SPRINKLER TALK FORUM - You Got Questions, We've Got Answers

Quoted from "coralguy"

One that looks like it has a lot of potential is OpenSprinkler (Arduino platform). I am currently working on acquiring a controller and some expansion units. Price is very resonable overall and they are very responsive taking input from user feedback into the design. Also is capable of powering a wireless bridge if necessary.

OpenSprinkler

Very interested to hear about all aspects of this. There is a thread on it. Perhaps that would be the best place to post about it.

One that looks like it has a lot of potential is OpenSprinkler (Arduino platform). I am currently working on acquiring a controller and some expansion units. Price is very resonable overall and they are very responsive taking input from user feedback into the design. Also is capable of powering a wireless bridge if necessary.

OpenSprinkler

Quoted from "scercpio"

Quoted from "allen80602"

There's nothing magic about mounting any controller in a garage. In my
application, I was able to mount the IC in my basement - where I added
it to my existing wired home network - and moved the valve cable to the
IC. The IC doesn't need to be assessable at all, so it could be mounted
just about anywhere that's protected from the elements, and available to your wired home network and valve cable.

Wouldn't it just be easier wireless? Just connect existing valve wires to the new controller, period.

Not necessarily. First off, if you have wired ethernet nearby, it's certainly reasonable to use it. Second, many homes are on multiple levels, including basements and garages, and don't have great vertical wifi penetration to other floors or areas.

Quoted from "allen80602"

Quoted from "scercpio"

I too, was looking for a sprinkler controller, and have considered Irrigation Caddy. But the problem is that I don't have an ethernet port in my garage (who does?), and running one in there would be impossible (detached garage). Now, I've found something better:

www.bluespray.net

It's wireless! The UI is better than IC and the features are just unmatched.

There's nothing magic about mounting any controller in a garage. In my
application, I was able to mount the IC in my basement - where I added
it to my existing wired home network - and moved the valve cable to the
IC. The IC doesn't need to be assessable at all, so it could be mounted
just about anywhere that's protected from the elements, and available to your wired home network and valve cable.

Wouldn't it just be easier wireless? Just connect existing valve wires to the new controller, period.

Quoted from "scercpio"

I too, was looking for a sprinkler controller, and have considered Irrigation Caddy. But the problem is that I don't have an ethernet port in my garage (who does?), and running one in there would be impossible (detached garage). Now, I've found something better:

www.bluespray.net

It's wireless! The UI is better than IC and the features are just unmatched.

There's nothing magic about mounting any controller in a garage. In my
application, I was able to mount the IC in my basement - where I added
it to my existing wired home network - and moved the valve cable to the
IC. The IC doesn't need to be assessable at all, so it could be mounted
just about anywhere that's protected from the elements, and available to your wired home network and valve cable.

Quoted from "scercpio"

Quoted from "eganders"

Given what I've said above, I'd love to see a public domain project, maybe use a Rasberry Pi. More than enough CPU and RAM on board to drive it and could easily compute everything we've discussed. A public domain project that would be highly customizable to meet anyone's needs. Hmmmmm.

Edit: People are already doing it! Google: Rasberry Pi Sprinkler

I emailed BlueSpray and asked. Targeted price is $199. If you include the wireless bridge with IC, BlueSpray is a better deal, IMO. What else do you expect a sprinkler controller hardware to do?

I've used a rain sensor, and it's not very accurate. I set it to the least amount of rain 1/8", it still takes a big rain for at least half an hour before the sensor is triggered. No matter how much it rains. the sensor dries out within hours after the rain. So it would still water the lawn when it rains and waters again too soon after the rain.

I haven't seen a reliable soil moisture sensor. Problem with these is that you have to bury them. Burial subjects it to corrosion and lawn mower. There is a new wireless moisture sensor out there call ug???. Problem is, it cost $300 per zone - yikes.

The most economical thing is the weather, IMO, which you can pull down for almost free from the web. It's not the most reliable method, but better bang for the buck.

Your comment on the use of weather reporting data for input is a great idea. If there is some way to integrate external weather data into a watering decision tree, that definitely could be a valuable assist. One could see using a big time weather report (weather.com, weather.gov), and a home use weather station too. Collectively that would be a great way to deliver a reasonably sophisticated home watering system.

Using the Google link for "Rasberry Pi Sprinkler", I see where someone is already developing exactly the same thing that BlueSpray mentions - sprinkler controller and garage door opener. Wonder if that's what BlueSpray is doing?

Seems to me that someone could sell a "kit" with a housing for the Rasberry Pi, relay circuitry and components (to trigger the sprinklers), and a power supply. It would be great for the software to have a public domain core, so the community of users could grow the source code to do anything one would need in the world of residential sprinkler use. Of course, as a controller, it could really be grown to control far more than just sprinkers, but you have to start somewhere!

Quoted from "eganders"

Yeah, the seasonal thing might be interesting, but I'm not really sure how valuable it is. Around here the seasons happen, but they're not super consistent. We will water through the winter. Seems to me that a device that would integrate with a decent weather setup (leaf moisture, ground moisture, sunlight, rain, temps) might be very cool, but pricewise may not be doable - though you never know.

As for the unlimited start times and unlimited programs, the Irrigation Caddy has 5 and 3 respectively. I'll probably water most things only once in any given day. 5 is overkill, so unlimited would be way beyond my needs. I could possibly see using two programs if I didn't want to water the flower beds or plants on the same schedule as the grass, but that's about it.

A couple other things. BlueSpray hasn't discussed pricing that I can find, which would definitely be a factor for me. Also they haven't discussed their hardware and what it can do, etc. So I think there are still lots of things to learn about the BlueSpray.

Given what I've said above, I'd love to see a public domain project, maybe use a Rasberry Pi. More than enough CPU and RAM on board to drive it and could easily compute everything we've discussed. A public domain project that would be highly customizable to meet anyone's needs. Hmmmmm.

Edit: People are already doing it! Google: Rasberry Pi Sprinkler

I emailed BlueSpray and asked. Targeted price is $199. If you include the wireless bridge with IC, BlueSpray is a better deal, IMO. What else do you expect a sprinkler controller hardware to do?

I've used a rain sensor, and it's not very accurate. I set it to the least amount of rain 1/8", it still takes a big rain for at least half an hour before the sensor is triggered. No matter how much it rains. the sensor dries out within hours after the rain. So it would still water the lawn when it rains and waters again too soon after the rain.

I haven't seen a reliable soil moisture sensor. Problem with these is that you have to bury them. Burial subjects it to corrosion and lawn mower. There is a new wireless moisture sensor out there call ug???. Problem is, it cost $300 per zone - yikes.

The most economical thing is the weather, IMO, which you can pull down for almost free from the web. It's not the most reliable method, but better bang for the buck.

Quoted from "scercpio"

I'm not watering right now (winter), so I can wait. the spring is just about the right time for a new controller.

From what I've read and played with the demo, BlueSpray's features are clearly superior: unlimited programs, unlimited start times, seasonal adjustment, better UI, IMO. From what I've interpreted, you can set any
combination of program and start time and season to create your own seasonal needs. For example, I don't want to just water every other day all the time. I want to water twice a week in the spring, every other day in the summer, once a week in the fall, and no watering in the winter, etc. BlueSpray allows me to do just that. IC's scheduler just basically follows the conventional controllers with a fixed number of programs and start times. BlueSpray seems to take it a lot further.

I'll be following it very closely.

Yeah, the seasonal thing might be interesting, but I'm not really sure how valuable it is. Around here the seasons happen, but they're not super consistent. We will water through the winter. Seems to me that a device that would integrate with a decent weather setup (leaf moisture, ground moisture, sunlight, rain, temps) might be very cool, but pricewise may not be doable - though you never know.

As for the unlimited start times and unlimited programs, the Irrigation Caddy has 5 and 3 respectively. I'll probably water most things only once in any given day. 5 is overkill, so unlimited would be way beyond my needs. I could possibly see using two programs if I didn't want to water the flower beds or plants on the same schedule as the grass, but that's about it.

A couple other things. BlueSpray hasn't discussed pricing that I can find, which would definitely be a factor for me. Also they haven't discussed their hardware and what it can do, etc. So I think there are still lots of things to learn about the BlueSpray.

Given what I've said above, I'd love to see a public domain project, maybe use a Rasberry Pi. More than enough CPU and RAM on board to drive it and could easily compute everything we've discussed. A public domain project that would be highly customizable to meet anyone's needs. Hmmmmm.

Edit: People are already doing it! Google: Rasberry Pi Sprinkler

Quoted from "eganders"

Quoted from "scercpio"

According to BlueSpray, it has wifi built-in. No need for bridge. The BlueSpray phone apps are free.

Yeah, I considered the BlueSpray too, but unfortunately it's vaporware at the moment - and they're obviously still coding. They state that they plan to ship in March 2013, but we all know that most software / hardware development tends run late. And even when they do ship, it will obviously be the first production version of their software (and presumably hardware). I didn't want to go through all that, and I didn't want to wait.

I also didn't really see that BlueSpray does anything in terms of watering that the Irrigation Caddy didn't already do. The IC product has been out there for a few years now, and generally gets good reviews. They've clearly worked at adding new features and debugging. I've only had mine for a month or so, but it seems to do the job quite well and I haven't run into any issues.

Anyway, if and when you get a BlueSpray, or another competitor, up and running, I'd definitely be interested in hearing how it's working out, etc. It's always better for everyone to have a competitive marketplace.

I'm not watering right now (winter), so I can wait. the spring is just about the right time for a new controller.

From
what I've read and played with the demo, BlueSpray's features are
clearly superior: unlimited programs, unlimited start times, seasonal
adjustment, better UI, IMO. From what I've interpreted, you can set any
combination of program and start time and season to create your own
seasonal needs. For example, I don't want to just water every other day
all the time. I want to water twice a week in the spring, every other
day in the summer, once a week in the fall, and no watering in the
winter, etc. BlueSpray allows me to do just that. IC's scheduler just
basically follows the conventional controllers with a fixed number of
programs and start times. BlueSpray seems to take it a lot further.

I'll be following it very closely.

Quoted from "scercpio"

According to BlueSpray, it has wifi built-in. No need for bridge. The BlueSpray phone apps are free.

Yeah, I considered the BlueSpray too, but unfortunately it's vaporware at the moment - and they're obviously still coding. They state that they plan to ship in March 2013, but we all know that most software / hardware development tends run late. And even when they do ship, it will obviously be the first production version of their software (and presumably hardware). I didn't want to go through all that, and I didn't want to wait.

I also didn't really see that BlueSpray does anything in terms of watering that the Irrigation Caddy didn't already do. The IC product has been out there for a few years now, and generally gets good reviews. They've clearly worked at adding new features and debugging. I've only had mine for a month or so, but it seems to do the job quite well and I haven't run into any issues.

Anyway, if and when you get a BlueSpray, or another competitor, up and running, I'd definitely be interested in hearing how it's working out, etc. It's always better for everyone to have a competitive marketplace.