Old Toro GK8-16-04 replaced with OpenSprinkler 3.0

Bought the house with the garden equipped with an old Toro GK8-16-04. Was still partly functional (was opening-closing the valves and stuff, but it kept forgetting the current time so scheduling was unreliable). The issue was caused by the fact that it was installed originally in an electric distribution cabinet completely outdoors, which didn’t seem to insulate from humidity properly – this lead to advanced corrosion of the Toro.

Completely replaced the cabinet, and also moved it to another location where it will be less exposed to precipitation. The box will still contain power distribution elements, but completely replaced with new. Re-used the power transformer from the Toro.

I made a special holder for OpenSprinker to be able to clip it on to a DIN standard rail inside the cabinet. The clip can be easily released by hand and I’ve done it this way because I plan to remove it from there during the winter – just by un-plugging the cables and releasing it from the rail. I’ve just cut out a piece of plastic and fixed it in between OpenSprinkler and the DIN rail clip (see picture) bought on eBay. I’d suggest something like this as a purchaseable accessory as standard.

I’ve also expanded the existing 4 watering zones with a fifth one, and prepared water distribution for a sixth one which will be done maybe next year. This lets me with 2 free outputs on OpenSprikler, which will be used for other tasks: one of them will be connected to a 24V NC relay and will trigger for only 1 hour during the night, to allow the swimming pool’s water recirclulation pump to get some rest.

The only issue I have is that compared to the old Toro, OpenSprinkler doesn’t let me delay the watering for 24 hours when the locally installed rain sensor detects rain. The old machine was able to do that.