Recommendations

[Pete]

Currently have a Rainbird system with 10 stations. I would like to failover to this system. Anyone have a recommendation as to which sprinkler controller would be easiest / plug n play setup.

[Rupp]

Pete,
If your asking for an automated way to control your sprinklers then the Rain8 is the best.

http://www.wgldesigns.com/rain8.html

[Michael McSharry]

When you indicate failover to the rainbird I infer that you want to run an automated controller and if something should occur you want the rainbird timed controller to be activated. While something might be able to be rigged, I do not think there is any plug'n'play ways of doing this.

If you simply want to remove the rainbird and replace it with an automated controller then the Rain8 series, as Rupp indicated, is a good choice. Which of the Rain8 family you select depends upon your connectivity options. As with most HA, the direct connect (Rain8Net via RS232) is the most reliable. There is also a 2-way X10 variant which will also do very well. The option also exists for the Wireless model, but if you already have 120V power near the rainbird, then this 1-way Wireless choice would likely provide the last choice.

The switchover from the rainbird to 2 Rain8's does not involve any valve rewiring other than from one terminal to the rainbird to one terminal on a Rain8. You do need the PC connection with either RS232 or a powerline interface at the Rain8 side.

You have many options for software control from simple timed scripts to mcsSprinklers which integrates the environmental conditions into the irrigation decision.