Sprinklers support ?

[bulek]

Hi,

I see that sprinklers are mentioned every now and then, but does anyone know how to properly add them and put them on floorplan ?
Any proper way or workaround needed ?

Thanks in advance,

regards,

Bulek.

[schaferj]

Bulek,

Please share any ideas.  I'm currently using rain8net irrigation controllers with the mcs software (summary of rain8 sw:  http://www.wgldesigns.com/software.htm).  A goal is to move irrigation into lmce, but I haven't found a clear path yet.

thanks,
joseph

[sfpeter]

I don't have any answers, but I'm also very interested in finding out how to get this set up with LinuxMCE. I have the Rain8 X10 controller. I came across this product recently:

http://www.cyber-rain.com/Default.aspx

it's a computer controlled wireless sprinkler system that downloads the local weather forecast (or seasonal averages) to calculate your watering schedules. I've been walking around with the idea to code the same type of functionality for my own Rain8 controller for a while, since long before I ran into this product, but have just never had time to develop this myself. If a similar control interface like this could be integrated with LinuxMCE (but generic, so it can work with any irrigation controller and doesn't require the expensive cyber-rain), that would be a dream come true for me.

I would probably buy the cyber-rain even if there's no way it can be integrated with LinuxMCE, but unfortunately the windows-only software is a dealbreaker to me... I only use Mac/Linux these days.

[bulek]

Hi,

when talking about sprinklers support there are two parts in this story. First is support for HW that switches sprinklers off/on. The second part is how to show sprinklers on floorplan and have possibility to control them from there. If you have rare sprinkler system, that there is a slim chance that it will be already supported on HW level.

What I'm after is support on higher level - to have Sprinkler as device template that would be properly handled also on Orbiters..

Regards,

Bulek

[nite_man]

I also interested in to see some sprinkler and heating devices in the LMCE. It can be done by following way. First of all it should be added a simple devices such sprinkler, turbine, pump etc into clime area to be able visible on the Orbiter. The next step is implementing a support of controllers such Rain8. It can be done using GSD or as plug-in (it's a bit harder). But the most difficult part is to implement software to manage schedule in the controller. As I know Rain8 can be programmed via Windows based commercial software. Sure the schedule can be prepared as a set of events but it's not so flexible and handy for the end-of-users.

We're developing out own solution based on ICPDAS controller. It'll provide a web interface to create the schedule. LMCE will just display the status of each sprinkler and will allows to switch it ON/OFF manually. The interface between controller and LMCE will be done as GSD device. So, we miss only elementary devices in LMCE -   prinkler, turbine, pump.

[bulek]

Hi,

if we implement that idea :

http://mantis.linuxmce.org/view.php?id=3456

then I guess we will be able to easily add any device you ever imagined.....

I'm just anxiously waiting for that solution.

HTH,

regards,

Bulek.

[PeteK]

I'm thinking of picking up the Insteon Sprinkler controller (http://www.smarthome.com/31270.html) to add support for it.  The only way I can see to control it currently from LMCE would be timed events or manual control.  I really think we need a system that is smarter than that.  There were some mentions of using weather forecasts to build smarter sprinkler events.  Is anyone interested in that sort of thing?

Thanks,
-Pete

[nite_man]

I'm thinking of picking up the Insteon Sprinkler controller (http://www.smarthome.com/31270.html) to add support for it.  The only way I can see to control it currently from LMCE would be timed events or manual control.  I really think we need a system that is smarter than that.  There were some mentions of using weather forecasts to build smarter sprinkler events.  Is anyone interested in that sort of thing?

As I saw here - http://www.omnipotencesoftware.com/wpr.htm, ECS Home Automation Software includes interface to the EZRain. Maybe EZRain offers API description and it's possible to develop a standalone interface to it (Perl, Java or something else). To configure EZRain you can create a simple web interface, add it same manner as it's done for Asterisk. The schedule can be stored in the file or mysql on the core. All sprinklers should be added as devices to the climate zone. But it's also should be developed GSD interface to the EZRain to display the status of each sprinkler and have possibility to switch them ON/OFF manually.

I thought about using events but it isn't so flexible as I need.

[xephyrus]

Hi,

Has anybody had success getting their sprinklers hooked into LinuxMCE?  Curious for an update on this topic.

.  Topher

[tschak909]

for the canonical example, you can use any home automation sprinkler system attached to a GC100's relay ports, it really doesn't matter, as long as there is relay control.

-Thom