Irrigation Control

[theitprofessor]

My EZFlora – Model # 5010A, just died.  I read an old post where everyone was saying to go with Rainmachine.  But Rainmachine is either another dead company, or they have a huge supply and demand problem.  No products available for sale and it looks like for some time now.  So who has another "sustainable" option?

[brians]

1 hour ago, theitprofessor said:

My EZFlora – Model # 5010A, just died.  I read an old post where everyone was saying to go with Rainmachine.  But Rainmachine is either another dead company, or they have a huge supply and demand problem.  No products available for sale and it looks like for some time now.  So who has another "sustainable" option?

Opensprinkler. There is a nodeservers also for it. 

[Ross]

I second brians' recommendation of OpenSprinkler.

However, I don't have the ISY turn on/off the sprinklers.  On is fine, but I'm always concerned that an Off might not get registered.  So, I created several programs in OpenSprinkler and then my ISY programs tell OpenSprinkler to run the appropriate program based on recent/forecast rain and temperatures.  Maybe misplaced, but I trust OpenSprinkler to turn off the sprinklers when the program is done.

Ross

 

Edited May 5, 2023 by Ross

[brians]

12 hours ago, Ross said:

I second brians' recommendation of OpenSprinkler.

However, I don't have the ISY turn on/off the sprinklers.  On is fine, but I'm always concerned that an Off might not get registered.  So, I created several programs in OpenSprinkler and then my ISY programs tell OpenSprinkler to run the appropriate program based on recent/forecast rain and temperatures.  Maybe misplaced, but I trust OpenSprinkler to turn off the sprinklers when the program is done.

Ross

 

I don’t think you can just turn on a station without specifying a run time. So even if you started a station from isy, opensprinkler would eventually shut off after the runtime. Maximum 18 hours runtime per station.  
 

Only thing I don’t like about opensprinkler is you cannot change the order of stations in a program - eg have 4,2.1.3 instead is always 1.2.3.4.  Or a huge deal and I reworded mine so it waters in an order I like. With isy though could queue up zones in any order. 

Edited May 5, 2023 by brians

[Javi]

I'm on OpenSprinker also.  It does well on its own. I only use the Node Server during system maintenance for remote connection as my WiFi does not reach all places in the yard. 

There are some things that could be better, but is better than any non-connected controller I've ever had.

It also cost less than most non-connected controllers when you have more than 8 zones.

[Ross]

23 hours ago, brians said:

I don’t think you can just turn on a station without specifying a run time. So even if you started a station from isy, opensprinkler would eventually shut off after the runtime. Maximum 18 hours runtime per station.  
 

Only thing I don’t like about opensprinkler is you cannot change the order of stations in a program - eg have 4,2.1.3 instead is always 1.2.3.4.  Or a huge deal and I reworded mine so it waters in an order I like. With isy though could queue up zones in any order. 

And just to clarify, my ISY disables all of my programs each night and then enables the "appropriate" programs based on past and forecast weather conditions each day.   My dedicated Google Sheet then displays which sprinkler regimen is active.  I'm happy to share programs if anyone is interested.

[KSaccullo01]

Agree with opensprinkler.

The opensprinkler API makes is easy to add missing features.

One feature I added is an extra water when the temperature gets above 94 degrees.

Openweathermap runs an "Enable program 3" on opensprinker via the network resource on an ISY. Program 3 is on the opensprinker, not the ISY. At 30 mins after sundown opensprinkler gives a little extra water to a few select zones.

At 1:00 am the ISY runs a "disable program 3"

ISY only enables and disables one of the many programs on opensprikler, based on a weather condition.

Kevin

BTW have 32 zones and the opensprikler Pi version. Never had an issue, I run serval programs and zones simultaneously.  Same pi is also running polygot ver2 with openweathermap.

[steve-elves]

I bought a Z-Uno board, which is a small Arduino-like microprocessor with built-in Z-Wave capability.  It programs with the Arduino IDE.  I use it to drive a triplet of relays to energize three valves for my garden sprinklers, but it could certainly handle more.  

Since it's "native" Z-Wave, I can program my sprinklers with my ISY (and now my EISY), monitoring the local weather, temperature, etc.  I'm also monitoring the level in my rainwater collection tanks with another Z-Uno, so I can keep from running the pump dry if we haven't had rain for a while.