Sonoff for irrigation?

eehellfire said:
What solenoids are you using?
How do you distribute water to the solenoids?
Click to expand...

I started with Hunter, since all my sprinklers are also Hunter, but now also have Orbit and Rain ones installed. They all work exactly the same, haven't had any issues with any of them, so you might as well go for the cheapest you can get.

I have a pump connected to multiple irrigation manifolds.
 
RVZ said:
I started with Hunter, since all my sprinklers are also Hunter, but now also have Orbit and Rain ones installed. They all work exactly the same, haven't had any issues with any of them, so you might as well go for the cheapest you can get.

I have a pump connected to multiple irrigation manifolds.
Click to expand...
Could I use cheap solenoids? Like those inside washing machines?
 
w1tw0lf said:
If you haven't figured it out yet, have a look here seeing that you have the sonoff 4ch already

github.com

GitHub - bruxy70/Irrigation-with-display: Garden irrigation based on Sonoff 4ch, with built-in Nextion display

Garden irrigation based on Sonoff 4ch, with built-in Nextion display - bruxy70/Irrigation-with-display
github.com github.com
Click to expand...
Using Sonoff 4ch Pro to control four 24V AC valves (Gardena). The control of the solenoid valves is simple - open the valve by connecting 24V to it, it will close automatically when disconnected. I am using the original Gardena 24V AC adapter - one of its wires wire is connected to the (1-4) Sonoff 4ch Pro C (common) connectors. The NO (Normally Open) connectors (1-4) are then connected to the solenoids. The second AC adapter wire is then connected to the second contact of all 4 solenoids.

That's exactly what I needed!!! Thanks so much
 
This does look interesting. My garden is severely neglected as I don't have green thumbs, or the desire to water it every day. Pretty keen on getting an irrigation system installed so one less potential chore for me.
 
w1tw0lf said:
Awesome. Please share your success with this :D

Definitely on my todo as well.
Click to expand...
Got it done today.
I had a proper irrigation guy come do the sprinkler, plumbing and solenoid valve set up. He connected the green wire as common, and a seperate colour wire to the second terminal on each valve.
He ran a 6-core cable to my sliding door, I drilled through the frame and ran the cord through.
What I bought:
What I did:
  • Wired up a plug and cord to power the Sonoff with AC
  • I connected the common (green) wire coming from the valves to one line of the Orbit transformer
  • I connected the other line of the Orbit transfomer to the Common terminal on the first output of the Sonoff, and daisy chained this to the remaining Common terminals on the Sonoff
  • I connected the other wires from the valves into their own seperate NO terminal on the Sonoff
  • I set up the Sonoff (standard WiFi setup) and named the channels

It works absolutely brilliantly

WhatsApp Image 2020-12-07 at 17.41.00 (1).jpeg
WhatsApp Image 2020-12-07 at 17.41.00 (3).jpeg
WhatsApp Image 2020-12-07 at 17.41.37 (1).jpeg
WhatsApp Image 2020-12-07 at 17.41.37.jpeg
 
eehellfire said:
Got it done today.
Click to expand...

This is great, thank you for the awesome explanation!

Just a couple of questions on this....

1 - The 4ChPro.... does it normally produce a 240v output but you've hijacked the output to be 24v by adding the adapter into the mix?
2 - Do you control your pump on a separate switch (outside of the 4chPro) and activate the pump at the same time as the valve switches to avoid pressure build up in the pump?

Edit: I've found this video that nicely complements what you've described above!
 
Last edited:
EDW said:
This is great, thank you for the awesome explanation!

Just a couple of questions on this....

1 - The 4ChPro.... does it normally produce a 240v output but you've hijacked the output to be 24v by adding the adapter into the mix?
2 - Do you control your pump on a separate switch (outside of the 4chPro) and activate the pump at the same time as the valve switches to avoid pressure build up in the pump?

Edit: I've found this video that nicely complements what you've described above!
Click to expand...
The 4Ch produces the 240V (it pretty much behaves like 4 x Sonoff Basics). Ports are Live and Neutral.
The 4Ch Pro acts like a relay. Ports are NO, NC and Com

This is the PRO:
1610351374379.png
This is the normal:
1610351411010.png
 
Last edited:
@hellfire

Which solenoids did you use? The Hunter ones that one can pick up at Builders, etc are 24VAC, not DC, so quite keen to find out which DC solenoids you got. I am quite keen to go with the Sonoff 4CHPro solution flashed with Tasmota of course so that Home Assistant can control the irrigation system.
 
hellfire said:
View attachment 968646
Click to expand...

Also using one of the 4ch PRO Sonoffs for my system, they're really sturdy and the din rain mounting is simply awesome.

Bought my transformer from ACDC for around R360

Rainbird Jam jar Solenoids 24VAC, they have a tiny solenoid.

Control my pump to run only when the sprinklers are running on a schedule with scenes, I'm running off a rainwater tank and had a lot of pipes popping off in the beginning so if a pipe pops off it will only pump water for 3 mins each morning and by then I'll have seen and rectified the problem.

One thing I did find pretty early on was to put a disc filter or similar on the pumps inlet and flush it really well. The literal smallest piece of thread tape, grass, stem, etc, lets the valve open slightly, the pumps hits pressure and turns off, then a bit later, turns on and repeats, also why I have the controller.

Running a few months now with the 4ch PRO and still on eWeLink for it, not something I use often enough to justify pulling in to OH.
 
ipodmusicman said:
@hellfire

Which solenoids did you use? The Hunter ones that one can pick up at Builders, etc are 24VAC, not DC, so quite keen to find out which DC solenoids you got. I am quite keen to go with the Sonoff 4CHPro solution flashed with Tasmota of course so that Home Assistant can control the irrigation system.
Click to expand...

My solenoids are AC.
 
ipodmusicman said:
Wow, clearly the fact that the Sonoff sends 24v DC and the solenoids are AC does not make a difference? Anybody who is a fundi in AC vs DC for solenoids comment? Just want to make sure I buy the right stuff.
Click to expand...
Clearly you don't understand how the Sonoff 4CH Pro works.
But don't worry, I'll help you out a little.
My Sonoff is powered by 220V AC. It can also be powered by DC, but don't let that confuse you as I didn't use that. See the below picture for reference:
1614591441943.png
The outputs are called "relays", they work like a fancy switch. There are 4 of them, and they're labelled on the Sonoff like this:
1614591567782.png
Looks a little complicated, but the simple version is that the "relay" can either turn off something that's usually on, or turn on something that's usually off. I use the latter as I want my sprinkler to be off by default.
Now the really cool thing about a "relay" is you can choose the parameters of voltage and current that you want it to switch. You don't have to rely on the power source of the Sonoff itself. Thus, if you want 12V DC, then that's the power source you should wire up through your relay to your device.
I opted for a 24V AC Orbit sprinkler power supply as that's what my solenoids need to work. I wired it up as I previously described in an earlier post.
And, as if by magic, when my Sonoff switches on the "relay", the power from the power supply makes its way to the solenoid and my sprinklers turn on.

Good luck with your sprinklers - hope you get your fundi advice and buy the right stuff.

PS Follow me for more recipes
PPS Don't get snotty when you're the one who is wrong
 
Hellfire

Ahhhh yes, I somehow missed that part that the 24v power supply was AC and not DC. That all makes sense now. Thanks a stack!!!!

Sweet, now to get to work to get all the stuff. Thankfully I only have 3 zones so this should work just fine.
 
I have an irrigation system I think the brand is orbit and I have used a 4 ch pro to manage the irrigation zones. I have wired it in parallel to the orbit system so you can use both if needed. I suggest for the pump zone ( I have a main valve after my pump which I switch with the pump zone for protection should any pipe burst ) you use a normal sonoff WiFi switch and connect a relay to it so the 220v switch’s your local zone. I found I can connect the relay directly to the out put connectors and then you use the normally open and closed side of the relay. It’s cheap to get the sonoff switch and relay. This means you can also have units in different parts of the garden without cabling as long as you have 220v available.

Another brilliant application is to put a sonoff switch on your pool pump and a sonoff temperature switch probe on your roof and in scenes set the pump to follow the roof. If you have solar heating you can set the pump to switch on at 40 degrees and to switch off at 36 so you only use your pump if it going to be efficient to heat the water.
 
Hopefully someone can help. I'm looking for the transformer/adapter 230v to 24vac to power the valves.

Will this work?

Otherwise can someone link me a transformer that will power the solenoid valves, the one hellfire used is out of stock or not in production anymore.
 
Jeffrey_Lebowski said:
Hopefully someone can help. I'm looking for the transformer/adapter 230v to 24vac to power the valves.

Will this work?

Otherwise can someone link me a transformer that will power the solenoid valves, the one hellfire used is out of stock or not in production anymore.
Click to expand...
That should work.
But you can go to almost any sprinkler supply store and ask them for a power source (whatever brand they stock).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X