Convert Standard Sprinkler System to INSTEON?

[Kentinada]

Can I convert my lawn sprinkling system which runs on a stand-alone zoned controller to an INSTEON controlled system? Any tutorials out there?

 

 

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[paulbates]

The answer is yes. The Insteon compatible controller is from SmartenIT and is called a EZFlora. These control 8 Zones each, so you need multiple EZFloras if you have more than 8 Zones. Also, if your system has a pump or master valve, you lose 1 zone (7 instead of 8 )

The ISY can directly install and control EZFlora zones. You write your own programs to determine time-of-day to water, zone cycle times, etc. You can use the ISYs weather module to help to avoid cycles when it thinks its rained or will rain. There is also an irrigation module for the ISY to determine runtimes. You find these under help / install modules on the Admin Console.

Not to confuse things, but I had EZFloras for 6 years and spent a lot of time on my programs. I switched to the rainmachine that I use with ISY V5 firmware and Nodelink

Paul

[johnjces]

+1 on the RainMachine! Nice controller!!

 

[carealtor]

+2 on the RainMachine

[Kentinada]

Link to the RainMachine?


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[io_guy]

.com

[lilyoyo1]

+3 on rain machine. Mine isn't added to my Isy but I've found out does everything I need without the extra programming

[johnjces]

https://www.rainmachine.com/

forums: https://support.rainmachine.com/hc/en-us/community/topics

[DaveF]

I also replaced my basic Hunter box with a RainMachine mini-8, I did connect it to the ISY via nodelink, but so far, just for informational purposes.  I just use the Rainmachine app for everything.

[Kentinada]

Thanks for the info.  Every place I look, the mini-8 is out of stock.  Not sure why.  I sent RainMachine a presales question.

[carealtor]

I got the "Touch HD" 16 zone.  I like the pretty pictures on the screen.

Quote

I did connect it to the ISY via nodelink, but so far, just for informational purposes.  I just use the Rainmachine app for everything.

So far, same here.

[io_guy]

Buy a pro if you have a way of getting an Ethernet cable to it.  More stable than the wireless.  

[Hurting2Ride]

On 3/26/2019 at 7:13 PM, lilyoyo1 said:

Mine isn't added to my Isy but I've found out does everything I need without the extra programming

Blasphemy!

[paulbates]

To follow other comments, my RainMachine does +95% of the job on its own. I use Nodelink features to combine sprinkling notifications with my other ISY notifications in pushover.

Nodelink lets me use my rain sensor to put RainMachine schedules to sleep for 48 hours when there’s been enough rain.

I can also use nodelink to have a program automatically switch from every 3 days vs every 2 days sprinkling when it gets hot enough out, and back again in the fall, saving water.

the RainMachine does do a lot on its own, but the ISY let’s me optimize it. When I sell the house, I can give the buyer options to keep everything, or disconnect the ISY and the RainMachine is standalone.

[Kentinada]

RainMachine responded and said they're not making the Mini-8 anymore.  They are replacing with the Pro-8 which is $10 more.

[dronning]

Thanks, EZFlora died, just ordered Rainmachine Pro-8.  Now I have to start thinking about upgrading to 5.0.15a from 4.73.

- Dave

[TDoyle]

I am trying to setup 3 ezflora 5010z with the 8th zone as a master valve.   How is that done ?  I tried the option button which brings up  buttons for pump or normal but it doesn’t seem to work.   Any hints????

[Brian H]

The 5010Z is a RainBee8 irrigation module. Adds ZigBee support to the module. Looks the same command wise as the 5010A EZFlora. For Insteon/X10 commands. I would suspect it should understand the commands sent to it.

What Firmware and UI are you running on your ISY994i?

[Brian H]

Do the Orbit sprinklers have  low voltage  AC  controls? From what I can gather. The EZFlora has small triac's to control the valves and they need an AC voltage source.

A model number of the Orbit you want to control. Would help in finding a solution.

[Goose66]

I just got a 12-zone b-hyve controller from Orbit that has Wi-fi and a website for $99 (got  it for my parents so I can make adjustments to their system over the web). The 6 zone is even cheaper. I will see if it has an API for ISY.

[mink]

I've had a RainMachine HD-12 that might have been during their kickstarter (if they had one, yeah that long ago). Recommend, highly with everyone else. The HD display is very useful with high WAF. Check with your water company; ours offers $125 rebate for connected, smart water saving controllers on their list. Thinking of getting a new on, since the rebate is available, the company is offering early adopters a nice discount, and mine is ancient now (would keep as a back up). The new versions offer backup of settings, reporting from multiple weather sites. I use NOAA mainly, but every now and then, NOAA goes off line for a few days and the RM runs off the forcast, rather than the daily 4/day updates. They have been great about reconnecting to NOAA, so this has been quite rare. Make sure to check over the full manual and enable increased watering during heatwaves! People answer the phones at their tech support. The NOAA/RainMachine setup offers very granular data using your address. Useful in areas like ours with microclimates. (I've no financial relation with the co, just like it, as do my plants).

So, for those using Polyglot to access the RainMachine, what kind of data can you get off it?

 BTW, I have 4 EZFLORAs kicking around, two are solid, 2 I need to test to ensure full function. Actually, I would test them all before sending along. Any offers?

Cheers

 

[mink]

About the RainMachines

While this is an old thread, in case someone lands here.

On 3/28/2019 at 5:05 AM, paulbates said:

To follow other comments, my RainMachine does +95% of the job on its own. I use Nodelink features to combine sprinkling notifications with my other ISY notifications in pushover. 

Nodelink lets me use my rain sensor to put RainMachine schedules to sleep for 48 hours when there’s been enough rain.

I can also use nodelink to have a program automatically switch from every 3 days vs every 2 days sprinkling when it gets hot enough out, and back again in the fall, saving water. ...

I recently found a setting checkbox for increasing watering during heatwaves, doh! In addition to (from the manual) 

 

This can be changed to allow more watering on hot days, so go through all the settings for the zones carefully, after updating the firmware.

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Settings  >  Weather:  Weather  data  for  your  location  is  fetched   several  times  per  day  from  various  weather  sources  such  as  NOAA   (US)  or  MET.NO  (Global).  Default  is  NOAA  for  US  and  MET.NO  only   for  EU and  Global.  If  two  or  more  weather  data  sources  are  used  at   the  same  time,  the  result  will  be  an  average  of  the  two  data  sets. We  do  not  advise  mixing  multiple  sources,  for  most  applications   NOAA  is  sufficient.