Anyone know of a sprinkler controller that is simple to use and has a large
display. my mother is visually impaired and has a garden that she likes to
water on her own schedule. There is an extremely cheap control unit now
that is useless. I want to upgrade it so its easier for her to water when
she wants.


Thanks for your recommendations.


CL

In article ,
"CL \"dnoyeB\" Gilbert" wrote:

Anyone know of a sprinkler controller that is simple to use and has a large
display. my mother is visually impaired and has a garden that she likes to
water on her own schedule. There is an extremely cheap control unit now
that is useless. I want to upgrade it so its easier for her to water when
she wants.


Thanks for your recommendations.


CL

I see a huge untapped market for things like that. The baby boomers are
aging, and thanks to modern medicine living longer than the previous
generation. My aunt had severe macular degeneration and couldn't see to
adjust the thermostat in her apartment, operate a TV remote, etc. ad
infinitum. Twenty years ago or more someone came out with a "big button"
phone," but few other products have followed.

But, if your mother only has a few zones to water, you could just skip
the electronics altogether and put in a distribution manifold with
manual slicer valves.

Smitty Two wrote:

In article ,
"CL \"dnoyeB\" Gilbert" wrote:

Anyone know of a sprinkler controller that is simple to use and has a
large
display. my mother is visually impaired and has a garden that she likes
to
water on her own schedule. There is an extremely cheap control unit now
that is useless. I want to upgrade it so its easier for her to water
when she wants.


Thanks for your recommendations.


CL

I see a huge untapped market for things like that. The baby boomers are
aging, and thanks to modern medicine living longer than the previous
generation. My aunt had severe macular degeneration and couldn't see to
adjust the thermostat in her apartment, operate a TV remote, etc. ad
infinitum. Twenty years ago or more someone came out with a "big button"
phone," but few other products have followed.

But, if your mother only has a few zones to water, you could just skip
the electronics altogether and put in a distribution manifold with
manual slicer valves.

She has several zones to water. She waters the garden zone manually though.


CL

CL "dnoyeB" Gilbert wrote:
....

She has several zones to water. She waters the garden zone manually though.


So all she really needs is an "off" timer she can see to set for
duration? (Trying to figure out what is the target here...)

--

On Jul 2, 10:58*am, Smitty Two wrote:
In article ,
*"CL \"dnoyeB\" Gilbert" wrote:

Anyone know of a sprinkler controller that is simple to use and has a large
display. *my mother is visually impaired and has a garden that she likes to
water on her own schedule. *There is an extremely cheap control unit now
that is useless. *I want to upgrade it so its easier for her to water when
she wants.

Thanks for your recommendations.

CL

I see a huge untapped market for things like that. The baby boomers are
aging, and thanks to modern medicine living longer than the previous
generation. My aunt had severe macular degeneration and couldn't see to
adjust the thermostat in her apartment, operate a TV remote, etc. ad
infinitum. Twenty years ago or more someone came out with a "big button"
phone," but few other products have followed.

But, if your mother only has a few zones to water, you could just skip
the electronics altogether and put in a distribution manifold with
manual slicer valves.

I agree, I go for my reading glasses anytime I go to reprogram either
of my thermostats.

the display is easy enough to see, but the buttons have micro print, &
unless i memorize them,
I have no idea which does what. Same for the phones, using them to
dial a number no problem, but try to program
something in, & reading glasses are required. I see pretty well, for
the most part and will Mr. Magoo it until full time glasses
are required. What I do is leave a cheap pair of glasses near any
challenge, A set of 2.0 near the timer could do it.

Eric in North TX wrote:


I agree, I go for my reading glasses anytime I go to reprogram either
of my thermostats.

the display is easy enough to see, but the buttons have micro print, &
unless i memorize them,
I have no idea which does what. Same for the phones, using them to
dial a number no problem, but try to program
something in, & reading glasses are required. I see pretty well, for
the most part and will Mr. Magoo it until full time glasses
are required. What I do is leave a cheap pair of glasses near any
challenge, A set of 2.0 near the timer could do it.

Shes Legally blind so she always has her glasses with her. She will need
more help than glasses. If its easy to operate that would be a big plus.
She has a good enough memory. Also if its easy for me to tell her what to
do, thats a big plus as well.

Which means not too many "menu" layers.

dpb wrote:

CL "dnoyeB" Gilbert wrote:
...

She has several zones to water. She waters the garden zone manually
though.


So all she really needs is an "off" timer she can see to set for
duration? (Trying to figure out what is the target here...)

--

Grass is watered by timer. Garden is watered using the same control box,
but on demand. Is that clear enough for you???

CL "dnoyeB" Gilbert wrote:
dpb wrote:

CL "dnoyeB" Gilbert wrote:
...

She has several zones to water. She waters the garden zone manually
though.

So all she really needs is an "off" timer she can see to set for
duration? (Trying to figure out what is the target here...)

--

Grass is watered by timer. Garden is watered using the same control box,
but on demand. Is that clear enough for you???

Well, not really...

Does it _have_ to be/use/tie into the same box, is it supposed to be
timed duration but manually started, manually started/stopped, ... ???

IOW, I'm thinking it could be as simple as giving her a separate timer
to set (like the oven timer) that just tells/reminds her when "times up"
and she should turn it off (if she turns it on manually, shouldn't be
that much more to turn it back off if know when?)...

Outside the box and all that, ya' know...

--


--

On Jul 3, 7:04*am, "CL \"dnoyeB\" Gilbert" wrote:
Eric in North TX wrote:



I agree, I go for my reading glasses anytime I go to reprogram either
of my thermostats.

the display is easy enough to see, but the buttons have micro print, &
unless i memorize them,
I have no idea which does what. Same for the phones, using them to
dial a number no problem, but try to program
something in, & reading glasses are required. I see pretty well, for
the most part and will Mr. Magoo it until full time glasses
are required. What I do is leave a cheap pair of glasses near any
challenge, A set of 2.0 near the timer could do it.

Shes Legally blind so she always has her glasses with her. *She will need
more help than glasses. *If its easy to operate that would be a big plus.
She has a good enough memory. *Also if its easy for me to tell her what to
do, thats a big plus as well.

Which means not too many "menu" layers.

I have one like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Orbit-Sprinkle.../dp/B0002YUFO0
Cheap and not very hard to program, much easier than the 4 other ones
we have for various duties around the greenhouse.

Eric in North TX wrote:

On Jul 3, 7:04Â*am, "CL \"dnoyeB\" Gilbert" wrote:
Eric in North TX wrote:



I agree, I go for my reading glasses anytime I go to reprogram either
of my thermostats.

the display is easy enough to see, but the buttons have micro print, &
unless i memorize them,
I have no idea which does what. Same for the phones, using them to
dial a number no problem, but try to program
something in, & reading glasses are required. I see pretty well, for
the most part and will Mr. Magoo it until full time glasses
are required. What I do is leave a cheap pair of glasses near any
challenge, A set of 2.0 near the timer could do it.

Shes Legally blind so she always has her glasses with her. Â*She will need
more help than glasses. Â*If its easy to operate that would be a big plus.
She has a good enough memory. Â*Also if its easy for me to tell her what
to do, thats a big plus as well.

Which means not too many "menu" layers.

I have one like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Orbit-Sprinkle.../dp/B0002YUFO0
Cheap and not very hard to program, much easier than the 4 other ones
we have for various duties around the greenhouse.


Thanks. Ill add that to the list!

dpb wrote:
....

Grass is watered by timer. Garden is watered using the same control box,
but on demand. Is that clear enough for you???

Well, not really...

The question wasn't what you had now, but what alternative solutions
would you consider/are feasible...

....

Something here suit, perhaps?

http://doitbest.com/Hose+Timers-Meln...sku-706414.dib

--

On Thu, 03 Jul 2008 10:52:06 -0400, CL \"dnoyeB\" Gilbert wrote:

Eric in North TX wrote:

On Jul 3, 7:04Â*am, "CL \"dnoyeB\" Gilbert" wrote:
Eric in North TX wrote:



I agree, I go for my reading glasses anytime I go to reprogram
either of my thermostats.

the display is easy enough to see, but the buttons have micro print,
& unless i memorize them,
I have no idea which does what. Same for the phones, using them to
dial a number no problem, but try to program something in, & reading
glasses are required. I see pretty well, for the most part and will
Mr. Magoo it until full time glasses are required. What I do is
leave a cheap pair of glasses near any challenge, A set of 2.0 near
the timer could do it.

Shes Legally blind so she always has her glasses with her. Â*She will
need more help than glasses. Â*If its easy to operate that would be a
big plus. She has a good enough memory. Â*Also if its easy for me to
tell her what to do, thats a big plus as well.

Which means not too many "menu" layers.

I have one like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Orbit-Sprinkle...dard-57161/dp/
B0002YUFO0
Cheap and not very hard to program, much easier than the 4 other ones
we have for various duties around the greenhouse.


Thanks. Ill add that to the list!

I have one of those. It's not bad, but it may not be a great choice for
the visually impaired. The numbers are good sized, but the zone selector
indicators are a set of tiny dots next to a row of very small print. The
button labels are similarly very small. Mine is in a dimly lit area, and
I have to turn on a bright light to use it. Manual start requires a
complex sequence of presses of four different buttons. (Once I memorized
the button locations and sequence, though, I could do it without looking
closely.)

default wrote:

On Thu, 03 Jul 2008 10:52:06 -0400, CL \"dnoyeB\" Gilbert wrote:

Eric in North TX wrote:

On Jul 3, 7:04Â*am, "CL \"dnoyeB\" Gilbert" wrote:
Eric in North TX wrote:



I agree, I go for my reading glasses anytime I go to reprogram
either of my thermostats.

the display is easy enough to see, but the buttons have micro print,
& unless i memorize them,
I have no idea which does what. Same for the phones, using them to
dial a number no problem, but try to program something in, & reading
glasses are required. I see pretty well, for the most part and will
Mr. Magoo it until full time glasses are required. What I do is
leave a cheap pair of glasses near any challenge, A set of 2.0 near
the timer could do it.

Shes Legally blind so she always has her glasses with her. Â*She will
need more help than glasses. Â*If its easy to operate that would be a
big plus. She has a good enough memory. Â*Also if its easy for me to
tell her what to do, thats a big plus as well.

Which means not too many "menu" layers.

I have one like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Orbit-Sprinkle...dard-57161/dp/
B0002YUFO0
Cheap and not very hard to program, much easier than the 4 other ones
we have for various duties around the greenhouse.


Thanks. Ill add that to the list!

I have one of those. It's not bad, but it may not be a great choice for
the visually impaired. The numbers are good sized, but the zone selector
indicators are a set of tiny dots next to a row of very small print. The
button labels are similarly very small. Mine is in a dimly lit area, and
I have to turn on a bright light to use it. Manual start requires a
complex sequence of presses of four different buttons. (Once I memorized
the button locations and sequence, though, I could do it without looking
closely.)


thanks for the heads up.

dpb wrote:

dpb wrote:
...

Grass is watered by timer. Garden is watered using the same control
box,
but on demand. Is that clear enough for you???

Well, not really...

The question wasn't what you had now, but what alternative solutions
would you consider/are feasible...


I had not considered controlling the garden separately. That could simplify
things given that I had a 2nd timer so it turns off automagically.


I'll do that if I can find a really simple one. My hunter is great if only
the print was larger.


CL

CL "dnoyeB" Gilbert wrote:
....
I had not considered controlling the garden separately. That could simplify
things given that I had a 2nd timer so it turns off automagically.
....

Seems to me the mechanical timers w/ the big knob would be nearly ideal
if the idea is to turn it on manually and auto-off.

A few paint marks of appropriate positions would be easy to apply and
readily viewable w/o needing to read anything specific. "Turn it to
here" would be about all the instruction required if would seem.

Think "lowest-tech possible" is my mantra...

--

CL "dnoyeB" Gilbert wrote:
Anyone know of a sprinkler controller that is simple to use and has a large
display. my mother is visually impaired and has a garden that she likes to
water on her own schedule. There is an extremely cheap control unit now
that is useless. I want to upgrade it so its easier for her to water when
she wants.


Thanks for your recommendations.


CL
A couple of possibilities:

http://www.dripirrigation.com/drip_i...roducts_id=778

http://www.leevalley.com/garden/page...280,33160&ap=1

dpb wrote:

CL "dnoyeB" Gilbert wrote:
...
I had not considered controlling the garden separately. That could
simplify things given that I had a 2nd timer so it turns off
automagically.
...

Seems to me the mechanical timers w/ the big knob would be nearly ideal
if the idea is to turn it on manually and auto-off.

A few paint marks of appropriate positions would be easy to apply and
readily viewable w/o needing to read anything specific. "Turn it to
here" would be about all the instruction required if would seem.

Think "lowest-tech possible" is my mantra...

--

Is this found where sprinkler controls are found? Or is this some other
type of electronic device?


CL

Boden wrote:

CL "dnoyeB" Gilbert wrote:
Anyone know of a sprinkler controller that is simple to use and has a
large
display. my mother is visually impaired and has a garden that she likes
to
water on her own schedule. There is an extremely cheap control unit now
that is useless. I want to upgrade it so its easier for her to water
when she wants.


Thanks for your recommendations.


CL
A couple of possibilities:


http://www.dripirrigation.com/drip_i...roducts_id=778


http://www.leevalley.com/garden/page...280,33160&ap=1

Those look good but she does already have an in-ground sprinkler system.


CL

CL "dnoyeB" Gilbert wrote:
dpb wrote:
....

Seems to me the mechanical timers w/ the big knob would be nearly ideal
if the idea is to turn it on manually and auto-off.
....

Is this found where sprinkler controls are found? Or is this some other
type of electronic device?


Didn't you not look at the link I posted (or did it not work for you)?

There were several there that looked suitable to me...

Let's see...there's the former url--

http://doitbest.com/Hose+Timers-Meln...sku-706414.dib

That brings up the DoItBest order page for the Melnor model and links to
two other similar product links for me...

Others similar to besides these are made as well -- a google for
"mechanical water controller" or similar should find quite a large
number of choices.

--

dpb wrote:

CL "dnoyeB" Gilbert wrote:
dpb wrote:
...

Seems to me the mechanical timers w/ the big knob would be nearly ideal
if the idea is to turn it on manually and auto-off.
...

Is this found where sprinkler controls are found? Or is this some other
type of electronic device?


Didn't you not look at the link I posted (or did it not work for you)?

There were several there that looked suitable to me...

Let's see...there's the former url--


http://doitbest.com/Hose+Timers-Meln...sku-706414.dib

That brings up the DoItBest order page for the Melnor model and links to
two other similar product links for me...

Others similar to besides these are made as well -- a google for
"mechanical water controller" or similar should find quite a large
number of choices.

--

no, not sure why I did not click the link. I checked it out. Its the
normal water hose type timer. she has in ground so I will have to google
around and see if I cant find something just as simple maybe by the same
company.

CL "dnoyeB" Gilbert wrote:
dpb wrote:

CL "dnoyeB" Gilbert wrote:
dpb wrote:
...

Seems to me the mechanical timers w/ the big knob would be nearly ideal
if the idea is to turn it on manually and auto-off.
...

Is this found where sprinkler controls are found? Or is this some other
type of electronic device?

Didn't you not look at the link I posted (or did it not work for you)?

There were several there that looked suitable to me...

Let's see...there's the former url--


http://doitbest.com/Hose+Timers-Meln...sku-706414.dib
That brings up the DoItBest order page for the Melnor model and links to
two other similar product links for me...

Others similar to besides these are made as well -- a google for
"mechanical water controller" or similar should find quite a large
number of choices.

--

no, not sure why I did not click the link. I checked it out. Its the
normal water hose type timer. she has in ground so I will have to google
around and see if I cant find something just as simple maybe by the same
company.

CL "dnoyeB" Gilbert wrote:
....
normal water hose type timer. she has in ground so I will have to google
around and see if I cant find something just as simple maybe by the same
....

You can't make a connection via some transition if necessary?

--

On Jul 2, 8:30*am, "CL \"dnoyeB\" Gilbert" wrote:
Anyone know of a sprinkler controller that is simple to use and has a large
display. *my mother is visually impaired and has a garden that she likes to
water on her own schedule. *There is an extremely cheap control unit now
that is useless. *I want to upgrade it so its easier for her to water when
she wants.

Thanks for your recommendations.

CL

What about a wall timer like
http://www.smarthome.com/4254w.html
or this:
http://www.instawares.com/timer-30-m...5-1011.0.7.htm
you could enhance the markings to the side with big arrows,
then direct output to a doorbell transformer & hook that to the wires
for the garden valve.
Years ago I had a bathroom fan timer; a big arrow you turned against a
spring, then it counted back to 0 and off,
I don't see those anymore, but the modern ones could do the job.

dpb wrote:

CL "dnoyeB" Gilbert wrote:
...
normal water hose type timer. she has in ground so I will have to google
around and see if I cant find something just as simple maybe by the same
...

You can't make a connection via some transition if necessary?

--

The garden is not next to the house. Its on the other side of the yard. So
this would require significant plumbing and it still wouldn't be proper. I
don't want anything Ill have to work on in the future.


CL