Rain sensor to Rain8net pro2?

[Rotech]

Hi, I just purchased a Rain8net controller that I will be installing soon, but I have a question, is there a connection for a rain sensor? I don't see one on the unit, do you need one? If so where would you connect it to?

[Rotech]

Anyone?

[Pete]

Hector,

I think model Rain8netPro2 41014 has the rain sensor option connector. Model 41012 does not.

I use my Davis weather station as a rain sensor. It is not directly connected but works via the software. There is also the Digital rain guage which works well as a rain sensor.

[Rotech]

Hector,

I think model Rain8netPro2 41014 has the rain sensor option connector. Model 41012 does not.

I use my Davis weather station as a rain sensor. It is not directly connected but works via the software. There is also the Digital rain guage which works well as a rain sensor.

I have the Hydreon RG 11 rain sensor that I purchased a whil back. Unfortunately I have the 41012 model which does have the feature. Although the RG11 is connected to HS thru Ds10a and I have a device for the sensor. You think I can use the device as a condition?

[Pete]

I use one RG11 as a rain sensor and it works just fine. I never utilized the feature on the Rain8Nets; with a preference to an external rain sensor externally connected.

[Rotech]

I use one RG11 as a rain sensor and it works just fine. I never utilized the feature on the Rain8Nets; with a preference to an external rain sensor externally connected.

That's great to hear, how do you have yours setup?

[Pete]

Its in "test" mode still. There are two RG-11's set up. Each one is connected to a counter (2) of a two counter 1-wire counter right now. I do also have a Dallas 1-wire tipping bucket and using the tipping bucket from the Davis weather station.

As its really sensitive to any rain. It will be a rain only device and not utilized in "tipping bucket mode" as the numbers were not even close to my real rain tipping bucket. Note this is me and my testing and my opinion based on my testing of the RG-11

In other words the RG-11 works really well to tell you that its raining but really bad to tell you how much its raining.

You can connect the switch though to say a DS10A to tell you that its raining outside but you still need to provide the power voltage to the device. I am using a 22/4 wire to it. Two wires carry power to it and two wires carry the switch stuff.

[Rotech]

What plugin are you using or your irrigation?

[Pete]

mcsSprinklers

[Rotech]

mcsSprinklers

Pete, in your opinion, isn't MSCsprinkler a very complicated plugin for irrigation? I read part of the manual it's 252 pages long!!!! I was overwhelm in just 3 pages.

[Pete]

mcsSprinklers uses weather and external hardware (optional) to calculate Evapotranspiration (ET).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evapotranspiration

Most of the other software available just creates timed sequences or calendar events to sprinkle your lawn that I know of.

[Rotech]

mcsSprinklers uses weather and external hardware (optional) to calculate Evapotranspiration (ET).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evapotranspiration

Most of the other software available just creates timed sequences or calendar events to sprinkle your lawn that I know of.

So if it uses weather prediction to calculate ET, can it take it from weather device that I already have from ultraweatherbug plugin? Or do I have to suscribe to some weather site?

[Pete]

You can get the weather from multiple services on the internet.

I use my weather station and WUN and NOAA for mcsSprinklers.

Last summer we had a drought and I was able to keep the grass pretty green watering sparingly using the automation in mcsSprinklers.

[Rotech]

You can get the weather from multiple services on the internet.

I use my weather station and WUN and NOAA for mcsSprinklers.

Last summer we had a drought and I was able to keep the grass pretty green watering sparingly using the automation in mcsSprinklers.

So, when everything is setup the plugin determines the length of watering time on its own? And time of day?

[Pete]

Yes which was a plus for me last summer with the drought we had; the grass remained green.

You also put in all of the restrictions that may be in effect relating to watering days and times; IE: odd or even addresses and morning and evening times. The application shows the % of the lawn moisture based on ET. You can see it go to 100% after a watering and watch it go down % points afterwards; depending on the weather and so forth.

The application will look at the restrictions and ET decide when to water. That said I do have a water meter but set the period of time for watering; personally here have it set to 30 minutes. That will vary though and kind of depends on your location.

You can get very granular with it; such that you can literally water by the gallons of water utilized with it versus time et al type stuff. Here it helps because our water used to be very reasonably priced 10 years ago and today its like 400% higher.

I have mine in "off" mode right now. I've attached some status screens.