Capabilities
TentPilot is a platform, not a product. What it can do depends on what hardware you connect. This guide maps each capability to the devices that unlock it — required hardware, optional upgrades, and what each combination enables in the dashboard.
Environment Control
Monitor temperature, humidity, and VPD in real time. With outlet-connected devices assigned to roles, TentPilot can automatically toggle equipment to hit your growth-stage targets.
Hardware
| Device | Role | Status | What it adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Govee H5100 | Primary sensor | Required | Temperature + humidity readings. VPD calculated from these values and displayed on the dashboard. |
| Kasa EP25 / EP10 | Fan / heater / humidifier / dehumidifier | Required for control | Outlet toggling based on environment targets. Assign each plug a role and TentPilot switches it based on sensor readings. |
| Govee H5074 / H5179 | Secondary sensor | Optional | Monitoring-only sensors for canopy, mid-room, or floor level. Displayed on dashboard but don't drive the control loop. |
| Inkbird ITC-308-WIFI | Temperature controller | Optional | Setpoint-mode temp control. TentPilot adjusts the Inkbird's heating/cooling setpoints rather than toggling outlets directly. |
| Inkbird IHC-200-WIFI | Humidity controller | Optional | Setpoint-mode humidity control. Same model as ITC-308 but for RH targets. Useful when a single Inkbird controls a humidifier and dehumidifier on a single circuit. |
Supported sensor models
- Live VPD, temperature, and humidity on the dashboard — updated every 30 seconds
- Per-growth-stage temperature and humidity targets (Seedling, Veg, Flower, Dry)
- Automated outlet toggling — heater on when temp drops below target, fan on above, humidifier/dehumidifier on deviation
- Threshold alerts via SMS, WhatsApp, or email when readings go out of range
- AI Grow Advisor with access to your actual sensor history — environment-aware suggestions
- Multi-room management — independent targets and devices per room
One Govee H5100 ($12) gives you live VPD, temperature, and humidity. Add a Kasa EP25 ($8) assigned as "heater" or "fan" to enable automated control. Total: ~$20 for a basic automated environment.
Irrigation Control
Schedule and automate watering events. TentPilot supports both simple time-based schedules and moisture-aware skipping — skipping a feed event automatically if the substrate is already wet enough.
Hardware
| Device | Role | Status | What it adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kasa EP25 / EP10 | Drip pump | Required | Wire your drip pump through a Kasa outlet. TentPilot pulses it on/off per schedule. One plug per pump. |
| Ecowitt WH51 + GW1200 | Soil moisture | Optional | Wireless moisture probes. TentPilot reads each channel and skips scheduled feeds when moisture exceeds your threshold. |
| DFRobot SEN0601 | Soil moisture (RS485) | Optional · Pi Hub | Wired RS485 moisture probe. More accurate than wireless. Also reads EC and soil temperature. Requires Pi Hub. |
| Rachio 3 | Valve controller | Optional | Zone-based irrigation via Rachio's API. Each Rachio zone can be mapped to a room for independent feed schedules. |
Supported outlet models
- Visual feed schedule timeline — daily events with configurable run durations
- Per-growth-stage irrigation recipes (frequency, duration, volume targets)
- Moisture-aware skipping — feed events are automatically skipped when soil moisture is above your threshold (requires Ecowitt WH51 or SEN0601)
- AI irrigation analysis — the advisor reviews your schedule against VPD data and suggests frequency or volume adjustments
- Feed log with timestamps and durations — view what ran and when
- Multi-zone support via Rachio — independent schedules per growing zone
One Kasa EP25 ($8) wired through your drip pump gives you scheduled irrigation. Add Ecowitt WH51 probes ($18 each) to enable moisture-aware skipping — the single most impactful upgrade for plant health.
Fertigation
Automate nutrient mixing and dosing. TentPilot maintains a recipe library, calculates doses by growth stage and water volume, and pulses peristaltic pumps for the exact duration. EC and pH feedback is optional but closes the loop.
Hardware
| Device | Role | Status | What it adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kasa EP25 × N | Peristaltic pump (one per nutrient) | Required | One Kasa outlet per pump channel. TentPilot pulses each pump for a calculated duration based on your dose target and pump's flow rate. |
| Tapo C216 | EC/pH meter reader | Optional | Point the camera at your digital EC/pH meters. TentPilot reads the display via RTSP + AI vision (Groq) and uses the reading to verify or close the fertigation loop. |
| DFRobot SEN0601 | In-substrate EC sensor | Optional · Pi Hub | RS485 Modbus probe reads EC directly in the root zone. More accurate than solution EC for understanding actual nutrient uptake. |
| Rachio 3 | Tank fill / flush zone | Optional | Map a Rachio zone to your reservoir fill valve. TentPilot can trigger a fill before a fertigation event. |
Supported pump control
- Nutrient recipe library — save recipes per growth stage with per-nutrient ml/L targets
- Dose calculator — enter your water volume, TentPilot calculates the exact dose per nutrient
- Pump pulse control — each pump fires for a duration calculated from your flow rate (ml/min) and target dose
- Mix log — full history of fertigation events with timestamp, recipe, and volumes
- EC/pH verification with camera — point a Tapo C216 at your meters and TentPilot reads them automatically before and after mixing
- Root-zone EC tracking with SEN0601 — trend EC in the substrate over time, catch salt buildup early
Most 12V peristaltic pumps draw 0.5–2A. A single Kasa EP25 can drive several pumps via a 12V power supply with a relay board — or wire each pump to its own outlet. Make sure your total draw stays within the outlet's 15A rating.
Soil Monitoring
Know what's happening in your substrate. Soil monitoring powers moisture-aware irrigation skipping and provides trend data for root-zone health. Two paths: wireless Ecowitt probes for ease, wired RS485 for accuracy and additional readings.
Hardware
| Device | Connection | Reads | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ecowitt WH51 + GW1200 gateway | Wireless 433 MHz | Moisture % · battery | Easy wireless setup. Up to 8 probes per gateway. Best for most growers. Recommended |
| DFRobot SEN0601 | RS485 Modbus (wired) | Moisture % · EC · soil temp · salinity · TDS | Higher accuracy. Requires Pi Hub and USB-RS485 adapter. Best for fertigation feedback. Advanced |
Wireless path — Ecowitt WH51
The WH51 probe is a 433 MHz wireless sensor that reports to the Ecowitt GW1200 gateway over RF. The gateway hosts a local HTTP API that TentPilot polls every 30 seconds. No cloud required once the gateway is on your LAN.
Wired path — DFRobot SEN0601
The SEN0601 is an RS485 Modbus RTU probe that communicates over a 2-wire differential bus. It reads five values from a single insertion point: volumetric water content (VWC%), temperature, electrical conductivity (EC), salinity, and TDS. A USB-RS485 adapter connects it to the Pi Hub.
- Per-channel moisture dashboard — live and historical moisture % per probe or zone
- Moisture-aware irrigation skipping — feed events are skipped automatically when soil is above your threshold
- Low-moisture alerts — get notified when substrate dries below a threshold (useful for catch trays or DWC reservoirs)
- EC trend tracking (SEN0601 only) — monitor electrical conductivity in the root zone over time; catch salt accumulation before it affects plants
- Soil temperature (SEN0601 only) — root zone temperature is separate from canopy temperature; low root temp is a common cause of slow growth
Start with Ecowitt WH51 probes — they're wireless, cheap, and easy to move between containers. Add a SEN0601 once you've set up your Pi Hub and want EC feedback in the root zone alongside fertigation.