In terms of price, the Orbit B-hyve Smart Hose Watering Timer is a challenge to the smart competing products from Gardena, LinkTap, Eve Aqua and others. But can it keep up with these providers in terms of quality and software? I looked at the irrigation computer and compared it with the competitors.

Who is Orbit?

Orbit is a US manufacturer of irrigation products that, alongside the big three Hunter, Rain Bird and Toro, has now achieved a fairly significant position in the end-user market. Not only with irrigation computers, but also with numerous other irrigation products such as spray nozzles, pipes, connectors, sensors, solenoid valves and other valves, water distributors, etc. Outside the USA, Orbit’s level of awareness is currently significantly lower; the Orbit irrigation computers are currently primarily offered here.

In terms of price, Orbit is positioned below Hunter, Rain Bird and Toro. In 2021, Orbit was taken over by Husqvarna, the parent company of European competitor Gardena.

Model comparison Orbit B-hyve and Orbit B-hyve XD

In the segment of smart irrigation computers that can be attached directly to a tap, Orbit currently offers two models:

• the very affordable Orbit B-hyve Smart Hose Watering Timer presented here
• and the Orbit B-hyve XD Smart Hose Timer, which is available in several versions with up to 4 water outlets

Below is a brief comparison of the two models:

Computer

Orbit B-hyve Smart Hose Timer

Orbit B-hyve XD Smart Hose Timer

Zones

1

1 to 4 outputs depending on the model

Indoor/Outdoor

Outdoor

Outdoor

Additional gateway necessary?

Integrated water flow meter?

Programs and start times

3 programs with 4 start times each

4 programs with 4 start times each

Price

$64.99

$69.44

Computer

Orbit B-hyve Smart Hose Timer

Zones

1

Indoor/Outdoor

Outdoor

Additional gateway necessary?

Integrated water flow meter?

Programs and start times

3 programs with 4 start times each

Price

$64.99

Computer

Orbit B-hyve XD Smart Hose Timer

Zones

1 to 4 outputs depending on the model

Indoor/Outdoor

Outdoor

Additional gateway necessary?

Integrated water flow meter?

Programs and start times

4 programs with 4 start times each

Price

$69.44

For both models you need an additional WiFi hub to connect them to the WiFi. According to Orbit, the hub should be placed within 50 feet of the wireless router and the irrigation computer should be placed within 150 feet of the hub. The hub is simply plugged into a socket and the hub and irrigation computer communicate with each other via Bluetooth.

For the B-hyve XD you need the newer 2nd generation WiFi hub. According to the manufacturer, this should be a little more powerful than the first generation, which is used in conjunction with the B-hyve Smart Hose Watering Timer presented here. If you operate several irrigation computers, a common hub is sufficient. According to Orbit, the 2nd generation hubs are also able to communicate with B-hyve Smart Hose Watering Timers, but the 1st generation hubs are not able to communicate with the XD Timers.

The big difference between the two computers lies in the water flow meter, which is integrated into the Orbit B-hyve Smart Hose Watering Timer presented here. This automatically measures how much water is used and you can therefore easily track water consumption in the app. A very practical thing that you won’t find anywhere else in this price range. The XD does not include such a water meter.

In terms of price, the Smart Hose Watering Timer and the XD in the simplest version are about the same at around 80 to 90 USD for the computer including the hub. Attention: Packages of computer and hub as well as the computer alone are offered on the web. So pay close attention to what you put in your shopping cart!

The Smart Hose Watering Timer is only available in a single version, namely with one water outlet. The XD, on the other hand, is available in 3 different versions with one, two or four water outlets. There is also a small difference in the number of programs: With the XD, for reasons I don’t understand, one more is possible. But that shouldn’t really matter for the majority of users; you can usually get by with 3 programs without any problems.

Scope of delivery

I purchased the Orbit B-hyve Smart Hose Watering Timer in a shared bundle with the associated WiFi Hub:

Apart from the watering computer and the hub itself, the only other things in the package were a power plug, an information sheet and a small quick guide:

Simply plug the hub into the USB input of the included power plug:

No batteries are included. The battery compartment is located at the front of the computer, two AA batteries must be inserted. Attention: I had problems during the test because one of the batteries accidentally didn’t click into the device properly. The computer had power and everything seemed to be working correctly, but I was unable to establish a connection between the hub and the irrigation computer. The power of one battery alone is apparently not enough. Only after I discovered the error and pushed the battery all the way into the battery compartment did it work!

Hardware

At first glance, the computer appears to be of good quality. I had previously had similar experiences in the test with the sister product, the Orbit B-hyve Smart Outdoor. The battery compartment can be removed without tools and with little effort, but is still anchored very securely.

No settings can be made on the computer itself, so operation and programming is carried out exclusively via cell phone, tablet or desktop computer. A manual watering run can be started by pressing the power button for 3 seconds. By default this lasts 10 minutes, the length can be changed online in the program. By pressing the power button, watering that is already running can be stopped manually at any time.

The LED diode on the computer also gives you information about the status of the computer: A red flashing diode means that the batteries are weak and need to be changed, a yellow flashing diode indicates that the next watering run has been missed due to rain (rain delay). If the diode flashes white, the software on the computer is currently being updated.

The B-hyve Smart Hose Watering Timer works with water pressure between 10 and 100 psi. With the smart computers tested so far, the water supply was often a point of criticism. Only Gardena makes this large in its Gardena Smart Water Control so that there is as little pressure loss as possible. In this regard, the B-hyve Smart Hose Watering Timer cannot stand out positively, the inlet is also quite narrow, see picture with the dirt filter removed:

If you have enough water pressure available at the tap or the irrigation system is designed with a buffer, then this will not play a major role in practice. However, if the water pressure is already limited, then this is a disadvantage.

At the water outlet, Orbit – like all other manufacturers – supplies the computer with a 1/2 inch tap connection. In practice, this is an unnecessary brake that costs a lot of water pressure and should definitely be replaced with a 3/4 inch tap piece. You can get one of these for $2 to $3 on Amazon or at a hardware store.

A water flow meter is integrated into the B-hyve Smart Hose Watering Timer, which is why it has a somewhat strange shape at first glance. There is a wheel built into the computer. Based on the rotations of this wheel, the computer calculates the amount of water that has passed through the device. When setting up the device for the first time, you will be asked to calibrate the sensor. At first glance, this seems illogical and raises the question of whether the amount of water is not measured live but is extrapolated based on the calibration result. According to my test, this is not the case, the amount of water is determined live during operation, regardless of the calibration result, even if no calibration is carried out! Why is calibration needed then? As it appears, this only serves to display an extrapolation of the expected water consumption when manual irrigation starts.

Water consumption can be viewed via software and compared on a daily, monthly or annual basis. Hardly any other manufacturer offers an integrated water flow meter; I can only think of the LinkTap G2, which you can purchase including a flow meter for a small additional charge.

The computer does not have a sensor output, so no rain or soil moisture sensor can be connected.

Putting into operation

To get the computer ready to go, it must first be equipped with 2 AA batteries. These are not included in the scope of delivery.

And the WiFi hub must be plugged into a socket not too far away from the WiFi router.

You can save yourself the time of looking at the operating instructions; instead, in the next step you simply download the app, which explains everything else step by step. Depending on the device, you can download the app from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store. If you already have a B-hyve account, you can log in to it, otherwise you will need to register for free on the B-hyve platform.

At the end of the registration you will be asked whether you want to set up a new device or to control a device that has already been set up. The first is the case when you set up a newly purchased device, the second is an option that gives you access to a device that has already been set up, for example if a family member has already set it up and now another family member should also get access to it. Or if you want to give your neighbor access to the system while on vacation.

The device to be installed must now be selected from a list of all smart B-hyve devices. If, as in my case, you want to install the irrigation computer together with the hub, then you have to select the entry from the list that shows both the computer and the hub.

The hub will then automatically be installed first, followed by the computer. This is done in a very simple and convenient way for the user, as the system automatically detects the plugged-in hub and the switched-on watering computer in the vicinity of the cell phone in just a few steps. Finally, you just need to enter your WiFi access data and you’re ready to go.

If you want to use weather-dependent smart irrigation, it is also necessary to tell the computer the location of your own garden.

Programming the irrigation computer

If you want, you can have a setup assistant help you set up the program, or you can set up the individual settings yourself using the menu.

Link tip: I explain in great detail what setting options there are and what they do in the blog post about the Orbit B-hyve system.

In the Orbit B-hyve system, the user has two different options for programming the irrigation computer:

• You create programs yourself
• The irrigation is carried out fully automatically using the autopilot of the B-hyve system, taking into account local weather data and data about the garden and the plants to be watered (“Smart Watering”)

In the first mode you can set up the irrigation precisely according to your own ideas, but you have no or very limited options to automatically include weather data in the irrigation. In the second mode, the system basically freely determines the irrigation and determines how often, on which days and at what times it is watered and when irrigation runs are skipped. However, as a user you have the option to limit these freedoms and, for example, exclude certain days and times from watering.

I explain in detail how the setup of both modes works and what setting options are available in the B-hyve system in the previously linked article.

The key data on the B-hyve software are summarized below:

Key data on the B-hyve software

Computer

Orbit B-hyve Smart Outdoor

Software system

B-hyve

App runs on

Apple iOS devices, Google Android devices

Accessible via web browser?

Setup wizard for initial setup?start circuit?

Type of programming

On a program basis

Programs

4 (only the Orbit B-hyve Smart Hose Timer has only 3)

Start times

4

Watering duration

1 to 240 minutes

Types of irrigation

Time-dependent watering plan or Smart Watering Autopilot (system decides independently when, how often and how much to water)

Definition of irrigation templates?

Local access without an internet connection?

Give access to other users?

Assigning different user authorizations?

Yes - access only to basic functions or to advanced functions

Additional functions for contractors?

Warning notifications?

Irrigation calendar?

Reports on irrigation, water consumption, weather, ...?

Connection of a flow meter?

Computer

Orbit B-hyve Smart Outdoor

Software system

B-hyve

App runs on

Apple iOS devices, Google Android devices

Accessible via web browser?

Setup wizard for initial setup?start circuit?

Type of programming

On a program basis

Programs

4 (only the Orbit B-hyve Smart Hose Timer has only 3)

Start times

4

Watering duration

1 to 240 minutes

Types of irrigation

Time-dependent watering plan or Smart Watering Autopilot (system decides independently when, how often and how much to water)

Definition of irrigation templates?

Local access without an internet connection?

Give access to other users?

Assigning different user authorizations?

Yes - access only to basic functions or to advanced functions

Additional functions for contractors?

Warning notifications?

Irrigation calendar?

Reports on irrigation, water consumption, weather, ...?

Connection of a flow meter?

Continuation

Computer

Orbit B-hyve Smart Outdoor

Define irrigation triggers?

In Smart Watering mode, triggers for suspending irrigation can be actively influenced; self-created programs cannot be influenced

Using local weather data?

Weather station selectable?

Updating weather data

No information, probably once a day

Integration of your own weather station possible?

Available at no extra charge via integration on the PWSWeather.com website

Seasonal adjustment definable per month?

Suspend watering x days?

Cycle and soak phases?

System decides automatically in Smart Watering mode, no manual setting possible

Lawn growth program?

Start watering run manually?

Define a sensor yourself?

Valve delays definable?

Voice control with

Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant

Ongoing costs?

None

Computer

Orbit B-hyve Smart Outdoor

Define irrigation triggers?

In Smart Watering mode, triggers for suspending irrigation can be actively influenced; self-created programs cannot be influenced

Using local weather data?

Weather station selectable?

Updating weather data

No information, probably once a day

Integration of your own weather station possible?

Available at no extra charge via integration on the PWSWeather.com website

Seasonal adjustment definable per month?

Suspend watering x days?

Cycle and soak phases?

System decides automatically in Smart Watering mode, no manual setting possible

Lawn growth program?

Start watering run manually?

Define a sensor yourself?

Valve delays definable?

Voice control with

Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant

Ongoing costs?

None

Below is further information on some of the points mentioned:

Access options

In addition to access via the app on the cell phone, the software can also be accessed via a desktop computer in the web browser at my.orbitbhyve.com.

Programs/start times/watering duration

With the Orbit B-hyve Smart Hose Watering Timer, up to 3 programs with a maximum of 4 start times and a maximum running time of 240 minutes each are possible. This is one program less than the other Orbit B-hyve computers. The reason for this restriction is unclear, but it won’t matter for 99.9% of users, as you can usually get by with the 3 programs without any problems.

With the 3 programs, each with one zone that can be watered per program, it is fundamentally not possible to use them in combination with an automatic water distributor, because this would require the ability to define 6 independent irrigation runs one after the other. With restrictions, you can still use such a water distributor by programming the missing irrigation runs with additional start times, for example:

• Program 1, 1st start time 2 p.m., running time 50 minutes
• Program 1, 2nd start time 2:55 p.m., running time 50 minutes
• Program 1, 3rd start time 3:50 p.m., running time 50 minutes
• Program 2, 1st start time 4:45 p.m., running time 20 minutes
• Program 2, 2nd start time, 5:10 p.m., running time 20 minutes
• Program 3, 1st start time, 5:35 p.m., running time 10 minutes

In this case there would always be a 5 minute break after the end of one irrigation run until the start of the next one. Restriction: Only one watering duration can be set within a program, so a maximum of 3 different durations are possible. A different duration for each of the six irrigation runs cannot be defined.

Local access to irrigation computers

Direct access to the irrigation computer is also possible via Bluetooth without an existing WiFi connection. To do this you have to be in close proximity to the computer.

Granting access to other users

By generating a code in the program, you can give other users access to the irrigation computer. Be it family members or people who should have temporary access to the computer because of vacation, for example.

Alert notifications

Four different alert notifications can be set up:

• Rain delay
• Completed irrigation
• Device error
• Device switched off

Flow meter

No alert notification can be set up for the flow meter. You cannot therefore use this to secure irrigation in order to be aware if a valve does not open or close properly.

Use of weather data

The system automatically selects a weather station near the entered address. This can be replaced with another weather station. By default, public weather stations are available to choose from; optionally, you can also display or select private weather stations from the website PSWWeather.com. In this way it is also possible to use your own weather station in B-hyve by creating the weather station on PWSWeather.com and then selecting it in B-hyve. There are no additional costs for this.

Define seasonal adjustment (per month)

In Smart Watering mode, the system decides independently whether to increase or reduce the irrigation runtime depending on the season. If you use a manual program, there is no way to specify in advance that it should run shorter in April than in July, for example; you can only specify a percentage adjustment that takes effect immediately. So, for example, from now on only allow 80% of the defined running time to be watered.

Suspend watering x days

Skipping watering can be delayed for a period of 12 hours to 32 days.

Cycle and soak phases

If you choose the intelligent Smart Watering mode, the system automatically divides the irrigation runs into irrigation and soak phases if it makes sense. This is usually the case if the soil is clay soil that is impermeable to water, or if you have a steep slope in the garden. The system gives the soil time to absorb the water properly. If you set programs yourself, no cycle and soak phase function is offered.

Conclusion and recommendation

The Orbit B-hyve Smart Hose Watering Timer makes a decent impression in terms of manufacturing quality and ran almost problem-free in my test: During the test period it happened twice that it did not respond to the command I sent via Wi-Fi, but it worked when I switched to Bluetooth then and a short time later it worked again via WiFi. However, this doesn’t necessarily have to do with the device, but could also have been due to temporary problems with my WiFi connection.

The big opponents are the Gardena Smart Water Control and the LinkTap G2. The Eve Aqua is also in principle an opponent, but in a very limited form, as it has significantly less functionality and no intelligent control options and only works with Apple devices. The big international players Hunter and Rain Bird do not offer smart tap irrigation computers, but only irrigation computers for external solenoid valve switching.

The whole big plus point of the Orbit B-hyve Smart Hose Watering Timer is the price! The computer and hub cost around 85 USD and even has an integrated water flow meter for this price. The LinkTap G2 costs around 160 USD, also including a water flow meter, and the Gardena Smart Water Control costs an impressive 220 to 230 USD, each including the necessary hub/gateway. The B-hyve price is currently unbeatable on the market and offers consumers the opportunity to purchase a smart irrigation computer for reasonable money.

Do you pay for that with worse software? No! Especially compared to the Gardena Smart System, the B-hyve software is the much more ambitious software and it feels like a lot more developer hours have gone into it. Gardena has recently done its homework here and finally integrated the use of weather data into the software. But this was done in a very tentative way, which works but still leaves a lot of room for improvement.

The B-hyve software is a big step further: On the one hand, you can simply use it to remote control your computer from anywhere in the world and store traditional programs via a mobile phone app or in the browser or, alternatively, have the irrigation controlled fully automatically by artificial intelligence (Smart Watering Mode).

The way B-hyve works is that you first describe the garden and the conditions prevailing there as precisely as possible using predefined questions. And then use the system in combination with the weather data obtained from a local weather station, such as rainfall that has already occurred and is still forecast, temperature, humidity and wind speed to determine the irrigation days, times and duration. This doesn’t work optimally in my test at the beginning, but B-hyve allows you to make numerous adjustments to the automatic system so that you can get closer and closer to the desired result.

What you cannot do, or only to a very limited extent, is to use the weather data to adapt manually set programs. So you can’t, for example, schedule a watering run every day and then skip it if it has previously rained a certain amount or if there is a certain probability of a certain amount of rain being forecast for the irrigation day.

If you prefer this approach of specifying the programs yourself and then defining additional weather rules for them, rather than describing the conditions on site and having an autopilot derive the correct program from it using weather data, then the LinkTap G2 may be the better alternative. This offers very useful options in this direction and, in my opinion, is on par with the B-hyve system in terms of software. The LinkTap G2 does even better when it comes to the ability to use automatic notifications: more notification types are offered and you can use the integrated water flow meter in combination with an automatic notification to be notified immediately when water consumption shouldn’t fit. For example, because the irrigation is not running or the valve has not closed properly after the irrigation has ended.

The web-enabled Orbit irrigation computers are a comparatively inexpensive alternative to the irrigation computers from established providers such as Hunter, Rain Bird or Racchio. In this article I put the Orbit B-hyve Smart Outdoor to a practical test and took a closer look at its performance data and the Orbit B-hyve software. I also compare the Orbit B-hyve Smart Outdoor with the two previously tested competitors Hunter Pro HC and Rain Bird ESP-TM2.

Orbit is a US provider of irrigation products that is particularly popular with its irrigation computers. Orbit has a number of computers in its range of both web-enabled and classic irrigation computers without a web connection. The web-enabled computers all use the same B-hyve software.

As with all other alternatives, you need a WiFi connection to use the computer. With the Orbit smart hose timers, an additional WiFi hub is required to connect the devices to the WiFi. It is possible to connect several computers to one hub. The other smart Orbit computers, including the one described here, have WiFi functionality integrated as standard.

In addition to access via WiFi, the computer can also be accessed via Bluetooth. It is controlled via the B-hyve app, which can be downloaded free of charge for Android and Apple iOS devices via Google Play or the Apple App Store. Alternatively, access from the desktop computer via the web browser at my.orbitbhyve.com is also possible.

Orbit smart irrigation computers – Range of products offered

Below is a brief overview of the web-enabled Orbit irrigation computers currently available on the market:

Computer

Orbit B-hyve Smart Hose Timer

Orbit B-hyve XD Smart Hose Timer

Orbit B-hyve Smart Indoor Irrigation Controller

Orbit B-hyve Smart Outdoor Irrigation Controller

Orbit B-hyve XR Smart Sprinkler Timer

Zones

1

1 to 4 outputs depending on the model

4 or 8

6 or 12

8 or 16

Indoor/Outdoor

Outdoor

Outdoor

Indoor

Outdoor

Outdoor

Additional gateway necessary?

Integrated water flow meter?

Programs and start times

3 programs with 4 start times each

4 programs with 4 start times each

4 programs with 4 start times each

4 programs with 4 start times each

4 programs with 4 start times each

Price

$64.99

$69.44

Price not available

$106.47

$127.56

Computer

Orbit B-hyve Smart Hose Timer

Zones

1

Indoor/Outdoor

Outdoor

Additional gateway necessary?

Integrated water flow meter?

Programs and start times

3 programs with 4 start times each

Price

$64.99

Computer

Orbit B-hyve XD Smart Hose Timer

Zones

1 to 4 outputs depending on the model

Indoor/Outdoor

Outdoor

Additional gateway necessary?

Integrated water flow meter?

Programs and start times

4 programs with 4 start times each

Price

$69.44

Computer

Orbit B-hyve Smart Indoor Irrigation Controller

Zones

4 or 8

Indoor/Outdoor

Indoor

Additional gateway necessary?

Integrated water flow meter?

Programs and start times

4 programs with 4 start times each

Price

Price not available

Computer

Orbit B-hyve Smart Outdoor Irrigation Controller

Zones

6 or 12

Indoor/Outdoor

Outdoor

Additional gateway necessary?

Integrated water flow meter?

Programs and start times

4 programs with 4 start times each

Price

$106.47

Computer

Orbit B-hyve XR Smart Sprinkler Timer

Zones

8 or 16

Indoor/Outdoor

Outdoor

Additional gateway necessary?

Integrated water flow meter?

Programs and start times

4 programs with 4 start times each

Price

$127.56

The first two models are irrigation computers that can be connected directly to the tap and through which the water runs. The last three, including the B-hyve Smart Outdoor presented here, are irrigation computers for switching external solenoid valves. In contrast to the cheaper B-hyve Smart Indoor, the outdoor version is weatherproof, so it can also be installed outdoors. The more expensive XR model also supports the modern Dual WiFi radio standard.

For the two hose timer computers you need an additional WiFi hub in order to be able to connect them to the WiFi; this is not necessary for the three other models.

Package contents

In addition to the computer, the box contains a thin operating manual, an information sheet and a small bag with a screwdriver, two keys with which the computer can be locked if necessary, as well as screws and dowels for assembly.

Unlike the Rain Bird and Hunter computers tested, the power cable is included with the Orbit and is already permanently connected.

Package contents B-hyve Smart Outdoor

Back of computer with mounting holes

Side view with outlets for cable entries

With the lid open

After opening the inner lid you gain access to the connection options

The connections in detail (this model has 6 zone connections)

Open battery compartment with 3V battery included

Hardware

Following is an analysis of the structural features of the Orbit B-hyve Smart Outdoor:

Computer

Orbit B-hyve Smart Outdoor

Zones

6 or 12

Indoor/Outdoor

Outdoor

Sensor connection

1 (for normally closed sensor)

Connection for master valve/pump start circuit?

Can it be controlled directly via the computer?

Yes (program creation and basic functions, but no Smart Watering settings)

Lockable?

Additional WiFi module required?

Additional gateway necessary?

Price

$106.47

Computer

Orbit B-hyve Smart Outdoor

Zones

6 or 12

Indoor/Outdoor

Outdoor

Sensor connection

1 (for normally closed sensor)

Connection for master valve/pump start circuit?

Can it be controlled directly via the computer?

Yes (program creation and basic functions, but no Smart Watering settings)

Lockable?

Additional WiFi module required?

Additional gateway necessary?

Price

$106.47

Housing

The B-hyve Smart Outdoor has relatively compact dimensions at 8.7 inches wide, 6.3 inches high and 3.3 inches deep; the housing of the competitor product Hunter Pro-HC, for example, is significantly larger. As with the competition, the case makes a high-quality and stable impression. Nothing wobbles, the door doesn’t hang crooked and opens cleanly. The lock is rather simple and will certainly not withstand professional break-in attempts. However, that is not the usual purpose of such a lock, where the main aim is to prevent children from playing around on the computer or an unfavorable neighbor from disturbing something in passing.

The B-hyve Smart Outdoor is, as the name suggests, suitable for outdoor use. If an indoor model is enough for you, Orbit offers a slightly cheaper alternative with the B-hyve Smart Indoor (Amazon Link) (available for 4 or 8 zones).

Number of zones

A 6 and a 12 zone model is offered. The price difference is not too big. Therefore, if it could be tight with 6 zones or if future expansions are planned, it is better to go for the larger model straight away. The 12 zones should be sufficient for 99% of private users. If not: Of the smart competitors, the Hunter Pro-HC models offer up to 24 zones and the OpenSprinkler even offers up to 72 zones.

Connection option for sensors

There is a sensor connection for a normally closed sensor. Not only sensors offered by Orbit, but also all competitor products that work according to the normally closed principle can be used on the connection. The type of sensor is not restricted, so not only a rain sensor can be used, but also a soil moisture sensor, for example.

The two poles to which the sensor is to be connected are bridged by default with a jumper. If you do not use the sensor connection, it must remain in place, otherwise the computer will assume that the sensor has interrupted the irrigation!

The rain sensor can be activated by pressing the rain delay button for five seconds. It can also be deactivated again in the same way, for example to bypass the sensor if it is not yet dry again but water is still needed again.

Battery

The purpose of the button cell contained in the computer is to ensure that the computer does not lose the time and date when it is unplugged. The programmed settings are saved in non-volatile memory regardless of the battery.

Manual watering

Manual watering can be started with just a few clicks: use the selection wheel to switch to “Manual”, select the zone, set the time and start watering. Alternatively, you can also manually select a specific program.

Rain delay function

The computer has a practical rain suspend function with which you can suspend irrigation for 1 to 32 days at the push of the “Rain Delay” button. This can be an advantage, for example, if you are renovating the garden and therefore do not want to water it for a while. Or if you exceptionally hold a children’s birthday party in the garden this week at the time when the watering is normally running. Irrigation then stops for the defined number of days and then continues again in the rhythm of the programmed irrigation program.

Master valve/pump start circuit connection

A master valve or a pump start circuit can be connected to the connection marked “Pump”. This connection is switched when each zone is activated and deactivated. This gives you the opportunity to install additional protection if the solenoid valves do not close properly.

Monitoring proper valve wiring

Orbit does not specify such a function in its product description, such as the milliampere sensor on Hunter or the automatic short-circuit detection on Rain Bird, which warn you of improper valve wiring. However, one of the automatic notifications states that it warns you if there are problems with the cabling. So there seems to be some monitoring.

Control/programming directly via the computer

The Orbit B-hyve Smart Outdoor can also be easily operated and programmed directly via the computer. This is done with the help of a selection wheel in the middle of which there is a confirmation button and the 4 other buttons “Back”, “Clear” “Prog A, B, C, D” and “Rain Delay”. You can store programs, carry out manual irrigation runs, activate irrigation delays and make seasonal adjustments. What cannot be set directly via the computer, however, are the extensive Smart Watering options; these can only be changed via the app or a web browser.

Display on the watering computer

Additional accessories required to make the computer WiFi ready

Nothing else is required to connect the computer to the in-house WiFi. So no additional WiFi module and no additional gateway. The computer also has a Bluetooth interface, which is particularly practical when setting up the device for the first time and allows you to access the computer via an app even without a WiFi connection.

Installation

The best way to start the installation is to download the app, which will then guide you through all the further steps. The B-hyve app is available for Android and Apple iOS devices and can be downloaded free of charge from the Google Play and Apple App Store. After starting the app, you need to create an account (“Create account” menu item). If you already have a B-hyve account, you can skip this step by logging in with an existing account,

The next step is to enter the name and email address information necessary to create the account and define a password.

Next, you can define whether you want to be informed about events such as irrigation that has taken place or irrigation that has been canceled due to rain delays. What is stored here is not set in stone and can easily be changed later in the program.

If you have purchased the device new, continue with “This is a new device”. Alternatively, there would be the option to continue by entering a code if you want to add a device that is already installed.

Now you have to select the device type that corresponds to your own product.

The computer must then be switched on by plugging in the power cable before continuing to the next point.

The app now finds the irrigation computer and displays it. If it is the correct one, i.e. the MAC address displayed matches the one specified on the inside of the computer, then you can confirm the displayed computer and the connection to the device will be established.

At this point I encountered a small technical problem during the test: the system indicated that the device was already being used in another account, even though I was installing it for the first time. Even after several attempts I couldn’t get to the next point. The only way to fix the problem was to exit the app and go through the installation process again. Then it worked without any problems and the message no longer appeared. This is just a tip if you have a similar problem!

The next step is to select your own Wi-Fi connection from the ones found and enter the Wi-Fi password required for access. This completes the installation. Finally, if necessary, the software contained in the computer is updated with a firmware update.

You now specify the address to be used for weather data use.

All you have to do now is wire the zone outputs with the solenoid valves as stated in the operating instructions to get the irrigation system ready to start (one pole of the solenoid valve to the zone output and a common pole to the com output).

The irrigation computer can now be programmed according to your own requirements. More on this in the next point.

Software

Below you will find an analysis of the B-hyve software used to control the computer. I will present the various functions and setting options of the Orbit B-hyve software in even more detail in a separate article:

Blog post: This is how the Orbit B-hyve software works

Orbit follows a computer-independent approach with its software, as does Hunter with the Hydrawise system: This means that all the possibilities offered by the B-hyve software can be used to their full extent on all B-hyve computers, regardless of the computer model used . In contrast to the Rain Bird software, which when operated via the app only allows what would also be possible when entered directly via the computer interface. You are only logically limited when things are not possible due to a lack of hardware requirements. For example, if the irrigation computer only has one zone output, then logically only one can be used in the program.

Key data on the B-hyve software:

Computer

Orbit B-hyve Smart Outdoor

Software system

B-hyve

App runs on

Apple iOS devices, Google Android devices

Accessible via web browser?

Setup wizard for initial setup?start circuit?

Type of programming

On a program basis

Programs

4 (only the Orbit B-hyve Smart Hose Timer has only 3)

Start times

4

Watering duration

1 to 240 minutes

Types of irrigation

Time-dependent watering plan or Smart Watering Autopilot (system decides independently when, how often and how much to water)

Definition of irrigation templates?

Local access without an internet connection?

Give access to other users?

Assigning different user authorizations?

Yes - access only to basic functions or to advanced functions

Additional functions for contractors?

Warning notifications?

Irrigation calendar?

Reports on irrigation, water consumption, weather, ...?

Connection of a flow meter?

Computer

Orbit B-hyve Smart Outdoor

Software system

B-hyve

App runs on

Apple iOS devices, Google Android devices

Accessible via web browser?

Setup wizard for initial setup?start circuit?

Type of programming

On a program basis

Programs

4 (only the Orbit B-hyve Smart Hose Timer has only 3)

Start times

4

Watering duration

1 to 240 minutes

Types of irrigation

Time-dependent watering plan or Smart Watering Autopilot (system decides independently when, how often and how much to water)

Definition of irrigation templates?

Local access without an internet connection?

Give access to other users?

Assigning different user authorizations?

Yes - access only to basic functions or to advanced functions

Additional functions for contractors?

Warning notifications?

Irrigation calendar?

Reports on irrigation, water consumption, weather, ...?

Connection of a flow meter?

Continuation

Computer

Orbit B-hyve Smart Outdoor

Define irrigation triggers?

In Smart Watering mode, triggers for suspending irrigation can be actively influenced; self-created programs cannot be influenced

Using local weather data?

Weather station selectable?

Updating weather data

No information, probably once a day

Integration of your own weather station possible?

Available at no extra charge via integration on the PWSWeather.com website

Seasonal adjustment definable per month?

Suspend watering x days?

Cycle and soak phases?

System decides automatically in Smart Watering mode, no manual setting possible

Lawn growth program?

Start watering run manually?

Define a sensor yourself?

Master valve useable?

Valve delays definable?

Voice control with

Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant

Ongoing costs?

None

Computer

Orbit B-hyve Smart Outdoor

Define irrigation triggers?

In Smart Watering mode, triggers for suspending irrigation can be actively influenced; self-created programs cannot be influenced

Using local weather data?

Weather station selectable?

Updating weather data

No information, probably once a day

Integration of your own weather station possible?

Available at no extra charge via integration on the PWSWeather.com website

Seasonal adjustment definable per month?

Suspend watering x days?

Cycle and soak phases?

System decides automatically in Smart Watering mode, no manual setting possible

Lawn growth program?

Start watering run manually?

Define a sensor yourself?

Master valve useable?

Valve delays definable?

Voice control with

Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant

Ongoing costs?

None

Below are further details on some of the points mentioned:

Access options

Access is possible via the app on Google and Apple devices. You can also log into your account using the web browser on your desktop PC at my.orbitbhyve.com and access the irrigation computer.

Different watering modes

If you create programs on your own, programming is done in the classic way on a program basis. If you activate “Smart Watering” instead and let the system water on autopilot, then the zone is defined in detail and there is no need to create a program. The system then decides independently on which day, at what time and for how long it will carry out irrigation runs. However, this freedom can be restricted with additional smart settings (exclude certain days or times from watering). You can also intervene in the logic of when irrigation runs are skipped by adjusting the underlying percentages and limit values. One drawback is that you cannot use smart watering logic with self-created programs, which is certainly possible in the Hunter Hydrawise system.

Programs/start times/watering duration

With 4 programs, 4 start times and a maximum watering time per run of 240 minutes, 99% of users will probably be satisfied. These things rarely represent a bottleneck in practice.

Use of irrigation templates

All created programs are also saved as templates and you can save additional ones. For example, it is possible to save your own program for newly sown lawns that you can then use as needed.

Local access to irrigation computers

The computer can be accessed via Bluetooth even without an existing WiFi connection. To do this you have to be in close proximity to the computer. However, this access requires a connection to the Internet, otherwise the app cannot be started. So you don’t need WiFi, but you do need web access on your cell phone to access the irrigation computer via Bluetooth!

Granting access to other users

In the program you can create a code that allows other users to access the irrigation computer. A distinction can be made between two authorization levels. The “Guest” access code allows the user to use the essential functions of the device; with the “Manager” access code the user has all rights. Unlike the Rain Bird system, a time limit on access is not possible.

Alert notifications

There are 4 different alert notifications available: Rain Delay, Watering Complete, Timer Error and Device Power Off. You can activate or deactivate these individually in the software. Compared to Hydrawise and the Rain Bird system, which allow 9 and 8 different notifications respectively, this functionality is currently rather modest.

Flow meter

A flow meter can only be integrated into the system by integrating a Flume Account; this is not possible directly via the irrigation computer and there are no warning notifications in the event of a leak or if irrigation cannot be carried out as planned due to a lack of water. This is better solved in the Hydrawise software, where practically every flow meter available on the market can be connected.

Use of weather data

Based on the location stored in the system, local weather data is used for Smart Watering mode. Unlike Hunter Hydrawise, it is not possible to trace which weather service is used and exactly which data is obtained. The local weather station used, however, is transparent and the user has the opportunity to select the desired station from the available stations. Weather stations from PWSWeather.com are available here. A very positive thing is the possibility of integrating your own weather station for free via PSWWeather.com, which costs extra with Hydrawise.

Define seasonal adjustment (per month)

The system does this automatically in Smart Watering mode. If you create a program yourself, then you have no option in B-hyve to store a seasonal adjustment for the different months. You can only increase or reduce the program runtime by a certain factor at the current time, so that the change takes effect immediately.

Suspend watering x days

You have the option at any time to suspend irrigation for 12 hours to 32 days.

Cycle and soak phases

In the Smart Watering Autopilot, the system independently divides the irrigation into irrigation and soak phases, so, for example, only irrigates for 20 minutes and then takes a 10-minute break to allow the water to completely seep in. If you define programs yourself, you have no option to use a cycle and soak phase function.

Conclusion and recommendation

At around 80 USD, the Orbit B-hyve Smart Outdoor is significantly cheaper than the Rain Bird ESP-TM2 with an additional WiFi module and the Hunter Pro-HC that I previously tested. With the Rain Bird ESP-TM2 + module you have to expect around 220 USD, with the Hunter Pro-HC it is in the 300 USD range.

You don’t notice this in the computer’s hardware: the case, like the competitors, makes a high-quality impression and is even lockable like the Hunter Pro-HC. It is also slightly smaller and more compact than its competitors. Compared to the high-end Hunter Pro-HC irrigation computer, the only thing missing is the second sensor output. The control and operation directly via the irrigation computer is, in my opinion, a little more user-friendly than with Rain Bird and Hunter, thanks to the comparatively large display screen and the selection wheel.

There’s also not much to complain about when it comes to software: In my opinion, the B-hyve system clearly outshines the Rain Bird Smart Watering System and offers far more options. Also, unlike the Rain Bird system, it can also be accessed via the normal web browser and there are no restrictions in the software depending on the computer model used, all B-hyve computers have all software options.

In comparison to the Hydrawise system from Hunter, B-hyve remains second in my opinion: Hydrawise offers much more precise and extensive options for using intelligent irrigation options tailored to your own ideas for irrigation. B-hyve’s Smart Watering mode carries out its automatic watering based on the irrigation and garden characteristics defined by the user for each zone. The whole thing happens in a black box that is incomprehensible to the user and the result in my test was not such that I was satisfied with it. Irrigation runs have been skipped far too carelessly and the system rains whenever it suits the system. But you can get these things under control with other smart settings that are a little more hidden in the system. Take a look at my extensive article on the B-hyve system! This ultimately results in a very useful autopilot. I still prefer the transparent and 1:1 comprehensible rules of Hydrawise, which, unlike B-hyve, can also be applied in manual mode. Hydrawise remains my favorite when it comes to intelligent weather control.

In comparison to Hydrawise, there is also no option to define sensors yourself. This is an important issue for those who plan to use sensors for irrigation control and for those who plan to use a flow meter.

Conclusion: Whether you like the B-hyve system more or prefer the one from Hydrawise is certainly partly a matter of taste. In any case, B-hyve has a clear advantage over the Rain Bird Smart Watering System and also over the Gardena Smart System. Especially when you put the performance in relation to the price, which is significantly lower than its competitors, the Orbit B-hyve Smart Outdoor really offers a lot for its money. A very good alternative if you want a good computer with smart watering functionality without having to dig too deep into your wallet.

In this article I describe how the Orbit B-hyve system works, which is used in all web-enabled Orbit irrigation computers. This allows the irrigation computer to be programmed and operated from anywhere in the world via app or web browser and includes additional functionalities for intelligently controlling irrigation depending on weather and other events.

The article has become a little longer because the software contains very extensive options and I tried to describe them in as much detail as possible in order to provide a deep insight into the system. If you are only interested in individual details, then I have provided a table of contents in which you can jump directly to the points that are of interest to you. You can find my conclusion and a comparison with the previously tested systems from competitors Hunter, Rain Bird, Gardena and LinkTap at the very end of the article.

Orbit B-hyve product overview

The B-hyve software is currently used in the following five Orbit smart irrigation computers:

Computer

Orbit B-hyve Smart Hose Timer

Orbit B-hyve XD Smart Hose Timer

Orbit B-hyve Smart Indoor Irrigation Controller

Orbit B-hyve Smart Outdoor Irrigation Controller

Orbit B-hyve XR Smart Sprinkler Timer

Zones

1

1 to 4 outputs depending on the model

4 or 8

6 or 12

8 or 16

Indoor/Outdoor

Outdoor

Outdoor

Indoor

Outdoor

Outdoor

Additional gateway necessary?

Integrated water flow meter?

Programs and start times

3 programs with 4 start times each

4 programs with 4 start times each

4 programs with 4 start times each

4 programs with 4 start times each

4 programs with 4 start times each

Price

$64.99

$69.44

Price not available

$106.47

$127.56

Computer

Orbit B-hyve Smart Hose Timer

Zones

1

Indoor/Outdoor

Outdoor

Additional gateway necessary?

Integrated water flow meter?

Programs and start times

3 programs with 4 start times each

Price

$64.99

Computer

Orbit B-hyve XD Smart Hose Timer

Zones

1 to 4 outputs depending on the model

Indoor/Outdoor

Outdoor

Additional gateway necessary?

Integrated water flow meter?

Programs and start times

4 programs with 4 start times each

Price

$69.44

Computer

Orbit B-hyve Smart Indoor Irrigation Controller

Zones

4 or 8

Indoor/Outdoor

Indoor

Additional gateway necessary?

Integrated water flow meter?

Programs and start times

4 programs with 4 start times each

Price

Price not available

Computer

Orbit B-hyve Smart Outdoor Irrigation Controller

Zones

6 or 12

Indoor/Outdoor

Outdoor

Additional gateway necessary?

Integrated water flow meter?

Programs and start times

4 programs with 4 start times each

Price

$106.47

Computer

Orbit B-hyve XR Smart Sprinkler Timer

Zones

8 or 16

Indoor/Outdoor

Outdoor

Additional gateway necessary?

Integrated water flow meter?

Programs and start times

4 programs with 4 start times each

Price

$127.56

The B-hyve Smart Hose Timer and B-hyve XD Smart Hose Timer are water-flowing irrigation computers that are suitable for attaching to a faucet. The other three models are irrigation computers for solenoid valve control. These do not come into contact with water, but open and close connected solenoid valves through which the water flows.

Depending on which type of Orbit B-hyve irrigation computer is used, operating and programming the computer is also possible in a limited form directly on the device, or only via the app or web browser.

Main menu/navigation of the software

Navigation through the program is done using the following menu bar with 5 program items:

Help Symbol

• Calendar: Provides a calendar overview of the planned and already carried out irrigation runs.
• Program: Up to 4 irrigation runs (A, B, C, D) can be set up here.
• Home: Home page when opening the app. Here you can see the next planned irrigation runs and can start manual irrigation or set a rain delay.
• Zones: Here you can set up the irrigation zones and optionally make Smart Watering settings for the zone.
• My B-hyve: There are a variety of settings hidden here, e.g. for the B-hyve account, the device used, Smart Watering, automatic notifications and much more.

In the program you will encounter the following question mark symbol in numerous places. If you click on it, you will see further information on a topic.

Help Symbol

Set up zones

When you select the “Zones” menu item, a certain number of possible zones are displayed, depending on the computer model used. A zone corresponds to a sector output on the irrigation computer, whereby zone 1 also corresponds to output 1, zone 2 to output 2, etc. etc. So, for example, if you have planned 5 irrigation sectors in your garden, then zones 1 to 5 would have to be created. With the watering computer B-hyve Smart Hose Timer, which only has one output, there is only one zone to define.

The zone can be activated by clicking on the plus symbol. If you then click on it again, the zone settings can be made:

• Name of the zone (ideally as descriptive as possible so that you can tell from the name which sector it is (e.g. “lawn in front of the house” or “vegetable patch” or “strip of grass behind the house”)
• optional: A picture of the zone (not really necessary, but nice to see in everyday use)
• Activation/deactivation of Smart Watering for the zone (more on this in the chapter “Smart Watering Zone Settings”)
• Smart Zone details (only required when using Smart Watering, see chapter “Smart Watering Zone Settings”)
• Watering events (nothing can be actively entered here. As soon as the zone has been assigned to a watering program or Smart Watering has been activated, it will be listed here when the next watering is planned or the last one took place)
• Specify soil moisture (also only required when using Smart Watering, see chapter “Smart Watering zone settings”
• Test (by clicking on the test link at the top right, irrigation for the zone can be activated for a few minutes as a test)

To create a simple zone without a Smart Watering function, you basically only need to assign the name of the zone:

When using an Orbit B-hyve smart hose timer that has an integrated water flow meter, the zone menu also displays information about the zone’s water consumption (in gallons or liters per minute) and you also have the option of resetting the water flow calibrate. This calibrated value is used to extrapolate the water flow for manually executed irrigation runs, but has no effect on the actual measured water flow.

If you want to control the irrigation computer in the classic way with a program you specify yourself, then you should now continue with the point “Setting up programs”. If you would like to have the zone watered independently using artificial intelligence instead, then the necessary Smart Watering settings must be made in the zone as described in the next point. There is no need to create a program for such zones, as they would otherwise be watered twice (once with the manually created program and once due to the Smart Watering automatic).

Make Smart Watering settings for the zone

Orbit B-hyve offers the option of having irrigation carried out fully automatically by the artificial intelligence included in the program. The system then autonomously decides on which days and times to irrigate or when irrigation is to be omitted, as well as the length of the irrigation runs. It does this with an algorithm that uses the following three types of data:

Weather data and irrigation data

Using its WeatherSense™ technology, B-hyve obtains local weather data. If there is a 30% chance of rain forecast for today, the system will skip the irrigation run (this percentage can be adjusted). Based on the irrigation runs that have taken place in the past, the system also knows how much water the lawn has already received and when it was last watered and takes these parameters into account in the planning.

Type and slope of the soil

Different types of soil absorb water at different rates. The B-hyve automatic takes this into account when planning the irrigation duration and frequency and, for example, waters sandy soils at a denser rhythm than clay soils because they cannot hold water for as long. In addition, the water can be better absorbed into the soil in flat gardens than on slopes, where some of it drains away before penetrating the earth. In order for these factors to be taken into account correctly, the B-hyve system must be fed with some information about the garden.

Type of plants and evaporation

From the information about what type of plant is being watered in the sector, the system determines what water requirement this type of plant has. Based on temperature, humidity and wind speed, it calculates how quickly the water will evaporate. The higher the evaporation, the greater the water requirement of the plant.

Saving the Smart Watering settings works as follows.
Calling up the “Zone Detail” menu item:

As detailed as possible information about the garden and the irrigation system must now be stored here in order to give the system the best possible working basis.

1. Define soil type

   Here you have to choose the one that comes closest to your own from 6 types of soil:

   

   By default, “Unknown” is selected, with a intake rate of 0.35 inches/hour, which corresponds to a clay soil. If your own soil is sandier or more clayey, then it needs to be changed accordingly.
   If you know more about the soil and can quantify the infiltration rate exactly, you can enter this yourself in the advanced settings:

   

   Impact: A higher infiltration rate increases the maximum possible running time as it reduces the risk that the soil will not be able to fully absorb the water.

2. Define plant species

   There are 6 different plant types to choose from:

   

   If you want to add a lawn, you should define “warm turf” in areas where it doesn’t freeze in winter, otherwise “cool turf”! Each type of plant is assigned a specific root zone depth, for warm climate lawns this is 6 inches. Here too, you can precisely determine the root zone depth in the advanced settings.

   Effect: A greater root zone depth leads to longer watering intervals and longer running times. In this way, the soil can be supplied with enough water so that it is moistened right down to the root zone. The type of plant selected has an impact on the estimated water requirement; for a lawn this is higher than for desert plants, for example.

3. Determine type of irrigation

   This point is about determining the precipitation rate, i.e. how much water the sprinklers or micro-irrigation system used release per hour. This rate is expressed in inches per hour. The system offers 3 different irrigation types to choose from:

   

   The first group includes spray sprinklers, which release a very large amount of water in a short time, the second includes gear sprinklers, which have a significantly lower precipitation rate, and the third includes irrigation with a drip hose. Here it is definitely advisable to use the advanced settings to determine the precipitation rate in detail, because the rates stored for the three groups are very imprecise and can vary greatly depending on the system actually used and amount to several times or even just a fraction!

   For example, with the sprinkler I recommend in the blog, the Hunter MP Rotator, the precipitation rate is only about 0.4 inches per hour, i.e. about half of the value assumed here. You can find an overview of the precipitation rate for common sprinklers in the sprinkler performance data overview offered here on the website.

   Impact: A higher precipitation rate leads to a shorter runtime because the soil must be able to absorb the water.

4. Define number of hours of sunshine

   This point is about how sunny or shady the zone is. You can choose between a more shady and a more sunny garden, with anything under 6 hours of direct sunlight per day being considered a shady garden and anything above that being considered a sunny garden:

   

   In the advanced settings you can define the hours of sunshine even more precisely.

   Impact: This point has an impact on the calculation of evaporation and consequently on the calculated water requirement. The more sun, the higher the water requirement. In addition, more sun means longer running times.

5. Determining how much of the natural rain arrives in the zone

   For most zones this will be complete rain, i.e. 100%. However, it could also be that the zone is in a covered area or that only part of the rainfall reaches the zone due to certain structural conditions. Normally you leave the setting here at “Most of the rain”, otherwise you switch to “Some of the rain” (corresponds to 40%) or, if there is no rain at all, to “None of the rain”:

   

   In the advanced settings you can again specify this in detail (0 to 100%).

   Impact: Has an impact on the calculated water requirement. The more natural rainfall there is, the less additional water is required.

6. Determination of the slope of the terrain

   At this point you determine whether the zone is flat or sloped:

   

   In the advanced settings you can define the inclination in detail

   Effect: The flatter the terrain, the longer the maximum possible running time, as there is then less risk of the water running off unused.

7. Determination of the drought factor

   The Drought Index is used in the United States to predict the likelihood of wildfires. You can look up which factor applies to you in the B-hyve software using a US map; there is no information for areas outside the USA. The correct setting should then usually be “None”, i.e. no drought.

   

   An exact setting would also be possible here in the advanced settings.

   Impact: The impact of the drought factor is not clearly stated, but it probably affects the spacing between irrigations and water requirements.

In addition to these 7 points in which the Smart Watering settings can be made, there are three further points in the Smart Zone Details:

• Advanced Details
• Schedule adjustments
• Catch cup test

Below is a description:

Advanced Smart Zone Details

Here you can see a compilation of a total of 13 parameters, which on the one hand reflect the seven previously made settings and on the other hand additional ones that are based on these. By changing these parameters, you can influence the calculated water requirements, the intervals at which watering occurs and how long the irrigation times are. The first four parameters that influence the amount of water are application rate, efficiency, plant factor and microclimate factor.

If you change parameters already known from the 7 points mentioned above, such as the root zone depth, then this change is directly reflected in the correspondending menu item. So it makes no difference whether you change the setting here or there.

However, two of the parameters can only be changed in the Advanced Details: Efficiency and Management Allowed Depletion (reflects the desired soil-water deficit at the time of irrigation).

Image excerpt from the extended details:

Extended Smart Watering Details

Watering schedule adjustments

Based on the values entered, the B-hyve system uses an algorithm to estimate the frequency with which irrigation will take place and the running time that the irrigation runs will have. Both values are not constant, but change depending on the weather conditions during a season. You can see this estimate in the watering schedule adjustment menu:

Irrigation schedule estimates of the system

The system would therefore not water at all from January to April and from September to December and would water every 3 days in the warm months. A watering run would last approximately 25 minutes and would be carried out in one cycle, i.e. not divided into multiple cycles.

If you now observe that the system leaves a too small or too large gap between the individual irrigation runs, i.e. waters again when it is not yet necessary or desired, or waits too long to water, so that the lawn or plants suffers, then you can shorten or increase the interval so that watering occurs at smaller or larger intervals. This setting has no influence on the months in which watering takes place.

Set watering more or less frequently than estimated by the system:

If you move the slider to the left, watering will occur more frequently in a month, for example 4 times instead of 3 times. If you move it to the right, you will water less frequently. To the same extent, the running time of irrigation is reduced or increased, so that this change has no effect on the total amount of water used, the water is just used differently.

If instead you observe that the intervals would be ok in principle, but the running time is too short to supply the zone with sufficient water, or, conversely, unnecessarily long so that water is wasted, then you can adjust the running time of the irrigation. This change does not affect the intervals and therefore increases or decreases water consumption 1 to 1.

This is how you can set a longer or shorter running time:

In the example, the system estimates a running time of 25 minutes. With this the efficiency would be 75%. 100% would be the theoretically possible optimal efficiency, in which as much as is necessary is poured precisely. However, exhausting this is associated with a very high risk that the plants will temporarily receive too little water and suffer as a result, so it makes more sense to take a certain reserve into account. The B-hyve system automatically sets to 75% efficiency. If you extend or shorten the running time using the slider, this reduces or increases the efficiency of the irrigation and at the same time the water consumption for the zone.

Catch cup test

This menu item has no direct influence on the B-hyve system. It contains a test that can be used to determine the precipitation rate and the uniformity of irrigation and, as a result, reveal potential for improvement in terms of uniform irrigation. Suitable collecting containers are required to carry out the test. How the test works is explained in detail in the app.

In order for the Smart Watering to work, it now only needs to be activated:

In order to have the most correct starting point possible for planning the irrigation runs, the current soil moisture level in the zone must finally be estimated. In my experience, you would have around 80 to 90% if the soil was completely moistened up to the root zone after an extensive irrigation run or rain shower, and only 20 or 30% if the soil had not received any water for a few days. If you are unsure, 50% is probably a good compromise.

Set restrictions for smart watering

If you activate Smart Watering for a zone, the system basically decides independently on which day and at what time watering runs are carried out. That can work for you. Or not, if, for example, you are subject to certain restrictions in the garden on which days you can water or you consciously want to have the watering carried out at certain times or days. Or you might want to exclude certain days or times because you want to use the garden on those days.

B-hyve gives you the opportunity to restrict the automatic system according to your wishes. These options are hidden in the program menu under the “Smart” menu item:

Clicking on it takes you to a page that shows you which zones are currently being watered with Smart Watering and where you can set a preferred start time for the automatic system:

The system will – as far as the automatic system allows – orientate itself to this preferred start time, but is not guaranteed to adhere to it. If you want to be absolutely sure that irrigation runs are not carried out on certain days or at certain times of the day, then these values must be stored as restrictions. This is done by clicking on the “Smart Watering restrictions” link:

In the following mask, a certain from/to period can be excluded from irrigation and it can be precisely defined on which days irrigation can take place and on which not. In my example, I have excluded watering for the period from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and specified that watering is not allowed on Sundays:

Fine tuning of the Smart Watering events that suspend watering

This important setting can be found quite hidden in the My B-hyve menu under Devices and Weather Adjustmens. In Smart Watering mode, the B-hyve system monitors rainfall, wind and temperature and decides based on this whether a planned irrigation run takes place or is cancelled. This works with the limit values and probabilities listed here in the settings. Irrigation is suspended if the following applies:

• If there is a 30% chance that it will rain and at least 0.16 inches of precipitation is expected.
• If the forecast wind speed exceeds 20 mph
• If the forecast temperature is below 37 degrees Fahrenheit

If one of these events occurs, the suspension of the run is stored and announced in the home menu. If you want, the suspension can also be canceled so that the irrigation run takes place as planned.

If these standard probabilities and limit values turn out to be unsuitable for your own practice, you can adapt them here according to your own ideas. They influence the Smart Watering mode and do not interfere with manually created programs. Even with manually created programs, however, if one of the events occurs, you will be shown on your cell phone an option to suspend the planned watering run at the push of a button.

Choosing a weather station

The B-hyve system automatically selects a weather station near the user’s address from which the current weather data is obtained for smart irrigation control. In order for the station selection to work, the address where the irrigation computer is used must be entered in advance in the My B-hyve menu under the device details and a name for the irrigation computer must be specified. The program doesn’t indicate this anywhere, so you may only come across it if the smart irrigation doesn’t work.

To set the address, simply click in the address field and the system can then determine the current position using the GPS function of the cell phone.

The weather station selected by the system can be changed to another station by the user in the device details in the Weather Adjustments sub-item.

Click on “Select Weather Station”:

A Google map section around the specified address is displayed. The station marked with the B-hyve logo is the weather station closest to the address automatically selected by the system. Alternatively, another public weather station can be selected. If you activate the slider under “Personal Weather Stations”, private weather stations registered with PWSWeather.com will also be available for selection.

In this way it would also be possible to use your own personal weather station in B-hyve. To do this, it must be created in advance on the PWSWeather.com website in order to be available for selection here. Unlike the Hydrawise software, there are no additional costs for using your personal weather station.

Set up programs

The prerequisite for setting up a program is the prior creation of at least one zone. If the zone is already watered automatically with Smart Watering, then no additional program needs to be created. But you can of course have some of the zones watered automatically with Smart Watering and store a manually created program for the other part. If Smart Watering is in use for at least one of the zones, then this will be displayed at the top of the program menu:

A program can be imagined as similar to a washing program in a washing machine. In this, different phases are run through one after the other (washing, rinsing, spinning); instead in the irrigation program, selected zones are processed from the specified start time. All zones directly one after the other and for the time period specified for this zone. A program could, for example, consist of:

• 50 minutes Zone 1 (lawn part 1)
• 50 minutes Zone 2 (lawn part 2)
• 35 minutes Zone 3 (shady lawn)
• 120 minutes Zone 4 (hedge)

The program requires one or more start times and one or more days of the week on which it should run. For example, if you set Monday as the day of the week for the above program and 6:00 a.m. as the start time, then the watering of zone 1 would begin on Monday at 6:00 a.m. and the program would end up 4 hours and 15 minutes later at 10:15 a.m.

B-hyve offers 4 programs A, B, C and D. Only when using the Orbit B-hyve Smart Hose Timer only 3 programs are possible for reasons I cannot understand. However, I saw in older videos on the web that other B-hyve models, for which 4 programs are now possible, were previously limited to 3 programs too. The B-hyve hose timer so may also be increased to 4 programs in the future.

Up to 4 start times can be defined for each of the programs. An additional start time means that the same program is carried out a second time on the same day. This is usually not an issue when watering the lawn. On the contrary, the principle applies: water less frequently but water properly! But when reseeding a lawn it is usually necessary. Since the lawn seeds can dry out very quickly, it is recommended to water up to 4 times a day for a few minutes in the first few weeks so that the seeds always remain slightly moist. Even sensitive potted plants in exposed locations may need to be watered several times a day.

A program is activated by tapping on the program slot. You then get to the program settings menu.

The following settings must be made:

1. 1. Program name:
      A name that is as descriptive as possible helps you to distinguish between the programs when you create several programs. In this case, I create the “Lawn” program, which should contain the zones defined as lawns:
   2. Start time:
      A program requires a mandatory start time at which it begins to run. At the start of the start time, the program begins with the first zone assigned to the program and then all other assigned zones are processed in the defined order without interruption. A maximum of 4 start times can be defined. In my example of watering normal lawns, one start time is enough for me. Click on Add start time:

      Select start time:

      

      By clicking OK the start time is added:

      

   3. Zones:
      Here you define which zones in the program should be irrigated. At least one zone must be selected, the maximum possible is the number of zones present in the irrigation system, whereby each zone can only be selected once within a program. It is therefore not possible for example to water zone 1 at the very beginning and then again at the end of the program. In my case, I select the lawn zones for my lawn program. I water the two sunny areas for 50 and 55 minutes, and 30 minutes is enough for the shadier zone. The maximum possible runtime of the system is 4 hours, the shortest possible 1 minute.
      Click on Change/Add Zone:

      Select the desired zone:

      

      Set the zone’s run time:

      

      After repeating this process for the two additional lawn zones, a total of 3 zones are added to my irrigation program:

      

   4. Watering days
      Here you can either select one or more days of the week or set it to rain every other day on odd or even days. The third alternative is to freely specify the watering interval. Here you can choose between every 1 day (= daily) to every 32 days. In my case, watering once a week on Monday is enough for me. Select the desired day(s):
   5. Program schedule
      Normally you will not need this and you can leave the setting unchanged (= without a time limit). In special cases, e.g. a growth program for a freshly sown lawn, it can be helpful to limit the program to a specific date. Both the day on which it should start and the day on which it should end can be freely selected. In my case, I leave the setting unlimited:
   6. Seasonal adjustment
      This point is called “Watering Budget” in the B-hyve system. Without prior knowledge, you won’t be able to figure out what you can set here. It is used to be able to adjust the irrigation duration very quickly without having to change the program.
      By default, the budget is set to 100%, which means that the water will be irrigated for exactly as long as defined in point 3. Normally you set this running time for the hottest time of the year, so my set 55 minute running time would be for mid-summer. However, not all months are as hot as in midsummer and in March or April, for example, it is enough to water the lawn for less time.
      In my example, if you only want to water zone C for 15 minutes instead of 30 minutes, then you can change the irrigation budget from 100% to 50%. If you want to water twice as long, change from 100% to 200%. Settings between 10% and 200% are possible. In my case, I leave the budget at 100% at the moment.

The lawn program is now created. Up to 3 additional programs can be defined. In my case, I let the fourth zone, the vegetable patch, run in its own separate program because it has to be watered at a different rhythm than the lawn zones. After creating this additional program, two finished programs will finally be displayed in the program menu:

Save program templates

B-hyve offers the ability to save templates for programs for later use.

To do this, select the menu item “Saved Programs” in the program menu. All previously created templates will now be displayed. These also include the two previously created programs, which were automatically saved as a template, and an additional program template that I defined for newly created lawns. By clicking on the plus symbol you can create another template. The system works in the same way as described previously when creating a program.

Irrigation calendar

The Calendar menu shows a monthly overview of when the next irrigation programs will take place and on which days in the past they took place. The programs are displayed with the colors known from the program menu, so that you can easily see at a glance which program is running when. By clicking on a day, detailed information about the program such as start time, running time and zones included are displayed.

Irrigation history

This menu item can be found under My B-hyve. Here you can track the number of minutes that were watered on a daily, weekly, monthly or yearly basis. This makes it easy to compare whether you have saved water or not compared to the previous year or month and see which programs or zones use the most water.

If the Orbit irrigation computer you are using has an integrated water flow meter, as is the case with the Orbit B-hyve Smart Hose Timer (Amazon Link), then the actual water consumption in gallons is also displayed. For the other B-Hyve models that do not have an integrated flow meter, Orbit offers an option to integrate a flow meter by coupling it to a Flume account. Flume is a provider of a smart flow sensor.

Home page

When you open the app, the home menu is automatically started. The next planned program run is displayed here.
In addition, the home menu contains the menu items “Rain Delay” and “Water Manually”. I will describe their functionality below.
There are two options hidden behind the WiFi symbol at the top left:

• Control the irrigation computer via Bluetooth
• Adjust the Wi-Fi settings

The first might be necessary if you don’t have Wi-Fi reception. Then you can operate the B-hyve Computer via Bluetooth instead. For this to work, you have to be in close proximity to the computer. Adjusting the Wi-Fi settings becomes necessary, for example, if you change your Wi-Fi provider or change your Wi-Fi password.

At the top right there is also a symbol for the current weather as well as the daily high and low temperature.

Start manual watering run

By clicking on the “Water Manually” menu item in the home menu, a spontaneous watering run can be started regardless of the programming. There are 3 options to choose from:

• Water one or more zones
• Water all zones
• Run a program

To water a single zone, simply click on the zone name and then set the watering duration. If you then click on the play icon, the irrigation will be carried out. If you click on the tick icon instead, the zone with the specified time period will only be selected in the first step and you can add further zones. By clicking on the play icon at the bottom, watering will be carried out for all selected zones for the specified period of time. When using a B-hyve Smart Hose Timer with an integrated water flow meter, the system will show you how many gallons of water it will use before the irrigation run starts.

To run a program, click on the “Programs” link at the top right and select the desired program. The program is played in the length specified in the program and with the assigned zones.

Once a manual irrigation has been started, it can be stopped at any time by clicking on the stop button. When watering manually, you can also set a watering suspension for a desired number of days for the irrigated zone by clicking on the rain delay button, so that it is not watered a second time by a scheduled program.

Suspend the irrigation run manually (rain delay)

This option is practical if you do not want to carry out a scheduled watering run for certain reasons, for example because you did it manually as an exception. Or if, for some other reason, you absolutely want to prevent watering from being carried out in the next x hours or x days and you don’t want to change the programming specifically for this. To suspend irrigation, click on the Rain Delay menu item in the home menu and select the desired duration between 12 hours and 32 days.

Enable/disable automatic notifications

The system offers the option of activating automatic notification for 4 events:

• There is a rain delay (watering run is skipped)
• An irrigation run has been completed
• The irrigation computer cannot run a program due to an error (e.g. communication problems or damaged wires)
• The irrigation computer has been turned off

The notifications are sent to the cell phone as push notifications. For this to work, the “Activate notifications” option must be activated in the Notifications menu item in the My B-hyve menu and the events you want to be notified about must also be activated:

Change B-hyve account settings

The name and password stored in the system can be changed under My B-hyve/B-hyve account. It is also possible to change the units from the imperial to the metric system and vice versa. So if centimeters and liters are incorrectly displayed instead of inches and gallons, this can be changed here.

B-hyve can also be integrated into Google Home, Alexa and Flume here.

Change B-hyve device settings

I have already described the most important setting options hidden here under My B-hyve/Devices with the “Smart Watering Restrictions”, “Fine-tuning of Smart Watering Events” and “Selecting the Weather Station” earlier in the article. Apart from that, there are also the Wi-Fi settings and the ability to control via Bluetooth, both of which can also be carried out via the home menu and you can switch off the computer from here, initiate an update of the software on the device or remove the device from the app.

A function that makes sense in practice is to automatically switch the system on and off on a specific date. In this way you can ensure that the irrigation computer is switched off before winter and then automatically wakes up again in time for the start of the new season. You only need to define the switch-on and switch-off date once and you can then have it repeated every year on the same date.

The device sharing function is also important here, as it allows you to give other people access to the irrigation computer. For this purpose, an access code can be generated for managers (have extensive rights) or guests (can only carry out operating functions) and passed on to the desired person. By entering this code into the app, the person then gains access to the irrigation computer.

When using a B-hyve smart hose timer with an integrated water flow meter, the menu item “Preset running time” is additionally displayed. This can be used to determine how long the irrigation will run if it is not started via the software but directly on the irrigation computer by pressing the on/off button. By default, 10 minutes are stored here.

Conclusion and comparison

At first glance, the B-hyve software seems quite unspectacular with its five menu items and seems limited to the essential functions. However, this first impression is deceptive, as the submenu items contain a lot of functionality that gives you numerous customization options.

You don’t have to use these options: If you want, you can easily save a classic irrigation program. And limit the smart functionality to the fact that you can start or cancel your irrigation from anywhere in the world and are always and everywhere informed about the current status of the irrigation. This means you can keep watering at home under control even when you’re on vacation.

If you want to exploit the possibilities of smart control, you can alternatively use the Smart Watering mode. In this case, you define the conditions at the location as precisely as possible and leave it to the artificial B-hyve intelligence to create the most effective program possible. The software then decides on which days and at what time the irrigation takes place, as well as how long the runs last and whether everything is done in one run or the run is divided into several shorter runs for better infiltration. This is referred to as cycle and soak phases. How the whole thing happens is basically a black box and can only be understood to a very limited extent.

Since this auto-logic will not produce perfectly usable results in all cases or because you would like to decide or at least limit certain things yourself, such as the time at which watering takes place, B-hyve offers a few options for intervening in the automatic system. So if the automatic processes do not work as expected, you can change the stored limit values that influence the auto-logic. So if the lawn turns brown because B-hyve skips too many irrigation runs, you can, for example, specify that irrigation runs will only be skipped when there is a higher probability of rain or when more rain is expected.

B-hyve’s Smart Watering mode is roughly equivalent to Hydrawise’s Smart (ET) schedule mode, although B-hyve even has a small advantage here, as you can enter more parameters for irrigation and the plants, giving the system a finer basis for decision-making. If you don’t want to worry too much about your watering and want to let the system do it yourself, then this is the ideal mode.

The B-hyve software itself generally makes a good impression, the interface is designed to be quite user-friendly and you can tell from the range of functions that many thousands of developer hours have gone into it. However, some things still seem a bit half-baked and in some places the functionalities are very poorly explained, so that even with extensive prior knowledge of the subject you can only guess what exactly they are supposed to do. You also sometimes get the impression that the programmers have already built in things that people in marketing and product design haven’t even noticed about, and some functionality can be found in places where you wouldn’t have expected it. This is better in the Hydrawise system, which has been established on the market for a long time, where everything is described in great detail and appears comparatively structured.

In my opinion, a significant shortcoming compared to Hunter Hydrawise is that you cannot use the smart functionality for independently created programs. With Hydrawise you can create your program and define a series of rules that either suspend irrigation completely or adjust its length or run it more often or less often. With a little observation of your own watering and tinkering, you can find the perfect setting for you over time. In the B-hyve system you have to decide between storing the program yourself or Smart Watering mode. A solution that includes both like Hydrawise is not offered. At least when using your own programs, you will be given recommendations for suspending irrigation runs if the weather forecast turns out accordingly. In my opinion, Hydrawise is ahead here and offers more options for those who want to go into detail when setting up the irrigation solution.

Orbit also lacks the very useful options for integrating sensors like Hydrawise. Hydrawise makes it possible to define sensors yourself and, if necessary, to connect a flow meter to the sensor input.

I see B-hyve as having a clear advantage compared to the Rain Bird Smart Watering System, which primarily includes the ability to control irrigation remotely, but only offers very limited smart functionality. Here the B-hyve system is much more ambitious in comparison and contains much more functionality. And all at a comparatively lower price.

B-hyve also has a clear advantage over the Gardena Smart System, which currently only allows control depending on weather events to a very limited extent.

The LinkTap system used in the LinkTap G2 irrigation computer is functionally completely different, but not bad in comparison. It is less detailed, but its functionality allows for sensible weather control and, compared to B-hyve, it has advantages in terms of automatic notifications, of which LinkTap offers significantly more types. For example, the very useful point of water flow monitoring, which warns you if water is escaping uncontrollably or if no water is available.

Ultimately, Hunter Hydrawise remains my personal favorite because it allows even more detailed control of irrigation based on weather data and, in my opinion, this control is more transparent than with B-hyve. In Hydrawise you can react directly to the weather data with certain rules, in B-hyve you first define the situation at the irrigation site and B-hyve derives the appropriate program from the system perspective in its black box and runs on autopilot. Whether you like it that way is a matter of taste, I prefer to be able to tell the system clearly what it has to do in which situation. If you want to be less involved, you might like the other approach more. That’s why Hydrawise offers both options in the system. Hydrawise also seems more mature and stable; you can tell that most of the teething problems have already been eliminated. B-hyve started the software later and has not yet completed this stage.

However, there are also important arguments in favor of the B-hyve solution. First of all, there is the price: The B-hyve computers cost a lot less than the competitor products! Rain Bird and LinkTap are easily 50% more expensive, Gardena costs more than twice as much since you have to buy an expensive gateway, and the premium solution Hydrawise has an even higher price for its quality. With Hydrawise you can argue that with the performance it offers, I think LinkTap is equivalent, but in my opinion the smart software from Gardena and Rain Bird is currently inferior to the Orbit software. So if you’re looking for a decent smart computer at a very fair price, then you can’t go wrong with a B-hyve computer! And if the B-hyve development team maintains its current pace, then you can expect further improvements and the elimination of the remaining weak points soon.

If you can believe the advertising, then everyone, without exception. But is that really the case? What does smart irrigation actually do and who can safely do without it? Below is an overview of what is available on the market, what it costs and what it can do better than a conventional irrigation computer.

What is a smart irrigation controller anyway?

A smart device is a networked device, i.e. usually a device that is connected to the web or at least to a local network. The original meaning also implied that it was an “intelligent” product that made one’s daily life easier. The extent to which this still applies to the large number of smart products on offer can be questioned, the term “smart” is nowadays used more simply as a synonym for “web-enabled”.

Which products are offered on the market?

Even with the smart watering computers, a distinction must be made between water tap controllers with integrated valve and irrigation computers for external valve control that do not come into contact with water. Depending on the type of control you want to implement, you need one type or the other. Irrigation producers active in the professional sector such as Hunter, Rain Bird and Toro only offer computers for external valve control, while water tap controllers are offered by a large number of producers.

Some smart watering computers, such as those from Gardena or the LinkTap computer, require an additional gateway to function. This additional device is connected to the web and in turn communicates with the irrigation computer. This interposition of a gateway has the advantage that a wireless system that is more powerful than W-LAN, such as Zigbee, can be used from the gateway to the irrigation computer, so that longer ranges and an even more reliable connection are possible. Such a gateway must be purchased in addition to the irrigation computer, at Gardena about 100 USD are due for it. Other irrigation systems such as Hunter Hydrawise, the web system from Rain Bird or Eve-Aqua connect directly to the W-LAN without an intermediate gateway. Orbit has both irrigation controllers with and without a gateway in its range, the Orbit gateway is relatively inexpensive at around USD 40. Hunter specifies the typical range of a WiFi network as approx. 150 to 200 feet and recommends staying within this range with the Hunter Hydrawise controller in any case.

Below is an overview of the most popular smart irrigation controllers available on the market.

Advantages of web-enabled irrigation computers

Below is an overview of the potential benefits of smart irrigation computers.

Remote control of the computer

With the associated app, irrigation computers connected with the web can be controlled and programmed with a mobil phone. Programming is usually easier this way, since it is easier and quicker to carry out via the app than if you have to navigate through the submenus of the irrigation computer using a button navigation. Even a repeated adjustment and refinement of the irrigation programming after the initial setup, which is usually necessary, is more fun and less effort.

The use of the mobile phone as a remote control allows you to start watering from the living room, which saves you having to go to the computer. Programmed watering cycles can be paused, postponed, lengthened or shortened at any time with just one click on the mobile phone.

Operation on the go/during vacation

The computer can be operated from anywhere in the world, regardless of location. It is therefore also possible to start a necessary watering from your workplace or holiday location or to skip it if it has rained enough. You can also allow other people to access the computer via app or web browser.

Water saving by including online weather data

From my point of view, this is the most important reason to buy a smart irrigation controller: Almost all smart irrigation computers now offer the option of obtaining weather data such as rainfall, temperature, wind speed and humidity online and using it to control your own watering. In the good systems, this can be done both on the basis of the weather data of the past few days and based on the weather to be expected in the next few days. Local weather data is used, which reflects the situation at the site of irrigation as accurately as possible.

The overriding goal is always to irrigate sufficiently using as little water as possible, i.e. to only give the plants water when they need it and then only in the amount that they need or can absorb. This saves water and protects both the environment and your wallet.

Some suppliers like Hunter (Hydrawise software), Orbit B-hyve, Rachio, OpenSprinkler and also LinkTap are already very far and offer systems that work well in practice and with which considerable water savings are possible. Rain Bird and Gardena are not quite there yet, but have taken the first successful steps in this direction. Retrieving the online weather data is basically free in all systems, there are no running costs for it, but sometimes optional paid updates are offered, with which you can have even more precise data or retrieve the data even more up-to-date or even use your own weather station.

Saves the purchase of sensors

This argument is the logical consequence of the argument before: If you get the weather data online, then you don’t need any additional sensors to measure these values yourself. The extent to which a complete replacement is possible depends primarily on how good the software of the smart irrigation controller is. The best systems such as Hydrawise not only call up the weather values, but also calculate further information from them. For example, the soil moisture value prevailing in the soil is extrapolated from rainfall, temperature, wind speed and humidity, thus replacing the measurements of a soil moisture sensor. What is currently not (yet) possible is reacting immediately to the onset of rainfall, since the weather data is not called up non-stop, but only from time to time. This is currently only possible with an additional rain sensor, which stops irrigation that is already running as soon as it registers rain.

Warns of malfunctions/technical defects

This advantage is often overlooked, but from my point of view it is one of the most important arguments for a smart water computer: The smart system warns you if a planned watering cannot take place for any technical reasons, if the voltage at the outputs to the solenoid valves is not suitable or if the water consumption is unusually high or low or if water consumption occurs even though no watering is taking place (leak). This is done via e-mails, SMS or push messages in the app. This active notification is a great advantage compared to a conventional irrigation computer, where in the worst case you only notice such problems after weeks and months and after major damage has already occurred. These warnings are either activated by default or can be specifically created and modified by the user. The computer must be equipped with a flow sensor to warn of a leak.

Operation/maintenance by professionals possible

Some of the smart systems allow setting up and maintenance to be delegated to professionals. They then access the system as admins, the homeowner himself only has limited, read-only access in which settings cannot be changed. Similar to some alarm systems, where the homeowner only takes care of the daily operation, but the programming is done by a professional. The professionals can also access the watering schedules they have worked out and use them for all their clients at the touch of a button.

Enthusiasm for technology/status symbol

Some people just enjoy being on the cutting edge and dabbling in the latest technology.
And not rational, but probably a not-so-rare reason to buy it: For some, owning a smart-looking, expensive gadget is simply a status symbol, and the word “smart” sounds modern and good. Just like the latest iPhone or Samsung Galaxy mobil phone, which hardly anyone needs due to its range of functions, but which people like to own for reasons of prestige.

Integration in smart home environment

The last point is the possibility of integrating a smart irrigation system into an existing smart home environment. I rate this potential advantage as very low, firstly because the options for integration are currently very limited and secondly because they hardly make any sense. An irrigation system is basically a self-contained system in which there are hardly any meaningful combinations with other systems. The only application scenario that is sometimes mentioned and that makes at least some sense is the combination with an alarm system in order to get intruders properly wet when a motion sensor mounted in the garden is struck. In some cases, the combination with a smart lawn mower is also mentioned so that the devices can coordinate, i.e. it does not mow when the lawn is being irrigated. However, this smart interaction makes little sense, since it can be done much more easily by creating a coordinated program.

A possible voice control via Alexa or Google Home does not have too much additional value, since once an irrigation system has been set up, hardly any action is required, so there is hardly any need to control it by voice command.

Conversely, with OpenSprinkler there is an irrigation computer that includes additional smart home functionalities by not only enabling the control of irrigation, but also of various sensors.

Conclusion and recommendation

The use of a smart irrigation controller has understandable advantages: you can use weather data available online for watering and thus save unnecessary watering, and automatically sent warning messages are an additional safety net if something does not work correctly with the watering. In this way, the problem is discovered quickly, even before major damage can occur. The fact that you can start the irrigation from the comfort of your couch without going to the computer and that you can control it with your mobil phone even on vacation are real advantages that make it more convenient to use. Access to the online weather data fulfills the tasks of an additional sensor and thus saves you having to purchase it separately. The price surcharge compared to a conventional irrigation computer is put into perspective a little with this argument.

Nevertheless, the costs for a smart watering computer are still a bit higher in the end. For a conventional irrigation computer that can be used to irrigate several sectors, you can calculate around 80 to 120 USD, an additional soil moisture sensor costs around 60 to 70 USD. Smart irrigation controllers cost around 180 to 300 USD. So you should think carefully about whether the advantages mentioned are worth the extra charge. Much of this can also be achieved in other ways: The weather-dependent irrigation can be carried out via soil moisture or evapotranspiration sensors, instead of remotely controlling the irrigation from vacation, it can also be programmed in advance and the risk of defects can be reduced with regular on-site checks. It’s all a little less comfortable and little high-end, but it works the same way in the end.

If you opt for a smart watering controller, then you should compare exactly which of the systems on offer can actually be used to achieve the desired goals. Some of the systems are now very mature and tried and tested in practice, while others still have a lot of room for improvement in terms of software and still have a lot of development work to do in order to catch up with the best. I have tested some of the systems available here on the website.