Calculating if garden needs watering ...

[BraveSirRobbin]

...what kind of sprinkler hardware you guys are using?

Well, you can use a "temporary" solution say for the hot months with a valve screwed on to an outdoor spikot and then turn a soaker (via a garden hose) on and off; or, go with an underground system using PVC piping and risers. There are a LOT of choices of sprinkler valves to use based on area coverage and geometry desired of the water spray.

Where do you live? For instance, the hardware stores here in Las Vegas are full of this stuff, but again, the demand for it is greater here than it would be other places.

 

[Pepper2001]

I'm just outside of Toronto, Ontario. Home Depot has some stuff. I've scene some valves in there and I wonder if I can just control them with my Secu16 instead of having to by a specific sprinkler controller? Could I connect multiple valves to different inputs of the SECU, and thereby creating multiple zones?

That thread was pretty good, made me think of what to search for in Google in regards to parts...

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

Most valves/solenoids require 24 volts AC. You can purchase a simple wall wart and have it switched via any relay to the valves as long as the relay contacts can handle the load. I'm not sure if those wimpy relays supplied with the SECU16 can do this. That plus the fact that the SECU16 can not switch some loads (inductive) made me trade mine in for a RELAY-8 unit instead. They have "real" relays on their outputs.

You can also purchase some WGL design's Rain-8 or Relay-8 units that are made for just this purpose as well.

I actually have my Ocelot send X-10 signals to a WGL Design's Relay-8 unit to control three valves for my sprinklers here. There are many, many ways and solutions to do this.

 

[electron]

While I was at Wal*Mart today, I noticed that they sell $4 moisture measurement tools for the garden. How hard would it be to hook that up to my SECU16? Or are there other cheap alternatives?

 

[smee]

While I was at Wal*Mart today, I noticed that they sell $4 moisture measurement tools for the garden. How hard would it be to hook that up to my SECU16? Or are there other cheap alternatives?

What do they look like?

 

[electron]

looks like the kind of thermometer you stick into a turkey/chicken while roasting in the oven. Here is one I found online which is similar:

http://www.shop.com/op/aprod-~moisture+meter-p18171526

 

[Chakara]

Now that could be cool, but you need an adjustable threshold to fire a relay. Or a voltage that an analog input could read.

I like Rupps simple rain guage sensor hooked to my current controller, however here we have a lot of wind issues. Not to mention a "Red, Yellow, Green" drop system to let you know if you can water or not on a particular day. So far I just ignore the drops codes and if it's raining/looks like rain or is very windy manually put the system on rain delay.

I'm also thinking of getting a weather station type of thing to check for rain/wind and use via the ELK. For a bit I had my sprinklers tied to an universal module and it worked great for turning them off and what not, but must have had some noise turn the system off. Didn't notice for about a week and has taken me 3 weeks to get my lawn back to where it was.

All of this I want to come into play over the next year or 2, but for right now my biggest problem is just getting good water coverage over my lawn.

Baby steps....

 

[Rupp]

Chakara ,
You could always get a one-wire weather station here:
http://www.hobby-boards.com/
or here:
http://www.aagelectronica.com/aag/en-us/dept_1.html

and a rain gauge kit from here:
http://www.aagelectronica.com/aag/en-us/dept_1.html

Then you would have your wind and rain covered.

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

I am trying to find a cheap way of determining when the wind is above 20 MPH here myself so I don't water my front lawn.

All I want is a cheap anemometer that gives a voltage proportional to how fast it is spinning. I don't need wind direction nor an accurate "real time" wind measurement. I just need to know if it's above 20 MPH so I can interface this with my Ocelot/SECU16I.

I am trying to make one without much success. I don't want to pay $80 just for this reading, nor do I want a complicated process incorporated in Homeseer.

I was thinking making something like a sock that airports use to gauge wind direction and speed and somehow incorporate a magnet contact on the end of the sock so if it lifts at a certain height (proportional to 20 MPH wind) is will close a magnetic contact. I could even use a DS10A, though I would rather interface directly with the Ocelot and bypass the computer.

Anyone have any other ideas? I even tried using a toy airplane mounted on a caster wheel (I think I can actually get this one working if I had a larger caster wheel). I have pictures that I'll show whenever you guys need a good laugh!

 

[Rupp]

Here's a homemade one:

http://www.otherpower.com/anemometer.html

 

[huggy59]

Take the motor out of a portable cassette player and hook up some anemometer vanes to it. The motor is the DC type with permanent magnets, and the faster it turns, the higher the output of the motor. You may be able to use that with a resistor ladder to tie to the ocelot for measurement. Test it on a calm day by going 20MPH in a car with it sticking well out the window and measure the voltage or amperage for your threshold. Then you just need to make a weatherproof housing for it.

Years ago, I once used a small motor like this to power some LEDs as part of a waterwheel for my son's school project. The faster the wheel turned, the brighter the LEDs. All you need is a permanent magnet (DC) motor.

 

[damage]

how about this?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...ssPageName=WDVW

looks like you just need to provide it power from your sprinkler controller & a relay (i'm guessing) inside the device with either open or close depending on if you need to water. you can tap off the relay & connect it to a ds10a.

 

[electron]

just found this:

http://tions.net/CA256EA900408BD5/vwWWW/house~04~03

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

Hehe, for those that want a cheap "starting to rain" sensor (and I mean cheap) take a look at THIS thread! :lol: (P.S. meant to be humorous BTW)

 

[electron]

I was actually searching last night on how to build on myself, so I defiintely appreciate that post :lol: Does it matter if I use RubberMaid or Gladware?