Weatherproof "button"
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From: Ralph Barone on 6 May 2010 09:48 In article <hrq1s1$ve1$1(a)speranza.aioe.org>, D Yuniskis <not.going.to.be(a)seen.com> wrote: > Hi, > > I need some sort of "button" (sensor?) that I can locate out > "in the elements" and use to activate the irrigation system. > I.e., "push this button to turn on the water supply". > > It need not be a traditional "button" (in the electrical sense). > E.g., a pressure sensitive pneumatic switch, a photoreflective > sensor, etc. would all provide the intended function. The > trick is finding something that will operate reliably and for > many years when exposed to sun, rain, ice, etc. > > Ideally, the thing will be cosmetically unassuming so you > don't notice it unless you go *looking* for it (despite the > fact that it will be "in plain sight"). > > And, it should be operable without requiring anything other > than the typical parts of the human anatomy. :> > > My first thought was a traditional pushbutton in a flexible > rubber hood. But, I suspect the Sun will eat the hell out > of the plasticizers in the "rubber" in short order. > > I then thought of a magnet sliding in a channel passing a > Hall effect device (i.e., put a spring behind the magnet). > But, you'd need something (flexible) to keep the magnet > "sled" from falling out of its channel, etc. > > Are there any other clever approaches that might work? > Even "weatherproof" switches fail one or more of the > above criteria... :< http://www.activemetal.com/switches.shtml
From: D Yuniskis on 6 May 2010 12:38 Hi Jan, Jan Panteltje wrote: > On a sunny day (Wed, 05 May 2010 16:21:01 -0700) it happened D Yuniskis > <not.going.to.be(a)seen.com> wrote in <hrsu64$sag$1(a)speranza.aioe.org>: > >> But, mainly, it allows each faucet to be used as a supplemental >> irrigation circuit as needed. E.g., I can run a hose from >> a faucet to a new planting, program the controller to >> "water daily" (required for new plantings) and, a few weeks >> later, remove the hose and clear the supplemental program >> as the "established" planting can survive on the normal >> irrigation circuit (to which it's been plumbed). > > Well, as it seems you have a controller anyways, I my house I would put a small electret microphone outside > (weather proof), and feed it into the home control system that runs perlbox-voice (in Linux). > Then saying 'water water please', will let the PC know you are thirsty, > and do with the controller whatever it wants whenever I wants. > perlbox-voice is pretty good, if you set the volume > so that you need to be close to the mike, I expect few false alarms. > And as a bones the thirsty crying for water will get what they want. > > Or you could use the email button / feature of your cellphone, > and send a precomposed email to the same home control PC. > That way you need no wires at all, and have the 'key' always in your pocket. > I have done something like that for other control here. > Can be your door opener / lock too. I use a WiFi PDA to do that -- no need to rely on the phone company for it's delivery! :> But, I don't want to have to carry it with me all the time -- *especially* when out in the yard.
From: D Yuniskis on 6 May 2010 12:46 Hi Joseph, JosephKK wrote: >> Controlling the duration, etc. is easy -- it's just another >> "channel" on the irrigation controller. The tough part is >> providing a means ("button") for the user to tell the >> controller, "please begin irrigation cycle for circuit X". > > On mine it is just go to the irrigation controller, turn the knob, push a > few buttons, and return the knob to the normal operation position. The > new uC based irrigation controllers can be very nice to use. Spend 20 X > as much and control it from your home PC as well. The "user interface" for my home automation controls is a touchpanel (actually, there are several of them) -- located *in* the house. I have a WiFi PDA that I can use to access it from "wherever" -- but, that means carrying the PDA with me to any of those "wherevers". For common things like "I just planted this shrub/tree", it's easy to just pick a predefined schedule and install it for that "irrigation circuit" (i.e., the hose running *to* that new planting). For other things like "I need to use water to wash my utensils", I just want to be able to push a button *there* (where the water is located) and get the water that I want. A *huge* part of the automation effort here has been to make all the "bits of kit" invisible. No more boxes mounted on walls, visible cables connecting things together, etc. Otherwise, there's just *way* too much "stuff" to deal with, otherwise. :-/
From: D Yuniskis on 6 May 2010 12:50 Hi Ralph, Ralph Barone wrote: > In article <hrq1s1$ve1$1(a)speranza.aioe.org>, > D Yuniskis <not.going.to.be(a)seen.com> wrote: > >> I need some sort of "button" (sensor?) that I can locate out >> "in the elements" and use to activate the irrigation system. >> I.e., "push this button to turn on the water supply". > > http://www.activemetal.com/switches.shtml Wow! These look REALLY cool! I'll have to study them a bit to convince myself they'll hold up *and* work in the presence of things like coatings of ice, etc. Thanks!
From: Joerg on 6 May 2010 16:06
D Yuniskis wrote: > Hi Joseph, > > JosephKK wrote: >>> Controlling the duration, etc. is easy -- it's just another >>> "channel" on the irrigation controller. The tough part is >>> providing a means ("button") for the user to tell the >>> controller, "please begin irrigation cycle for circuit X". >> >> On mine it is just go to the irrigation controller, turn the knob, push a >> few buttons, and return the knob to the normal operation position. The >> new uC based irrigation controllers can be very nice to use. Spend 20 X >> as much and control it from your home PC as well. > > The "user interface" for my home automation controls is a > touchpanel (actually, there are several of them) -- located > *in* the house. I have a WiFi PDA that I can use to access > it from "wherever" -- but, that means carrying the PDA with > me to any of those "wherevers". > > For common things like "I just planted this shrub/tree", it's > easy to just pick a predefined schedule and install it for > that "irrigation circuit" (i.e., the hose running *to* that > new planting). > We just hang a hose to the next drip system loop, with an excess of flag drippers at the new plant and later when the roots have caught reduce that number. > For other things like "I need to use water to wash my utensils", > I just want to be able to push a button *there* (where the water > is located) and get the water that I want. > When I wash my utensils I try to remember to turn the hose bib back off when done :-) [...] -- Regards, Joerg http://www.analogconsultants.com/ "gmail" domain blocked because of excessive spam. Use another domain or send PM. |