Background
If a Farmbot Device (i.e Monitor) experiences a delay, this means that the values displayed in MyFarmbot are likely out of date and are no longer accurate. A device can be in delay for a variety of reasons, MyFarmbot will notify you and identify the delay causes that are outlined in this article.
In this article we cover:
What happens when a device goes into delay
Delay and Pump Control
List of delay causes
Next steps
What happens when a device goes into delay
Description | Example |
A grey flag with no data is displayed on the sensors connected to the delayed device. | 
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A banner outlining the cause will appear on the affected sensors as well as the device's details page. |
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Affected sensors' summary bar will be temporarily greyed out as MyFarmbot does not have the latest data. | 
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Delay and Pump Control
If either Monitor on a pump or tank (that is linked to the pump) goes into delay, automation will be paused if it is enabled.
If the linked tank's Monitor is in delay but the pump's Monitor is still operational, you may be able to still turn a pump on/off as the pump's Monitor is unaffected.
Common reasons behind delays
Short term delay | It is not unusual for a monitor to be delayed for a short period. This could be due to connectivity issues (via satellite or cellular). Similar to how we all experience poor reception from time to time, your monitor may experience poor connectivity occasionally but the monitor will self-correct when its connection recovers.
In this case, you do not need to do anything to your monitor. Just be mindful that the data shown may be out of date and should not be relied on.
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Long term delay | If your monitor persists in delay status, there may be something wrong with the monitor. Some are self-correcting and others may require a manual inspection and intervention. For example:
Battery Your device may have little to no battery charge. This could be due to significant cloud cover for a few days. If this is the case, your monitor will recharge once it is sunny again and so no action is required. However, if the battery is not recharging even with clear skies, the battery may be broken and need to be replaced.
For more details see how to check your monitor battery
Hardware Damage While Farmbot's devices are designed to withstand the most remote and harsh climates, an animal or a severe weather event may damage it. E.g. Birds may have bitten through the cords.
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List of delay causes
Transmission Missed | Devices such as the Monitor transmit data at irregular intervals, but they are required to update the platform within a maximum transmission time period. If the device fails to send data, surpassing this maximum transmission period, it is classified as a delay due to missed transmission. |
Transmission Failure | This means that the MyFarmbot platform could not contact the device (e.g telling the Pump Controller to turn on). This applies to Pump Control and Camera. |
Other unknown scenarios | If the delay is unidentifiable get in contact with the Customer Service team at 02 9901 4798. |
What's next?
We recommend keeping an eye on your devices and if the Device Status remains in delay for longer than 3-4 days, a manual inspection may be required or contact our Customer Service team.