Spring is in the air, and so might be your water bills! But don’t worry, eisy is here to help by ensuring your sprinklers run only when needed, alert you to any leaks, and even shut off the water valve automatically if necessary. Here’s to keeping your garden green and your wallet happy!
Irrigation:
When it comes to controlling your sprinklers, there are a variety of options available, ranging from basic and affordable to more sophisticated and more costly. Here’s a list to help you choose the right one for your needs that also integrate with eisy.
Why eisy integration is important?
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Weather-Based Optimization: By utilizing weather services, you can adjust watering schedules based on rain forecasts or actual rainfall, ensuring you only water your plants when needed.
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Soil Moisture Monitoring: Using soil sensors, allow you to track the moisture level in the soil. You can then tailor your irrigation to ensure your plants get just the right amount of water, optimizing plant health and water usage.
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Leak Detection: Water sensors can help you monitor water consumption during irrigation. If the actual water use is significantly different from what’s expected, it could indicate a leak or damage to your sprinkler valves. Early detection of leaks can prevent water waste and potential damage to your property.
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Preventative Measures: By identifying issues like leaks or malfunctioning sprinkler valves early, you can take steps to fix them before they cause more significant problems. You can also automatically shut off the water valve.
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Simplified Scheduling: For simpler setups, using dumb relays, you can use eisy’s scheduling and timer functions to streamline your irrigation process, making it more efficient and easier to manage.
1. Noyito Relays
You can connect an 8 channel Noyito Relays to one of the USB ports on eisy and then connect each relay directly to your sprinkler valves. This will give you 8 zones of sprinkler control.
You can then add use one of these weather services or sensors (such as Netatmo) to make your irrigation cycles more sophisticated and efficient.
PROS:
- Very inexpensive (~ $50 total including weather service*).
CONS:
- Cannot add more than one of these relays to eisy. So, you will only have 8 zones.
* There are some restrictions for some Weather Services such as the number of forecast days and queries per day.
2. Open Sprinkler
Open Sprinkler is next level up from the relay only solution. While there is an app for OpenSprinkler the only remote option is self-managed. eisy allows secure remote access without need to open ports.
The total cost is between $150-$200 depending on which Open Sprinkler model you get.
PROS:
- Local communication
- Open Source
CONS:
- A little more complicated to setup.
3. RainMachine
RainMachine is very similar to Open Sprinkler with one advantage: it already integrates Weather Services.
4. Rachio
Rachio is pretty much top of the line when it comes to irrigation systems. It incorporates weather/sensor information and has numerous features that can be used in your automation routines to help with leak detection and prevention.
PROS:
- Integration with weather services.
- Fully autonomous.
- Can be used for sensor values in automation.
CONS:
- No local access
- Complicated to setup (requires port forwarding in the router)
Leak Detection & Valve Control:
While some irrigation systems allow you to track your water usage and compare it to what’s expected, this isn’t enough to catch leaks outside of your irrigation zone or when it’s not running. Also, simply getting notifications about leaks might not be enough to prevent significant damage. That’s why you need a system that can detect leaks anywhere and automatically shut off valves in emergencies. Of course, eisy can help you with all that!
1. Flume Water:
Flume Water is a popular water monitoring tool, especially in California where some utility companies offer subsidies for it. It’s great for detecting leaks at different levels.
PROS:
CONS:
- The batteries are expensive and need to be replaced almost every year.
- You’ll need a separate controller to turn off the water if there’s a leak.
2. YoLink
YoLink Flow Smart Control system comes with 3 leak sensors and a water shutoff valve controller. Ideal for simple leak detection and valve control.
PROS:
- One system for sensors as well as valve control.
- Easy setup.
- YoLink Hub can be used to integrate with other YoLink devices.
CONS:
- Internet access is required (no local access).
- Relatively new company.
3. DROP
DROP is a comprehensive water management system that includes sensors for water pressure, pH levels, salt levels, leak detection, valve control, and Home/Away modes. By combining eisy and DROP, you can easily set Home/Away modes based on your security system, presence, and location. Plus, you can automatically shut off water in case of leaks or other unusual events.
PROS:
- One system for sensors as well as valve control.
- Easy setup automatically discovers hubs and end devices.
- Local communications.
CONS:
- You might need a professional installer. Please contact DROP directly.
4. Z-Wave and Zigbee
There’s a wide range of Z-Wave and Zigbee devices available, including various sensors and Water Shutoff Valve Controllers, so you can find the ones that best fit your needs.
PROS:
- If you already have a ZMatter USB, this option could be the most affordable.
CONS:
- Z-Wave might need more than one device to create a strong network.
- Zigbee Controllers, especially those from Tuya, may not fully follow Zigbee standards.
You don’t have an eisy yet? Get 12% discount to upgrade!
Yes, you get 12% discount by using coupon code V53P6XG3 (expires 4/8/2024).
If you’re upgrading from a Polisy, you will also get an additional $30 refunded back to your CC. Once you place the order, please send an email to sales with the copy of your invoice/order for Polisy.
Upgrade is as easy as backing up your 994 and restoring on your new eisy (except for Z-Wave). Here is the link to the complete migration instructions. NOTE: if you are using INSTEON and wish to use your existing PLM, you also need our Serial PLM Kit.
