Hi, my name is...

[lewhnh]

Lew. Greetings from Louisville, KY! 
Thanks for the info I've gotten already while lurking in the background, and in advance for the "more to come".
 
I am a 15-year chemical engineer and have concentrated on process controls (at work only) for much of the last 10. After getting a couple of quotes to install systems (ADT and a local company) and then doing some research, I decided that this was too close of a match to my day-job to let someone else have all of the fun.
 
So, I am setting up a home system for the first time:
- Omnipro II
- Mostly wireless inputs (via HAI 64-zone receiver)
- Rain8 sprinkler control module
- about 10 @ HAI UPB appliance switches
 
I have an ~85 year old, three-story house with a detached garage. My immediate need is to get the sprinkler control working so that I can stop manually bypassing the zone valves twice a day (so our sod doesn't die). As I've now found out, that is easily the most complicated part of the whole installation. I may have to post a couple of questions later today if my searching proves fruitless (UPB commnuications are not functional).
 
Cheers-
Lew

 

[pete_c]

Welcome to the forum Lew!
 
Nice folks here and lots of information; enjoy your visit.
 
I also have an HAI OPII panel (s), UPB and Rain8nets in place.
 
Here I went a bit overboard (gets addicting) with the whole sprinkler system thing. 
 
I utilize evapotranspiration, weather station data, other hardware sensors plus internet weather data running running on a little computer inside of the old rainbird sprinkler box.   
 
The rules set / software running for sprinkler system though is just a bunch of "if then do that if not do this" type stuff. 
 
We've had little rain such that I have been spot zone watering some lately. 
 
Thinking there are some folks here that left the legacy sprinkler controller in place and added external controls (via their panels).
 
You can hard wire control your Rain8's via the panel and do a software remote control to the panel with same mentioned application taking the control (using the panel) from a simple timing sequence with some variables to a dedicated piece of software that will manage your sprinkler system.  (I do have a water meter in place and planning on a water flow switch).  Adding these pieces you can water based on amount utilized plus the variables mentioned above.  I do that today using the sprinkler manifold solenoid switches.