Help with Device Hardware

The GeoDrops Droplet device's LED turns itself off whenever the device enters deep sleep mode, or if the battery is completely dead.

The device enters deep sleep mode only under these two scenarios:

1. Normal Operation:  Once you successfully install the device in the soil for the first time, if the sensor probes have detected that there is sufficient soil contact, the Blinking Green LED will stop, and the device will enter Normal Operation mode. In Normal Operation mode, the device reads the soil moisture data, syncs it with GeoDrops Cloud, and then immediately enters deep sleep.

2. Setup Timeout:  If the initial device setup has elapsed for a long time (more than an hour), the device will also enter deep sleep mode in order to conserve battery.

If you're not sure whether your device is operating normally when the LED is turned off, you can also use the GeoDrops App to check the device status.

In summary:  The GeoDrops App shows you a four-week history of how your soil moisture changes every 30 minutes.  This data is usually updated once every 4 hours.

If you're interested in knowing the details:  The full suite of soil moisture measurements across the sensor probes is measured every 30 minutes.  The device stores these readings locally and synchronizes with GeoDrops Cloud in batches periodically, typically once every 3 to 4 hours.  However, the device is smart enough to sync up more frequently if it has detected a sudden, significant moisture change.  This frequency is dynamically adjusted based on moisture changes to maximize battery life.

There is a Feature Request from many of our users to increase the frequency of GeoDrops Cloud sync by trading off battery life, so people can see "live" soil moisture readings every hour.  We currently plan to add this feature, but unfortunately we don't have a timeline yet.

There is no need to manually update the device firmware.  GeoDrops firmware is smart enough to perform a live OTA (over-the-air) software update all by itself, automatically, as long as there is more than 50% battery life remaining.

You can use the GeoDrops App to check the current device firmware version, and whether there is an update pending to be installed, among other device status information.

There is no need to factory reset the device when you want to put away or dispose of the device.  You simply make sure the device is removed from your GeoDrops App.

Once this is done, GeoDrops Cloud will automatically disconnect and reset the device, effectively preparing it to be set up again like a brand new device the next time it's powered on.

The batteries can last up to 12 months (sometimes longer), but the exact battery life depends on several factors:
 

1. Please use only reputable brands:  We have tested and qualified the following Alkaline batteries for the GeoDrops Droplet device:  ACDelco (made by GM), Amazon Basics (made by Fujitsu), Costco Kirkland (made by Duracell), Duracell, Energizer, Panasonic, and Rayovac (made by Energizer).  
   We have also tested and qualified the following Rechargeable batteries:  Duracell Rechargeable, IKEA Ladda, Panasonic Eneloop, and POWEROWL.
   
   

2. Avoid Prolonged Setup:  During setup, the device is constantly scanning Wi-Fi and Bluetooth signals, with its ultra-bright LEDs turned on, resulting in high battery usage.  The device can use up between 5% ~ 10% of its battery life per hour during initial Wi-Fi setup.  Thus, we recommend finishing the setup of the GeoDrops Droplet device in one go.  Do not leave the device in an incomplete Setup mode unattended for a prolonged period.
   
   

3. Avoid Winter usage:  Low temperatures (below freezing) can reduce the useful life of batteries significantly.  We generally do not recommend leaving the device outdoors over winter, unless you are performing a scientific study to measure how cold your soil temperature gets.  In this case, we recommend using NiCd (Nickel-Cadmium) AA batteries during extreme cold winter, as they tolerate freezing conditions much better.
   
   

4. Poor Wi-Fi Signal:  This is the third-ranked contributor for seeing poor battery life. The device is smart enough to make a decision on when and how long to retry a failed GeoDrops Cloud internet connection, in order to help minimize battery drain. Even so, battery life will still be impacted. For a poor Wi-Fi connection where the device can only successfully connect half the time, expect the battery to last for as little as only 6 months.