This release is a significant change in the configuration from Version 4. While the functionality remains the same the configuration is now available through the settings Devices & Services.
The custom card https://github.com/petergridge/Irrigation-Card V5.1 will render the program options specified in the configuration.
The driver for this project is to provide an easy-to-use interface for the gardener of the house. The goal is that once the initial configuration is done all the features can be modified using the custom lovelace card. With this upgrade the component is also simple to configure.
This program is essentially a scheduling tool, one user has also used this to schedule the running of his lawn mower, so the use is far broader than I anticipated.
The information provided by the configuration is evaluated to trigger the irrigation action according to the inputs provided.
Watering can occur in an ECO mode where a water/wait/repeat cycle is run to minimise run off by letting water soak in using several short watering cycles. The wait and repeat configuration is optional.
The rain sensor is implemented as a binary_sensor, this allows practically any combination of sensors to suspend the irrigation. This can be defined at the zone level to allow for covered areas to continue watering while exposed areas are suspended.
Implemented as a switch, you can start a program using the schedule, manually or using an automation. Manually starting a program by turning the switch on will not evaluate the rain sensor rules it will just run the program, as there is an assumption that there is an intent to run the program regardless of sensors.
Only one program can run at a time to prevent multiple solenoids being activated. If program start times result in an overlap the running program will be stopped. Zones can be configured to run concurrently or sequentially using the grouping functionality.
- Adding the repository using HACS is the simplest approach
- Make sure that all of the objects you reference i.e. switches, sensors etc are defined or you will get errors when the irrigationprogram is triggered. Check the log for errors.
- Define the program using the UI. From Setting, Devices & Services choose 'ADD INTEGRATION'. Search for Irrigation Controller Component.
- Modify programs and zones, add new zones, delete zones
- V4 yaml configuration will be imported, if it fails to load run check configuration first and correct any changes implemented to support this release.
- Imports will occur only once, if you delete the config from the UI it will not reimport
- YAML support will be removed in a future release
- The time_date integration is required
sensor:
- platform: time_date
display_options:
- 'time'
- 'date'Add the following to your logger section configuration.yaml
logger:
default: warning
logs:
custom_components.irrigationprogram: debugIf a rain sensor is defined the zone will be ignored when the value of the sensor is True.
If the irrigation program is run manually the rain sensor value is ignored and all zones will run.
The rain sensor is defined in each zone. You can:
- Define the same sensor for each zone
- Have a different sensor for different areas
You can define a 'flow sensor' that provides a volume/minute rate. eg litres per minute. Once defined the 'water' attribute will be read as volume eg 15 litres not 15 minutes.
You can optionally group zones to run concurrently or sequentially. Blank groups or where a zone_group is not defined will be sequential zones. Zones are grouped by having the same text value, for example each zone with a value of 'A' will run concurrently.
If this binary sensor is defined it will not execute a schedule if the controller is offline. This is ideal for ESP Home implementations.
As an alternative to the rain sensor you can also use the watering adjustment. With this feature the integrator is responsible to provide the value using a input_number or sensor component. I imagine that this would be based on weather data or a moisture sensor.
See the https://github.com/petergridge/openweathremaphistory for a companion custom sensor that may be useful.
Setting water_adjustment attribute allows a factor to be applied to the watering time.
- If the factor is 0 no watering will occur
- If the factor is 0.5 watering will run for only half the configured watering time/volume. Wait and repeat attributes are unaffected.
- A factor of 1.1 could also be used to apply 10% more water if required.
- The watering time will always be rounded up to the nearest minute when applying the factor.
The following automation is an example of how a input_number.adjust_run_time could be maintained using template calculation.
automation:
- id: '1553507967550'
alias: rain adjuster
mode: restart
trigger:
- platform: time_pattern
minutes: "/1"
action:
- service: input_number.set_value
entity_id: input_number.rain_adjuster
data:
value: "{{ value template calculation }}"Run frequency allows the definition of when the program will run. If no frequency input_select is provided a default one will be generated.
This can be a specific set of days or the number of days between watering events and can be defined at the Program or zone level. Application at the zone level allows different zones to execute at the same time but using varying frequencies. for example: Vege Patch every two days and the Lawn once a week.
- Run Freq allows the water to occur at a specified frequency. For example, every 3 days or only on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Include an option for Off this can be any text in any language.
Defining a Dropdown helper to use with the run_freq attribute, for example:
options:
- Off
- 1
- 2
- 3
- Wed, Sat
- Mon, Wed, Fri
- Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, SunThe ECO feature allows multiple short watering cycles to be configure for a zone in the program to minimise run off and wastage. Setting the optional configuration of the Wait, Repeat attributes of a zone will enable the feature.
- wait sets the length of time to wait between watering cycles
- repeat defines the number of watering cycles to run
The zone_turned_on event provides this information:
event_type: irrigation_event
data:
device_id: afternoon
action: zone_turned_on
zone: zone_1
pump: switch.dummy_pump
origin: LOCAL
time_fired: "2022-08-15T23:33:36.358814+00:00"
context:
id: 01GAHXP1F6KQWTM6Z6PEJ69KDM
parent_id: null
user_id: null
An automation can then use this data to fire on the event, in this example it the automation would run only when the pump event data is 'switch.pump'. but you could refine it more to include a specific zone or remove the event data clause and it would run every time the event is triggered. Other triggers can be added if there is a use case for them. Let me know.
alias: pump_keep_alive
description: "Let the pump device know that HA is still alive so it does not time out and shut down"
trigger:
- platform: event
event_type: irrigation_event
event_data:
pump: switch.pump
action: zone_turned_on
action: ---- Put your action here ----
mode: singleThe definition of the YAML configuration:
| Attribute | Type | Mandatory | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| start_time | input_datetime | Required | entity to set the start time of the program |
| show_config | input_boolean | Optional | 'Show configuration' used to show/hide the configuration in the companion card |
| run_freq | input_select | Optional | Indicate how often to run. If not provided will run every day |
| controller_monitor | binary_sensor | Optional | Detect if the irrigation controller is online. Schedule will not execute if offline |
| irrigation_on | input_boolean | Optional | Display name for the auto generated helper, this item will created if not defined with a display value of 'Enable irrigation' |
| inter_zone_delay | input_number | Optional | Display name for the auto generated helper, for example 'Inter zone Delay' |
| zones | data for setting up a zone | ||
| - zone | switch | Required | This is the switch that represents the solenoid to be triggered |
| water | input_number | Required | The time to run or volume to supply for this zone |
| water_adjustment | sensor, input_number | Optional | A factor, applied to the watering time to decrease or increase the watering time |
| wait | input_number | Optional | Display name for the auto generated helper, for example 'Wait'. Wait time of the water/wait/repeat ECO option |
| repeat | input_number | Optional | Display name for the auto generated helper, for example 'Repeat'. The number of cycles to run water/wait/repeat |
| flow_sensor | sensor | Optional | Provides flow rate per minute. The water value will now be assessed as volume |
| rain_sensor | binary_sensor | Optional | True or On will prevent the irrigation starting |
| ignore_rain_sensor | input_boolean | Optional | Ignore rain sensor allows a zone to run even if the rain sensor is active |
| zone_group | input_text | Optional | Zone Group supports running zones concurrently |
| run_freq | input_select | Optional | Indicate how often to run. If not provided will default to the Program level value |
| enable_zone | input_boolean | Optional | Disabling a zone, prevents it from running in either manual or scheduled executions, adding 'Off' or similar text value to the run_freq helper will have the same result |
irrigationprogram.stop_programs:
description: Stop any running program.- Modify HACS deployment to provide download count from GITHUB
- Correct weekday list to work with legacy model
- Initial HACS release
- correct config flow handling on a new install
- correct initialisation of last run time on new install
- correct recording of run time against disabled zones
- confirm non numeric/day values in the frequency helper will disable the zone, e.g. 'Off'
- allow comma separated text for weekday list, not case sensitive
- add German translation for config flow
- Config Flow - configure via UI
- REMOVED - generated helpers as they are incompatible with config flow
- Generated helpers based on entity name not friendly name
- Correct pump issue
- Requires custom Card 5.0.10
- Optimise pump class
- Correct watering adjustment and runtime issues
- Still fixing water adjustment defect
- Improve validation
- Fix water adjustment defect
- Modify zone monitoring for pump activation
- Added configuration option for watering time min, max & step
- Fix bugs
- Fix bug introduced with reset/uninstall
- Create selection list helper for frequency if one is not defined
- Add config option to reset/uninstall created helpers
- Update Event model now irrigation_event event with action of 'zone_turned_on'.
- Implement zone_turned_on event to allow custom triggering of other automations if required
- Bug fixed where get_last_state is None
- Essentially the same functionality as version 4
- Major redevelopment of the configuration
- Auto create helper entities that do not require intervention. All input_boolean, input_text, input_number, input_datetime are now created automatically if required.
- When optional functionality requires a helper only the friendly name is required to trigger the creation of the object.
- Requires Irrigation Custom Card V5.0.0