Equipment and setup: start with one zone

This is a functional buying and commissioning guide. It specifies what each part must do, not a promise that any product bearing a familiar name will work. Verify the exact model, interface, firmware and electrical/hydraulic ratings before buying. Reuse suitable existing equipment after checking it.

Three levels of equipment

Level	What you need	What it lets you learn
Explore without hardware	Phone/computer, browser and the demo; optional spare medium, jug and tray	Measurements, graph, drafts, recipes and program navigation; no physical commissioning
One-zone moisture control	Dedicated supported HA host, network, compatible VWC measurement, controllable and safely installed water path, known emitters/plant count, physical protection and measuring tools	Observe moisture, test delivery and commission basic sensor-driven irrigation
Full water-and-EC learning kit	The above plus identified root-zone EC measurement, feed EC/pH checking, air temperature/RH and useful tank/feed monitoring	Interpret conductivity in context and use the corresponding mapped features

EC is important to understanding root-zone management, but an EC probe is not required for every software watering function. The controller can water from moisture with EC rules paused when root-zone EC is unavailable. Do not invent or substitute feed EC to fill a missing pore-water EC mapping.

Functional bill of materials

Quantities below describe one initial hydraulic zone, not a universal sensor-density prescription.

Function / starting quantity	Before you buy or reuse it	Required now or later?
Always-on host / 1	Choose supported Raspberry Pi HAOS or dedicated supported x86-64/Intel NUC HAOS. Provide appropriate PSU, storage, cooling/enclosure and recovery access. Back up any existing drive before installation.	Required; one host can serve multiple zones
Network / 1 reliable connection	Router/switch, Ethernet and access from your setup computer. Use local device integrations where supported; document addresses and any cloud dependency.	Required; use Ethernet for the beginner installation
HA software stack / 1	HAOS, HACS, Crop Steering integration and compatible Crop Steering Controller app. Use the paired release instructions. The dashboard is bundled; do not start by building Lovelace YAML.	Required for this taught route
VWC probe / at least 1 representative location initially	Exact medium suitability, calibration, installation orientation/contact, read frequency, temperature range, HA entity, units and electrical interface. One probe does not establish uniformity across the zone. Expand sampling as needed.	Required for moisture control
Sensor bridge/interface / as needed	Only if the probe does not integrate directly. Verify sensor supply, protocol, signal voltage and bridge support. Buy a documented assembled route first if you cannot validate the electronics.	Conditional
Root-zone EC measurement / as appropriate	Identify whether it is bulk EC, derived pore-water EC or another method. Verify transformations, moisture/temperature limits and units. TEROS 12 bulk EC is not automatically a direct pore-water EC measurement.	Needed for full EC learning; not a substitute for VWC
Air temperature and humidity / 1 representative location initially	Avoid direct spray, radiant heating and unrepresentative air pockets. Check units, timestamps and placement. More locations may be needed.	Recommended for interpreting demand
Water source/reservoir / 1	Enough usable capacity, suitable water quality, safe refill/overflow arrangements and access for inspection. Follow the feed supplier's instructions separately.	Required water function; reuse appropriate infrastructure
Pump / only if the supply needs one	Required duty, flow/pressure curve at operating load, dry-run protection, manufacturer instructions and correctly rated starting/control hardware.	Conditional: do not add a pump to a suitable pressurised supply just for the diagram
Filter, pressure regulation, backflow/siphon provisions / as designed	Match emitter and supply requirements. Confirm applicable plumbing requirements with a competent installer. A check valve alone is not proof of every required protection.	Installation dependent; resolve before water testing
Zone valve and controller / 1 initial zone	Normally closed/fail-closed where appropriate, voltage/current, pressure range, water compatibility and HA-supported control. Verify behaviour on loss of power and communications.	Required controlled zone function
Pipe, dripline, fittings and emitters / based on layout	Compatible pressure and flow, drippers per plant, actual count, end flushing and accessible leak inspection. Record emitter model and nominal flow, then measure it.	Required
Safe electrical control / each output	Certified/enclosed equipment appropriate to local requirements. Check inductive/start loads and pump control inputs. A domestic smart plug's headline resistive rating is insufficient evidence.	Required; professional installation where applicable
Physical isolation and independent protection	Accessible electrical/water shutdown, pump dry-run protection, containment/flood provisions and safe drainage. Decide the response to sensor/network/controller failure.	Required installation design; software switches are not emergency isolation
Commissioning tools / 1 set	Suitable measuring jug or scale, catch cups, stopwatch, tray, labels, layout sheet and a way to observe all tested outlets. Use appropriate hygiene and spill precautions.	Required for physical proof
Feed EC/pH checking	Suitable meters, manufacturer calibration/storage supplies and clean sampling tools. Distinguish feed from root-zone data.	Recommended for nutrient solution management
Tank level/EC/pH/temperature entities	Calibrated level scale and identified instruments; know which are real readings, estimates and float switches.	Useful monitoring; do not infer a pump interlock from a dashboard card
Verified flow meter, runoff collection, extra probes, UPS	Check meter placement/range/pulses and data interpretation; size UPS and define outage behaviour.	Later improvements based on a known problem
Thermal camera, CO₂ control, automated dosing, AI/MCP	Each adds separate commissioning, safety and interpretation work.	Optional advanced modules, not starter requirements

Do not publish an unverified universal shopping cart or price. For a purchase-ready kit, the producer must fill in exact locally available models and pass the compatibility sheet below. No exact new sensor, relay or smart-plug model is endorsed by this pack.

Host choice

Raspberry Pi route: follow the official HA guide. At research time it suggests Pi 4 or 5 with at least 2 GB RAM, an appropriate power supply and at least a 32 GB card; check the live guide before buying. Provide the other listed installation accessories and stable Ethernet. Do not power the Pi from an arbitrary computer USB port. Use a supported storage route rather than improvising boot media in the beginner video.

Intel NUC / x86-64 route: follow the official generic x86-64 HAOS guide. Confirm the exact machine meets the current requirements and can be dedicated to HAOS. Installing the image erases the selected destination. A NUC is an example form factor, not proof that every unit's firmware/storage is supported.

Choose one route. Both rejoin at HA onboarding; there is no need to buy both hosts. Existing working supported installations need not be reinstalled just to follow the course.

Draw the real system

Water path A — existing suitable pressurised supply
Supply → required filtration/regulation/protection → zone valve → emitters → pots → drainage

Water path B — reservoir with pump
Reservoir → pump + required protections → filtration/regulation → zone valve → emitters → pots → drainage

Control and evidence
Probe → compatible interface → HA sensor entity → Crop Steering Controller
Operator's reviewed configuration → HA integration → Controller → mapped output → physical equipment
                                                        │
Actual sensor readings + output feedback + water check ←─┘

The physical order and fittings must suit the actual design and manufacturers' instructions; these are functional diagrams, not construction drawings. Air/climate readings add context. Tank feed chemistry is a separate measurement from root-zone chemistry.

One owner for every physical output. Record whether Crop Steering, another HA automation, an external irrigation controller or a dosing controller owns each pump and valve. Resolve conflicting control before commissioning. In a migration, do not leave two independent controllers able to run the same output.

Compatibility sheet — complete before C4/C6

Item	Record
Host / OS / backup location	Exact model, installed versions, recovery steps
Probe and medium	Exact probe/firmware, medium, approved installation and calibration/reference method
Sensor interface	Supply voltage, signal/protocol, electrical protection, bridge model/firmware and source documentation
HA entities	ID, friendly name, physical location, quantity, units, update interval, acceptable data age
EC interpretation	Feed/bulk/pore-water/extract, conversion method if any, validity range
Output hardware	Valve/pump model, ratings, control interface, fail behaviour, physical isolator
Output ownership	One owning controller; disabled/reassigned conflicting automations
Sizing	Plants, substrate litres/plant, drippers/plant, measured L/h per emitter, tested pressure
Lighting and time	Local timezone, configured room lights-on/off hours, actual lighting schedule and observed agreement; identify which system owns the lights
Protection	Dry-run/flood/siphon/backflow arrangements, responsible installer and test method

Optional TEROS 12 / Atom Lite demonstration

The existing project tutorial contains an owner-confirmed working genuine TEROS 12 assembly and a GPIO26 bridge configuration. That is a filming reference, not a universal wiring diagram. Verify the exact probe documentation, SDI-12 interface, voltage protection, power supply, firmware and pin assignment before reproducing it. Do not infer wire functions from colour or connect an unverified probe signal straight to a GPIO. Use the documented assembled route in the beginner core; put verified DIY details in a separately reviewed appendix. Successful communication does not prove substrate calibration or valid pore-water EC conversion.

Installation and commissioning sequence

Use the current installation guide for commands and exact release steps. The course supplies the explanation and evidence to collect, rather than a second installation procedure that silently drifts.

Prepare recovery and isolation. Back up existing configuration off the host. Identify the physical shutdown and water isolation. Keep automatic engines disabled; physically isolate hazardous outputs as the installation requires. Unknown output status is not OFF.
Install the host if needed. Select the correct dedicated storage device before writing HAOS. Complete onboarding, timezone, accounts and network access. Record where the backup is and how it would be restored.
Prove sensor ingestion. Add the supported device/interface and check the actual entity, units, freshness and placement. Compare a reference or independent check appropriate to the measurement. An implausible reading is a diagnostic issue, not a reason to rewrite a target.
Prove output identity safely. A competent installer confirms electrical and plumbing suitability. Begin with low-risk indication/test loads where appropriate. Name equipment after physical room/zone labels. Never use a live crop as the first wiring test.
Install both Crop Steering components. Use compatible integration and Controller versions; create the room and verify discovery/heartbeat with engines disabled. A UI loading is not proof of a running Controller.
Map one zone and its real topology. In Equipment → Setup choose Zone valves only or Pump then zone valves as applicable. Map correct sensor/control domains and units. Enter sizing. Set and verify the room's local lights-on/off hours against the actual lighting schedule and observed lights; record the timezone and which system controls the lights. The irrigation clock does not prove the lights follow it. Review/save and wait for Mapping acknowledged. Resolve errors rather than bypassing a hold.
Prepare the equipment wet test. Keep Crop Steering's Watering switch OFF through steps 7–10. With a competent person present, arrange a safe discharge into collection, contain spills, watch intended and unintended outlets, and agree physical shutdown. Only remove isolation needed for the specifically supervised test. Do not use a blanket fail-test that could deadhead a pump or flood a room.
Run one bounded equipment-level catch test. Use the equipment manufacturer's safe commissioning procedure under the installer's control, with an agreed duration and shutdown. This is not a Crop Steering test shot: Watering OFF blocks the Controller's test shots as well as ordinary and rescue shots. Equipment/manual controls can still operate independently of that switch; that is why physical isolation matters. Observe the actual outlet, pressure where relevant and intended pump/valve sequence. Verify other zones stay dry. Record actual runtime and catch volumes from several representative emitters. If there is no suitable safe equipment-level test procedure, stop here and have the installer provide one; do not bypass a Controller lockout.
Stop and prove cessation. Observe actual water stopping, no unwanted siphon and the intended pump/valve state. Test installed independent protections using the manufacturers' safe procedures. Communications/power failure behaviour needs an installation-specific test plan; do not simulate faults by randomly pulling wires or power under load.
Calculate and correct. Compare measured flow with the configured estimate. Investigate uneven delivery, clogged emitters, leaks or pressure differences before treating a zone average as representative. Re-test after corrections and record results.
Review before automatic operation. Check fresh probes, acknowledged mapping, correct room, verified local lighting hours/timezone, credible operator-selected targets, confirmed flow/stopping, independent protections and recovery access. All must pass. If anything fails, leave automatic operation disabled and physically isolate as required.
Supervise the first Controller cycle. Only after all checks pass, use an approved local recipe, not this course's illustrative numbers. Under the responsible operator's control, review room/zone readiness and enable the selected room's Watering for this supervised commissioning stage; follow the current release's documented controls and confirm readback. Enabling permits eligible Controller shots, including safety watering; it is not a harmless connectivity test. Observe the actual phase, first event, stopping, event record and next action, with safe collection and physical shutdown available. Finish in the explicitly agreed commissioned state; if any check fails, disable Watering and isolate as required. Expand one proven zone at a time, repeating the checks for each mapped output.

Measured-flow example

A 4 L/h emitter nominally delivers about 33.3 mL in 30 seconds. Catch each emitter separately during a controlled test; total volume is useful, but cannot reveal a blocked emitter hidden by a high-flow neighbour. Three catches of 30, 33 and 37 mL correspond to 3.6, 3.96 and 4.44 L/h. Those are observations to investigate against the design and measurement uncertainty, not a universal pass/fail tolerance.

Use the workbook's blank commissioning record for actual results. Do not enter these example catches as calibration values for a real zone.