2y ago

Any smart garden hose valve integration?

I’ve finally configured my garden and landscaping on drip irrigation, but I’m using some dumb valves hooked up to my house hose spigot.

I would absolutely love a smart valve that I can have better control of the schedule, or respond to sensors.

After some looking around, it seems like “Rachio” is the only integration I can find for something like this. It’s a bit pricy ($99 per valve), and it looks like it needs a wifi hub to work. Has anyone used this integration successfully?

Is there any other options? There seem to be lots of “Bluetooth” controllers available in the big box stores, but I’m guessing they will need an app or something?

40 comments

If you are fairly tech savvy, this isn't hard to do.
I have built a few sprinkler valves using an esp8266, relay, solenoid, and esphome. Total cost of each one is less than $15 (US). If you are willing and patient, you could probably get that to under $10 via aliexpress.
The circuit is really simple -
Parts list:
12v power supply
DC to DC converter
Microcontroller (esp8266 or esp32)
5v relay
12v solenoid valve
Plastic enclosure (use old Tupperware or 3d print something)
Outline:
Run power supply to dc-dc converter, and set converter to output 5v.
Connect one leg of 12v through switch on relay, then to the solenoid.
Connect other 12v leg directly to solenoid.
Run 5v from output of buck converter to input of esp and relay.
Run data wire from esp pin to data input in relay.
Put everything but the solenoid in a plastic box.
Run water source to solenoid inlet and connect sprinkler or drip system to solenoid outlet.
Flash esp with esphome
In the esphome code, you will need the home assistant api, a switch, and a sprinkler component.
In home assistant, set a switch or button on your front end to test everything with and provide manual control
Write a basic home assistant automation to control via timer, or weather conditions, or soil hydration, or whatever.
You can do all of this without any soldering or any (real) programming - that being said, those two skills will improve the results by quite a bit, and are just useful in general for this sort of work.
It can (of course) get as complex and full featured as you like, but if all you want is a system that can water your flowers every time the ISS passes overhead, the above will get you there pretty cheaply.
I've used these before, and I think they have a multi-valve as well.:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0758NR8DJ https://github.com/sebr/bhyve-home-assistant
Not much less than the Rachio though.
- I’ve seen those as well, but it didn’t seem to have an integration in home assistant. Now do you add the devices? Do you have to sniff the wifi traffic and intercept them with mqtt or something?
  
  The second link he posted is the repository with the custom component, installation through HACS looks like.
  Thanks for those links BTW, I just added finding something like that to my list the other day haha.
  
  It has a custom component.
  Realistically though I don't use any of the integration. The system just works fine on its own, adding to hass didn't add much for me.
I just added a zigbee valve controller. I almost got the rachio version also when it was on sale for $80 but decided to try something else in case I wanted a second one later.
This is the version I got and it’s been working without a problem for a month now.
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mrn97Kq
- Wow, that looks perfect. I wonder how strong the zigbee signal is in my back yard…
  Also, did you try those moisture sensors? That might be the next step for my system.
  
  I haven’t bought the sensors yes but was debating it. I just have it on an automated cycle with conditions for rain.
- I bought the same Tuya earlier this summer and it worked great for about a week. Unfortunately, the plastic is very thin and my kids broke it in two by just pressing the button a bit hard.
  I am currently building a system with Gardena 24V valves and they have really high build quality. Gardena provides a controller for them, but I don’t trust them to provide a reliable cloud service over the years, so I am going the esphome route.
Woox r7060, ZigBee and button controlled, 35€
Was easy to integrate and is operating flawlessly since a couple of months.
https://www.reichelt.de/smarte-bewaesserungssteuerung-zigbee-woox-r7060-p298801.html?CCOUNTRY=445&LANGUAGE=de
- Were you able to connect it directly to Home Assistant or do you need their ZigBee hub?
  
  Not theirs. It is connected to a Dresden conbee ii
- Looks perfect, but I don’t see any shipping to the states. Not to mention, international shipping is gonna bump that cost up significantly!
  
  I don't know if you can find the product close to you, I include the link so you could get an image and the specs of what it's like :)
I use the b-hyve, but it's also not cheap.
Orbit BHyve is a range of smart retic products that can be controlled by HA. I use their retic controller.
- Second B-Hyve. I have had several in service for 2-3 years and they work great (outdoor reliability, battery life). I have them linked up on HA / HACS, but the standalone app for B-Hyve is already pretty full featured and I prefer it for scheduling.
  They do really slam the hose valve open though…consider a hammer arrest or (or just put them on a length of leader hose to absorb the recoil).
I am using BQ05 valves flashed with Tasmota: https://templates.blakadder.com/irrigation_timer_BQ05.html
They have been running drip irrigation for my raised beds for a couple of weeks now. Their wifi is kind of weak though, I needed to install an outdoor repeater to improve connection stability.
Edit: Using MQTT the valves appear als simple switches in home assistant and are easy to automate.
- Love me some Tasmota.
  What are the connections on that thing though? It doesn’t look like standard garden hose thread?
  
  I had to use some adapters to fit it to my system - the top fresh water connection is a 1" outside diameter (with an adapter to 3/4" inside diameter thread) and the bottom outlet is a 1/2" outside diameter thread with a Gardena (used a lot in Europe and Germany) style quick connect adapter included.
I use irrigation and honestly, dont see the merit in dynamic control. Some el' cheapo timers off Amazon switch the water on and off on a schedule. Yeah maybe you want to worry about rain days, but to me I don't really care, whatever they get more water. I'd rather spend that home automation budget on something more useful to me.
In australia there is a brand called Holman which does WiFi enabled smart valves. Starting at battery powered valves you attach to the tap all the way up to full solenoid valves which need a controller. There is then the Holman app which hooks into your home automation suite.
Not sure if it's available in the US, and any mains powered unit would be on a different voltage. But the battery powered ones seem OK. Just chews through a lot of batteries apparently.
I have the Holman WX 8 controller paired with a bunch of online solenoid valves. It is a decent setup although quite expensive and took a long time and lot of effort to set up (running lines to solenoids, setting up water lines, dripper hoses etc) . It makes a huge difference in irrigation tho. Absolutely zero effort to get water exactly where the plants need it. Id say I broke even on effort the first summer. Cost wise longer term.
- I think this is the end game. But for now, I’m looking to get more dialed in control on just the simple on/off.
  I got my garden rigged up with the different rate emitters based on what is in the different beds. So it’s configured to handle a single zone, but in the future I would love to have it broken down into more granular control.
  
  I have been through a fair amount of the various timer solutions, to be honest, the simplest most reliable thing I've found is the old rotary dial tap timer...
  The reason I use the WiFi version is I can control it remote if I'm away from home.
I'll second the Zigbee valve, I got mine on AliExpress for about 50$ CAD. It's a big gray thing with a button on the side, it looks like it's all the same model. It exposes a switch in HA, on when the water can flow, off when it can't. Pretty easy to automate.
I was looking for ZigBee valves before but didn't find anything. I was also considering using an Arduino like board with ZigBee and making my own but never actually got around to it. My plants all died when work picked up but I might be trying again once work things stabilize
I have one of these, but it was a pita to set it up...
Buy a relay board and an ESP8266/32, flash Tasmotaon it (or them) and you're done! You can control them with HA through MQTT.
- Yeah, that’s the easy part. But what valve? How to power the valve plus the esp board? Waterproofing? Those are the tricky parts.
  
  For the valve, any garden irrigation valve will do. If you have a DIY shop (sorry, I don't know how're they called, here are Brico) you can buy and ask for suggestions there. If you don't have power at all there well...maybe a latch valve and an EAP32 with deep sleep code can last a few months (I guess, I've never tried that). For the waterproofing, the valve should already be waterproof, for the circuits you can buy an IP 65 electric junction box. Easy? Maybe not, but when it works, it feels good!!! :)
I'd have some hesitation to tag those in due to the number of times I've had internal hose splitters/timers get broken or worn out, and develop a leak. It's no big deal if I'm replacing a $10 splitter, but it would sure sting when that $76 controller develops a leak.

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