Smart Sprinkler Controllers

[BytorJr]

Does anybody here have any experience at a "smart" wi-fi sprinkler controller? I've looked at the new orbit but it's out of stock. However anybody have experience with other systems like Rachio, Netro, RainMachine or the older B-hyve by Orbit.

Thanks.

 

[tadawson]

I've had a B-Hyve for a season, and so far it's been decent.

What I really hate about a lot of this shit is that you can't network control it directly - it needs to be able to babble to the internet . . . I try to lock down as much external network access and dependency as I can.

 

[Deano2246]

I just installed the Rachio 3 last weekend, so far have been really impressed. Super easy to install and set up

 

[BytorJr]

Thank's guys. I've been eyeing the Rachio 3 myself since it seems to get the highest reviews. I have an old hunter and it was so messed up I had to actually get help reprogramming it. Junk contractor grade controller. I like the new B-Hyve but seems they've been hit by COVID.

I understand the concerns of the network, but my thermostat is network controllable and I'm likely to run my own cloud soon. That said, my network I believe is pretty tight from somebody driving up and getting into it. But it's a valid concern. I'd prefer it be bluetooth programmable more than anything. Just so long as I'm not pushing buttons all the time moving times, settings, zones then have them wipe themselves out and default to whatever was in originally (even with battery out and power off - in PROM).

 

[tadawson]

One of my "must have" was full manual controls on the unit as well as remote capabilities. That way they can't turn your unit into a brick by deciding to not support it anymore or folding outright. Amazingly, a lot have no actual controls . . .

Thermostats are network here as well, but same thing - network is a frill, not a necessity . . . Did it mainly to remote monitor 2nd property that is frequently unoccupied . . .

 

[BytorJr]

One of my "must have" was full manual controls on the unit as well as remote capabilities. That way they can't turn your unit into a brick by deciding to not support it anymore or folding outright. Amazingly, a lot have no actual controls . . .

Good point...nothing like "oh, we have no firmware or we don't support iOS X.yz or that N-series wireless has been farmed out to your local TV station."

 

[Averageman]

I like the rachio, i got two of them for my house and they work just fine.
With the rachio, you would just set up as many schedules as you want and select the zones then times for each zone.
Its pretty user friendly.

 

[NoDopes]

I stalled nests last year and started getting emails from Google to sign up for emergency overrides in time grid power shortages for $50. Fuck that, I'll control my own.
Then a few months later Texas was low on power and I dropped my temps down.
About a week later, I found my upstairs unit switched into away mode and my downstairs unit running balls to the wall trying to cool the house. Fuckers.

 

[jhunter]

I have a Rain Bird ESP ME with WiFi link. I really like this model. I can control this timer through the app. It is nice being able to control the timer while working on the zones in the yard. Walking back and forth to the controller is no longer necessary

 

[EddieNFL]

I have a Rain Bird ESP ME with WiFi link. I really like this model. I can control this timer through the app. It is nice being able to control the timer while working on the zones in the yard. Walking back and forth to the controller is no longer necessary

Same. Set it up and haven't thought about it since.

 

[missed]

We have a couple of the Bhyve controllers. Been installed almost 3 years trouble free. I have not attempted to control them off the network. All of my internet of things is on its separate network from the PC's, phones, network storage....

 

[Adam B]

I have a RainMachine and have been using it for many years, it’s awesome

 

[fdkay]

Hire a mexican and give him a water hose

 

[308pirate]

Hire a mexican and give him a water hose

Riega por una hora a las ocho de la manana y a las siete de la noche.

Boom, I just wrote the code for your controller

 

[308pirate]

Good point...nothing like "oh, we have no firmware or we don't support iOS X.yz or that N-series wireless has been farmed out to your local TV station."

Learning how to write ladder logic and hard wiring cheap PLCs and relays is the way

Kinco Automation

Kinco Automation

www.kincoautomation.com

 

[LuvDog]

I have a rachio for 5 years now and it's been problem free. I hope I didn't just jinx myself

 

[missed]

Learning how to write ladder logic and hard wiring cheap PLCs and relays is the way

Kinco Automation

Kinco Automation

www.kincoautomation.com

That is a good point if you want no connectivity. Or ability to control connectivity. The micro PLC are pretty inexpensive and the user interface on them is super easy. Raspberry pi micro controller and a bit of code you can knock it out also.

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There's a bunch of different variations.

I put the Bhyve in as I had enough other stuff to do at the time.

 

[SalomonQST99]

Got the B-Hyve too. Last year we had a serious drought and no watering was done at my place. Still the B-Hyve is calculating temperatures and transpiration rates to get an amount of watering to keep the lawn green. It works, but the software could be much, much, better.

 

[JR_77]

Rachio 3 all the way it’s awesome so many features. I kept an old iPhone & have the Rachio app on it. Give it to my sprinkler guy each spring & he uses it to walk around the yard checking out each zone and all the individual heads all by himself with no helpers running back and forth.