EISY sprinkler integration?

[skydvrz]

My 8-channel EZFlora sprinkler controller was working great with EISY and UD Mobile until it got fried by a nearby lightning strike.  It It looks like this module is not made anymore so I need some sort of substitute.

What are you guys using for irrigation that integrates with EISY?  I don't want yet-another app to control the sprinklers and drip systems.

[paulbates]

Currently I have just a drip system that I turn the power on and off to the 24vac power supply with an insteon i3 outlet. I have iox programs that take weather data provided by my ecobee thermostat, via its pg3x plugin, to skip waterings based on forecasted rain.

I used to have rainmachine at my last house... but it looks like they are not going to make it as a business.

Rachio is good choice... while it will operate schedules without the cloud, *it does have cloud dependencies for integration with ha like eisy*. There is a pg3x plugin for it in the store

If I choose to install a sprinkler system here, I would go that direction. Scott's bought rachio which gives some confidence. 

Edit: I'd consider looking for a used rainmachine as its schedule programming and installation are 100% local, and there is a pg3x plugin for it.

 

Edited Tuesday at 09:25 PM by paulbates

[apostolakisl]

I use my Elk relays to control irrigation and have that integrated with ISY.

Another option would be a webcontrol board and a relay bank.  Maybe $50 for the two to control 8 zones.  There is a webcontrol node server.  I don't know if those boards are sold new anymore, but here is one on ebay.  I have several of them doing various things around the house and integrated with ISY.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/336129256923?_skw=cai+webcontrol&itmmeta=01K326SYWY1QYDW4H3MBND19B0&hash=item4e42dd6ddb:g:8YEAAeSwAkFooRsY&itmprp=enc%3AAQAKAAAA0FkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1eVIQeGiRgO5M5LmYnQEv3p%2BIhyUEtQquhsRINAxFdq%2FdRej98p42PvwfUkQWK0YUslj4JOnsT7zTlv7xZ2I9TpSQ%2B7c4z4LACz%2B%2BfgckFd7VeqKMKQqMhMngazOCAUAewwJSB8V2439LpHaX8%2BEmqtyRPcp42R78%2Bff%2FGBU86L8WOLMkXiGKWMmFfQsT7a8K0HzUyh6ig2%2BaBVTh8xe9uy23cg5aX7JgAvKAGm2nQ1W%2Fo88cneLD6vw3%2Bk%2BdnIbaY%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR9Du58aYZg&pfm=0

 

And then you need a relay board like this 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185775465434?_skw=8+relay+board&itmmeta=01K326YRXR65XFCVN50QF35MQ8&hash=item2b4114a3da:g:hMgAAOSwO0lj2uFr&itmprp=enc%3AAQAKAAAA8FkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1dusklByeQzJ4KdARXnhds0p6i4GAMkfAaRYSzqfdQCGEvrZeSBYNHvuVNQugVF%2F01TX1YsHyurhi0rKB2fCpLM44ZFs5IaKU6%2BcJGR9vtY%2BUaIUOWoU8naevz0PnwLXdBQ3FQXxGNp2Dw2YOQ40FH4s9Yd1%2F%2BCP5DbKJZgfRt95537oaMC4FqQmRekUu8FBGqgM4UCVnD0g2AoRhUN0AuNgcdWdupt1XGEsu95xrQ76KZfSEHjTTU5utNwj818ClJ29%2BYOdPwK0LixygYq9Tz22dYF3hbPhxgDpTxcIVNSnw%3D%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR4qP-8aYZg&pfm=0

 

The relay board needs to trigger the relay using only ma of current.  Basically, ones that say they can work with rpi or arduino.  The webcontrol board does not have enough current on the outputs to power a relay, only a signal voltage.

[JTsao]

I use Rachio - yes there is an app but I also use the nodeserver so that I can control 1 zone to refill a pool from the eisy - I like the autonomy of it (set and forget) vs. the insteon sprinkler that I used to use which required some complex programming to adjust for rain, temperature and seasonal changes

[hart2hart]

I moved to Rachio this Spring to control 10 zone system because I wanted master valve across the 10 zones.

It has been good and I’ve written several programs to integrate it with Flume so I can detect a zone that has locked open or a zone that is not opening.

Additionally, in my box of stuff, I have the two retired ez-flora if you’re interested.

[Ross]

I use OpenSprinkler and it has worked well for me.  Please see this 2 year old topic (where someone else's EZ Flora died):

Ross

[skydvrz]

Thanks guys!  I settled on the Rachio 8-channel unit after many of you suggested it.  I got the hardware delivered this morning from Amazon.

Now, on to replacing my EISY and all the other fried gear!

Photos show my dead EISY/ZMatter/PLM + burn marks from the lightning strike.

[apostolakisl]

One thing I very much appreciate about the webcontrol board and node server is just how reliable it is.  It just always works.  The only downside is that it requires an ethernet connection unless you want to buy a wifi/ethernet adapter.  Doing so does add a potential layer of failure.  I use all of my boards via an ethernet plug.  Nodelink also has a webcontrol board node that works great as well.  I use pg3x node at home and nodelink at my church to control it.  And you can put temp/humidity probes on the webcontrol board if you like as well as various inputs.  You can program directly on the webcontrol board which would let the webcontrol board run all by itself, but you would have learn the PLC language it uses.  At one time I was pretty good at it, but haven't used it in a while.  The documentation is pretty good at telling you what you need.  The board also can control I2C devices, I haven't tried this, but it might allow for 16 relays or more, just not sure.  Or other I2C devices as well.