Best watering timers according to redditors
We found 48 Reddit comments discussing the best watering timers. We ranked the 21 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 48 Reddit comments discussing the best watering timers. We ranked the 21 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
Looks awesome. I set up an automatic daily water-changer in mine. I let it drain thru a hose-timer connected near the bottom thru a standard garden hose for 2 hours, and I keep a float valve on a second hose-timer to fill it back up.
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tl;dr
hose timer (1 to drain and 1 to fill): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M676JAS/
float valve: https://www.amazon.com/Kerick-Valve-MA052-Float-Adjustable/dp/B0077RAP1I
you'll need 2 hoses as well. the timer on the drain end gets clogged sometimes but thats the best i could come up with so far
there's a guy in my neighborhood who made this shape out of PVC:
--|--|--|--
(top view)
at each of the 3 junctions he has a sprinkler head, and a hose goes in one end. He moves it around daily and his yard looks great (better than mine, and I put in underground sprinklers... he's dedicated)
the cheapest solution would be to us a mechanical timer. But you can get a computerized timer that mounts to a hose bib as well.
EDIT: I don't have experience with that mechanical timer, it's meant to be representative of a type, not an endorsement
I am installing an individual drip/misting system next weekend. I found something on amazon that was cheap and bought an analog timer as well. I can update you when I install if you'd like. I am going away in a couple weeks and don't trust even my friends to water them properly and have piece of mind that it will be done and done efficiently as well.
Get 4 of these ($35 each)
Orbit 21005 Watering Smart Hose Faucet Timer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0758V2JQS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_r7zvDbA3M2FS1
and a 4-way manifold like this: https://www.menards.com/main/outdoors/watering-irrigation/garden-hose-shut-off/yardworks-reg-brass-4-way-manifold/31007/p-1444427390208.htm
Yeah, it's like $150, but they are individually controlled by wifi/bluetooth and you can turn it into a DIY irrigation system for use during the entire growing season.
I have an underground sprinkler system but I still use a hose-end timer to water a shade garden where there are currently no sprinkler lines and for when I overseed grass seed in an area where I don't want to run the entire zone multiple times per day. I use this Raindrip timer. I've used it for about 4 years now.
I'll look into this. I have already invested in 2 separate timers and I'm not too interested in buying more, but this may be the best solution. My only concern is the distance they would have to be going from the spigot... more hoses for my hose collection!
I think something like this may be the best solution? https://www.amazon.com/Melnor-4-Zone-Digital-Water-Timer/dp/B0094KM4VK/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1536070143&sr=8-14&keywords=water+timer
Hose and sprinkler but it's attached to a WiFi/Bluetooth hose timer. I actually use a few sprinklers placed strategically (and out of the way) so I can just leave them there all summer.
Set it and forget it. I'm in Benton Park and don't have much grass so this works perfectly for me. I also do this with a drip system for all the flowers.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0758NR8DJ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_omo2Cb29F8X75
There're these. Reviews are mixed, though.
If you're just bad about shutting the water off, a simple mechanical timer would do just as well and be a lot more reliable.
We got one of those digital timers that go on the faucet last summer while we were traveling. It had 2 outlets, one for the garden and one for the plants around the deck. We had it come one for about an hour or two early in the morning before it got too hot. It was $30 on Amazon.
Gideon Electronic Dual-valve Hose Irrigation Water Timer Sprinkler System – Simple Hose Connection with Easy to Use Digital System https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LZ52ORQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_7umKAbHT2H7KE
I was looking at these two options:
One is going to be 3x more expensive obviously, but what do you think would be easier from your experience?
I just picked this up and so far I love it Orbit 21004 B-hyve Smart Hose Faucet Timer with Wi-Fi Hub, Compatible with Alexa https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0758NR8DJ/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_mXlsDbF0264ZC
I'd suggest either you hard wire it all inside a box rated for outdoor usage (it's around water).
Other option includes a box and then panel mount receptacles.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008X0WM5U and https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000VYGMF2
They make boxes designed for this, but they are bit on the pricey side.
I just looked and you are the same person that posted about doing drip irrigation with a plastic bag so I am going to assume that you do not have irrigation set up at your house and you are looking for other methods to care for your plants.
For less than $100.00 you can set up a pretty solid irrigation system for a medium sized garden.
I personally use this timer:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FBOUEJC/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I think that you can get it for a lower cost from store but this timer works great for me they have lasted 2 seasons and are still going strong.
I have this kit:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000LO4FFG/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Which is amazing. It allows you to add on more as your garden grows and also it allows for you to be able to place it under the mulch.
Even from amazon this set up will cost you under 100 and really allows you to care for your plants properly.
The bottom line is you live in the desert. You can grow in Vegas and do so very easily but you need to adjust your methods for your environment.
I'm on a well and have the same problem. There was a higher up-front cost but I got one of these https://www.amazon.com/Melnor-4-Zone-Digital-Water-Timer/dp/B0094KM4VK and enough hoses/sprinklers to attach to it. Now I can have up to 4 sprinklers that run one after the other to cover the areas I'm reseeding.
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B004PVK4GK/
I have the LinkTap which is a bit pricey, but honestly I had a bunch of issues with the b-hyve and the generic timer and programmable units.
The LinkTap has been flawless so far.
https://www.amazon.com/LinkTap-Wireless-Controlled-Coverage-Installation/dp/B07BKZ3YZY/ref=sr_1_2
Sure! I got 2 of these timers:
https://www.amazon.com/Orbit-62061N-91213-Single-Dial-Water-Timer/dp/B004INGS8S?ie=UTF8&ref_=zg_bs_553988_1
They also have a 2 outlet version, which you could do without buying a Y adapter:
https://www.amazon.com/Orbit-58910-2-Outlet-Programmable-Faucet/dp/B008VDULGG?ie=UTF8&ref_=zg_bs_553988_3
I'm pretty sure this is the Y adapter I have:
https://www.amazon.com/A1001-WARRANTY-Connector-Garden-Shut-Off/dp/B018Q3AQ4W/ref=sr_1_2?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1467746856&sr=1-2&keywords=hose+y
Link to where you bought yours? I found this one on Amazon for $10, but I like blue better (and would rather pay $7)
Yeah, that can be the case. That's why with my berries and other bushes I am setting up irrigation so I am not standing there with the hose (I dislike most of my neighbors, a few of them are cool, but they're not out enough).
It sounds kind of silly, but only superficially-rooted plants keep all of their roots at the top foot of soil. You need some water to penetrate below that. You'll get some trickling down and after a certain depth it doesn't evaporate without plants of some sort, but there it is I can soak my garden completely in our summer here and have it almost completely dry the next day. I am on very sandy soil, though.
Anyway, my gut tells me that your problem is likely to be underwatering, not overwatering. Consider a soaker hose and a cheap timer:
http://www.amazon.com/Orbit-SunMate-62034-Mechanical-Watering/dp/B006FLGHGE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1421372574&sr=8-2&keywords=timer+for+garden+hose
Or you can get fancier. The soaker hose will dribble the water right into the soil and you're not out there having to be all social.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0058EOC5M/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_2?pf_rd_p=1944579842&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B00HSMU8MI&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=062DHEHJRV9476H137BA
This is the one I've been eyeing - Melnor 65036-AMZ AquaTimer 4-Zone Digital Timer
I'm just outside Pittsburgh and my yard looked a lot like your second picture at the start of the season last year. It's not where I want it yet but it's a whole heck of a lot better now.
This was before I put much effort / thought / planning into this, but I just used the all-in-one big box store seed (with the fertilizer and stuff mixed in) with a regular broadcast spreader.
The biggest thing seemed to be watering. Seriously, do yourself a favor and buy one of the cheap battery-operated timers, set it on a timer, and hook it up to a sprinkler. Having the watering done automatically is huge.
After seeing the results from just one sprinkler, I ended up getting a 1-to-4 hose splitter and 3 more timers / sprinklers to cover more of the yard. Everyone in my neighborhood complains about how tough it is to grow grass, but it really wasn't that hard when the watering is done for you.
$70 for just the timer is a rip. here is just the timer for $41. The price of the combo fluctuates a bit, but is worth it even at $70
I ended up getting 4 of these:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M676JAS/
They worked great for the Spring-Fall seasons last year, and then I put in an in-ground system and sold them on Craigslist.
Orbit 21005 Watering Smart Hose Faucet Timer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0758V2JQS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_oy0rDbE8PWVCJ
Currently on sale, this might fit your needs
Edit: the version above is for Bluetooth, if you need WiFi remote capabilities you can buy one with the WiFi receiver bundled
Orbit 21004 B-hyve Smart Hose Faucet Timer with Wi-Fi Hub, Compatible with Alexa https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0758NR8DJ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_iE0rDb0APF6ET
Thanks! I read up on square foot gardening and just sort of winged it honestly. Here's a general idea of the setup. I bought two untreated 8' x 12" boards from lowes, and some trellis boards that I cut to make the grid and bed walls (so it's 4'x4'x12"). Screwed it all together with ceramic screws (to prevent rust). Then I filled it with a mix of 1/3 compost, 1/3 vermiculite, and 1/3 peat moss (making the mix was tough, spread it on a tarp and sort of flip it together over and over).
I also bought a Raindrip drip irrigation kit and a Raindrip timer and set that up before planting the seeds. it sort of takes care of itself from there. Just have to clips some grass growing in it sometimes because I neglected to lay a liner down thinking that the depth of soil would smother anything under it. Wrong, haha.
Ok. So, then as others have said you need a valve and not a pump. You could probably easily modify something like this. It has a valve (solenoid driven?). I assume you could just override it's timer with your raspberry pi. Or, if you really want to use the pump you could hook up the city water to a tank with a float valve to keep it full. Then turn the pump on/off to actually do the irrigation. Diaphragm pumps can run dry fairly well, but I wouldn't recommend it for long periods so you would want everything set up so at not drain the tank.
Seriously this. If you REAAALLY don't like watering them this is the ideal solution. Get a splitter for your spigot and leave it hooked up to a timer all the time and never water again!
The longer your hose the more the pressure drop. Each sprinkler in series or parallel will lower the pressure. You may have to setup a zone type system to water different areas so you can keep enough pressure up. Like this.
You could pick up a cheap flow meter like this to keep track.
But honestly water is so cheap id be surprised if the water ever added up to the cost of even a cheap thing like that.
Average cost of a gallon in the US is like 0.15 cents. So even if you let 100 gal run through a chiller its only 15 cents added to your bill. If you just show them the actual cost of water I doubt they would care at all.
(non mi ricordavo nemmeno di avercelo un profilo 😂)
Una soluzione pratica ed economica è tubo gocciolante + valvola timer
(Insieme al tubo compra raccordini e gocciolatori in abbondanza come suggerito da amazon in fondo alla pagina)
Con una spesa ragionevole hai un assetto pratico da maneggiare e soprattutto modificabile a piacere.
This one, https://www.amazon.ca/Gilmour-Single-Outlet-Electronic-300GTS/dp/B00CWRKYFK
Didn't buy it on Amazon, but it's a much better deal than what I paid for at my local store.
It's very simple to use. I set it to run every 2 days at 3AM for an hour. And on Sundays I press the + button once to add a 24h delay to skip a day, since we are not allowed to water on Mondays where I live.
I have about the same size lawn also with trees and other obstructions. I was considering putting together a temp watering system when I go to overseed in the Spring. Used the Orbit sprinkler design tool online to get an idea of placement and what it would be like. I was going to use zones with this 4 zone timer, alternating one after the other so water pressure stays up and more of the lawn gets watered without moving sprinklers around much.
That one I linked to is battery operated. I wouldn't run out and buy all this stuff yet, I'd see if someone else has any other ideas first.
But if no one does chime in I'd probably go the route with the timer & tripod sprinklers myself. I don't know of a better way.
http://www.amazon.com/Melnor-3280-AquaTimer-4-Zone-Digital/dp/B0094KM4VK/
They make a black pipe for this purpose that's easier to work with.
What I would do, is get a hose splitter. Split it into two or three taps.
Buy two timers like this, or something similar. Might be able to find one that has two outlets with separate timers. Go for one with a 9v, or solar battery. 9v will last at least 1.5 years, mine has.
Then run one line to the top to feed your strawberries and lettuce, running frequently but not deeply, then run another pipe underneath the fence, if possible.
Connect the second black hose to a dripper hose, like this, to water everything else. Set this one to run about twice a week, and water deeply so it soaks the soil, most things like to be watered this way. This kind of hose lasts a long time too, mini drippers and mini sprinklers tend to break and leak, I'm waiting for more of mine to break so that I can replace it.
And one last thing, spray paint the PVC before you put it up. Much nicer looking than plain PVC.
I use this: Orbit 62034 Mechanical Watering Timer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006FLGHGE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_r1pACb3F0JCPN
Ever since I started using Quick Connects I have not had a leak from a faulty washer in a hose.
My setup is:
City Water spigot > quick connect \> pressure regulator with mesh filter > Y connector w/individual on/off valves > 20 ft drinking water hose > quick connect > > RV input
The second output from the y connector goes to a marine hose > water meter \> 45 degree strain relief > RV black tank sprayer inlet.
I carry 2 20' fresh water hoses, 2 20' marine hoses and coil them up and screw the ends together to keep things out.
Here’s what I use for a 25 gallon system. P3 P0550 Water Meter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0058EOC5M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_qjA9BbYY7K3H8
I am in the same boat. I bought the dual timer on Amazon. On mobile so see the link below.
Basically it has three valves. Hook it up to your spigot; run one valve and hose to the backyard and the other to the front. Both valves can be programmed to run at different times, I set my backyard to run at 5am and the front to run at 6am. Never have to touch it. The third valve is manual so you can water plants or what not. For $50 bucks it's worth not having to get up and water the lawn. You can. Probably score some deals on hoses either on clearance or find a neighbor having a garage sale.
Orbit 56233D 3-Outlet Digital Watering Timer (1 Manual/2 Digital) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004PVK4GK/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_S2B0xb964FFAE