Gardena Solar Sprinkling Computer With Xanura

[Bwired]

Hi All,
Here is a new little project I want to share with you. I'm now combining a Gardena Garden Sprinkling computer with a Xanura SAX15.

http://www.gardena.com/servlet/ProductD ... &langId=15

Handy about the Gardena Sprinkling computer is that it has a pulse input, once you close the input on the sprinkler it won't activated the scheduled program. I program the sprinkler every day to give water for lets say 20 minutes. Also I gather every day information from my domotica system like:
Rainfall
Temperature
humidity
etc

Depending on these results you can decide to water the plants or not.
If I don't want to water the plants I Send a A10 / X10 signal to the XANURA SAX15 module which closes the relays and deactivates the sprinkler.
This is a very robust solution because the Gardena Solar Sprinkler computer has a failsafe in it as well. Lets say the XANURA Command to close the relay is not received by the SAX15. The Gardena will start sprinkling and stops after the time you set it. The only inconvenience you have is that your garden is sprinkled. Of course if your powerline is alright this won't happen.


The Xanura SAX15 has two galvanically separated potential free inputs for transposing contact outputs on external devices into Xanura powerline commands. It also has one galvanically separated potential free relay contact output.
www.xanura.nl

Pieter Knuvers
www.bwired.nl Online House in the netherlands. Domotica, Home Automation.

[MindBender]

What's the use of using this expensive yet flimsy sprinkler computer over a cheap yet sturdy hydralic valve?

[Bwired]

At first I had the same thoughts and went for your option, but after thinking a while about it I could not come up with a robust solution where I now for sure that the water-valve is closed when I want it to be closed. I have to know for sure that it's closed, the damage is really big when it's not! Also a big advantage is that you can operate the Gardena sprinkler manual as well. I'm open for all options for a good solid and handy solution, so shoot
Regards Pieter

[MindBender]

I understand your concerns, but I don't think Gardena is the solution here. The Gardena 'computer' is battery operated, so it uses a bi-stable water valve. While regular hydraulic valve is mains operated and it is usually fail safe; No electric current == No water. So I think the valve really is the way to go here. Your washing machine and your dish washer have them too and and in these applications the potential damage is even bigger. Make sure your valve doesn't reduce the flow too much, though the tap can't drive much more than two turbine sprinklers anyway.

You can always serialize two of them and/or use a flow meter to check if they're really closed. It would also give you nice figures on how much water you throw at your plants and make the watering quantity controlled

The ultimate solution in my opinion would be having your own well with a hydrophore.
You can install a hydraulic valve behind the hydrophore and for a safety measure you could cut the hydrophores power 10 minutes after you close the valve. An additional benefit of a hydrophore is the massive flow it produces. It doesn't compare to the measily stream from the tap. My dad has one and because of the 'free' water he can finally give his garden the amount of water it really needs and in much shorter time. It looks MUCH greener now.

[Bwired]

It's a good option I agree, but in my situation I have to use X10 for controlling the valve and have to make a lot of arrangements to install this all. The gardena sprinkler is already operational at my home so it's a small extension to make it work like above. On the other hand my house is directly located on the waterside, so plenty of free water With a small pump and a valve I could water the plants almost for free. Do you know any good valves on the internet, I searched a lot but could not find much

[Antoon]

I use for my garden a normal 1/2'' gas valve.
The company where i work sells them so it was easy for me to try it.
It works now for about 4 years without any problem.
I have my own waterpump and three valves connected to four xanura's SAX1.
In the past it was switching not completly automatic but now i am busy to make it.
I have buy the gardena humidity and the rain sensor wich i have connected to the visonic MCT-100.
I installed everthing this morning,so now i it is waiting for the rain [:D]

[Bwired]

Hi Antoon,
Sound interesting, can you tell anything more about the valve, does it fit on a normal dutch water-piping
Can you deliver them for us as well?
regards Pieter

[Antoon]

Yes you can fit it on a normal water piping with the right connection.
There is inside a 1/2'' or 1'' connection depending what you want.
We have it in 24 or 230 VAC
Delivery is no problem if you are interest.
I have make a quick picture.(See attachment)

[Snelvuur]

One small tip, it sounds as if this all is automated, but dont forget. You are sitting in the garden perhaps some day? That it wont start when your having lunch in the garden.

[Lennart]

As an alternative to the Gardena or SAX1 solution, you might have a look at this device: Rain8II-X10 Sprinkler Controller 2-way. See http://www.intellihome.be/nederlands/pr ... asp?id=414 for product details. Note that it has 8 zones that can be individually controlled or you can run a preset irrigation program. It has a timeout value that can be set between 1 and 240 minutes (i.e. automatic valve off even if an X10 OFF command is missing) for each zone. And it's cheaper than 8 (or even 4) SAX1 modules .

Lennart