Q: Does Earthlight™ require any maintenance?
Yes. When using primarily for spot checking or eld testing, you may need to very occasionally clean off the magnesium rod
to rid it of oxides or other discolorations which may occur over time, preventing it from conducting properly, perhaps hindering
the performance of the device. When set up for long-term monitoring, the magnesium rod will require cleaning after about the
rst month of continual operation. This is simple to do and requires no tools other than water (to prevent dust) and an abrasive
metal object to scrape off magnesium oxide and other mineral buildups. This cleaning process should be repeated as nec-
essary when the device’s sensitivity is lower than normal. The device will tell you it’s time for a cleaning when you water your
plant and the LED fails to light or dims much quicker than normal. Keep the rod clean so Earthlight™ does not give you a false
reading. After 4 months of continual operation, it is probably a good time to replace your rod entirely. They are available in
3-packs at our shop at www.eohm.io/shop, which should last you a year of continual operation
Q: Is it easy to replace the magnesium rod?
Yes, it is extremely easy. Simply pull off the protective cap, hold the hex nut with one hand and with a Phillips head screw-
driver turn the screw counterclockwise and the wire connection will release. Wrap the wire between the washer and nut on
the new rod, hold the hex nut with one hand and turn the screw clockwise with a screwdriver to secure the wire connection.
Replace the cap, making sure that it makes a decent seal over the edge of the magnesium rod, protecting the insulated screw
connection. We sell 3-packs of replacement rods which should last a full calendar year of long-term setup with Earthlight™.
Q: My unit doesn’t appear to be working. How can I test it?
You can place Earthlight’s rod and cylinder into a glass of water with a spoonful of table salt. Make sure that the rod and
cylinder are not touching. A working unit will illuminate for a while in this conguration, and is a good test for determining if the
device functions properly. If It doesn’t work in this conguration, double check both wire connections and try again. Need be,
tighten any screws or nuts. If it works in this setup but not in the soil you are testing, soil quality is most certainly the culprit.
Make sure that you aren’t using chlorinated water. Always make sure that the rod and cylinder aren’t touching while operating.
Q: If my soil is poor according to Earthlight™, what can I use to improve it?
Earthlight™ is sensitive to living soils and soils with good EC (electrical conductivity). Very high EC can indicate a prevalence
of salts in the soil and can actually hinder the health of soil microbes while prematurely degrading the magnesium rod of the
device. Because of this, we recommend living soil amendments only, which create a sustainable source of electricity for Earth-
light™ as a bi-product of benecial microbes breaking down nutrients in the soil to be made bioavailable for your plant. Put
simply, what is good for Earthlight is good for your plants and soil.
We recommend biochar, composts, compost teas, bokashi, worm castings and homemade bokashi and JADAM microbial
solutions as effective sources of benecial soil microbes to populate your soil which Earthlight™ will respond well to. Be sure
to follow all manufacturer instructions carefully, as more does not mean better. Too much of these supplements in too high a
concentration can “burn” or kill your plant and destroy Earthlight’s magnesium rod. Blood meal may also be used to increase
your soil’s conductivity, but is not enough to improve the soil and make the unit work on its own.
If your soil is very poor but you absolutely must use Earthlight™ as a long-term moisture meter alone, dissolve two table-
spoons or less of epsom salt into warm or lukewarm water and wait for it to cool. Water your plants with this solution once a
month or less. Epsom salt works as a magnesium supplement for plants, so do not use it on plants that are magnesium sen-
sitive. Keep in mind this is “cheating,” and your plants and soil will improve greatly if you use the living soil amendments listed
above.
Q: I must have messed up my soil or used the device incorrectly because my
Magnesium rod is toast and my plants look terrible! What do I do now?
Check the PH of your soil. If it is too acidic, correct the PH with PH Up or PH Down. Lime will make the soil less acidic as
well and aluminum sulfate and sulfur will make it more acidic. Check it again. If you used too much compost or fertilizer, you
may need to cut your soil with more raw dirt that has not been amended. If you are unsure of what the problem is, start your
soil over. When your soil is all squared away and the PH is in a safe range for Earthlight™ (PH of 5.5 or lower), contact us at
Elemental Ohm and we will send you (1) courtesy magnesium rod free of charge if the purchase date of your unit was within
the same month and you can provide a picture of the failed rod. The next rod will have to be purchased as part of a 3-pack, as
we do not sell them individually. 3
