Arrosage Automatique

A diy project to automate my irrigation system.

Last Update : 17/12/2024
This is the second working version for summer 2024, it will be adapted for 2025 if needeed and time available.

• python scripts improved
• webapp improved
• mqtt improved
• overall improvement of functionality

Minimum Requirements :

• A Raspberry pi 2 >= with python 3.8.x

• A webserver for the web app

• A database like mariadb/mysql (not tested with another db)

Main Goal : replace one or more irrigation controllers and do it by mylself.

Big Concept :

• Logic is done by python scripts on a raspberry pi

• Data management is done with an sql data base, mqtt is used to monitor and control the systeme from HA

• UI is based on a web application (home assistant can be used too(with mqtt))

• Sensors data comes from home-assistant/esphome

  Overall functional descriptions :

• A WebApp allows me to manage each solenoid valve/zone, global parameters, see the latest events, the watering sequence and some data.

• A collection of python scripts are used to open or close the solenoid valves and compute the watering sequence(s).

  • There is a winter/stop, test, sequence on demande, automatic and manual mode
  • The program checks some data to know if it can run watering
  • Status and events are recorded in the database, sent to an mqtt broker and displayed on an LCD screen
  • Several zones and/or sequences can run simultaneously (depends on the power supply for the solenoid valve and the watering pump)

• config.py file is used to configure the script in addition with the database.

• I can bypass the programmation to directly power supply and open any solenoid valve I want with 3 positions switch wired for each solenoid valve.

• Mqtt autodiscovery for homeassistant can be used (first test for diagnostics and not finish actualy)

• There are a few built-in automations : max number of active solenoid valve active at the same time, rainfall, test if one sequence is between 2 days, calculate the coef duration in correlation with the outside temperature...

Side projects (in progress) :

• Tank filling link
• [in progress] PCB for relays, lcd, rtc module link
• Irrigation circuit monitoring link
• [in progress] Tank monitoring link

Futur improvements :

• Mqtt : redo/complete mqtt parts with complete autodiscovery in HA (no need to add entities in configuration.yaml and add cmd/state topic)
• The WebApp will be split into two components: Front + Api Back
• Possibility to put a zone in more than 1 sequence
• Clean and redo the watering box (electricity+electronics)

Current limitations :

• A sequence/zone cannot be straddled between 2 days due to the very simple operation of the programming
• All parameters cannot be updated from home assistant
• Events are visible only from the web interface
• web app is not complete

Folder organisation :

| IrriPi
  => | App ( simple web app )
     | Docs  
     | rpi (python logic)
     readme.md

Raspberry Pi requirements :

Config.txt :
In the event of an unexpected restart, this will allow not to open a solenoid valve by mistake.
I need to add the following to the config.txt file to force gpio output and high state on gpio during the boot sequence :

gpio=4-13=op,dh
gpio=16-27=op,dh

Gpio 2,3 are used for I2C (rtc and lcd)
Gpio 14-15 are reserved and cannot be used !

=> 22 gpio are therefore usable

Start Watering at start

Cron :
in contrab -e:

@reboot sleep 20; sh /home/pi/launcher_arrosage.sh

best solution by creating services with systemd

For each Python file (main.py, automation.py, mqtt_publish.py mqtt_subscribe.py)

• arrosage-main
• arrosage-automation
• arrosage-publisher
• arrosage-subscriber

sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/arrosage-main.service

[Unit]
Description=Arrosage Main
After=network-online.target sysinit.target
Wants=network-online.target sysinit.target

[Service]
User=pi
WorkingDirectory=/home/pi/arrosage
ExecStart=/usr/bin/python3 /home/pi/arrosage/main.py
Restart=always
RestartSec=5

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

#update systemed
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
#enable service
sudo systemctl enable arrosage-main.service
#status
sudo systemctl status arrosage-main.service
#start
sudo systemctl start arrosage-main.service
#stop
sudo systemctl stop arrosage-main.service
#restart
sudo systemctl restart arrosage-main.service

Raspi-config :

• i2c must be activated (rtc + lcd)
• spi must be deactivated

Mqtt autodiscovery in home assistant :

run : python3 /home/pi/arrosage/mqtt_autodiscovery.py

Functional Diagram :

Watering parts

• I use rainbird dv100 24vac solenoid valve

Electric Parts

• 1x Circuit breaker 2A 230v
• 1x Electrical outlet 230v
• 1x AC 24v 1,6A output rail din power supply (for solenoid valves) links
• 1x DC 5v 2.5A output power supply (for raspberry, esp8266, relay, electronic...)

Electronics Parts

• Raspberry Pi 2b + micro sd
• 22x relay 5v
• 22x button 3 positions
• 1x button 2 positions
• 23x Screw Fuse Terminal Block rail din links
• 22x fuse 20x5 0.5A
• 1x fuse 20x5 2A
• 1x lcd 20x4 i2c 5v
• 1x rtc module DS3231 i2c 3.3v

Web App :

The web app :

Schematic :

Integration in Home-Assistant