Rain8 program necessary?

[Rotech]

I have installed a rain8pro just last week, but it still not connected to HS. My question is, is it necesary to have the Rain8 program to be able to connect to HS?

[Rotech]

Bump.

[stevea]

Bump.

Hector,

If you mean the software that the Rain8 people provide, I'm pretty certain the answer is no. The plug-in for Rain8/Relay8 provides the interface between the HS computer and the Rain8 box. You just need to wire it up. Then you can use something in Homeseer like Snevl Sprinklers to control the valves. Alternatively, I think Michael McSharry's mcsSprinklers Pro interfaces directly without a plug-in. Not sure about the details though.

Steve

[TeleFragger]

and a side note.. not sure how yours is but im going to hopefully this summer put my sprinkler system in and use my rain8 i have had for some time. since it is x10 based.. i should be able to just send x10 commands to it for on and off.. i know you can configure them for pre determined times of on/off but i like having events to do things as my town constantly changes the water restrictions...

also blade has a rain8 plugin...
http://bladeplugins.no-ip.org/Downloads.asp#BLRain8X10

[stevea]

If you are using the Rain8X10 (or any X10 based sprinkler control), you almost certainly don't need a plug-in at all to use my system (Snevl Sprinklers). Blade's plug-in isn't so much an interface to the controller (since the interface is already x10, which Homeseer handles), but a simple sprinkler scheduler. I.e., you would use his plug-in instead of Snevl Sprinklers for mcsSprinklers, not instead of an interface.

Steve

EDIT: I fear we may confuse Hector and anyone else looking at this. To clarify: The Rain8Net (the pro version of which Hector has already purchased) uses a serial RS232 interface. There are also Rain8x10 and Rain8upb devices sold by WGL, and these use (duh!) X10 and UPB respectively. The Rain8Net does not have built-in support in Homeseer, so you have to have something that is designed to speak the Rain8Net serial protocol.

[TeleFragger]

If you are using the Rain8X10 (or any X10 based sprinkler control), you almost certainly don't need a plug-in at all to use my system (Snevl Sprinklers). Blade's plug-in isn't so much an interface to the controller (since the interface is already x10, which Homeseer handles), but a simple sprinkler scheduler. I.e., you would use his plug-in instead of Snevl Sprinklers for mcsSprinklers, not instead of an interface.

Steve

EDIT: I fear we may confuse Hector and anyone else looking at this. To clarify: The Rain8Net (the pro version of which Hector has already purchased) uses a serial RS232 interface. There are also Rain8x10 and Rain8upb devices sold by WGL, and these use (duh!) X10 and UPB respectively. The Rain8Net does not have built-in support in Homeseer, so you have to have something that is designed to speak the Rain8Net serial protocol.

ahhh thanks for clarifying that!

[Pete]

Here I made my Rain8net / controller et al all self contained and put it in the old Rainbird box.

That said it can be controlled remotely by Homeseer but is running on its own.

Historically though the two Rain8nets were connected to Homeseer via a cat5e to RS-232 cable running some 75 feet or so.

It is now into its second year running like this.

Relating to HS3 the plugin for Homeseer would also run on this box such that HS would still be the mothership controller piece remotely via the remote plugin / network.

[Rotech]

EDIT: I fear we may confuse Hector and anyone else looking at this. To clarify: The Rain8Net (the pro version of which Hector has already purchased) uses a serial RS232 interface. There are also Rain8x10 and Rain8upb devices sold by WGL, and these use (duh!) X10 and UPB respectively. The Rain8Net does not have built-in support in Homeseer, so you have to have something that is designed to speak the Rain8Net serial protocol.

Thks for the clarification , I understand that x10 and UPB are part of HS protocols.that said, Aim almost sure I may need the Rain8pro software to at least assign com. Ports. Just wasntvery sure.

[Pete]

Hector,

Your controller has a serial connection. That said it also has buttons for manual control.

Relating to its connectivity; it is most basic and a direct serial control. This serial control allows you to control the Rain8 with any application in any OS that will talk to the device via a serial connection.

Over the years WGL built into their sprinkler controllers other means to talk to the controller. This were via X10 or UPB et al.

X10 and UPB are just a method of power line transport. That said Homeseer could always talk to X10 as it does today talk to Z-Wave.

When my Rain8Net's were configured on the box that Homeseer was running on; I would configure and test the devices using the WGL demo program. This allowed me to check on the serial port that I was using and validate the function of the two Rain8nets via a serial connection. The demo program is free.

I would personally validate the rain8 functions using the WGL demo program before testing out a Homeseer plugin. This will allow you to test your serial cable and check the serial port that you have the WGL Rain8pro connected to.

Once you have validated which comm port you are using, function et al, then write down this comm port; start up Homeseer and configure whichever plugin you want to use to utilize same said comm port.

The above noted; the Homeseer Sprinkler "plugins" that are available for your Rain8's talk to whatever serial port you have configured for them. They are basically controlling the on and off of each of the switches on your sprinkler controller.

[Rotech]

The above noted; the Homeseer Sprinkler "plugins" that are available for your Rain8's talk to whatever serial port you have configured for them. They are basically controlling the on and off of each of the switches on your sprinkler controller.

Steve, There also a Rainrelay8 plug, do you if theres any differences?

[stevea]

Steve, There also a Rainrelay8 plug, do you if theres any differences?

Well, the Rain8 and the Relay8 actually use the exact same protocol, so except in the case that a plug-in recognizes the rain sensor (and I don't know of any that do), you should be able to use a plug-in labeled for the Rain8 or the Relay8 interchangeably. However, the came caveat as I've mentioned before: I've never used either the Rain8 or the Relay8.

Steve

[Pete]

Yeah here my first issue was relating to using the RG-11 rain sensor and mounting it (some 20 feet from a sprinkling spray head) and having it trip when the sprinkler was on; which would be counterproductive.

The "sponge" style rain sensors are typically mounted high up. My rainbird rain sensor here is mounted on the rain gutter and the wire runs inside of the gutter to the manifold solenoid box wire cluster. You can adjust the rain sensor sponge such that it works and is a bit sensitive. The sponge sensor is connected to a DS11A. That said I did have lightning damage a couple of years back (first time) which still took out the two Rain8nets and they were not even connected to the two wires utilized for the sponge sensor.

Then again if you automate with a plugin its easier to create a rule relating to said endeavor. I mean here my sprinkler shuts down if the wind speeds increase such that I am not water the neighbors lawn. Over the years though with some hands on and regular maintainance the lawn is looking OK. IE: seasonal weed/fertilizing, cutting high when its warm out, et al.

I have over the years redone drainage and topology a bit such that the originally installed sprinkler heads do their job with minimal effort. I still though only have a few inches of topsoil and mostly clay underneath the topsoil.

This said the automation helped much with these efforts.

[reidfo]

Hector,

If you mean the software that the Rain8 people provide, I'm pretty certain the answer is no. The plug-in for Rain8/Relay8 provides the interface between the HS computer and the Rain8 box. You just need to wire it up. Then you can use something in Homeseer like Snevl Sprinklers to control the valves. Alternatively, I think Michael McSharry's mcsSprinklers Pro interfaces directly without a plug-in. Not sure about the details though.

Steve

mcsSprinklers does interface without the need of an additional plugin. I would recommend installing the Rain8 config program though. It lets you program timers on the valves, so if HS crashes during watering the Rain8 will automatically shut off the valves after a certain period. Trust me, I know from experience you do not want to see your water bill after a valve has been stuck open for 2 days when you're out of town!

[Rotech]

mcsSprinklers does interface without the need of an additional plugin. I would recommend installing the Rain8 config program though. It lets you program timers on the valves, so if HS crashes during watering the Rain8 will automatically shut off the valves after a certain period. Trust me, I know from experience you do not want to see your water bill after a valve has been stuck open for 2 days when you're out of town!

I have Rain8 demos installed is that the one you referring too? Can you have both HS and rain8 program run at same time?

[Rotech]

Yeah here my first issue was relating to using the RG-11 rain sensor and mounting it (some 20 feet from a sprinkling spray head) and having it trip when the sprinkler was on; which would be counterproductive.

The "sponge" style rain sensors are typically mounted high up. My rainbird rain sensor here is mounted on the rain gutter and the wire runs inside of the gutter to the manifold solenoid box wire cluster. You can adjust the rain sensor sponge such that it works and is a bit sensitive. The sponge sensor is connected to a DS11A. That said I did have lightning damage a couple of years back (first time) which still took out the two Rain8nets and they were not even connected to the two wires utilized for the sponge sensor.

Then again if you automate with a plugin its easier to create a rule relating to said endeavor. I mean here my sprinkler shuts down if the wind speeds increase such that I am not water the neighbors lawn. Over the years though with some hands on and regular maintainance the lawn is looking OK. IE: seasonal weed/fertilizing, cutting high when its warm out, et al.

I have over the years redone drainage and topology a bit such that the originally installed sprinkler heads do their job with minimal effort. I still though only have a few inches of topsoil and mostly clay underneath the topsoil.

This said the automation helped much with these efforts.

Dam!! Pete your yard looks like one of those expensive resorts , Gorgeous !!