Onboarding and Troubleshooting your B-hyve XD Hose timer

In this video, we will be onboarding an Orbit B-hyve XD Timer. This video applies to all XD timers available, including the one-port, two-port and four-port timers. In this demonstration we will be using a four-port XD timer. We will go through the entire process of adding the timer to your B-hyve app, adding a second generation B-hyve hub, some of the unique features of the XD timer, and basic troubleshooting steps to help you if you’re experiencing issues with your device. Attach the inlet of the device to your hose spigot and ensure the outlet is also attached to your waterlines. In this example, we only have one water line hooked up to our four-port timer. Ensure that the provided screen washer is in place before attaching to your spigot.

 

Without the washer, the timer will leak at the inlet and you risk debris getting into the valve of your timer, causing it to fail prematurely. Turn the water spigot on. The first step of this process is taking a set of standard batteries, inserting them into the battery tray, and powering the device on.

 

If you have not already done so, you’ll want to download the free B-hyve app from either the Apple App Store or the Google Play store and create a B-hyve account. We recommend that you use a valid email address to receive B-hyve alerts and it allows Orbit to contact you if necessary. Once you have created an account, you’ll want to log in to your B-hyve app using your email address and password.

 

You will then be prompted to either add a new device or use a code to gain access to a timer that has already been onboarded with a different account. In this demonstration we will be adding a new device. If you have previously logged into your app and are reopening it and currently don’t have any devices on your account, the app will launch to the home tab with an option to add a timer. If your account currently has devices added to it and you’re adding more, this can be done by going to the My B-hyve tab at the bottom right corner, then selecting devices and pressing the plus icon on the bottom right. In this example, we will continue by selecting this is a new device.

 

You will now want to select the device that you want to add. This is a B-hyve timer, so we will select that option. If you’ve not powered your timer on yet, you will need to do that before moving forward. Once the timer is powered on, you’ll want to check that there is a flashing Bluetooth symbol on the top of the LCD screen.

 

This means that your timer is in Bluetooth pairing mode and is ready to connect. If your timer is not showing a flashing Bluetooth symbol, please see the troubleshooting section of this video. With your device powered on and in pairing mode, you’re ready to move forward. The B-hyve app will now scan for Bluetooth devices looking to connect. The timer is connected over Bluetooth, so you need to remain close to your timer throughout the onboarding process.

 

You’ll now verify that the MAC address found by the app matches the MAC address on your timer. This can be found in the bottom of the timer below the barcode.

 

If the MAC address is correct, press this matches my device. If the MAC address is not correct, press this is not my device and the app will re-scan for devices. The app is now connected to your device with Bluetooth. You will receive a confirmation message that connection was successful.

 

Next, you’ll give your device a new name. You can also take a picture of your device or choose a photo from your photo library. This is especially helpful if you have multiple devices on your account. Once you have named your timer, the app will check to see if your device requires a firmware update. If it does, this will happen automatically and should only take a few minutes.

 

The video is sped up through this process. Once the firmware installation has completed, your timer will reboot and reconnect Bluetooth. It will now be running on the latest firmware. Now we will enter in our location information. If you plan on using a hub to enable smart features, this information is used to identify the closest weather station to your timer to obtain forecast information.

 

The only required field is postal code, although with a more accurate location, we can potentially find a closer weather station if there are multiple weather stations under one postal code. You may select use current location to let the app autofill the data or you may enter this information in manually. Next, you will test each zone of your timer. On this screen, you will have the option to add an image of your zone as well as test the zone and to confirm it is watering as expected. Before pressing the test button, ensure the water spigot is turned on and that port one of the timer is attached to the zone you will be watering. Press the test button. The timer should begin watering after a few seconds.

 

The entire watering cycle is approximately 30 seconds.

 

At any point in this process, you can take a picture of your zone. Once a watering cycle is complete, hit the next button. You can now give zone one a name.

 

You will then repeat this process for the additional ports of the timer.

 

Once zone testing is completed, you have successfully onboarded the timer and you have three options for the next steps. You can program the device, set up another device, or start using the device. In this example, we will press start using my device to take us to the home screen. The home screen has status information about the device, active programs, connection status, manual watering, and rain delay.

 

One of the unique features of the B-hyve XD timer is the ability to operate the timer at the timer itself. You can manually water, add rain delays and even program the timer at the timer. All information is transferred over to the app automatically. To start a manual watering at the timer, have the dial set to the auto position and press the dial once.

 

You can press the zone button to cycle through the zones, depending on the number of ports of your XD timer.

 

Once you select the zone you’d like to water, you can then turn the dial to adjust the runtime. Press the dial in and the timer will begin a manual watering event. Press the dial again and the watering will stop.

 

This can also be done in-app by selecting the manual watering button on the home screen.

 

Now that we have successfully onboarded an Orbit B-hyve XD timer, let’s onboard an Orbit B-hyve second generation hub. It is important to note that you must use a second generation hub with your XD timer. If you have a first generation hub, it is not compatible with the XD timer. Please also note that if you do not add a hub on your account, the timer is Bluetooth only.

 

This means you must be within range of the timer’s Bluetooth signal in order to control the device. Adding a hub enables remote access from anywhere in the world as long as you have internet access at your phone. It also enables smart features, including auto weather delays and smart watering. Lastly, adding a hub enables full access to watering history.

 

Let’s begin adding the hub. Navigate to the My B-hyve tab on the bottom right of the app. Select devices and then the plus button on the bottom right corner. You will then be prompted to either add a new device or use a code to gain access to a device that has already been onboarded with a different account. In this demonstration, we will be adding a new device.

 

We will now want to select the device that we are trying to add. This is a hub, so we’ll select that option. Prior to powering your device on, it is important to note the MAC address on your Gen 2 Hub. The MAC address is located on the back of the hub, shown here.

 

Once you’ve noted your MAC address, you can now plug the hub into an outlet nearest your watering device. Your hub should be within 150 feet of your timer. However, please take into account that building materials and landscape reduce the Bluetooth range of devices. So being as close as possible to your timer while still keeping your hub indoors is ideal.

 

Keep in mind that the hub is not rated for outdoor conditions. A single hub can support multiple Gen 2 compatible B-hyve devices, so planning your hub location is critical if you’re supporting additional devices. Lastly, additional hubs can be added to your B-hyve account to better support landscapes with B-hyve devices spread beyond a single hub’s range. Let’s plug in our hub.

 

You will see that the device will begin to blink a blue LED, indicating that the device is in pairing mode. If for whatever reason your device is not in pairing mode, please see the troubleshooting section of this video. With your device powered on and in pairing mode, you’re ready to move forward. The B-hyve app will now scan for Bluetooth devices looking to connect.

 

The hub is connected over Bluetooth, so you need to remain close to your hub throughout the onboarding process. You will now verify that the MAC address found by the app matches the MAC address on your hub, which can be found on the back of the hub, also which we noted on a previous step. If the MAC address is correct, press this matches my device.

 

If the MAC address is incorrect, press this is not my device and the app will re-scan for devices. At the Wi-Fi setup screen, you have the option to manually enter your information or you may use the dropdown of networks returned by the hub. If your desired network isn’t found, try pressing the refresh button to re-scan for networks or try entering your information in manually by pressing advanced.

 

You want to ensure that your hub has a strong Wi-Fi signal. This can be checked by looking at the list of networks in the dropdown list. Please be aware that the hub uses a 2.4 Ghz network and is not compatible with 5 Ghz networks. You also may need to buy a Wi-Fi range booster, depending on your installation location, to improve Wi-Fi signal strength

 

if you have a weak connection. Select your Wi-Fi network, supply the network password, and press connect to network. While the app and hub are establishing a Wi-Fi connection, you will see the hub LED flash yellow as it is connecting. Once the Wi-Fi connection is established, the hub LED will be solid green. Next, you can give your device a new name.

 

You can also take a photo of your device or choose a photo from your photo library. This is especially helpful if you have multiple devices on your account.

 

Once you have named your hub, the app will check to see if your device requires a firmware update. If it does, this will happen automatically and should only take a few minutes. The video is sped up through this process. Once the firmware update is complete, the hub will turn off and then back on again and will now be running the latest firmware.

 

Now we will enter in our location information. This information is used to identify the closest weather station to your hub to obtain forecast information for smart features. The only required field is postal code, although with a more accurate location, we can potentially find a closer weather station if there are multiple weather stations under one postal code. You may select use current location to let the app autofill the data or you may enter this information in manually.

 

Your hub is now fully onboarded. You may select start using my device to begin controlling your hose timer with Wi-Fi, or if you have additional devices to add to your B-hyve account, you can choose to add more devices. We will select start using my device. You’ll be taken to the home screen where you’ll notice that your timer is now connected to Wi-Fi indicated by the Wi-Fi icon in the top left corner of the screen.

 

In separate videos, we will review the app as a whole, exploring programing, smart watering, calendar, watering history, and many more great features offered by B-hyve. If you’re having issues with your timer performance and need to factory reset your device, you’ll want to follow these steps. Before you factory reset, please note that factory resetting your device will wipe all settings and history from the device.

 

This should only be done as a final option. We will start by removing the device from your B-hyve account. To do this, navigate to My B-hyve in the app, select the device you’d like to reset, scroll to the bottom of the page and find remove device. You will be warned about removing the device. Accept and the device will be removed from your account.

 

Next, at the device, set the dial to off. Press and hold the dial until the screen displays all the LCD segments, then release the button. You have now successfully factory reset the device and can onboard the device following the same steps previously shown in this video. If you’re having issues with your hub performance and need to factory reset your device, you’ll want to follow these steps. Before you factory reset, please note that factory resetting your device will wipe all settings and history from the device. This should only be done as a final option. We will start by removing the device from your B-hyve account. To do this, navigate to My B-hyve in the app, select the device you’d like to reset, scroll to the bottom of the page and find remove device.

 

You’ll be warned about removing the device. Accept and the device will be removed from your account. Next, at the device, press the B-hyve B button five times rapidly. You should see the LED flash red repeatedly.

 

You have now successfully factory reset the device and can onboard the device following the same steps previously shown in this video. If your timer is not in pairing mode and you’re trying to onboard the device, set the dial to off, press and hold the dial until a screen displays all the LCD segments, then release the button.

 

The device will power back on in pairing mode. You should see a blinking Bluetooth icon on the top of the screen. This indicates the device is ready for pairing. You can follow the B-hyve XD onboarding steps of this video to onboard your device. If your hub is not in pairing mode and you’re trying to onboard the device, simply pressing the B-hyve B button on the face of the device five times rapidly will reset the device and it should enter pairing mode once reset. You will see the device blinking red LED rapidly. Once the red light is gone, you should see a blinking blue LED. This indicates the device is ready for pairing. You can now follow the hub onboarding steps of this video to onboard your device. If your Wi-Fi is no longer connected, usually because of a change to your Wi-Fi network, you can update your Wi-Fi settings using the following steps.

 

You will know your device is no longer connected to Wi-Fi because the app home screen will indicate it is disconnected. The connection status on the top left will have a Wi-Fi symbol with a slash through it, and your hub will be blinking yellow. If needed, you can still control your device using the app if you’re within range of the device’s Bluetooth.

 

You can click on the connect to Bluetooth button on the center of the home screen or click on the connection symbol on the top left of the home page and select connect via Bluetooth. This can be a temporary solution while your Wi-Fi connection is resolved. You can also control or make changes to your device at the device itself as needed. To update your Wi-Fi settings, navigate to B-hyve, Devices, select the hub that is needing Wi-Fi settings updated, then select update Wi-Fi settings. It is important that you select the hub and not the timer as the hub is what is connected to Wi-Fi.

 

Next, you will enter your updated network name and password. If you are unable to find the network in your dropdown, you can manually enter your network information under the advanced settings. Please note that the hub is only compatible with 2.4 Ghz networks and is not compatible with 5 Ghz networks. Once you have successfully updated your Wi-Fi settings, the hub LED will change to a solid green and your app should reflect that you are now connected over Wi-Fi again by removing the slash over the Wi-Fi symbol on the home screen.

Leave a Reply