Can OpenSprinkler control multiple water sources?

[Billiam]

I am looking for a control system to manage water in a certified green building project. I need the capability to program the controller to choose the water source according to custom criteria. There will be 4 water sources: municipal, well, rainwater cistern, and greaywater cistern. Here’s an example of a custom logic rule I would like to be able to set up:
1. IF the rainfall and/or soil moisture sensor(s) detect below X amount of moisture, THEN goto 2; ELSE don’t do anything today.
2. IF Cistern1 (greywater) float switch reports >Y gals of water inside [Y is the minimum number of gallons needed to irrigate for a basic amount], THEN select Cistern1 as water source and goto 5; ELSE continue.
3. IF Cistern2 (rainwater) float switch reports >Y gals, THEN select Cistern2 as water source and goto 5; ELSE continue.
4. IF Well1 reports adequate pressure, THEN select Well1 as water source; ELSE select Municipal water source.
5. Irrigate according to irrigation subroutines (e.g., zones, duration, etc.)

The logic is quite simple, but the problem is that I can’t find a control system that has the capability of selecting multiple water sources and that will allow fully user-defined rulesets. I found this site during my searches, but from what I have read so far, it looks like OpenSprinkler does not have the ability to capture a lot of sensory data, especially analog/continuous data like a tank float sensor.

I would love to do some more advanced stuff as well, like pump excess rainwater into the greywater cistern if the rainwater one is full (but not the other way, as that is illegal in FL if I want to keep my rainwater as a source of potable water via R.O. treatment). Or use an aquaculture aquarium as an irrigation source and replenishing the aquarium with rainwater, which would provide nitrogen-rich water to the plants while eliminating the need for aquarium filtration. Similar flow control could be donw with hydroponic systems.

[pablo666]

Use PLC (Siemens S7-1200, Eaton Easy, Schneider Twido) [expensive, programming PLC skils] or if you are good at electronics and programming – arduino, STM32 nucleo, PIC Microchip or other platform [cheap, electronic board design, programming skils]
I think Eaton Easy is the best sollution. Programming PLC is in ladder diagram (relay logic) and there is plenty of documentation
sorry for my English 😉

[Billiam]

Thanks for the ideas. I was hoping to find a more easily deployable solution because I don’t have much free time to tinker with components and write code, but unless I want to spend $10,000 this seems to be the only way.

[Ray]

What you described is a very customized application. I don’t know if there is any controller out there that can do what you described, because it’s really specialized.

If you have programming skills, this is actually fairly easy to implement. OpenSprinkler already supports 2 independent master zones, and it would be fairly easy to extend it to 4 so that each can control an independent water source. But if you don’t have programming skills, you will have to hire someone to modify the source code for you.

[Billiam]

I have programming skills, but I also have a full-time job that gives me no free time to attempt writing code for this project. If I am going to write code, then I may as well write a MODBUS or BACnet program so that I can integrate the irrigation into a bunch of other building system controls.

Can master zones share resources? I need all four water sources to be available to all emitters, and to be able to run a transfer pump between water sources.

[Ray]

“Can master zones share resources?” — well, this depends on whether you mean mechanically, or software-wise? To have all four water sources available to all emitters, obviously the water pipes / tubes needs to be connected in some way, and this is not something software alone can control. If you are referring to software, it can be programmed any way you want (for example, you can turn on any combination of any master station and any zone), I don’t think there is any limit on this.

[Samiji]

Were you able to find a solution @Billiam

I have been interested in a similar set up that has multiple water sources (grey, and fresh), and a self flushing filter that is determined by pressure sensors on either side of the filter.

[Author]

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