UPStart, HS with Rain8

[cjrs27]

I am thinking about replacing my standalone, conventional timer sprinkler system controller with a Rain8 UPB unit and have some questions:

1.) Will the Rain8 unit provide power to the valves to close/open the physical sprinkler valve?

2.) Any tricks/problems that I should be aware of for adding the Rain8 device/sprinkler zones into UPStart?

3.) Any tricks/problems that I should be aware of for then controlling the Rain8 device/sprinkler zones with HS?

[Michael McSharry]

There have been people that have tried to work-around the lack of UPStart visibility of the Rain8UPB and I am not aware of anyone with success. The approach taken is to make the Rain8UPB look like 8 appliance modules and ignore the Rain8UPB input counter/switch. The Rain8UPB does not provide a ACK bit so the application layer protocol needs to deal with assuring proper communications. I think the Homeseer UPB plugin is expecting the ACK.

mcsSprinklers plugins natively support the Rain8UPB so you can run with that plugin and a PIM to achieve your objectives. Jon Oman and I are working on a passthrough so mcsSprinklers and the Homeseer UPB plugin can both use the sam PIM, but this capability is still in development.

The bottom line is that the easiest way to do it today is with two plugins (Homeseer UPB and mcsSprinklers) and two PIMs. If the sharing of the same PIM works out then you can do it with one PIM in the future.

[tenholde]

I am converting from X10 to UPB, and have been very happy with UPB. When I decided to replace standalone sprinkler timer with HS interface, I researched the various Rain8 devices with the expectation to use the UPB unit so I did not have to run any wires.

After a fair amount of thought, I decided to just run the wire from my HS computer serial port to the Rain8Net in the garage (replaced timer). I just ran 6 conductor telephone wire.

I'm very happy with this setup, and the mcsSprinklers plugin. A lot of what I read about the UPB device made me nervous. If you can reasonably run the wire, I think the Rain8Net unit would be more reliable than the Rain8UPB device.

tenholde

[Michael McSharry]

Another excellent option is to use an IP/Serial converter such as the EP1 that you can usually pick up on Ebay for around $20. You can then use the Rain8Net without running a new serial cable. This assumes you have a LAN connection near the location you want to mount the Rain8. You can also do it with WiFi and good results as well. The WiFi units are surplus like the EPS1, but still cost effective when you consider the cost of the PIMs needed to interface to the powerline.

[cjrs27]

Thank you!

[DC]

Here is something else to think about. Sprinkler controllers are notoriously susceptable to lightning damage because the wires from the controller to the valves are buried in the ground. A few months ago I installed three Ocelot RLY8 modules as my sprinkler controllers so that HS could control my sprinklers. About a month ago, a nearby, but not direct, lightning strike (I was home and heard it) destroyed all three RLY8 modules, an SECU16 module and a temp and humidity Bobcat. All of these modules were in my shop connected by a single Cat5 to a bunch of other Ocelot modules, and my HomeTroller, in my house. I think I was lucky that none of the other modules nor my HomeTroller were damage.

I have replaced the SECU16 and the two Bobcats but I decided against replacing the RLY8s. I don't want wires from my Ocelot/Hometroller installation running through the ground to sprinkler valves.

I decided to go back to a RainBird sprinkler controller. If it gets damaged, it will be much easier to replace than half of my automation components.

Of course, if you use the UPB or X10 versions of the Rain8s, there would be no risk to your HomeTroller because they would not be physically connected to it. In fact, I have three X10 Rain8s that I was using before my brief experiment with the RLY8s. If you are interested in them, I would make you a good deal on them. Just PM me.

For me, a stand-alone sprinkler controller handles the watering just fine. In fact, it's actually easier to adjust the watering schedule with the RainBird than it was with HS. Sometimes I get carried away and want HS to control something just for the sake of having HS control it, when there is really no good reason!

[dhanford]

I thought I would chime in here about sprinklers and automation...

I love having my sprinklers connected to HS and Maestro. I have a lot of plant beds, and for some reason it seems like I am planting something new all the time.
Because of this it is nice to be able to set-up almost limitless schedules, run specific zones ad-hoc (without going to the garage), tweak watering times for individual zones, and disable the system for a day without having to remember to turn it back on. Not to mention I can do all of this from the internet as well (If I am out of town).

Now back to your regularly scheduled thread....

[cjrs27]

Hello DC,

Thank you for the input.

What I think I'd like to do is have my HS be able to make my Rain8 "aware" of when I am home. As in, if I am working from my house, I know I'll have my office lamp "on"...and that also means my van is parked out front (garage full of "stuff"). So rather than have my van get misted from the sprinklers, I'd like HS to not run that zone because it "knows" I am home.

I also really like UPB and am trying very hard to not hard-wire any more than absolutely necessary or add another seperate piece of software (just a personal preference).

But, to your point, if it gets too gnarly to keep the HS UPB system running it will be back to the reliable timer in the garage for me too.