PRO TIP - When naming your zones, include the # of spray heads in the name

Lawn Nerds
1

For example:

Front Yard East (12)

1 Like
2

This seems to break hands free operation with Google Assistant.
“OK Google, start watering Front Yard East.” no longer works.
Neither does “OK Google, start watering Front Yard East twelve.”
I tried several other combinations; all failed.

I don’t have HomeKit set up. Perhaps Apple is smarter in this regard.

3

Why? :face_with_monocle:

4

Hmmm … about a week ago I added the zone # as a prefix to each of my zones. i.e. “1: front yard outer”, “2: front yard inner”, … “8: backyard drip”, “9: front yard drip”, etc. Haven’t tested yet, but I wonder if this has broken my Google Assistant and/or HomeKit command support (I use both).

5

Why would undo that? What does it gain you? It gains me nothing…

6

I’d guess the parentheses is what is breaking the voice activation.

7

Here are a few other tips:

  • include the brand name of your sprinkler heads
    “Front Yard Rain Bird 1804VAN”
    “Back Yard Orbit Voyager”
  • include the distance of your spray
    “Front Yard Rain Bird 1804VAN 6ft”
    “Back Yard Orbit Voyager 3ft”
  • include the velocity of water squirts
    “Front Yard Rain Bird 1804VAN 6ft FULL FORCE”
    “Back Yard Orbit Voyager 3ft LIGHT MISTING”