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sprinkler-controller.md

ESP 8285 Sprinkler Controller

Owner: Taylor tmfinnell@gmail.com Tags: Build, ESPHome

Goal

Create a simple sprinkler controller with 4 zones. Each zone should have a manual watering button. The controller should integrate with ESPHome and be fully local with no cloud dependencies.

Supplies

Serial Converter Adapter Module https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D6LLX19?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
4 channel relay with ESP8285 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089QD5CT6
24VAC transformer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08VW5XVVN
Project Box
18 gauge wire

The board module

What is Tuya

The board linked above is a Tuya/SmartLife compatible board. Tuya, a Chinese company offers a free-to-brand turnkey smart home solution to anyone. Using their offer is dead-simple, since everything can be done by clicking through the Tuya web page, from choosing your pre-designed products or pre-programmed WIFI-modules (mostly ESP8266) to building your own app. In the end, this has resulted in as they claim over 11 000 devices 'made' by over 10 000 vendors using Tuya’s firmware and cloud services. (1)

What is the issue with Tuya

Functionality is tied to overseas servers and cloud functionality.

Freeing ourselves from the Tuya cloud by flashing ESPHome.

Since there is a ESP 8285 chip on the board we are able to flash ESPHome.

  1. Don’t plug anything into power or your computer yet.

  2. Solder pins to the board for GND TXD and RXD.

  3. Make the following connections from your soldered pins to the serial module

Board Serial Module
G GND
T RXD
R TXD

  1. Plug the serial module into a USB port on your computer that you will use to flash. Do not connect the board to 5V power yet.

  2. While pressing and holding the CH1 button on the board connect the 5V USB power. This puts the chip in flashing mode. Continue to hold the button.

  3. In a terminal run the following (while holding the button still):

esptool.py flash_id
  1. You should see output similar to the following
esptool.py v4.6.2
Found 2 serial ports
Serial port /dev/ttyUSB0
Connecting.............................
Detecting chip type... Unsupported detection protocol, switching and trying again...
Connecting...
Detecting chip type... ESP8266
Chip is ESP8285N08
Features: WiFi, Embedded Flash
Crystal is 26MHz
MAC: 34:ab:95:00:3d:56
Uploading stub...
Running stub...
Stub running...
Manufacturer: 51
Device: 4014
Detected flash size: 1MB
Hard resetting via RTS pin...

  1. If you see the above you may flash your firmware. Make sure the firmware is in the “Legacy Format” for ESPHome

  2. Follow the same steps as above. Hold CH1 while applying power and while still holding the button run the following:

esptool.py --port /dev/ttyUSBX write_flash --flash_mode dout --flash_size 1MB 0x0 sprinkler-controller-v2.bin

Wiring the board

IMG_2837.jpg

The board can run on 24VAC according the the amazon page. So I powered the board directly from the transformer. I ran one leg of the transformer power to the the COM port of each relay. I ran the other leg to the common wire of the sprinkler system (represented by the short white wire in the image above). Each zone wire goes goes to the NO terminal on the relay.

The 24VAC will be spliced into the open connectors on the WAGOs.

ESPHome integration with Home Assistant

Once flashed you may integrate into ESPHome and Home Assistant. The configuration I used for the firmware I flashed is as follows:

esphome:
  name: sprinkler-controller-v2
  friendly_name: Sprinkler Controller v2

esp8266:
  board: esp8285

# Enable logging
logger:
  baud_rate: 0

# Enable Home Assistant API
api:
  encryption:
    key: "<snip>"

ota:
  password: "<snip>"

#[23:01:28][C][tuya:056]:   Datapoint 1: switch (value: OFF)
#[23:01:28][C][tuya:056]:   Datapoint 2: switch (value: OFF)
#[23:01:28][C][tuya:056]:   Datapoint 3: switch (value: OFF)
#[23:01:28][C][tuya:056]:   Datapoint 4: switch (value: OFF)

#23:01:28][C][tuya:058]:   Datapoint 7: int value (value: 0) 
#[23:01:28][C][tuya:058]:   Datapoint 8: int value (value: 0)
#[23:01:28][C][tuya:058]:   Datapoint 9: int value (value: 0)
#[23:01:28][C][tuya:058]:   Datapoint 10: int value (value: 0)

#[23:01:28][C][tuya:056]:   Datapoint 13: switch (value: OFF)
#[23:01:28][C][tuya:056]:   Datapoint 101: switch (value: OFF)
#[23:01:29][C][tuya:062]:   Datapoint 102: enum (value: 0) # Relay mode, probably
#[23:01:29][C][tuya:058]:   Datapoint 103: int value (value: 5)

wifi:
  ssid: !secret wifi_ssid
  password: !secret wifi_password
  manual_ip:
    static_ip: 192.168.30.39
    gateway: 192.168.30.1
    subnet: 255.255.255.0
  ap:
    ssid: "Relay Fallback Hotspot"
    password: "<snip>"

captive_portal:

uart:
  rx_pin: GPIO3
  tx_pin: GPIO1
  baud_rate: 9600

tuya:

sensor:
  - platform: uptime
    name: Uptime

switch:
  - platform: "tuya"
    name: "Relay 1"
    switch_datapoint: 1
    internal: true
    id: z1
    restore_mode: ALWAYS_OFF 
  - platform: "tuya"
    name: "Relay 2"
    internal: true
    switch_datapoint: 2
    id: z2
    restore_mode: ALWAYS_OFF 
  - platform: "tuya"
    name: "Relay 3"
    switch_datapoint: 3
    internal: true
    id: z3
    restore_mode: ALWAYS_OFF 
  - platform: "tuya"
    name: "Relay 4"
    switch_datapoint: 4
    internal: true
    id: z4
    restore_mode: ALWAYS_OFF 

sprinkler:
  - id: sprinkler_ctrlr
    main_switch: "Sprinklers"
    auto_advance_switch: "Sprinklers Auto Advance"
    valve_overlap: 5s
    valves:
      - valve_switch: "Front Yard"
        enable_switch: "Enable Front Yard"
        run_duration_number: "Front Yard Sprinkler Duration"
        valve_switch_id: z1
        
      - valve_switch: "Back Yard"
        enable_switch: "Enable Back Yard"
        run_duration_number: "Back Yard Far Sprinkler Duration"
        valve_switch_id: z2

text_sensor:
  - platform: version
    name: Firmware Version
    hide_timestamp: true
    filters:
      - lambda: |-
          return std::string("sprinkler-controller-v1");
  - platform: wifi_info
    ip_address:
      name: IP
    ssid:
      name: SSID
    bssid:
      name: BSSID

  - platform: template
    name: Time Left
    lambda: |-
      char buf[128];

      if (id(sprinkler_ctrlr).time_remaining_active_valve().has_value()) {
        sprintf(buf, "%u sec.", id(sprinkler_ctrlr).time_remaining_active_valve().value());
      } else {
        // the controller is NOT running
        sprintf(buf, "%s", "Idle");
      }

      return std::string(buf);

  - platform: template
    name: Active Zone
    lambda: |-
      char buf[128];

      if (id(sprinkler_ctrlr).time_remaining_active_valve().has_value()) {
        int val = id(sprinkler_ctrlr).active_valve().value();
        if(val == 0){
          return std::string("Front Yard");
        }
        else if(val == 1){
           return std::string("Back Yard");
        } else {
           return std::string("Unknown Zone");
        }
      } else {
        // the controller is NOT running
        sprintf(buf, "%s", "None");
      }

      return std::string(buf);

References

(1) https://github.com/ct-Open-Source/tuya-convert

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