In this video, we will be onboarding a second-generation Orbit B-hyve Hose Faucet 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 unique features of the hose faucet timer, and basic troubleshooting steps to help you if you are experiencing issues with your device. The second generation hose faucet timer is dark grey in color and says “Gen 2” above the B-hyve B button on the front of the device.
The first step of this process is taking a set of standard double AA batteries, inserting them into the battery tray, and powering the device on. Attach the inlet of the device to your hose spigot. Ensure that the provided screen washer is in place before attaching to your spigot. Without this 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 hose spigot on. During the onboarding process, the flow meter is calibrated so ensuring your device is hooked up to your waterlines is important. If you haven’t done so already, 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 the app and reopened it and currently have no devices on the account, the app will launch to the home tab with the 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 in 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 are trying to add. This is a Gen 2 Hose Faucet Timer, so we will select that option. If you have 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 blue LED on the front of the device.
This means that your timer is in Bluetooth pairing mode and is ready to connect. If your timer is not showing a flashing blue LED. 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 the timer throughout the onboarding process. You will now verify that the MAC address found by the app matches the MAC address on the timer. This can be found on 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 the device with Bluetooth. You should receive a confirmation message that the connection was successful. Next, you can give your device a new name. You can also take a photo of the device or choose a photo from your photo library. This is especially helpful if you have multiple devices on your account.
Once you’ve 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. You will see that your device will begin to blink a white LED through the duration of the firmware update. Once the firmware installation has completed, the timer will restart and reconnect Bluetooth.
It will now be running on the latest firmware. Now we will enter 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 the timer on the screen and you will have an option to add an image of the zone as well as calibrate the built-in flow meter before pressing the test button. Ensure the water spigot is turned on and the outlet 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. Allow the entire watering cycle to complete – approximately 30 seconds. This allows the flow meter to gather the average flow rate of your zone. At any point in this process, you can take a photo of your zone. Once the watering cycle is complete, hit the next button. If your zone is watering less than one gallon per minute, you will be prompted with a message about low flow.
For accurate flow meter readings, it is recommended that your flow rate is higher than one gallon per minute. Once zone testing is complete, you have successfully onboarded the timer and 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 about the B-hyve hose tap timer is a built-in flow meter. You can actively view the flow rate and total water usage during a watering event. Here is an example of running a manual watering event and viewing the active flow. Simply tap on the center of the watering wheel during a watering event to view this information.
Now that we have successfully onboarded the Orbit B-hyve second-generation hose tap timer, let’s onboard an Orbit B-hyve second-generation hub. It’s important to note that you must use the second-generation hub with the second-generation hose tap timer. If you have a first-generation hub, it will not be compatible with the second generation hose tap timer. Please also note that if you do not add a hub to your account, the timer is Bluetooth only. This means that you must be within range of the Bluetooth signal in order to control the device from your phone. 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 timer that has already been onboarded with a different account.
In this demonstration, we will be adding a new device. You will now want to select the device you are trying to add. This is the hub, so we will select that option prior to powering on the device. It is important to note the MAC address of 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 the 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 are 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 the 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 not correct, press this is not my device and the app will scan for devices.
Next, you should see the Wi-Fi setup screen. You have the option of manually entering in your network information or you may use a drop-down of networks returned from the hub. If your desired network isn’t found, try pressing the refresh button to scan for networks or try entering your information in manually by pressing advanced. You will 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 this hub is only compatible with 2.4 GHz networks and is not compatible with 5 GHz networks. You may also 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.
Throughout this Wi-Fi connection process, 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 will give your device a new name. You can also take a picture of the 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 has completed, the hub will turn off and then back on 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 our hub to obtain forecasting permission for smart features. The only required field is postal code, although, with a more accurate location, we can potentially find closer weather stations if there are multiple weather stations under one postal code. You may select to 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 can select to start using my device to begin controlling your hose faucet 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 will be taken to the home screen where you will notice that your timer is now connected to Wi-Fi indicated by the Wi-Fi icon on the top left corner of the screen.
In separate videos, we will review the app as a whole, exploring programming, smart watering, calendar, watering history, and many more great features offered by B-hyve. If you need to manually water and your app is not available, the device itself has a button that allows for manual operation. Simply press and hold the B-hyve B button on the face of the timer until the LED turns green.
Then release the button. Your timer will begin a watering cycle. The default runtime is 10 minutes, but this default can be changed in the app settings. To change the default runtime, go to my B-hyve devices. Select the timer you’d like to change, find the preset runtime, and adjust to your desired time. If you need to stop watering prior to the completed watering time, press the B-hyve B button once and the timer will close the valve.
If you’re having issues with the timer performance and need to factory reset your device, you will 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 it 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 you are having issues with your hub performance and need to factory reset your device, you will 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, 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 device is not in pairing mode and you’re trying to onboard the device, simply pressing the B-hyve button on the face of the device five times rapidly will reset the device and it should enter pairing mode. Once reset, this works the same for both the timer and the hub.
You will see the device blink a red light rapidly. Once the red light is gone, you should see a blue blinking LED. This indicates the device is ready for pairing. You can now follow the onboarding steps of this video to onboard your device.
If your Wi-Fi is no longer connected, usually because of a change of 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 the 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 Bluetooth. This can be a temporary solution while your Wi-Fi connection is resolved.
To update your Wi-Fi settings, navigate to My B-hyve, Devices. Select the hub that needs Wi-Fi settings updated, then select Update Wi-Fi settings. It is important to select the hub and not the timer, as the hub is what is connected to Wi-Fi. Next, you will enter your updated Wi-Fi name and password. If you’re unable to find your network in the dropdown menu, you can manually enter your Wi-Fi information under the advanced settings.
Please note that the hub is only compatible with 2.4 Ghz networks and is not compatible with 5Ghz networks. Once you have successfully updated your Wi-Fi settings, the hub 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.
Devices Covered: 21205 21027
Back to Support pageTags: B-hyve, B-hyve App, Connect, Hose Timer, Internal, Onboarding, Pair, Troubleshooting, Wifi Hub