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garden:irrigation [2026/01/24 17:19] – created nathnagarden:irrigation [2026/01/24 17:33] (current) – nathna
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-📘 Soil-Moisture-Driven Irrigation with VegeHub & B-Hyve 
- 
 ===== Soil-Moisture-Driven Irrigation with VegeHub & B-Hyve ===== ===== Soil-Moisture-Driven Irrigation with VegeHub & B-Hyve =====
  
-This page documents the irrigation upgrade for the vegetable garden beds using real soil moisture data to trigger watering through the existing B-Hyve irrigation controller. +This page documents the irrigation upgrade for the vegetable garden beds using **real soil moisture data** to trigger watering through the existing **B-Hyve** irrigation controller.
-The goal: water only when the soil actually needs it, not on a timer.+
  
-🥕 Project Overview+The goal: **water only when the soil actually needs it**, not on a timer.
  
-The system uses:+----
  
-VegeHub WiFi Control Hub (Vegetronix)+==== 🥕 Project Overview ====
  
-Handles wired soil moisture sensors (1–4 per hub)+The system uses:
  
-Sends readings to Home Assistant (local API)+  * **VegeHub WiFi Control Hub (Vegetronix)** 
 +    * Handles wired soil moisture sensors (1–4 per hub) 
 +    * Sends readings to Home Assistant (local API) 
 +    * Has an onboard relay (optional to use)
  
-Has an onboard relay (optional to use)+  * **VH400 Soil Moisture Sensors (Vegetronix)** 
 +    * Extremely accurate, long-term stable, outdoor-rated 
 +    * Low power consumption 
 +    * Ideal for vegetable beds
  
-VH400 Soil Moisture Sensors (Vegetronix)+  * **B-Hyve Irrigation System** 
 +    * Already installed and working 
 +    * Exposed to Home Assistant as zone switches 
 +    * Automations will trigger B-Hyve based on moisture thresholds
  
-Extremely accurate, long-term stable, outdoor-rated+Your initial project plan:
  
-Low power consumption+  * **Phase 1:** 1 VegeHub + 4 sensors → one sensor per bed   
 +  * **Phase 2:** Add second VegeHub + 4 sensors (8 total)   
 +  * **Goal:** Each irrigation zone waters *only* when its beds are dry
  
-Great for vegetable beds+----
  
-B-Hyve Irrigation System+==== 🌱 System Diagram (Text Version) ====
  
-Already installed and working +<code>
- +
-Exposed to Home Assistant as zone switches +
- +
-HA automations will trigger B-Hyve zones based on soil moisture thresholds +
- +
-Your initial plan is: +
- +
-Phase 1: 1 VegeHub + 4 sensors → one sensor per bed +
- +
-Phase 2: If results are good → add a second VegeHub + 4 more sensors (8 total) +
- +
-Goal: Each irrigation zone waters only when its beds are dry +
- +
-🌱 System Diagram (Text Version)+
 [ VH400 Sensor A ]   \ [ VH400 Sensor A ]   \
 [ VH400 Sensor B ]    >  → VegeHub → Home Assistant → B-Hyve Zone 1 [ VH400 Sensor B ]    >  → VegeHub → Home Assistant → B-Hyve Zone 1
Line 49: Line 43:
  
 Home Assistant logic: Home Assistant logic:
-- Compute per-bed moisture (avg or median) +  - Compute per-bed moisture (avg or median) 
-- Compute zone moisture = min(bed A, bed B) +  - Compute zone moisture = min(bed A, bed B) 
-- Trigger watering only when moisture < threshold+  - Trigger watering only when moisture < threshold 
 +</code>
  
-🔧 Parts List +----
-Required (Phase 1 – 4 beds) +
-Qty Item Description Link +
-1 VegeHub WiFi Control Hub Outdoor WiFi hub for soil sensors https://www.vegetronix.com/Products/VG-HUB/+
  
-4 VH400 Soil Moisture Sensor Capacitive, highly accurate, waterproof https://www.vegetronix.com/Products/VH400/+==== 🔧 Parts List ====
  
-4 2-conductor outdoor burial wire (18–22 AWG) For sensors to hub (Home Depot / Lowes) +=== **Required (Phase 1 – 4 beds)** ===
-1 Weatherproof mounting hardware To mount the VegeHub on a post/wall (Hardware store) +
-Optional / Helpful +
-Qty Item Description Link +
-1 5–12V DC power supply If not running battery mode (Amazon) +
-1 Drip irrigation tuning kit To adjust emitters per bed (Amazon) +
-1 Additional VegeHub (Phase 2) For 8 total sensors https://www.vegetronix.com/Products/VG-HUB/ +
-🌿 Recommended Layout+
  
-4 sensors → 4 beds +^ Qty ^ Item ^ Description ^ Link ^ 
-Place each probe:+| 1 | **VegeHub WiFi Control Hub** | Outdoor WiFi hub for soil sensors | https://www.vegetronix.com/Products/VG-HUB/ | 
 +| 4 | **VH400 Soil Moisture Sensor** | Capacitive, highly accurate, waterproof | https://www.vegetronix.com/Products/VH400/ | 
 +| 4 | 2-conductor outdoor burial wire (18–22 AWG) | Cable from beds to hub | Home Depot / Lowes | 
 +| 1 | Weatherproof mounting hardware | Mount the VegeHub on post/wall | Hardware store |
  
-At root depth (3–6")+=== **Optional / Helpful** ===
  
-About halfway between emitters+^ Qty ^ Item ^ Description ^ Link ^ 
 +| 1 | 5–12V DC Power Supply | If not using battery mode | Amazon | 
 +| 1 | Drip irrigation tuning kit | Adjust flow per bed | Amazon | 
 +| 1 | Additional VegeHub (Phase 2)** | For 8 sensors total | https://www.vegetronix.com/Products/VG-HUB/ |
  
-Not directly under the drip outlet+----
  
-Angled slightly downward for better contact+==== 🌿 Recommended Sensor Layout ====
  
-When scaling to 8 sensors:+**4 sensors → 4 beds**
  
-Place one sensor per bed (ideal)+Place each probe:
  
-Or two sensors in uneven beds (sun/shade differences)+  * At **root depth** (3–6 inches)   
 +  * About **halfway between drip emitters**   
 +  * **Not directly under** a drip outlet   
 +  * Slightly angled downward for better soil contact  
  
-🔌 Home Assistant Integration +For **8 sensors (Phase 2):**
-VegeHub → Home Assistant+
  
-Uses HA’s official VegeHub integration+  * 1 probe per bed (best)   
 +  * OR 2 probes for uneven beds (sun/shade differences)
  
-Exposes:+----
  
-sensor.bed1_moisture+==== 🔌 Home Assistant Integration ====
  
-sensor.bed2_moisture+=== VegeHub → Home Assistant === 
 +The official VegeHub integration exposes:
  
-sensor.bed3_moisture+  * `sensor.bed1_moisture` 
 +  * `sensor.bed2_moisture` 
 +  * `sensor.bed3_moisture` 
 +  * `sensor.bed4_moisture` 
 +  * `switch.vegehub_relay`  (optional)
  
-sensor.bed4_moisture+=== B-Hyve → Home Assistant === 
 +Your existing irrigation switches:
  
-switch.vegehub_relay (optional)+  * `switch.veg_bed_1_2_zone` 
 +  * `switch.veg_bed_3_4_zone` 
 +  * `switch.veg_bed_5_6_zone` 
 +  * `switch.veg_bed_7_8_zone`
  
-B-Hyve → Home Assistant+Home Assistant will use the VegeHub readings to automate watering.
  
-You already have B-Hyve zones like:+----
  
-switch.veg_bed_1_2_zone+==== 💧 Watering Logic ====
  
-switch.veg_bed_3_4_zone+=== Rules === 
 +  * Water when **moisture < dry threshold** 
 +  * Only run during **allowed time windows** (best: early morning) 
 +  * Continue watering until: 
 +    * Soil **> wet threshold**, OR   
 +    * **Maximum runtime** is reached (safety)
  
-switch.veg_bed_5_6_zone+=== Example Thresholds === 
 +  * **Dry threshold:** 20–25% VWC   
 +  * **Wet threshold:** 28–32% VWC  
  
-switch.veg_bed_7_8_zone+(These values can be tuned based on your soil and crop needs.)
  
-HA will use VegeHub moisture readings to trigger these.+----
  
-💧 Watering Logic +==== 🧠 Example Automation (YAML) ====
-Rules+
  
-If moisture < dry threshold, trigger watering. +<code>
- +
-Only water in allowed time windows (early morning). +
- +
-Water until: +
- +
-moisture > wet threshold, or +
- +
-max runtime reached (safety). +
- +
-Example Thresholds +
- +
-Dry threshold: 20–25% VWC +
- +
-Wet threshold: 28–32% VWC +
- +
-These are typical for vegetables; but calibrate based on your soil. +
- +
-🧠 Example Automation (DokuWiki code block)+
 alias: "Veg Zone 1 • Moisture Based Watering" alias: "Veg Zone 1 • Moisture Based Watering"
 trigger: trigger:
Line 144: Line 135:
     entity_id: sensor.bed1_moisture     entity_id: sensor.bed1_moisture
     below: 22     below: 22
 +
 condition: condition:
   - condition: time   - condition: time
     after: "05:00:00"     after: "05:00:00"
     before: "09:00:00"     before: "09:00:00"
 +
 action: action:
   - service: switch.turn_on   - service: switch.turn_on
     target:     target:
       entity_id: switch.veg_bed_1_2_zone       entity_id: switch.veg_bed_1_2_zone
 +
   - wait_for_trigger:   - wait_for_trigger:
       - platform: numeric_state       - platform: numeric_state
Line 157: Line 151:
         above: 28         above: 28
     timeout: "00:20:00"     timeout: "00:20:00"
 +
   - service: switch.turn_off   - service: switch.turn_off
     target:     target:
       entity_id: switch.veg_bed_1_2_zone       entity_id: switch.veg_bed_1_2_zone
 +</code>
  
 +Replicate the automation for Zones 2–4 using their matching sensor entities.
  
-Replicate this for Zones 2–4 with their corresponding sensors. +----
- +
-✔️ Why VegeHub Is a Good Fit for Your Setup+
  
-Extremely reliable hardware made for outdoor farms+==== ✔️ Why VegeHub Fits This Setup ====
  
-VH400 sensors are best-in-class for VWC accuracy+  * Highly reliable agricultural-grade hardware   
 +  * VH400 sensors offer best-in-class accuracy and stability   
 +  * WiFi connection avoids outdoor Zigbee issues   
 +  * Seamless Home Assistant integration   
 +  * Lets B-Hyve continue controlling the valves   
 +  * Simple roadmap to expand from 4 → 8 sensors  
  
-Uses WiFi (easy install, no Zigbee routing issues outdoors)+----
  
-Seamless Home Assistant integration+==== 📦 Where to Buy ====
  
-Lets your B-Hyve stay in charge of actual watering+  * **VegeHub WiFi Control Hub**   
 +    https://www.vegetronix.com/Products/VG-HUB/
  
-Scale to 8 sensors simply by adding a second hub+  * **VH400 Soil Moisture Sensor**   
 +    https://www.vegetronix.com/Products/VH400/
  
-📦 Where to Buy+----
  
-VegeHub WiFi Control Hub 
-https://www.vegetronix.com/Products/VG-HUB/ 
  
-VH400 Soil Moisture Sensor 
garden/irrigation.1769293191.txt.gz · Last modified: by nathna
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