install and rain8 config question

[CharlieWayne]

I installed sprinkler pro and ran through the setup interview. A couple of questions I have are about the rain8 topology setups. On my setup I have a Rain8 Pro 2 hooked to a Sena Serial/IP device. On my PC its running Sena Com Port Redirector software with an assigned comport of 2.

So during the setup it asked on the "Sprinkler Hardware Control Hardware" page if I want either Rain8-Net or HomeSeer Device. I chose Rain8-Net and then on the PC Control Interface page I assigned it just with Com Port 2.

The issue I'm having is I am able to read and write to the EPROM, turn on the zone from mcsSprinkler main page and it confirms with "Status: Watering Now" status and from HS Device Status page BUT when I look on the rain8 the zone button does not iluminate

I reverted to the HS Plugin RainRelay8 and it is able to control the Zones and see each zone indicator light turn on.

Obviously I've done something wrong and hoping someone might help with guidenance.

Thanks

[CharlieWayne]

I've been able to gain control of a couple zones and it seems my issues were set up related. This has a big learning curve I must say.

[Michael McSharry]

It is not clear if you resolved your issues or not. If you have further questions it is easiest to help if you include your \Config\mcsSprinklers.ini file so your setup can be replicated.

[CharlieWayne]

Re: install and rain8 config question

I will in the am. I'm going back through the setup and making tweaks right now from my tablet. One question I have is about the zone numbers. In the setup I think I made a duplicate zones from choosing the different hardware setups.

I have 8 zones such as " NET_Unit_1_Valve 3 " and 8 zones " Harness1 Wire 7". I named the harness zones so they appear with a reference name.

Are the devices such as " NET_Unit_1_Valve 3 " necessary? If not how do I get all the rain8 device numbers to match the zone number?

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[CharlieWayne]

Between reading the plugin manual AMD others past post I've been able to over come most issues.

What I don't understand us about the device values on the HS screen status page.there seems to be two devices on the HS status page for each zone ( " NET_Unit_1_Valve 3 " and " Harness1 Wire 7"). What is the function and use of having both of these devices per each zone? Is this so u can manually control a zone from HS without having to run a preset scheduled program?

[Michael McSharry]

It seems like you setup 16 zones with some named via harness and some via module. When the Wiring page is setup you have the option to use whatever name you want for a zone. mcsSprinklers will identify the zone by hardware module, but the name you enter for location is what will appear in the status pages.

In some of the setup pages it will provide you both hardware-oriented nomenclature and the user-defined nomenclature for a given zone to make it as easy as possible for you to identify the zone your are trying to setup.

The Zone Status and General Status as well as the HS Device Status pages will use the user-defined names to identify a zone.

More specific guidance can be provided if \Config\mcsSprinklers.ini is attached to fully understand what you have setup.

[CharlieWayne]

Looking in my config file I have 9 ini files. Which one would you like?

During setup for the controller I believe that I picked RainNet & Homeseer because I was not sure. Seems this might have created the extra devices.

[Michael McSharry]

mcsSprinklers.ini

[CharlieWayne]

Here it is.

[Michael McSharry]

What I don't understand us about the device values on the HS screen status page.there seems to be two devices on the HS status page for each zone ( " NET_Unit_1_Valve 3 " and " Harness1 Wire 7"). What is the function and use of having both of these devices per each zone? Is this so u can manually control a zone from HS without having to run a preset scheduled program?

NET_Unit_1_Valve 3 is defined in your Wiring page to be North Side House
NET_Unit_1_Valve 4 is defined in your Wiring page to be Harness1 Wire 7

These are two different valves in the module of 8 valves. They are viewed by mcsSprinklers as two zones and by HS as two devices. All your zones are mapped into one Area. One of the 8 valves (#8) is not defined for any use.

[CharlieWayne]

I gave a bad choice of examples as the example HS devices were from two different zones.

Attached is a screen shot of the valve devices on HS Device page. A better example would be the devices " Rain8 NET_Unit_1_Valve 1 )1 & Rain8 Front Yard Street side )9 ". These two devices are the same physical zone output on my Rain8 Pro.

To clarify my question, why are there two devices in HS per each zone and what applications is this needed for?

Are these two different devices for auto or manual control?

And yes I only have 7 zones so the 8th is not used. I have defined most of the names yet in the wiring config setup page cause were working on other tasks. Maybe this weekend ill get more time with this plugin to config and update settings photos and such.

Thanks,
CharlieWayne

[Michael McSharry]

Now I know what you are seeing. During your initial work with mcssprinklers devices 1..8 were defined and later mcssprinklers no longer recognized them so created 8 more at 9..16. The 1..8 devices are orphans that exist in HS but not within mcssprinklers. You have 2 choices. One is to delete 1..8 using HS device/status page. Another is to exit HS and then edit mcssprinklers.ini in the rain8units section where 9..16 are defined and change them to 1..8. When HS is started then delete 9..16 using devices/status page.

[CharlieWayne]

Yes that sounds like what happened during my install and config of the controller. I wasn't sure if I needed to choose Rain8net or Homeseer, so I picked them both and that is what probably created the two sets of devices.

While setting up and completing the config I was trying to add Jpeg pics of that different zones. I read pg 144 of your manual but it was vague.

The issue I am having is on the photo entry. When I select the jpeg photos from their file path and press save, nothing happens and the selected file disappears. I've checked the "Touch Zone" screen and no photos show there.

What might I be doing wrong?

[langenet]

I had additional duplicate devices when I messed around trying to setup MCSSprinkler and had to edit the ini file to clean it up. I did it a few times as I tried to refine my config. Seems to be the nature of the beast... Though, once you got it, it remains fixed thereafter.

Rob

[CharlieWayne]

Re: install and rain8 config question

At first being there were sooo many questions in the interview setup I thought it was complicated, but after going through the entire process and going back to look into what I wasn't sure of of its now all coming together.

Our base irrigation system has 7 zones connected to a Rain8 Pro. Over the last week I have had someone doing repairs and redesign of each zone. What a challenge its been to fins and guess how someone 20 years ago installed this buried irrigation system. While looking at mcsSprinkler manual and doing irrigation repairs, many ideas and expansions have come to mind such as fertigation, water metering, and local weather station.

One feature with this plugin that won't be accurate or functional is pulling weather data from the internet. We live in SW Florida and during rain season its typical to rain on one side of the river but not the other. This is where I think the local weather station will come into use with onsite accuracy.

One advantage we have here is that the university of Florida and the local county extension office are offering upto 1200 dollars in repairs and retrofits that will offer consumption and demand on local water supplies.

Overall I am very pleased with this well designed plugin as we take our landscape very serious here in Florida due to the favorable year round growing season.

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