What is the best irrigation controller for Homeseer?

[Michael McSharry]

If you think there are OFF commands from mcsSprinklers that should not be there then provide the debug log for analysis.

[wpiman]

I only know because my wife told me! :-)

Rob,
So I was outside trying to turn on my sprinklers cause I installed a new head and wanted to adjust it...

I am using MCSSprinklers and I turned on valve 4. It pretty quickly shut itself off, and then the log shows about 3 CAPI Controllers off. I think I did the next OFF myself because MCS Sprinklers showed it being on. Turned it back on, and it did it again. Third time it worked.

Are you using MCS Sprinklers? Does your log show the CAPI controller turned the valve off pretty quickly after it is turned on?

Jun-23 4:08:16 PM

Device Control

Device: Basement Water Closet Sprinker Controller Valve to Valve 4 On for 30 min (7684) by/from: CAPI Control Handler

Jun-23 4:08:16 PM

Device Control

Device: Basement Water Closet Sprinker Controller Valve to Off (0) by/from: CAPI Control Handler

Jun-23 4:08:01 PM

Device Control

Device: Basement Water Closet Sprinker Controller Valve to Off (0) by/from: CAPI Control Handler

Jun-23 4:07:42 PM

Device Control

Device: Basement Water Closet Sprinker Controller Valve to Off (0) by/from: CAPI Control Handler

Jun-23 4:07:31 PM

Device Control

Device: Basement Water Closet Sprinker Controller Valve to Valve 4 On for 30 min (7684) by/from: CAPI Control Handler

Jun-23 4:07:31 PM

Device Control

Device: Basement Water Closet Sprinker Controller Valve to Off (0) by/from: CAPI Control Handler

Jun-23 4:07:27 PM

Device Control

Device: Basement Water Closet Sprinker Controller Valve to Off (0) by/from: CAPI Control Handler

Jun-23 4:07:15 PM

Device Control

Device: Basement Water Closet Sprinker Controller Valve to Off (0) by/from: CAPI Control Handler

Jun-23 4:07:00 PM

Device Control

Device: Basement Water Closet Sprinker Controller Valve to Off (0) by/from: CAPI Control Handler

Jun-23 4:06:49 PM

Device Control

Device: Basement Water Closet Sprinker Controller Valve to Valve 4 On for 30 min (7684) by/from: CAPI Control Handler

Jun-23 4:06:36 PM

Device Control

Device: Basement Water Closet Sprinker Controller Valve to Off (0) by/from: CAPI Control Handler

[outbackrob]

....Now you have me questioning whether my sprinklers are all coming on when they say they are......

I only know because my wife told me! :-)

[mmnissan]

I have used the Rachio controller for several years. They have great customer service as well. As for your valve, you probably have the wires spliced near the valve. If they get wet corrosion could form and interfere with the current to the solenoid on the valve. If the valves have been in use for a long time the the solenoid might just need to be cleaned out. I have never had a zone not turn on because on my controller.

[wpiman]

I have checked connectivity several times, I am fairly sure the voltage has been checked, but I am NOT sure that CURRENT has been checked. Maybe that power supply ISN'T beefy enough for those trouble making valves.... Good call. I will check into that

You should just be able to check the voltage at the valve head. If it isn't putting out enough current, you won't see ample voltage. Be sure to set your meter to AC (I always make that mistake). I think the valves are 24 VAC.

It looks like the GoControl uses Z-Wave plus (if you has the one I have). I've found this stuff to be very reliable on the network side.

Now you have me questioning whether my sprinklers are all coming on when they say they are......

[AllHailJ]

I just checked and I left the most important script out of my earlier post - The one that actually waters the lawn.

WaterLawn.vb.txt


My apologies

[Stuart]

After finding the issue with timers in Hs3, and seeing a problem like this way back with the Hs3 plug for Rain8/Relay8 I dont believe these plugins had a problem themselves. I think it was all the wait statements and timers in my logic. Using the same Rain8 device and writing my own set of timers and logic this has worked flawlessly. I also used to get one zone on, then maybe two would start together or another would pop up on its own. See if you have a bunch of waits in your logic and if so you should be able to resolve this.

Stuart

[outbackrob]

.... Have you checked the AC voltages coming out of it? Perhaps your power supply isn't beefy enough? Maybe check them at the sprinkler head as well. Might be an IR drop.

I have checked connectivity several times, I am fairly sure the voltage has been checked, but I am NOT sure that CURRENT has been checked. Maybe that power supply ISN'T beefy enough for those trouble making valves.... Good call. I will check into that

[wpiman]

I am just about fed up with my GoControl irrigation controller. SOMETIMES it will turn on a valve, sometimes it won't. SOMETIMES Valve 2 for 20 minutes works, sometimes only Valve 2 for 30 minutes will work. It's bizarre, and I am tired of it. Truth be told, I'm tired of trying to get it to work after my wife has tried a million times and says, "It always used to work with our old system." LOW WAF statement! I've had all the wires tested from the controller to the valves. All are perfect. I have a second oontrol controller that I used at Halloween so I swapped it out with the sprinkler one and it has the same issue. Sometimes the valve will work, sometimes it won't, but if you jockey around with them, most of the time you can get it to work. It's a PITA! Oh, and I have purchased a few power supplies, too thinking it may be them. It does not appear to be.....

SO, I'm going to punt. I NEED nine zones but could use more. Wife needs a decent phone app or an EASY(er) HSTouch screen.

Do Raintree or Orbit interface with Homeseer? Is EtherRain still available? I REALLY need a solution!!! HEEEEELLLLLLPPPP!!

I have a GoControl with MCSSprinklers pro. It appears to work well for me: but if a valve didn't come on: I might not alway know.

It is very close to my Znet though.

Have you checked the AC voltages coming out of it? Perhaps your power supply isn't beefy enough? Maybe check them at the sprinkler head as well. Might be an IR drop.

[clafa]

Hi,

i have the rachio sprinkler controller.

i use the plugin to control zones with the screens I built in hstouch . wife likes the rachio app,

i have a hard wired rain sensor and the rachio app has predictive forecast built so I dont have the need for hs3 to read the weather and take action.

i like that rachio takes care of future rain and the local ran sensor of prior rainfall. i have the 1st generation of rachio...you can find them cheap on ebay..

cheers

[outbackrob]

THANK YOU All for replying to my plea for help!! LOADS of great info. Not sure how I missed Quicksmart.com today...… I have had the wires tested TWICE. If I directly connect the transformer to common and a zone wire, I can get that zone to come on. Hook it to a GoControl and it only sometimes works. I know. It sounds nuts but that is what's driving me CRAZY!

Again, THANK YOU for all the info!! I will go through it all and digest it. I may even give the GoControl another shot with all the scripts! THANKS AllHailJ !!!

[langenet]

I have 2 Rain8Nets master and slave still working perfectly fine after 8 years. They are in my pool house and are controlled via a global cache ip2sl and virtual serial line port vpse via EOP. I thought of replacing them and likely will at some point, but they work great with mcssprinker and haven't let me down yet. Old school, I know. But does the job.

[Mr_Resistor]

Another vote for Etherrain and MCSSprinklers. (but with the same experience...rock solid)

The units are available direct from the maker http://www.quicksmart.com/qs_etherrain.html

[Uncle Michael]

Flawlessly sounds GOOD! Where did you find your EtherRain controllers? I could not find a distributer in the US..

http://www.quicksmart.com/qs_er_purchase.html

[racerfern]

I have the same unit and it's spot on. I don't use the old rain sensor that came with the house, I use events and the Jon00Cumulus plugin to get data from my weather station.

You can't have two controllers with the same issue???

Although you said all the wiring checked out, that sounds like a bad ground or a shorted/jumped connection either at the unit or somewhere along the wiring. Have you ever seen the status light blink any messages? Does it happen more when things are wet? Again, shorted connection.

From the manual (sorry for the formatting)
Bi-Color LED States
Color Status
Red-On No Hub
Green-On Connected to Hub
Orange-On Stuck Button
Red - Blinking Valve Fault (open/short
Green - Blinking Searching for Hub
Orange - Blinking Flow Fault (too low/too high)
Red/Green - Toggle Off due to sensors or weather.
Red/Orange - Toggle Power out of range.
Green/Orange - Toggle Communicating with Hub