Recommendations for 8+ controller

johnshenry

Starting Member

Posts: 1

Monday, April 29th 2013, 12:22pm

Recommendations for 8+ controller

I realize that the regulars here probably tire of the "Which controller should I get?" posts, but here is another one.

I am a homeowner with a current 8 zone system, which I might like to expand further.... but a second controller in a different building might be best if I do that. I am replacing an old controller that I can't even remember the name of, but I have cussed at the last 3+ years and swore that "next spring I am replacing this damn thing". The controller will located indoors.

I presently don't have any sensors, but a good rain sensor seems like a good idea.

I am a 51 year old engineer, and tinkerer, and not much technical scares me.

I came to this site pretty much ready to order the Irrtrol system, then started reading more, Googleing more, etc... and realized that there are lot of other options out there.

Web control would be pretty cool, but it is not a must. I can get an LAN connection to the controller if needed. Modularity really doesn't mean much to me.

Again, sorry if these posts are tiring, but I respect that many of you have much more experience with these controllers than I, and want to make a good choice. So please, if you are so inclined, just throw out some makes model that you would recommend.... I appreciate it.

JH

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Wet_Boots

Supreme Member

Posts: 4,102

Location: Metro NYC

Monday, April 29th 2013, 1:17pm

Just as a controller, and not worrying about bells and whistles, a Hunter Pro-C is an easy choice.

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scercpio

Active Member

Posts: 35

Monday, April 29th 2013, 7:50pm

BlueSpray, Irrigationcaddy, hydroflash?

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rainmachine

Unregistered

Thursday, June 27th 2013, 3:03pm

forget about sensors

You do not need a rain sensor if you use rainmachine.com
This controller is forecast based and it knows is going to rain tomorrow.

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scercpio

Active Member

Posts: 35

Thursday, June 27th 2013, 9:32pm

RE: forget about sensors

Quoted from "rainmachine"

You do not need a rain sensor if you use rainmachine.com
This controller is forecast based and it knows is going to rain tomorrow.

Actually, nobody knows 100% that it's going to rain tomorrow. Your controller pulls data from NOAA, which is a forecast, and no forecast is 100% accurate. Besides, the percentage means the chance of coverage of your area. In your area, it might say 10% but it might rain, and 90% and it might not rain at you house.

Even though not very reliable and very little used, a rain sensor helps wasteful watering when it does rain.

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rainmachine

Unregistered

Thursday, June 27th 2013, 9:53pm

Precipitation

It is not exactly like that. RainMachine uses qpf (quantitative precipitation forecast), which is a lot better than Probability of precipitation.
Yes, forecast is not 100% reliable, but is better than a local sensor, which can dry out or have false readings depending on where you install it.
We have a simulator at http://54.218.18.110/watering , just in beta testing for now. Enter your city to see how RainMachine behaves on your area.

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scercpio

Active Member

Posts: 35

Friday, June 28th 2013, 2:22pm

My understanding is that QPF is basically an expected precipitation over a period of time, which is another way of saying that it's an estimate amount of rain over a month or more over an area. Forecasters use these QPF models to predict and come up with the forecast for the day or week. Sounds like a forecast of a forecast to me. How is that better than the daily forecast? Are you saying that you can predict rain better than the NOAA and the weather man?

I checked out the link you provided. I can't understand the graph and what it stands for. It seems that the data for rainmachine is constant, is it hard-coded?

I've been looking for document to learn how your system works, but can't find any. Filled out the email form on the site and got no response.

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rainmachine

Unregistered

Friday, June 28th 2013, 4:07pm

QPF is a daily forecast, but is quantitative, not probabilistic. What does it means: if pop (probability of precipitation) says 100% chance of rain in your area, that means you get at least 0.01 inches of rain. That is not enough for your plants. QPF predicts how much water you will get. As all forecasts, it is not 100% accurate, but, as we approach the event (rain) it gets better. QPF is a NOAA forecast parameter, it is not our computation.

As for the graphs, RainMachine line is the average for the specific period. WaterSense is EPA standard for saving water, it says you have to water 80% or less that a regular controller. What the RaiMachine controller would do, is called "water", the blue line. I know, we need better labeling, but the graphs are in development now.

I will send you documentation. Yes, is running Android. In the mean time, do not hesitate to contact me directly. I'll reply to your email.

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scercpio

Active Member

Posts: 35

Wednesday, July 3rd 2013, 1:21pm

Quoted from "rainmachine"

QPF is a daily forecast, but is quantitative, not probabilistic. What does it means: if pop (probability of precipitation) says 100% chance of rain in your area, that means you get at least 0.01 inches of rain. That is not enough for your plants. QPF predicts how much water you will get. As all forecasts, it is not 100% accurate, but, as we approach the event (rain) it gets better. QPF is a NOAA forecast parameter, it is not our computation.

As for the graphs, RainMachine line is the average for the specific period. WaterSense is EPA standard for saving water, it says you have to water 80% or less that a regular controller. What the RaiMachine controller would do, is called "water", the blue line. I know, we need better labeling, but the graphs are in development now.

I will send you documentation. Yes, is running Android. In the mean time, do not hesitate to contact me directly. I'll reply to your email.

Still, you have not explained how your system can predict that it's going to rain tomorrow, nor it is better than the weatherman's forecast. Nothing on the documentation either. Is your system still in development? How does it work, really?