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LANDSCAPING: Cyber-Rain, who else wants to save on watering bills?
September 10th, 2007
Today Cyber-Rain announced their new wireless irrigation system for that new yard you are planning to put in!! And, just because it says “wireless”, doesn’t mean it’s just for techies.
This $299 sprinkler control system can save consumers 30-70% on watering bills says the company. While most sprinkler control systems on the market today rely on timers to regulate watering schedules, the Cyber-Rain system automatically adjusts watering levels based on YOUR local weather forecast, saving money, water and reducing pollution-causing runoff by stopping sprinkler systems on rainy days, automatically decreasing the watering schedule on cold or humid days, and increasing it on hot and dry days!
Question: How does the Cyber-Rain XCI do this?
Answer: Via your family PC!
The Cyber-Rain sprinkler control system and your computer speak directly to each other wirelessly, and Cyber-Rain talks to the Internet via your computer to get the weather forecast. You don’t need to have wireless in your home, and there is no complicated wiring says the company - everything is included in the kit.
Below is a picture of how Cyber-Rain looks on your computer. The picture shows you the current weather forecast for your zip code, and the Cyber-Rain’s automatic watering adjustment to compensate for temperature and humidity. In this example, 63% of the water would be saved based on temperature and humidity alone, but since rain is coming, all watering will be on hold, saving 100% today.
With Cyber-Rain homeowners can still manually program watering schedules, set reminders for when to fertilize and even measure water savings through an easy to use computer interface without ever needing to visit your garage - or that spider web infested controller box on the side of the house!! Cyber-Rain can be installed by anyone in minutes with no special tools, or skills according to the company.
According to the company, homeowners with traditional controllers spend more than $1,500 a year in water costs, using an average of 7500 gallons of water per month to irrigate their landscaping. As much as 70 percent of that water is wasted in pollution causing runoff. Matching the amount of water used to the local weather conditions conserves water, reduces pollution and saves money. Seems like this could quickly pay for itself…a green product that we like!!
With the technology available today, I found it frustrating that I was still having to walk out to the garage to manually adjust my sprinkler system with each change in weather, and then it would water my entire yard in a uniform way,” says Reza Pourzia, Cyber-Rain’s Founder. “This caused the system to operate extremely inefficiently, sending rivers of water into the sidewalk and street. I knew there had to be a better way, and have spent the last several years devising a system that would deliver it.”
We will note that presently Cyber-Rain is only supported on home computers with Microsoft Windows. For those of us who are Mac users, we’ll need to do it manually for just a bit longer!
September 14th, 2007 at 7:02 pm
We’ve been useing a rain sensor attached to our gutter for years. It’s frustrateing at best because most of the time it’s stuck. This sounds like a great idea…Good Luck with it.
September 18th, 2007 at 11:50 am
Does this system work outside the U.S.? I notice that the panel you show asks for zip code. Can you decide where the weather forecast is coming from (choose different weather networks)?
January 23rd, 2008 at 7:39 am
for those people with Macs or without the system in North Carolina, there is an online tool available for free that ties into local weather conditions and estimates water needs:
http://www.turffiles.ncsu.edu/TIMS
April 18th, 2008 at 2:39 am
[…] Cyber-Rain’s wireless sprinkler control system was recognized by GetWithGreen.com as the Best Green Home Remodeling Product for 2007, and the Cyber-Rain team continues to have tricks up their sleeve to improve the product for all of us. […]