction interface of the sensor; Check whether the magnetic suction cable is broken or damaged; Check whether the surface of the sensor is broken or damaged; Check whether the pot is inserted wrong; Check whether the water supply from the pipe is normal or low.
Q7: Silicone nozzle does not give water？
A: Check whether the connector is blocked; Check whether the water outlet and water pipe are blocked; Check whether the spray hole is blocked by silt
Q8: Is the device waterproof and can be used outdoors?
The soil moisture sensor is made of waterproof material, which can be used in many scenarios such as balcony, backyard, office, indoor, etc. However, since a sensor is also installed on the side of the device to obtain the air temperature and humidity, there is a small opening, so the device can prevent certain splashes but is not suitable for immersion in water.
Q9: Can I DIY pipes from one junction to three or more points?
Yes. You can just DIY from one junction to many points in automatic watering mode, it all depends on your ideas and needs .
You can list you question here or contact with techsupport@elecrow.com for technology support.