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[reskin]

I chose to NOT go with a rain sensor. Instead I made a program which pulls the weather observations and runs the CIMIS calculations on transpiration and evaporation to figure out how much rain we need. It then deducts any rain we actually received and converts the solution to a runtime for the valve to be on by utilizing inexpensive X10 parts and the X10 API. Let me know if you are interested in trying this service free of charge (beta program) at reskin@virtualrainsensor.com

http://orpex.blogspot.com/2011/05/virtual-rain-sensor.html

[HA Dave]

Let me know if you are interested in trying this service
http://orpex.blogspot.com/2011/05/virtual-rain-sensor.html

So your program would work with AHP (or at least the CM15A) and use online data downloaded from your server. Cool idea!

[kenrad]

your program looks very cool.  This is a great add on for those of us running irrigation systems. I sent ya an email about the beta version I would like a download and will assist with beta testing if needed.   


KenRad

[Tuicemen]

The idea of this is good however I've never had much luck with web forecasts and rain.
Something simular could be set up using Weather Exchange from Ambent Weather
Weather Exchange could supply the info from a number of weather stations in your area, possibly making your program more accurate.
 

[kenrad]

Hey T,

It this something that could be set up with weather watch?  I was thinking that might be an option as well to have weather watch cancel sprinkler operations if there it rain, I currently trigger other x10 devices based on tempterature with ambient weather could this be set up for rain as well and will weather watch recognize a measurement of less than "1" such as decimals. 

Thanks KenRad 

[Tuicemen]

Hey T,

It this something that could be set up with weather watch?  I was thinking that might be an option as well to have weather watch cancel sprinkler operations if there it rain, I currently trigger other x10 devices based on tempterature with ambient weather could this be set up for rain as well and will weather watch recognize a measurement of less than "1" such as decimals. 

Thanks KenRad 

Yes weather watch will do this however it also uses info from the web unless you have a personal weather station.
You can only configure it to watch whole digits but it will recognize 0.9 is less then 1

The virtual rain sensor certainly takes more variables into account.
It would be nice to see it utilize info from a personal weather station as well

[reskin]

Yes weather watch will do this however it also uses info from the web unless you have a personal weather station.
You can only configure it to watch whole digits but it will recognize 0.9 is less then 1

The virtual rain sensor certainly takes more variables into account.
It would be nice to see it utilize info from a personal weather station as well

I now have it set up (with kenrad's help) to download directly from the site.  There still are some issues with the service installation for some users.  I am extending lifetime gratis accounts to anyone interested in the beta program at this point.

http://www.virtualrainsensor.com

[pomonabill221]

Can virtual rain sensor use data from my person weather station?  I have a Davis Vantage Pro2 and am using Virtual Weather Station to save/send my station data to Weather Underground.
VWS creates CSV files also and I know that PCCompanion can use the data to announce and control X10.
Thanks...

[reskin]

Can virtual rain sensor use data from my person weather station?  I have a Davis Vantage Pro2 and am using Virtual Weather Station to save/send my station data to Weather Underground.
VWS creates CSV files also and I know that PCCompanion can use the data to announce and control X10.
Thanks...

Absolutely!  Your station should come up automatically when you enter your postal code on the account settings page.

[pomonabill221]

GREAT!!!
  I will give it a try!
Thanks alot!

[reskin]

GREAT!!!
  I will give it a try!
Thanks alot!

Actually I should have checked (bear with me) - the Vantage Pro2 doesn't have solar radiation... that is one of the variables we use for the evapotransipration calculations.  Is the "Plus" something you can upgrade to?  Otherwise I will have you submit a ticket to allow you to use that station without the solar radiation information.

[pomonabill221]

I made my own solar and uv radiation sensor (Davis's are BIG $$$), and I am getting that data.
Even if I didn't have the actual data, could I just create "fake" data by simulating a sensor.  I know that evaportr. would be very wrong though, and any control would not work, but to try it out....

[dbemowsk]

I would be interested in this.  I currently have a RainBird timer running 4 zones with a rain sensor mounted to my rain gutter.  I have witnessed first hand the unreliability of the rain sensor, though it does work some times.  With this I could connect a universal module in place of my rain sensor, or even keep the rain sensor in series with the UM for a secondary fail safe mechanism.  I do plan to get a Rain8 or other controller to fully automate my sprinklers, but this would be an intro to X10 for my irrigation system.

[reskin]

I would be interested in this.  I currently have a RainBird timer running 4 zones with a rain sensor mounted to my rain gutter.  I have witnessed first hand the unreliability of the rain sensor, though it does work some times.  With this I could connect a universal module in place of my rain sensor, or even keep the rain sensor in series with the UM for a secondary fail safe mechanism.  I do plan to get a Rain8 or other controller to fully automate my sprinklers, but this would be an intro to X10 for my irrigation system.

The universal module would replace the RainBird timer in this case.  Yes, you could run the rain sensor in series as a backup mechanism but from what I have experienced in the past month it is pretty solid and you get a complete history of what the system has done from the website.  You would need a 24VAC power supply to run to the valves and the universal module is in series with that.  If you wanted to still use your rain sensor as a backup it would have to be in series with a common lead return from all the valves.

[dbemowsk]

No, at present, because I have 4 zones I would still need the RainBird timer to switch between the individual zones.  One universal module would not switch between my 4 zones and activate my pump start relay.  The universal module would just connect to the rain sensor connections on the timer to cut the power if rain is sensed.  My RainBird timer has the 24VAC transformer for the valves.  And yes, using the current rain sensor as a backup, it would be connected in series.  I do understand the logic of how this is all going to work.