Installation guide including the sprinkler system itself

[rm65453]

Hello Everyone,

I have been thinking about installing a automated sprinkler system.

A google search led me to Rain Bird’s website but their system does not have the ability to control zones, web/app based access etc.

I am sold on the opensprinkler but my trouble is I am not sure how to install the actual sprinkler system. all the videos that I came across are only about the device itself.

Can someone point me to some instructions that go over the installation of the sprinkler system.

 

Thanks

[navy2x]

Depending on how big of a yard you have this can be quite involved, but also very rewarding. There are many tutorials online how to do this yourself. I suggesting reading a few of them to get a understanding of what they process will entail. A quick Google search of “sprinkler installation diy” yielded many good results. This looks like a good one to start with: http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/outdoors/landscaping/how-to-install-a-sprinkler-system

If you need detailed help with a specific part  you can always post it here. Reddit is always a good resource for help with specific questions, you just have to find the right subreddit. This would probably be the one to go to for help with a diy sprinkler install: https://m.reddit.com/r/Irrigation/

[rm65453]

thanks for the reply. I did come across a few guides but wasn’t sure which ones apply and which ones don’t with the open sprinkler system.

I have a medium sized backyard and only want the schedule sprinklers to work on a schedule + the weather in the area. The rain bird sounds like a good fit but I dunno how to add the web access, scheduling etc to it. would open sprinkler work with it, maybe I can just swap out their controller with opensprinkler?

[navy2x]

Yes you can use any installation with opensprinkler. Each valve has two wires, one ground and one positive. You hook up all the ground wires together and plug that into the COM on any controller (including opensprinkler). You then plug each positive wire into each station as you see fit. You can choose to combine a few valves if you have enough water pressure. This determines your “zones.”

You get web access by connecting the raspberry pi to your home wifi, and then by installing the opensprinkler program.

If you already have a system in place all you would need to do is disconnect the existing wires and plug them into the opensprinkler.

[Ray]

The OpenSprinkler Pi user manual has a couple of diagrams that may help understand how to wire sprinkler valves:
http://rayshobby.net/docs/ospi14_manual.pdf
page 6. Most sprinkler controllers use the same wiring interface (COM + individual station wires).

[Augustin]

I was disappointing by the local contractors for installation of the sprinkler system and decided to do it myself even if I don’t have any experience in water systems.

The electric part and OpenSprinkler was by far the easiest and most fun and rewarding. I went with RainBird for sprinklers , fittings and drip system (i have a mix of sprays and drip) and HDPE piping 1″/32mm and I got a free design of the plan by the company from where I bought the RainBird products.

It is fun and rewarding, make sure you do a lot of reading before. I can share a lot of links from where I read about irrigation systems.

[Author]

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