remote?

[Frontier-Lawn]

most of my clients use tis box http://www.hunterindustries.com/products/Controllers/procintro.html
so i dont need to buy keys (see box key thread) can i use a remote with it without any system mods?

[Wet_Boots]

The Pro-C (and SRC and ICC) controllers are designed to have a remote socket wired to it. By necessity, the wire must be short, so the timers should be located on an exterior wall. The repairman carries a transmitter/receiver set, plugs the receiver in and operates the system. Then he disconnects the receiver and leaves.

Or he leaves and forgets the receiver, and has to drive back for it. :p

[YardPro]

they are awesome... they are all we use.
depending on the install, we usually sell the client the reciever, and mount it in thier house with the unit. I can drive up to the property from the street and use the remote to run through the system.

they also used to make a unit that can plug into the same port that you can download the controllers program, and modify it at your pc, then next visit, you can upload the new program to the controller.... works GGGRREEEAAATTTT for units in homes that you cannot get to.

[bicmudpuppy]

they are awesome... they are all we use.
depending on the install, we usually sell the client the reciever, and mount it in thier house with the unit. I can drive up to the property from the street and use the remote to run through the system.

they also used to make a unit that can plug into the same port that you can download the controllers program, and modify it at your pc, then next visit, you can upload the new program to the controller.... works GGGRREEEAAATTTT for units in homes that you cannot get to.
That sounds like they quit making the programer. I never used one, but always wanted to know...........could the programer have a C program for 1 min/ station installed in it and upload only that program? or do you wipe the whole thing when you upload a program? I've had dreams of uploading a C test cycle and then running it with one push of the remote :)

[Wet_Boots]

The SRC controllers already had a 2-minute-per-zone C program by default. I forget what the last Pro-C that I installed had for program C.

[jcom]

We started using the Hunter remote this year. It has performed flawlessly for us and we recommend it for our customers as well as installers.

What a time and step saver. Once the SmartPort is installed it is a real gem.

John

[YardPro]

That sounds like they quit making the programer. I never used one, but always wanted to know...........could the programer have a C program for 1 min/ station installed in it and upload only that program? or do you wipe the whole thing when you upload a program? I've had dreams of uploading a C test cycle and then running it with one push of the remote :)

you can do whatever you want to the program. You can leave whatever you want set like it was and add or change whatever else you wish...


i will program in a "test" program with no start time, then use the remote to activate it....

this is the main reason i started using hunter stuff about 10 years ago...
never looked back since.

they by far have the coolest new "gadgets"

they also have a long range (2mile) remote for large complexes/golf courses/etc...

[Lawnworks]

How much is the reciever for a system?

[Frontier-Lawn]

now what would you do if the lots are1/8 acre and right next to each other?

[Wet_Boots]

The transmitters and receivers have a selectable address code. By default, the address is zero, but if you sell the set to a customer, you would change the code number to match the house number.

[Critical Care]

The Pro-C (and SRC and ICC) controllers are designed to have a remote socket wired to it. By necessity, the wire must be short, so the timers should be located on an exterior wall. The repairman carries a transmitter/receiver set, plugs the receiver in and operates the system. Then he disconnects the receiver and leaves.

Or he leaves and forgets the receiver, and has to drive back for it. :p

Or... with the controller mounted inside on an exterior wall, just drill a hole straight through the wall at the controller and mount the SmartPort outside. Eh? YardPro's idea of selling the clients the receivers and having them already installed inside is the way to go... if the demand is there.

[Wet_Boots]

Or... with the controller mounted inside on an exterior wall, just drill a hole straight through the wall at the controller and mount the SmartPort outside. Eh? YardPro's idea of selling the clients the receivers and having them already installed inside is the way to go... if the demand is there.I've sold very few of them. Heck, the set costs more than the SRC controller, and most folks are set in the routine of operating the controller and looking at the sprinklers. I think having an outside connector justifies the effort, by saving time when doing service, and for allowing service when no one is home, on those older systems where the valve locations are unknown.

[Dirty Water]

Most people are already complaining about the cost of the controller.

We can barely sell a rainsensor, I doubt I could sell a smart port.

We also mount 95% of timers in garages, fish the wire through wall, so you don't have a ugly conduit on the outside.

[Wet_Boots]

I just give away the outdoor connector, since it comes with the timer anyway. Sometimes, the 'exterior wall' requirement puts the controller away from some more logical (like the garage) location, but I do try to show the homeowner how to run the built-in program C, so they can easily observe the sprinklers in action.

[bicmudpuppy]

I just give away the outdoor connector, since it comes with the timer anyway. Sometimes, the 'exterior wall' requirement puts the controller away from some more logical (like the garage) location, but I do try to show the homeowner how to run the built-in program C, so they can easily observe the sprinklers in action.
Hunter doesn't recomend it, but I have several installs now where the install crew has spliced the port to an outside point from basements or inside wall garage mounts and it still works fine. Haven't extended much over 30', but...........they work.

[Wet_Boots]

I've added as little as two feet to the wiring harness, and seen it generate the ERR message. It's definitely subject to local conditions. There is a workaround, where you use a shielded cable, with the shield connected to one of the power leads. Hunter may sell a connector with a 'safe' length of shielded cable.

I think there is a simple fix to the length-of-cable restriction, and Hunter cannot tell you about it, on account of FCC concerns.

[PurpHaze]

I think there is a simple fix to the length-of-cable restriction, and Hunter cannot tell you about it, on account of FCC concerns.

One of those "if I tell you I'd have to kill you" things? :laugh:

[YardPro]

I've sold very few of them. Heck, the set costs more than the SRC controller, and most folks are set in the routine of operating the controller and looking at the sprinklers. I think having an outside connector justifies the effort, by saving time when doing service, and for allowing service when no one is home, on those older systems where the valve locations are unknown.

sounds like you are selling to the wrong clients.....rain sensors will more than pay for themselves.... we tell everyone that we will not install a system without one... water conservation is super important.

the reciever is only $40.00
the whole kit is about $100.00

also what's with using the SRC... they are junk compaired to the PROC for a few dollars more....

[Wet_Boots]

sounds like you are selling to the wrong clients.....rain sensors will more than pay for themselves

also what's with using the SRC... they are junk compaired to the PROC for a few dollars more....I install rain sensors as a matter of course, and hardly emphasize them. Like you say, they pay for themselves.

As for SRC controllers, I have noticed from day one how the modular controllers can 'miscount' the number of actual working zones. I'll be happier installing them (and I do install them) once they eliminate that glitch. The actual electronics that power the system aren't substantially different in those two timers. I do like some of the Pro-C features, but if the homeowner never adjusts the seasonal scale, or uses the 'excluded day' schedule, then they will never know the difference. The one thing that really made the Pro-C better was the 'electronic fuse' - and that has now been built into the SRC.

[YardPro]

the problem that i used to have with the src (have not used any in a few years now) was dust getting behind the selector dial. When you would turn to manual single station then back to run, it would always jump back to station number one, no matter what zone you selected.....

called the hunter rep, as this was a problem with EVERY unit.... i was told to pull the dial off, and blow in the hole. Dust was getting in the faceplate behind the dial and cuasing this....

well the blowing in the hole would work every time, but i had a problem explaining this to the customer.... I used to despise the src's, but would use them only for the remote control... then when the pro c came out I totally dropped rainbird controllers. the pro c was a lot more rugged, and seemed much better made.

we also only install I-20's and institutional sprays.....we try and only install the better materials.. since the increase in cost is so minimal to the total cost of the job.

[PurpHaze]

...water conservation is super important.

Except for rotors over sidewalks. :)

[Wet_Boots]

The problems with printed-circuit dials have been known for decades. This was/is where the electro-mechanical timers outperform the modern designs, since there aren't any switches with minute voltages and currents flowing though them.

[YardPro]

electro mechanical are bigm noisy, and do not have the flexability of the computer ones...

the hunter pro c and Icc are super reliable......
only had problems with the pro C...

also the computer ones are way cheaper... about $85.00.

[clericot]

they are awesome... they are all we use.
depending on the install, we usually sell the client the reciever, and mount it in thier house with the unit. I can drive up to the property from the street and use the remote to run through the system.

they also used to make a unit that can plug into the same port that you can download the controllers program, and modify it at your pc, then next visit, you can upload the new program to the controller.... works GGGRREEEAAATTTT for units in homes that you cannot get to.

A client asked me about a way to control his irrigation system from his PC. Can that be done with the unit you are talking about???
Thanks in advance for your response

[PurpHaze]

A client asked me about a way to control his irrigation system from his PC. Can that be done with the unit you are talking about???
Thanks in advance for your response

This is an old thread and I'm not going to read through the whole thing but I can offer the following. Irritrol makes a personal PC unit geared for the homeowner. Their website has a lot of details about it.

http://www.irritrol.com/pccontrol/

Of course there are the usual central control systems (various manufacturers) that would work with corresponding controllers but I don't know how expensive that would be.

[Mike Leary]

Davis Instruments has a weather station that will short the common thru
the software they provide, it's claimed it'll work with more hi end clocks
with wind, ET & rain gauge. We're going to install one this season in a
Rain Master DX Evolution. Will let all know how it works: pray for us
Mike

[justgeorge]

we also only install I-20's and institutional sprays.....we try and only install the better materials.. since the increase in cost is so minimal to the total cost of the job.
Same here - and the PGV valves.

[irrig8r]

I've added as little as two feet to the wiring harness, and seen it generate the ERR message. It's definitely subject to local conditions. There is a workaround, where you use a shielded cable, with the shield connected to one of the power leads. Hunter may sell a connector with a 'safe' length of shielded cable.

I think there is a simple fix to the length-of-cable restriction, and Hunter cannot tell you about it, on account of FCC concerns.

Hunter sells a Smartport with shielded cable.. can't remeber if it's 25 ft or 50 ft though.. I've installed about 5 of them. Work just fine, especially when you can increase (or at least not decrease) the range by getting it outside the building.

SRR seems to transmit a signal through glass better than brick or concrete too. :laugh:

[irrig8r]

Most people are already complaining about the cost of the controller.

We can barely sell a rainsensor, I doubt I could sell a smart port.

We also mount 95% of timers in garages, fish the wire through wall, so you don't have a ugly conduit on the outside.

Sorry, late to this thread... but this seems a little ridiculous.. set up/ install time for a Smartport is what.. 15 minutes max.?

And the darn things come with every controller... not like you have to pay extra or anything..

If you plan to provide service down the line for these customers having a working Smartport saves you time and makes you more efficient...though I must admit running back and forth to the controller probably burns more calories and thus might allow me to drink another beer when I get home...

There's nothing easier or more of a timesaver when repairing a broken off head... extract broken riser, install new one.. flush .. install new head.. flush... install filter and nozzle.. check and adjust... that's 3 pushes of a button on the remote and maybe sticking your finger in the riser to prevent debris entry once (when the water stops after the first flush)...

I sure wish Rain Bird would get their act together on an improved remote for the ESP-M.. or have they just given up on it? :cry: