What irrigation controller to buy?

my old rain man irrigation controller died the display due to missing IP 65 protección and I would like to buy a new 24VAC controller for 6 valves that doesn’t cost a fortune
i guess if they have wifi for Alexa they should work
Netro Controlador Inteligente de riego, WiFi, Tiempo Aware, Acceso Remoto, 6 Zona, Compatible con Alexa https://amzn.eu/d/6PQD1tH

Interested in a DIY build?

I highly recommend open sprinkler, its been super reliable and stable, easy to configure, and it integrates really well with HA via HACS.

there is also a new feature where you can pause the retic, its not in the latest integration yet… but will be coming soonish…

Which king of material we need for opensprinkler?

sorry i dont understand what you are asking?

Sorry. I believed that it was only software.

its hardware with opensource software, i have the v3.2 DC hardware connected to the standard 24vac solenoids, it works very well

I went with ESP32 relay board and power supply based on your needs. Using ESPHome irrigation controller on it. Cost for 8CH board was ~20€.

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I would like to have the relays from a ip65 kit because it’s humid, so no Arduino hardware

I went with IP54 for my sub $10 esp(home) build. :point_down:


Obviously you could also do something like that with a IP65 box but that may raise the total project costs over the $10 mark :scream:

I have the 55€ inkbird controller here but it is not supported by Hass as far I can see that, so better can go for the esp32 relais and burry them in epoxy

Are you planning submerging your relays and electronics or why isn’t a cheap IP54-67 box a choice for you? :thinking:

For a conformal coating often a type of (very) liquid silicone is used which is applied as a thin film on the whole pcb. This has a quite some advantage over “ordinary” epoxy which may start to deform/crack over time and in general tends to “age” quicker and being more sensitive to heat :fire:

good advice, thanks,
the last year’s 22 years I bought several rainbird and other controller that all died from humidity
but I was adviced that coating PCB with plastic spray from Kontakt Chemie is better and cheaper than epoxy also I have a well protected bulky 24VAC transformers now, so I will try the 4 channel esp32 board with HA

Hi everyone I just found this device based on Esp32 including 6 Relais in a nice industrial housing and good price.

Do you think it would be a good base to build 6channel irrigation Controller for 24AC valves?

Why not? As long it runs esphome :trophy:

You also find this type of tuya 4channel switches based on some beken chip (compatible with esphome) for less than $10 on ali. They have a DC Version (max 32VDC) and an AC version (max 240VAC). The case is even din-rail mountable :muscle: (and can be easily open to initially flash esphome via serial)