Leaves, debris, and even bugs can fill up the collection cup, causing the sprinklers to shut off. Expansion disk Expansion disk rain sensors operate via a gauge attached to the sprinkler system. Disks inside the gauge absorb water and expand as more rain falls. That sends a message to the sprinkler system controller and interrupts the signal that turns on the sprinkler.
The signal is blocked until the disks shrink back to their original, dry size. Then the sprinkler controller receives the start signal once more and resumes its regular schedule. Weather sensors can automatically prevent your sprinklers from watering during rain, heavy wind, and freezing weather.
They can also help optimize watering, reducing the schedule during times when the water may evaporate. There are several types of sensors that can be added on to your system including; rain, humidity, temperature, wind, sun, ground moisture, and water flow. By attaching sensors to your system controller, you can allow the system to automatically determine how long it should water and at the optimal times to reduce evaporation, and waste due to rain, wind, humidity and real-time soil moisture.
Some irrigation manufacturers sell all-in-one sensors that combine several sensors into a single unit. For example Hunter offers a Mini-Weather Station that includes a rain, freeze and wind sensor. These systems are connected to your controller unit to automatically update your watering based on weather conditions. When the clouds start sending down the wet stuff, rain sensors cause the irrigation controller to skip a cycle. If it is scheduled to run at 4A and there is rain in the forecast for 2P, the sprinkler system will still run that morning.
However, it will not run during a rain event and that makes it worth its weight in gold. Any time I make a purchase for my personal home, I think about the total cost of ownership.
I have run across some very old ones that needed replacing, but the majority last many years and do exactly what they are supposed to do. In the majority of circumstances a rain sensor is essential to saving water, but in some cases you could do without a sensor, it really depends on how you personally use your sprinkler system.
For instance if you always have your system in the off position and just run a manual cycle on the controller when you want to water your landscape, then a rain sensor will not have any added benefit to the system. However, by running your sprinkler system in this manner, you are most likely not capitalizing on the optimum time of day to water, which is early in the morning to limit the amount of water lost to evaporation and wind. You insert the sensor into the ground so it penetrates halfway down your garden's root system.
As rain falls, the sensor detects the moisture in the ground, much like the electrode cup technology. If the soil is damp enough, the sensor turns the sprinkler system off and resumes operation once the soil dries.
Writing professionally since , Amy Rodriguez cultivates successful cacti, succulents, bulbs, carnivorous plants and orchids at home. With an electronics degree and more than 10 years of experience, she applies her love of gadgets to the gardening world as she continues her education through college classes and gardening activities.
By Amy Rodriguez. Related Articles.
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