After we get 2.5” of rain, I see many homes running their sprinkler systems After we get 2.5” of rain, I see many homes running their sprinkler systems - Talk of The Villages Florida

After we get 2.5” of rain, I see many homes running their sprinkler systems

Closed Thread
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 07-01-2024, 05:03 AM
rsmurano rsmurano is offline
Gold member
Join Date: Jul 2021
Posts: 1,060
Thanks: 6
Thanked 975 Times in 492 Posts
Default After we get 2.5” of rain, I see many homes running their sprinkler systems

What a waste of water. Every house should be using a smart sprinkler controller and not the dumb Hunter controllers they put in each house.
For $60, you can swap out the hunter controller in 5 mins, install the new smart controller, and then take 15-30 mins programming your new smart controller.
While you are programming your new smart controller, you can point it to the many homes that have personal weather stations near you to get the most reliable data for the controller to use when calculating when it should run the sprinklers and for how long.
Many other benefits too, like turning on a station from your phone from anywhere in the world or inside your house. No more running to the garage to start and stop a station.
  #2  
Old 07-01-2024, 05:08 AM
Ignatz Ignatz is offline
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2023
Posts: 223
Thanks: 159
Thanked 215 Times in 91 Posts
Default

Well sure BUT who got 2.5 inches of rain?
  #3  
Old 07-01-2024, 05:17 AM
RICH1 RICH1 is offline
Gold member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: South
Posts: 1,471
Thanks: 3,522
Thanked 1,449 Times in 633 Posts
Default

my Rainbird is Wi-fi , no mechanical Rain sensors.. all rain detected from local weather radar...I love the fact that I can operate my controller from anywhere in the world , that i have wifi... I was in Nuka Hiva and decided to try this feature..i paid just under 100.00 bucks for the controller.
  #4  
Old 07-01-2024, 05:34 AM
asianthree's Avatar
asianthree asianthree is offline
Sage
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Caroline, Pennacamp, Fernandinia, Duval, Richmond
Posts: 10,385
Thanks: 33
Thanked 4,711 Times in 1,860 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by rsmurano View Post
What a waste of water. Every house should be using a smart sprinkler controller and not the dumb Hunter controllers they put in each house.
For $60, you can swap out the hunter controller in 5 mins, install the new smart controller, and then take 15-30 mins programming your new smart controller.
While you are programming your new smart controller, you can point it to the many homes that have personal weather stations near you to get the most reliable data for the controller to use when calculating when it should run the sprinklers and for how long.
Many other benefits too, like turning on a station from your phone from anywhere in the world or inside your house. No more running to the garage to start and stop a station.
It’s probably hard to except the concept, that TV is not just your village. We definitely didn’t get the 2.5” that rained on you. I have seen it rain across the prairie but not at our house.
Maybe you could stick with your small area, have a neighbor meeting, about helping your neighbors, instead of criticizing.

You could offer to switch their controller to a smart one. Which you posted is only 5 minutes to change. You could save the water usage for your neighbors. Then could educate on use, and do follow up monthly on how their system works. Because not everyone is going to understand the concept.

We have a smart irrigation system, that ran last week, my pool needs a top off, could you just send down the clouds, to take care of that? Oh and a rainbow would be a nice ending
__________________
Do not worry about things you can not change

Last edited by asianthree; 07-01-2024 at 06:21 AM.
  #5  
Old 07-01-2024, 06:40 AM
frayedends frayedends is offline
Veteran member
Join Date: Aug 2023
Posts: 997
Thanks: 303
Thanked 1,120 Times in 424 Posts
Default

I have a Rachio and I tried letting it use the weather to adjust my schedule. I’m part time so not there to see every drop of rain. Well my lawn almost died and luckily my lawn guy said it wasn’t getting enough water.

The problem with the weather reports seem to be that it adjusts on the forecast and not actual rain. In addition to that, we all know that a neighbor 2 houses away can be getting a downpour while your house has nothing.

I put mine on a schedule and if I know we got a bunch of rain I’ll adjust. But I don’t always remember.

Plus our irrigation is reclaimed water. It is basically going right back where it came from.
  #6  
Old 07-01-2024, 06:54 AM
asianthree's Avatar
asianthree asianthree is offline
Sage
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Caroline, Pennacamp, Fernandinia, Duval, Richmond
Posts: 10,385
Thanks: 33
Thanked 4,711 Times in 1,860 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by frayedends View Post
I have a Rachio and I tried letting it use the weather to adjust my schedule. I’m part time so not there to see every drop of rain. Well my lawn almost died and luckily my lawn guy said it wasn’t getting enough water.

The problem with the weather reports seem to be that it adjusts on the forecast and not actual rain. In addition to that, we all know that a neighbor 2 houses away can be getting a downpour while your house has nothing.

I put mine on a schedule and if I know we got a bunch of rain I’ll adjust. But I don’t always remember.

Plus our irrigation is reclaimed water. It is basically going right back where it came from.
A easy fix When we were part time our exterior cameras, would go off in heavy rains. Even though we had smart irrigation, some weeks rain wasn’t enough. I could adjust because sometimes we only got 5 minutes of rain.

Not only could I see how many times it rained, I could see the lawn guy, and whoever walked the yard, including the occasional bear, bobcat, one gator and mama duck with all her babies coming up from the pond. Our home watch would wave as he walked in, and could talk to us if needed. Cameras are you unpaid guardian, of your home.
__________________
Do not worry about things you can not change

Last edited by Moderator; 07-01-2024 at 07:20 AM.
  #7  
Old 07-01-2024, 07:08 AM
ThirdOfFive ThirdOfFive is offline
Sage
Join Date: Jun 2021
Posts: 3,513
Thanks: 759
Thanked 5,545 Times in 1,884 Posts
Default

2.5"? Maybe somewhere, in some isolated spots. But this is Florida. There can be a torrential downpour in one spot while another spot maybe a mile away can be dry as a bone.

I have our system on manual, with my eyes supplying the "data". During the rainy season I'll water after two dry days after a good rain (not a sprinkle) and follow that cycle pretty regularly. Winter, twice a week: usually Thursday and Saturday mornings before dawn.
  #8  
Old 07-01-2024, 07:14 AM
wisbad1 wisbad1 is offline
Veteran member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 639
Thanks: 3,236
Thanked 569 Times in 212 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by rsmurano View Post
What a waste of water. Every house should be using a smart sprinkler controller and not the dumb Hunter controllers they put in each house.
For $60, you can swap out the hunter controller in 5 mins, install the new smart controller, and then take 15-30 mins programming your new smart controller.
While you are programming your new smart controller, you can point it to the many homes that have personal weather stations near you to get the most reliable data for the controller to use when calculating when it should run the sprinklers and for how long.
Many other benefits too, like turning on a station from your phone from anywhere in the world or inside your house. No more running to the garage to start and stop a station.
$84. not bad, but $168. for the wi-fi module besides? Too much $$$
  #9  
Old 07-01-2024, 07:19 AM
frayedends frayedends is offline
Veteran member
Join Date: Aug 2023
Posts: 997
Thanks: 303
Thanked 1,120 Times in 424 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by asianthree View Post
A easy fix When we were part time our exterior cameras, would go off in heavy rains. Even though we had smart irrigation, some weeks rain wasn’t enough. I could adjust because sometimes we only got 5 minutes of rain.

Not only could I see how many times it rained, I could see the lawn guy, and whoever walked the yard, including the occasional bear, bobcat, one gator and mama duck with all her babies coming up from the pond. Our home watch would wave as he walked in, and could take to us if needed. Cameras are you unpaid guardian, of your home.
I’ve got cameras but it’s hit or miss if I catch the rain. Busy life unfortunately because we are not yet retired. The cameras go off for all sorts of things.
  #10  
Old 07-01-2024, 07:24 AM
Kelevision Kelevision is offline
Gold member
Join Date: Apr 2021
Posts: 1,030
Thanks: 4
Thanked 1,133 Times in 465 Posts
Default

The one that came with my house works just fine if you program it correctly. My neighbor on one side goes off daily. Clearly they have it set to that and to bypass the rain sensor. It’s the home owner, not the product.
  #11  
Old 07-01-2024, 08:18 AM
OrangeBlossomBaby OrangeBlossomBaby is online now
Sage
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 10,395
Thanks: 8,337
Thanked 11,552 Times in 3,891 Posts
Default

A pipe busted on our system so we now use a hose sprinkler and the hose itself. All manual, nothing underground anymore.
  #12  
Old 07-01-2024, 08:29 AM
frayedends frayedends is offline
Veteran member
Join Date: Aug 2023
Posts: 997
Thanks: 303
Thanked 1,120 Times in 424 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kelevision View Post
The one that came with my house works just fine if you program it correctly. My neighbor on one side goes off daily. Clearly they have it set to that and to bypass the rain sensor. It’s the home owner, not the product.
The rain sensors with the leather pads inside are useless. I’ve had 2 homes with those and they never worked.
  #13  
Old 07-01-2024, 08:32 AM
Pondboy Pondboy is offline
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2022
Location: Hammock @ Fenney
Posts: 345
Thanks: 70
Thanked 503 Times in 190 Posts
Default

We’re just a wasteful society.

People don’t care that they are wasting natural resources. The OP has a point, if it’s raining at your house, turn off the irrigation system. If it didn’t rain, sorry. I understand the disappointment. But if it did, and you got 2”, please turn off your irrigation.

Become more involved in helping to save the planet for future generations. Being “Green” is not cheap, easy or convenient. There is technology readily available to prevent your lawn from being overwatered. No excuses.

Last edited by Pondboy; 07-01-2024 at 09:07 AM.
  #14  
Old 07-01-2024, 08:59 AM
JGibson JGibson is online now
Veteran member
Join Date: Oct 2022
Location: Paradise City
Posts: 771
Thanks: 1
Thanked 713 Times in 301 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pondboy View Post
We’re just a wasteful society. People don’t care that they are wasting natural resources. The OP has a point, if it’s raining at your house, turn off the irrigation system. Become more involved in helping to save the planet for future generations. WTF…. Is it that hard?
Or here is an idea.....allow desert lawns.
  #15  
Old 07-01-2024, 09:04 AM
vintageogauge vintageogauge is offline
Sage
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: village of Fenney, Ford City, Pa., and Hudson, Ohio
Posts: 4,662
Thanks: 6
Thanked 4,879 Times in 1,676 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by frayedends View Post
The rain sensors with the leather pads inside are useless. I’ve had 2 homes with those and they never worked.
Mine still work after 7 years.
Closed Thread

Tags
controller, smart, house, mins, programming


You are viewing a new design of the TOTV site. Click here to revert to the old version.

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:45 PM.