Integrating soil moisture sensors

Hi,

We’ve developed a wireless soil moisture system and some of our customers asked us if it could interface to Rachio. As our probe data is available through a public (pull) API, I would guess yes. Quickly scanning the Rachio documentation I got a bit confused. Does anyone know if it’s possible to connect a set of probes to Rachio and let Rachio use the soil readings as the base to decide whether to water or not? Is this where Flex Schedules come into play?

Thanks,

Mark
Sensoterra

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This would likely have to be automated with IFTTT at the current time. Flex schedules use the concept of Managed Allowed Depletion, which guestimates the soil moisture based on numerous parameters (Actual/Forecasted Precip, soil type, grade, grass/plant type, sun/shade, sprinkler head precip rate, sprinkler head coverage efficiency, grass/plant root depth, etc).

Incorporating actual soil sensors would be nirvana. Any more info you can share on your product? Do you have an IFTTT channel?

edit: Nevermind, just google Sensoterra. Nice looking product and I’m guessing there is the potential for IFTTT integration with Rachio. However, and this is just my opinion, I think your product (and prices) are more geared towards the professional farm/commercial landscape/golf course and outside the reach of the average Rachio consumer. Curious, what wireless tech do you use for sensor communication?

Maybe a consumer model with zigbee/zwave communication at a lower price point would open you up to the consumer market?

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To add on, the gen 2nhas 2 sensor inputs, currently it supports a flow sensor but I’m sure you all could work together to provide sensible inputs for the second soil zone? Else it’s cloud to cloud.

Can you pm me a link to your sensor.

I have been looking for something to use in my turf.

Has anyone looked at integrating these $17 wireless soil moisture sensors?

http://store.wirelesstag.net/products/longrange-water-moisture-sensor

I believe at one point there was a thread here about setting moisture level directly into flex settings with the API.

So yes, it sounds like it would be possible and potentially ideal.

Found it - Soil Sensor Connectivity

Looks like it was tried but removed.