Page 55 - Green Builder March-April 2016 Issue
P. 55
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CREDIT: PLAID SYSTEMS, LLC
Whole Picture. The Spruce smart controller uses daily weather data along with wireless moisture sensors to adjust, postpone or start watering.
clicking and dragging icons. Good (Water)Sense
Feedback is also important. RainMachine, a WaterSense-qualified
Controllers that qualify for EPA’s WaterSense label include several
controller that has earned favorable reviews on Amazon, includes water-saving features:
a gauge that displays how much water has been saved in the last
week, month or year. ■■ Allow zone-by-zone control.
PLUG-INS AND ADD-ONS ■■ Retain settings if the power goes out.
If you’re not ready to give up your current irrigation controller, you ■■ Send alerts when the system malfunctions.
might be able to boost its IQ. For example, the HermitCrab from
ETWater converts a conventional controller into a smart controller; it ■■ “Percent adjust” feature allows user to change amount of water
works with many models from several major brands. The user must delivered to a zone by adjusting it to a percentage above or below
access the ETWater Manager online and enter site information, but programmed amount. Original values are preserved.
then the HermitCrab takes that data along with daily local weather
reports to create updated irrigation schedules. In addition to its line of For a list of all WaterSense-labeled controllers,
smart controllers, Hunter offers Solar Sync, a plug-in available in both visit http://1.usa.gov/1PGu2T1
wired and wireless versions, which measures sunlight and temperature
to calculate ET; it then sends a “seasonal adjustment value” to the example, integrates with Amazon Echo and Alexa, adding to a long
controller, which modifies the irrigation schedule accordingly. list of compatibilities, including Nexia, Wink and Control4. It also
integrates with Nest, and includes a fire protection feature: If Nest
Add-ons include soil sensors and simple weather stations, which Protect detects smoke inside the house, Rachio starts cycling through
can be used to manually refine irrigation schedules on a conventional the sprinkler zones outside, to help prevent the fire from spreading.
controller. Edyn, for example, is a solar-powered wireless sensor that
measures temperature, humidity and soil moisture; it is compatible The Spruce smart controller and sensors were designed for
with Samsung’s SmartThings platform. Samsung’s SmartThings platform, so if you already own the hub,
Spruce can simply be added to “Things” and then be controlled via
THE WHOLE ECOSYSTEM the SmartThings app. ETWater has taken a slightly different approach
with its Unity open platform, which integrates with Apple’s HomeKit
Is your smart landscaping system compatible with your smart and other platforms. Right now, the Unity controller is the main
home ecosystem? Companies that have anticipated this question product available, but ETWater anticipates adding other features
are one step ahead. The second generation of Rachio IRO, for and devices to control landscape lighting, track tools and more. GB
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