Smart controllers differ from traditional irrigation controllers in that they do not rely on a timed schedule to run irrigation zones. Instead, they utilize weather stations and soil moisture sensors to receive daily information on how much water has been lost in your landscaping. Because weather conditions are constantly changing, the amount of water your landscaping needs varies as well. Traditional controllers run the same program over and over and do not compensate for these changing conditions. Often this leads to over-watering and high water bills. Over-watering your lawn can also weaken it and make it more susceptible to diseases.
Once smart controllers are properly setup, they will replace only the amount of water lost in the landscape. This continual adjustment saves time, money, and valuable water. Because these controllers conserve water, they are mandated in many states.
There are primarily two types of smart controllers. The first uses an onsite weather station to calculate how much water is lost on a daily basis through evaporation and transpiration from the plant. This value is known at the evapo-transpiration or ET rate. Through modern technology these weather stations are compact (about the size of a can of soup) and priced so that the return on investment usually pays for it during the first year. With the weather station being mounted on site, it is monitoring the exact conditions in your yard. The end user still has control over start times and which days of the week it will run; however, the weather station will adjust the run time lengths from information it has gathered. These types of smart controllers allow you to enter information about each of the zones in your yard. By entering information such as sprinkler type, plant type, and soil type into the controller, it calculates run time based in conjunction with weather station data.
The second type of smart controller utilizes soil sensors located in the root zone to monitor for moisture content. These sensors can identify your exact soil type and let the controller know when your soil has reached the “turn on” threshold to begin an irrigation cycle. Each soil type is unique and varies in how much water it will retain and how much water is freely available to the plant. Your soil texture is unique and its physical characteristics play a crucial role in how and when water should be applied. Once the sensor is calibrated it will know when to let an irrigation cycle begin and how much water it will retain. Instead of a weather station calculating how much water is being lost to evaporation and transpiration, the soil moisture sensor is able to check for water content in the root zone where it matters most. Soil moisture sensors will also display soil temperature and the amount of salts in the soils. The sensors use this information to configure the percent- water content within 1% accuracy.
Once the sensor is calibrated and has learned your exact soil type, simply set the controller to turn on every day. If the moisture content is above the “turn on” threshold, the sensor will not allow an irrigation cycle to run. There is no need to continually adjust your controller for changing weather conditions.
Although smart controllers take a little more effort to set up initially, they more than pay for themselves in terms of water and time savings. By applying the proper amount of water to your landscape, the results will be healthier plants with less effort and wasted water.
