Premise Irrigation/Sprinkler Control

Good news - bad news...my wife is becoming addicted to Premise. Now she wants to control the sprinklers. Easy enough with Irrigation Pro (I think). What I am not sure of is what device is used? EZRain? Something else? Any ideas? I could/would not use X-10, as I'm on a well and X-10s reliability is too flakey...Maybe Damon can give a clue?

Chuck,

Are you asking what you would need for the well pump specifically or the entire system? I would think you could just use relays to interface with the system and build a custom irrigation driver in Premise pretty easily.

I would assume most of what you need for the pump is already there in the way of contactors and pressure switches, so all you need to do is figure out some way to interface to the system using relays/contacts. Perhaps there is a contactor already in place that has a 120v coil and you switch the pump on/off already with a 15 amp wall switch? In that case, you could use a zwave 15amp switch.

For the sprinkler system, there should be control valves that you can connect relay contacts too and turn on/off using 12v or 24v GC-100 contacts (if that's the only I/O device you have laying around). If you haven't wired and designed relay circuits before, this might not be a good option for you though.

Here's some background on motor contactors:
http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_4/chpt_5/2.html

And also a good read on relays for that matter:
http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_4/chpt_5/index.html

Here's some background on sprinkler systems:
http://www.irrigationtutorials.com/sprinkler00.htm

I don't have a well pump though, but this is how I would approach the problem.

Chuck,

Check the Various Drivers posting in Premise Downloads. It contains many drivers submitted by Damon. I believe it includes a native driver for the WGLDesigns Rain8net irrigation controller.

My custom irrigation system has decided to flake out. 
 
I use IrrigationPro to control 12 zones via two Adicon/ADI RLX8Y RS-485 high-current relays. 
 
I've got three problems, that may or may not be related to each other.
 
1) IrrigationPro refuses to run my zones on schedule. The system simply does not start when it's supposed to. Starting manually works.
 
2) My irrigation pump is randomly turning on. Most of the time it just turns on without the corresponding RLX8Y output being on. Sometimes (last two days) the actual RLX8Y relay in premise showed the ON state for no good reason. 
 
3) Some of my zones are sticking open. 
 
The valves themselves are old...13 years. So #3 is probably due to them just being old.
 
But #1 & #2 is making me just want to buy a self-contained controller and take responsibility for this away from Premise. 
 
I'm not really asking for advise. Just venting. I'll figure it out.

Sometimes you can luck out and get the exact same valves in the HW or Lawn/Garden store.  I did this on my rental and then just took off the 'top hat' held on by six screws, then did the same on the new valves and just replaced that part.  This way I didn't have to cut out the lower body (pita and nothing was wrong with the plumbing).
 
Of course now the new ones have a slip fitting that makes installation a breeze.  If you plan on replacing (redoing your manifold) look for these kits (they even come with the break out tubing).
 
As far as your old system, you mentioned using the RLX8Y and not an Ocelot, plus an "IrrigationPro".  Were you running the relays directly with this IrrigationPro solution (is that Premise/PC based?).
 
I'd be surprised if that RLX8Y went bad as it does use good Potter Brumfield relays (I used to use one with an Ocelot).
 
Here, I'm still using the good old Relay-8 from WGL.  My house is pretty X-10 friendly though, but it does have an internal 'fail safe' just in case it doesn't get the off signal.
 
Good luck and let us know what you came up with!

I've been using the Premise Irrigation module..I've modified the UI to be the JQM version. So far, so good from a functionality perspective. It runs, it works, it's reliable. In California, reliability HAS to be number' 1, or I'm going to 'water school'.
 
I'm not familiar with the RLX8Y...I use a standard GC-100 for the relay interface...It's only the UI interface actions that have prevented me from releasing it..