HOME › Forums › Irrigation › EZFlora › EZFlora, Indigo and Rain Sensor
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Anonymous
InactiveAugust 4, 2013 at 10:39 pmPost count: 2I’m using EZFlora and Indigo software. In Indigo there is no built in function to enable the rain sensor but there is a function to send any module an Insteon Raw Command so I tried enable that via Insteon Raw Commands but I did not succeed.
I’m trying to make it work with the Toro Wireless Rain Sensor (53770), wired as in the EZFlora Breakout Connector manual, but although the sensor is working (NC dry contact opens up when it senses rain) EZFlora does not stop watering (and actually does not acknowledge anything when the sensor is activated).
To enable the rain sensor I just sent as a Raw Command 0x44 0x0b (as per EZFlora user manual) as both Standard and Extended Message. Bellow what I got with the extended message.
Sent INSTEON "EZ Flora" raw insteon command (44 0B 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00; ack: 0B)Any ideas on what may be wrong?
One possibility, but I found no documentation about it, is the way Indigo works the irrigation schedule is not transferred to the EZFlora module. The software turns on and off each zone according to the schedule, so for EZFlora it is like a manual activation of each zone. Is the rain sensor supposed to work when zones are activated in this way?
InactiveAugust 5, 2013 at 6:04 amPost count: 1001From the EZFlora command document, “Rain Sensor (Must be pulled up to inhibit)”. How is the NC rain sensor contact connected to the EZFlora. Seems like a NO contact would be required to pull up the Rain Sensor input. The Configuration Register will show “EZFlora Inhibited” when the rain sensor is wet and connected correctly.
It sounds like the rain sensor was designed to connect between the common line going to all the valves and the EZFlora. That is the way they operate for most irrigation controllers. This does not require any additional EZFlora programming.
When the EZFlora is inhibited by the rain sensor it will not turn a Zone regardless of how asked.
The command to enable the rain sensor (not the same as the EZFlora actually being inhibited) is a Standard command.
InactiveAugust 5, 2013 at 11:40 amPost count: 2It seemed to me I should use the NC contact between the sensor and the EZFlora, so that when the rain would trigger the sensor and open the contact Pin 6 voltage would be pulled up to +5V. (If I would use the NO contact pin 6 would be pulled down to ground on activation).
You are correct in the sense there is an alternative wiring scheme (connect between the common line going to all the valves and the EZFlora) that would not require any configuration and would always work. However using the sensor input would be preferable as it would be possible to know when it has been inhibited by rain.
I tried the command to enable the rain sensor as both Standard and Extended but neither seems to work. After sending this command is it written permanently in the memory or would I need to send it again if the unit is disconnected for any reason?
InactiveAugust 5, 2013 at 3:28 pmPost count: 1001If the rain sensor input worked as suggested, the EZFlora would be inhibited by default as soon as the rain sensor is enabled until a rain sensor is connected. Not the way it works.
The rain sensor input has to be “pulled UP to inhibit” (see the EZFlora command reference where pin connections are explained) which means connecting the rain sensor input to +5v through a pullup resister to inhibit. When that is done and the rain sensor is enabled the Configuration Register will show the EZFlora Inhibited.
Have not tried it but I guess a pullup resister could be installed between +5v and the rain sensor input with the NC contact providing GND to the rain sensor input. That would in theory have the EZFlora not inhibited while the NC contact is closed. When it rains and the NC contact opens, the pullup resister connected between +5v and the rain sensor input would inhibit the EZFlora.
Seems much simpler to connect the rain sensor NC between the EZFlora and the common valve run. When it rains the NC opens removing one side of the 24v AC. That way no special commands have to be issued through Indigo.
The Rain Sensor Enabled command should be permanent until a factory reset is done. It did not have an effect because the rain sensor input was not pulled UP with a resister between +5v and the rain sensor input to inhibit the EZFlora
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