This feature is available but in beta.
Introduction
The Verdi Block Controller and Verdi Micro-Block Controller can open or close a valve based on a sensor wired into that same controller, with a response time as fast as 30 seconds. This enables applications like heat protection, frost protection, pressure switch, flow switch, and soil moisture automation.
Important note
Sensor-driven automation is currently wired and on-device only. A sensor can only act on the controller it is wired into. It cannot trigger an action on any other device.
How It Works
The controller reads the sensor wired into it, compares the reading to the Target you set, and opens or closes its own valve.
A sensor wired into a controller can:
Open or close the valve connected to that controller
Turn a pump on or off, if that controller is a Block Controller driving a pump relay (see Pump Control)
A sensor wired into a controller cannot:
Open or close a valve on another controller
Open or close a group of controllers
Turn on a pump controlled by another controller, including a parent pump controller linked to the zone
Start an irrigation sequence or set across multiple zones
To automate several zones, wire a sensor into each zone's controller and enable automation on each one.
How to Use
Before you start, wire the sensor into the Block Controller or Micro-Block Controller whose valve you want to automate.
To enable this feature, click the settings icon beside Automation - Disabled in the Device Card. Select dutyCycle in the Automation Mode dropdown. Select the sensor (e.g., Teros 10 soil moisture) in the Sensor dropdown. Enter a Target metric. For soil moisture, this would typically be the volumetric water content value for the onset of stress or field capacity minus plant available water. Select a Duty Cycle Period in the dropdown. This will determine how frequently the system will check if the sensor is above the Target. Select Irrigate Below Threshold (green) if the zone should be irrigated when the sensor reads below the Target. Valves will open until the next duty cycle (see Duty Cycle Period). Set the Duty Cycle Period percentage to 100%. Click Save to commit the changes. This must be completed on every device intended to operate under sensor-driven automation, and each of those devices needs its own wired sensor.
Supported External Sensors
The following sensor types are supported when wired directly into the controller:
Single-Depth Soil Moisture
Air Temperature
Water Pressure
Water Flow
Wireless sensors and sensors connected to another device cannot trigger automation. This includes the Sensoterra Single-Depth Soil Moisture Sensor (Wireless) and sensors connected to an SDI-12 Telemetry Node. Their readings still appear on the dashboard.
Response Time
The sensor can be read every 30 seconds, and the valve will open or close immediately.
Wireless Sensor-Driven Automation (Roadmap)
Wireless, system-wide sensor-driven automation is on the Verdi roadmap. The goal is to let one sensor trigger actions on other devices, for example:
A soil moisture probe starting an irrigation sequence across several valves, or a valve and its pump
A temperature sensor in the middle of a field starting a frost protection sequence across several zones
A pressure transducer in one location turning on a pump and several valves
This feature does not have a release date yet. Until it is available, each controller you want to automate needs its own wired sensor. If this capability matters for your operation, contact us to share your use case.