I have been looking for an inexpensive solution for controlling a sprinkler attached to a garden hose. My dogs have been killing the grass in my backyard when I let them out to do their business, but ive found that if I run my sprinklers for a few minutes after they go pee, then they don’t kill the grass. I’m hoping to find an automated valve that I can connect to my garden hose faucet which which I can program to turn the sprinklers on for 4-5 minutes, then automatically turn off, so I don’t have to chase my dogs with the garden hose. None of the valves I’ve seen seem to connect to a garden hose faucet.
Does anyone know of a solution? Help me save my grass this upcoming spring/summer season, and I will be eternally grateful.
There are lots of options (most are expensive) out there if you don’t require it to worth with SmartThings. Based on the use case, it sounds like you just want to be able to turn the sprinkler connected to the hose on after you let the dogs back in. So nothing really automated about it beyond manual remote control, correct?
I’ve not seen one that will screw onto the faucet on the outside of the house, so you will most likely have to install one inside the house on the copper pipe that goes out to the hose faucet. Depending on how many outside faucets you have, this may or may not work since you would have to leave that faucet open and control the water supply to it with the valve. It becomes problematic if you have multiple faucets on that leg of the plumbing.
You’re right, I don’t necessarily NEED it to be compatible with my smartthings hub, but I would like it to be. I’m new to the home automation world, and now that I got my hub installed, I’m trying to find a way to incorporate everything that will accept a signal!
That said my grass would be just as green without smartthings connectivity if I had a solution that worked well.
After a quick search, I assume you’re referring to the Orbit Iris Hose Faucet water timer. That should work well assuming I don’t need the iris hub and can automate it through smart things. I wonder if anyone has done this.
Orbit Iris Hose Faucet Water Timer might be a solution for you that you connect directly between your faucet and hose. It’s technically a timer, but if it has a “manual run” mode, you could use that to activate the sprinkler as needed. I don’t know if it integrates with ST, but a lot of the Iris devices do.
If it does require the Iris Hub, two of my local Lowes are offering the hub for free when you buy something. I was not interested in the hub, so I did not look to see what you had to buy. I do recall that the special/sale ends on the 27th of this month however. Maybe you could get one for free by buying the timer.
I own this device. It works with ST. But not well. before I put the hoses away in the fall I had the device working well using CoRE pistons. Check this thread out
It seems that it doesn’t work that well with the iris hub either going by the reviews on lowes’ site. There are lots of reviews saying it breaks down quickly, or simply doesn’t work when it’s supposed to.
Does anyone else have a device idea? (Doesn’t need to be smart things compatible, but I would prefer it.)
pretty much any battery-powered hose timer will take a manual request to water for a short time.
I use a couple of the Orbit 2-outlet timers. Press the “manual” button once and it turns on the last outlet for 10 minutes. Press the “minus” button until you get 2 minutes.
I don’t know if you can save “2 minutes” default - probably not.
Drain them, shake them, and ventilate them, before you put them away, and they have lasted me 4-5 years so far.
There is also one made by Melnor that is wifi. If you google wifi melnor it will show up. It will work with your phone but does not have an open API that will allow integration with ST unfortunately.
I might have a suggestion… I need to design a system to water hanging baskets… so I am going to buy a water solenoid valve from a washing machine spare shop… then fit inside a plastic box with wires to a standard (UK 13amp ) plug top. I will then use a z wave smart plug to control it using a schedule app. (Smart Lighting can do this ) Also if I get clever I will set the schedule to use the Smart Weather App so that if temps rise I can water say 3 times a day as they are in direct sunlight or if colder just once or twice.
You could do similar just set options to certain times to switch on and off
Cost is cheap as a washing machine solenoid is probably £15 , zwave smart plug £20 and various hoses etc probably about another £20
Will post when Ive built mine… but it wont be for a few weeks as waiting for weather to get nice again here !!! Hopefully
It seems the best plan is for me to build one myself using a valve I can power with a z-wave switch/outlet.
@Etoimos I am looking into this and devices like it, but it would seem that many of these devices will restrict water pressure significantly, to the outlet so they don’t damage the sprinkler head. I am curious just how much water pressure these will allow through them. I am thinking it will probably still be plenty for my purposes but it would be nice to be sure. Thankfully these things are super cheap!
@ero4444 This would work, but I would still have to leave the comfort of my home to operate it. In which case, I might as well do it with the faucet manually, the biggest benefit of that device being that it will shut off the water at an appropriate time.
@andrew_newton This might be exactly what I need! Washing machine valves have to be rock solid reliable, and allow plenty of water through them. I think the biggest issue, if it is one, might be finding the proper adapters to make it work. Thanks for the tip!
Following on Andrew’s idea (which is a good one), I found this that might work for you…
You should be able to find the needed connections at Lowe’s or Home Depot. It looks like you would only need a couple of Hose to 3/4 pipe fittings (if you splice it in line with a hose) and then an extension cord you could cut the end off of to splice into the wiring on this. Plug that plug into a smart plug and you should be good to go.
I was thinking along the same lines, a MIMOlite controlling an electronic sprinkler valve connected to the faucet. It’s a bit DIY but a guarantee to work with ST. You could even throw in an aeon minimote in you pocket to kick the sprinkler on when the pups are done.
I have a similar setup ready to be installed to top off my pool when needed.
I think I may have found just the thing! It is 110v so I don’t need to buy a transformer to power it, I just need to extend the wire to my controlled outlet (while keeping it away from water.) and get adapters to allow it to thread onto garden hoses.
There is a reason that irrigation valves are NOT 110 VAC. Personally, I’d jet a irrigation/sprinkler valve and a 110 to 24 - 28v transformer. No adapters, (they make them for hose thread)rated for outside and safer.
You’re probably right, but almost all of these solenoids seem to be threaded for NPT rather than GHT and most of them seem to be made of super cheap plastic (judging by the look of the pictures).
Can you link one that is garden hose threaded and of decent quality?
Off hand - no, but I have a sprinkler manifold I built that is garden hose thread, as well as some that are just 3/4 npt. I’ve started using 3/4 npt and 3/4 npt tp hose adapters (brass) from HD as availability is easier, plus NPT on 1 side is needed for my manifold design anyway.
Try Dripworks. Orbit is OK, but I use one that the name evades me that is Italian or French made.
(I build or help install drip systems as a “hobby”)
Plastic seems to hold up fine - some Orbit are metal. Seriously - if on a garden hose where removed often use of an adapter might be advantageous - easily changed if the threads get screwed.
I went ahead and did it. It works. I’ve been using the Smartthings and Home Assistant to program the logic. I’m surprised there’s still nothing on the market.
