G-TOOLS XL Kitchenfarm Grow Box Instruction Manual

: June 12, 2024
: G-TOOLS

Table of Contents

G-TOOLS XL Kitchenfarm Grow Box
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENT OF THE BOXES
INSTALLATION-INSTRUCTIONS
HEIGHT EXTENSION SET
PROGRAMMING
CONNECTION SMARTBOX
LIGHTS AND WATERING MOMENTS
- ADJUSTING THE VALVES
MAINTENANCE
- GROWING MICROGREENS
GROWING LEAFYGREENS
WARRANTY CONDITIONS
References
Read User Manual Online (PDF format)
Download This Manual (PDF format)

G-TOOLS XL Kitchenfarm Grow Box

G-TOOLS-XL-Kitchenfarm-Grow-Box-product

Congratulations with the purchase of your Kitchenfarm Grow Cabinet.
Kitchenfarm is a fully automatic grow system for growing microgreens and leafygreens.
The cabinet has its own lighting, ventilation and irrigation system. With the G-tools Wifi Smartbox you can programme the lights and irrigation on and off moments.
The cabinet is delivered complete and is ready to use once the Wifi Smartbox has been programmed.

SPECIFICATIONS

Material: Aluminium extrusion profiles
G-tools insert connectors PVC/XPS sandwich panels 8 mm
Dimensions: 162 x 118 x 49,5 (h xwxd) in cm
Smartbox Umax: 250 V/50 Hz.
VA Max / Channel: 10A, 2300W
VA Max: 13A, 3000W
IP Classe: 20
Lighting 2x VS12 full spectrum led grow light 60W.
Irrigation 4x eb & flow tray 52 x 52 x 4cm
- 1x 62 liter water tank
- 1x Aquaking 2007 supply pump
- 1x RP2 air pump
- Supply pipe with valves and connectors

CONTENT OF THE BOXES

G-TOOLS-XL-Kitchenfarm-Grow-Box-
fig-1

Height extension kit

INSTALLATION-INSTRUCTIONS

Push the 4 angle profiles (C) on the insert connectors of the bottom panel (I). Place the side and back panels (J, K, and M) in the profiles. Make sure that the side panel with the 2 holes (K) is located on the left side of the cabinet. With the holes at the top.
Place the ring (A) on top of the 4 profiles and push tight.
Place the supplied plastic profiles (E) in the rail through which the doors slide. 2 On top of each other with the open side down. This makes the doors removable so that the water tank can be taken out of the cabinet. Simply lift the door and pull the bottom towards you.
After the handles (U) have been mounted on the doors, they can be placed in the profiles. The door with the finishing profile should be the front one.
Push the 4 aluminum tube profiles (D) on the insert connectors of the intermediate ring and place a frame with led light (B) on the tube profiles. If you have purchased the Kitchenfarm with a height extension set for a third floor, it must now be installed. See page 12 for this.
Repeat this to install the 2nd floor.
The Wi-Fi Smartbox (N) has not been installed in the cabinet by us because the ideal place for it depends strongly on the final place where the Kitchenfarm will be placed. When placing the Smartbox, take into account the location of your router and the length of the cables of the pumps and lighting. A good location would be, for example, on the right outside of the substructure (see photo). For this purpose, 2 self-tapping screws are supplied that can be screwed directly through the rear wall of the Smartbox into the aluminum profile.

INSTALLATION-INSTRUCTIONS LIGHTS

Fix the 3-way connection piece (V) of the lamps with the supplied cable ties (W). Connect the lamps to the connection ports. You can use the remaining cable ties to attach the cord of the lamps to the grow rack.

INSTALLATION-INSTRUCTIONS WATER PIPE

Insert the lead throughs (T) through the holes in the tray (H) and secure it with the nut. The rubber sealing ring should be on the inside of the tray.
Now place the trays in the Kitchenfarm. Make sure the lead-throughs are located at the back of the cabinet.
Insert the supply pipe with connectors (G) through the two holes on the side of the cabinet.
Attach the 2 water supply hoses (S) turning the taps into the vertical inlet hose.
The white couplings are screwed onto the lead-throughs in the trays.
To prevent leaks, it is advisable to wrap the lead-throughs and the thread on the taps with teflon tape or lock-tite.
Click the garden hose (Q) with the quick couplings on the water pump (P).
Place the pump in the water tank. The hose can now be passed through the hole in the lid. Place the tank in the cabinet with the hole facing the front of the cabinet. This way the water barrel can easily be refilled with a watering can without having to remove the tank from the cabinet.
The end of the hose can now be clicked onto the water supply hose with quick coupling.
Now attach the air hoses and the air stones to the supplied RP2 air pump (R).
Place the air stones through the hole in the lid into the water container.
Plug the plug of the water pump into the socket on the Smartbox with the watering can symbol. The plug of the lights in the socket with the light bulb symbol. The plug of the air pump goes into 1 of the contacts labeled “continuous”.

HEIGHT EXTENSION SET

Disconnect the top web & flow tray.
Disconnect the top grow light.
Remove the top ring with the grow light.
Now place the 4 tube profiles (D) on the ring of the height extension set (B).
Place the height extension set on the kitchen farm.
And then place the top ring with the lamp.
Connect the lamps to the connection ports.
Insert the lead throughs (T) through the holes in the tray (H) and secure it with the nut. The rubber sealing ring should be on the inside of the tray.
Place the ebb & flow trays back in the Kitchenfarm.
Now the water supply hose extension (X) must be fitted on to the existing pipe (G).
To do this, first unscrew the supply pipe above the T-piece. Use a No. 22 wrench or pipe wrench.
Now that the vertical part has been extended, the horizontal pipe with the valve can be mounted. Don’t forget the lock-tite or teflon tape!
The supply pipe can now be fixed back in place, the 3rd horizontal (S) pipe mounted and the couplings screwed onto the lead throughs of the ebb & flow trays.
Now the water tank with the pump can be reconnected to the supply line.

PROGRAMMING

CONNECTION SMARTBOX

Use only a grounded outlet to connect the Smart Box.
Avoid contact of water with electrical components.
The use of an air humidifier in the direct surroundings of the Smart Box is strongly discouraged!
Place the Smart box in a location where there is a strong WiFi signal.
Please note the Smart box is only supported by 2.4G WiFi, 5G WiFi is not supported.
For more info see our demonstration on youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIkt0w4UxMc

Plug the Smartbox into a wall socket.
Download the free eWeLink app in the APP Store for iOS and for Android in Google play.
Open the eWeLink app in your phone and press the + symbol at the bottom of the screen.
Select the Bluetooth Pairing modus.
Insert a sharp object (paper clip or the like) into the hole with the text “pairing button”. Press and hold the button for 5 seconds.
The eWelink app now asks you to confirm that the Wifi Smartbox is in pairing mode. You do this by checking the box at the bottom left of the screen and then pressing “next”
As soon as the eWelink and the Wifi Smartbox have made contact, the serial number of the Smartbox will appear on the screen. Then click on “connect”.
You will then see a list of found WIFI networks. Select the network you wish to use.
Fill in the networks password and click “save”.
Give the Smartbox a name of your choice and click on “done”.

LIGHTS AND WATERING MOMENTS

The Smartbox is now visible in the home screen of the app. By clicking on it you can program the settings.
Select the “switch” button and then press “save”.
Now the two channels will appear on the screen. The button with the 3 horizontal dots gets you to the section where the names of the channels can be entered. One channel operates the contact on the Smart Box with the light bulb symbol. Here you can set the light ON times. You can call this channel “lights”. With the other channel you operate the socket with the watering can symbol. Here you set the number of watering times. You can call this “pump”.
The “schedule” menu is where you can set the light on periods and watering moments.
Klik op “+ Add” onder in het scherm om de gewenste licht AAN tijd in te stellen.
Under “repeat” you check all days of the week. Then press “save”.
Under “channel” you check “lights”.
Now you can set the time you want the light to switch ON.
Press the “add action” button, select OFF and now you can set the time you want the light to switch OFF.
- Now you’ve set the times when the grow light will switch on and off.
- You can repeat the same process for the pump.

When you have installed the app on your smartphone, you can program the number of hours that the lamps are switched on.
For a prosperous growth, we recommend switching on the lamps for at least 18 hours per day. You can also set the number and duration of the watering moments via the same app. Usually it is sufficient to switch on the feed pump 1 x 2 minutes per 24 hours. To speed up the growth process, you can place the Kitchenfarm in a (day) light spot.

ADJUSTING THE VALVES

The valves in the water supply line allow you to adjust the amount of water that is pumped into each ebb & flow tray. This is very im-portant because the pump loses pressure as the water is pumped further up. You can solve this by opening the top valve completely and closing the one below a little further, etc.
By switching on the supply pump you can check whether there is an equal amount of water on each floor. Each tray should have a layer of water of about 1 centimeter.
The difference in the position of the valves ensures that when the pump switches off and the water flows back to the water tank, the top floor drains faster than the one below. When you grow microgreens and leafygreens in the same Kitchenfarm, it is therefore ad-visable to grow the microgreens on the top floor. The cellulose mats on which they are grown absorb water faster and are saturated more quickly than the soil in the pots in which you grow leafygreens.

MAINTENANCE

The Kitchenfarm is a virtually maintenance-free product. To prevent fungi and diseases, it is important that you work hygienically.
Change the water in the black water tank at least once a week. You can empty the water tank by disconnecting the yellow garden hose from the supply pipe. After this you can take it out of the cabinet for cleaning. Do not forget to first unplug the two pumps from the sockets.
You can empty the water tank by disconnecting the yellow garden hose from the supply pipe.

GROWING MICROGREENS

TIPS & TRICKS

The Kitchenfarm is suitable for growing both microgreens and leafygreens. These are 2 different disciplines.
Microgreens are the freshly germinated seeds of vegetables. They are harvested and consumed before they grow into plants and therefore do not require any nutrition. The seed itself contains sufficient nutrition for the microgreen.
Because microgreens are short-lived, they don’t get the chance to make extensive root systems. They therefore do not need to be grown in a pot with soil or other substrate. In our webshop you will find cellulose growing mats that are specially made to grow microgreens or sprouts.
These grow mats are for single use and consist of wood phase without the addition of glue or other chemicals. The mats have an FSC quality mark and the “organic farmers and growers certificate”. After use, the mats can be composted.
Cellulose grow mat available in 2 sizes 234 x 496mm and 45 x 68mm

SOWING

Growing on cellulose mats is very easy. Place a mat in a seed tray and mist it with water. A plant sprayer is very suitable for this. Then sprinkle a layer of seeds over the mats and spread it evenly until the entire mat is covered.
The sown seed tray can now be placed in one of the ebb & flow trays in the Kitchenfarm.
The plastic seed containers can be reused after harvest.
Larger, hard seeds (sunflower, wheatgrass, peas) are best soaked in water for a few hours before sowing.
You will need more of some microgreens than others. This may be because they are served as a salad (peas, sunflower) or because they are pressed for juice (wheatgrass). The larger version grow mats (234 x 496) are most suitable for this and a special seed tray (510 x 310mm) is available in the webshop.
For microgreens where you need less of them because they are only used as a garnish, for example, the smaller size grow mat (45 x 68mm) with accompanying seed tray (69 x 52mm) is most suitable.
Large model seed tray 510 x 310mm
- Small model seed tray 69 x 52mm
On 1 floor of the Kitchenfarm there is room for 48 small seed trays or 1 large and 16 small seed trays. In the youtube movie below you can see how the grow mats are moistened and sprinkled with seeds. www.youtube.com/watch?v=K43tgQn1ZgQ

Take a grow mat.
Place it in a seed container.
Moisten the mat with a plant sprayer.
Sprinkle a layer of seeds over the grow mat.
Place the sown seed container in the eb & flow tray. 1 Tray offers space for 1 large and 14 small seed container.
The ebb & flow tray with the seed containers can now be placed in the Kitchen-farm and connected to the water supply.

In fact, all you have to do now is to ensure that the water tank at the bottom of the Kitchenfarm remains filled with water. The supply pump in the water tank is connected to the piping system and will pump a layer of water into the ebb & flow trays at set times. Usually one switch-on moment of 2 minutes per day is sufficient to keep the grow mats moist. If the grow mats start to feel dry, you can easily add an extra water moment via the app. Most seeds will germinate after just a few days.

HARVESTING

Microgreens are harvested by cutting them just above the grow mat. Some microgreens can be harvested multiple times. Peas and wheatgrass, for example, grow back within a short time after being cut. Sometimes up to 4 or 5 times. The seed has sufficient nutrition to keep the plant coming up again and again.
If you want to use your Kitchenfarm for the simultaneous cultivation of both microgreens and leafygreens, it is best to grow the microgreens on the top floor. The top floor drains faster after a water cycle than the one below. This gives the pots of soil in which you grow leafygreans more time to absorb water.
Leafygreens is a collective name for leafy vegetables, salads and herbs. They have passed the microgreen stage and already have an extensive root system. To grow vigorously and to stay healthy, leafygreens do need to be fed. Leafygreens are therefore generally grown in pots with soil.
You can dissolve the fertilizers in the water in the water tank, but the microgreens will then also receive nutrients during the water-ings. This in itself is not a very big problem.
You can choose to use mineral or organic fertilizer. When using an organic nutrient, the water/nutrient solution will have to be changed more often. 2 Instead of once a week.
If you do not want any fertilizer to end up with the microgreens, you can work with special fertilizer in powder form. This is mixed with the soil or can be sprinkled over the pots as a “top dressing”. Now you fill the water tank with pure water and no nutrient solu-tion reaches the microgreens during the watering cycles.
Tray with 104 plugs
- Propagator for 1 tray

SOW AND REPOT

If you want to grow your plants from seed, it is best to sow a large amount. Not all plants are equally strong, so you can select the best ones. In our webshop you will find special trays with 104 plugs in which you can sow 104 plants. Less is also possible. You sim-ply cut off a piece of the tray with the desired number of plugs. Working with these plugs has many advantages and is very easy. The tray with the plugs is first dipped in water (ordinary tap water). Just until the plugs are saturated and no longer absorb water. Each plug has a hole in which you can plant one or more seeds. Then fill up the hole again and the tray can be placed in the Kitchenfarm. If possible on the top floor because this is where the water drains fastest after each watering.
So you have to sacrifice precious growing space in the Kitchenfarm for this. It is therefore better to place the trays in a different location. We sell so-called propagators that fit exactly one tray. The propagator has an adjustable bottom heating that speeds up the
whole process considerably. Thanks to the transparent lid, the heat is retained and the humidity in the propagator is high. Exactly the climate that young plants like. You will still need a lamp to place your propagator under.
The plugs contain nutrition to get through the first 2 to 3 weeks. Then you will have to repot. This repotting is best done in a 1 liter plastic pot. 16 Of them fit in an ebb & flow tray. These pots are only 10 cm high but provide enough space for the roots for healthy development. You can reuse these pots endlessly.

GROWING LEAFYGREENS

PLUG WITH HEALTHY ROOTS. READY TO BE REPOTTED!

MATURE PLANTS IN THE KITCHENFARM
The Kitchenfarm offers the perfect living environment for your plants. You can also choose to place an already fully grown plant from the store in the cabinet. It can then be harvested immediately. The regular feedings and the powerful LED grow lights will ensure that your plant has grown back in no time and you can harvest again.
The downside is that you are very limited in the types of plants you can grow. The range in most shops is limited to the most common varieties such as basil. Coriander, Mint, etc. So if you really want something special, you will have to look for a good seed supplier.

WARRANTY CONDITIONS

The warranty period is 1 year. Save the invoice.
This serves as a guarantee certificate. The warranty does not cover the lamps. These are subject to wear.

Contact

G-TOOLS
Nijverrheidslaan 1e
1382LE, Weesp
Netherlands
www.g-tools.nl
info@g-tools.nl
+31-(0)294-458202

WEEE registration number: DE 68161470

The symbol of the crossed-out wheelie bin on electrical and electronic equipment means that it mustn’t be removed in household waste. There are free collection points for the return of WEEE available nearby. Please inquire at your city or municipality about the addresses. You can also contact us regarding other options to return old equipment. By separate collection of WEEE, the reuse and recycling of old equipment are made possible and any negative impact on the environment and human health due to hazardous substances in old equipment is eliminated. You are responsible for the erasure of any private data which could still be stored on old equipment. Further information can be found on www.elektrogesetz.de