It's nice after one hot week vacation to come home to a green lush garden.All watered ,green and healthy like you never left.I will for sure get one one .
One of the best and detail video that ACTUALLY shows the hose install and setup unlike other ppl video..thann you sooo much! Definitely a buy for mee. Just curious is it ok if I have 3 way or 2 way for this hub?
@@ScottyInVancouver Yes, your water pressure will dictate how many you can have running at once of course but as long as the splitter is appropriately spaced you can put as many as you need together.
In my reading, I don’t recall seeing their hub & timer listed separately but it appeals to me greatly to do it this way, assuming the cost is competitive. I’ll need to check on that as I need this operational before vacation.
You can find them listed together and individually on the Orbit Store, the timer alone is listed as Bluetooth but with the WiFi hub you can control it from anywhere. One hub can handle a bunch of timers as long as they are in range. store.orbitonline.com/store/products/category/timers-hose-watering/
@@JoshWheelers thanks, now I've swapped to using several hose timers & skip the digging for manifolds, etc so I can get same coverage with Smart system installed while avoiding the complexities of other way. I'll return all those parts in morning, order 3 hose timers, replace 2 on existing system & add a zone for list of potted beauties & call it done! What a tradeoff as well as learning curve handled!
i hooked mine up last night and it works great.....laying in bed turning my watering system off makes me a happy camper was really easy to setup and worked flawless i just saw someone online talking about timer going through batteries is that something anyone else has encountered with their timers let me know please
@@shanew7361 don’t buy them. They work sometimes and then not. They worked good for about a year then I’ve had three go out. Orbit replaced 2 but what a hassle. They don’t last. And at 55 -65 dollars a piece they should do a lot better
Hi Josh I have 4 faucet timers for different areas in my garden. Do I need to set up 4 zones. Zone 1 only shows up by default. How do I add other zones. As I need the timers to run for different durations. Your video is very good
Each timer operates independently of the others. So, you will set them all up as their own zone. It's a bit tedious but this allows each one to water exactly how you want it to. Although, there has been a lot of interest in being able to join them together as one timer with multiple zones. For now, as far as I know (I'm not as involved in this project now as I was when it launched) one major obstacle to doing this stems from the underground system timers. They do not allow two zones to run simultaneously in a program because of possible water pressure issues. Since there isn't (maybe wasn't, not sure if it's changed yet) a distinction between underground & hose faucet timers as far as the app knows they have the same limits. Hope that clears things up for you. Let me know how it goes.
I have three of these, and I've been using them through a hub for about 2 years. The documentation says you can run them manually by just pressing the button for 5 seconds, but I can't get this to work on mine. This would be handy if I'm not home and my wife wants to run one for a while on a hot day.
yah, at 13:06 in the video I go over the manual watering. If that's not working as expected I'd call tech support and see if they can help you troubleshoot and get it going again. Hope that helps.
Yes, that's the idea, each timer is technically its own timer with one zone. Been a while but I'm not sure they've been able to figure out how to combine them all into one timer with multiple zones yet. If your one hub can't reach all the timers then you'll need to add more hubs in closer proximity to the timers.
Thanks for the reply email, I do not see it here, that info will help others. Orbit is lax on details. Like when to use wifi or bluetooth. And defining things like zones, how many zones(or timers) to a timer. I want to use a timer as a main faucet, then control other timers off that timer. Does each timer have to be wifi or bluetooth?
@@thekia These can be used as Bluetooth only, the only reason to connect them to a WiFi Hub is so that you can control them from anywhere you have internet. You can connect directly to the timer via BT from the App and set a program and let it run no problem, however, if you want to get notifications when it runs, rain delays, run manual programs or any of the other smart features then you need to connect it to a WiFi Hub. Each Hub can handle dozens of timers, so as long as all the timers have a connection to the Hub you're good. This is not an advertised feature but the timers can act as bridges to other timers. So, if you have one timer that is connected to the Hub and add more that are too far from the Hub but are close enough to the first/previous timer the timer in the middle will relay messages back and forth. The problem is the latency, it slows the response time way down. I recommend keeping them within range of a Hub for anything requiring internet connectivity.
Thanks so much your teaching better that the chat or live call. So I have 2 timers not programmed and one is, but all come on with my prgrammed ones, Is tha because they are coonected via bluetooth, till the3y are programmed. One the device detail page what does connect Bluetooth mean, and Active Device?
@@thekia Connect Bluetooth means just that, connect to the device over Bluetooth, which also requires you to be in range of the device. Active Device makes it the device that shows on the Home screen of the App. You can switch between them on the Home screen too.
It would be nice if during the setting of run time if the timer would also give you how much water would be delivered in that time since it is already calibrated. This way, if you only want to give 1/2 inch of water, you will know how long to run.
I'm pleased with your mode uf explanation & going 1 step at a time. Currently, I have a 2 zone system of watering in front yard using basic, no WiFi but next step is change of timer so I can add watering in back yard deck where I'll run it along top rods if awning & water hanging baskets & a separate approach that waters a myriad of plants in pots around this large deck. I also pjan on adding a series of pot watering to existing system & not certain how I'll approach that-add it to existing zone I guess but need to think that through. I know it's feasible to ramp up to WiFi system but lack vision as to how I physically set it up (theory I get). It's the physical plan of it that has me stumped. I'll have what setup in house, how many hubs, timers, mental block is serious? I am unable to picture what goes where! It would help enormously if you do video that shows these basics (even a schematic will clear my foggy brain) as to what physically sits where & then I'll be fine. I'm certain I'm not the only one with this issue. I didn't have trouble setting up front yard system which is huge but this expansion has me at a standstill. I'm crazy about the existing system which has been running for about 6 weeks in PA. What a cool advance for yards! Thanks for coming to the aid of those wanting to move up in world of timers-exciting stuff. Is there any place I can see schematic of how I do my plan or anything close? Once done I'll be on my way. Last night, I was filling cart with all parts I need to always have handy- seems to be lengthy list but without it's guaranteed one frustrating topic. I look forward to ongoing videos on this topic & thanks again.
Typical you want to water like plants together because of the amount of water & how often they need it. If you combine unlike plants on one zone the some may get too much while others don't get enough. As far as design of a system for pits on decks... There's really more than one way to do that and the best one is the one that works for your plants. You could look up Orbit Irrigation channel here on TH-cam then look for the drip irrigation videos. That might give you some ideas. Good luck!
Great Video! Ours has been working great for over 6 months. Today when it clicked on, it sounded like a siren! I was able to shut it off and restart it with no issues- sound resolved. Tonight it did the same thing. I am trying to find troubleshooting articles but all I found is it might be a diaphragm. Not sure how to test that. I am thinking I might just unhook the hose to see if there is a blockage. Any tips would be appreciated!
That's a new one to me. I would definitely check for debris lodged in there. Make sure that off is fully off and open is fully open. Maybe try it without the hose and vary the flow to see if it changes at the output too. If nothing works then try reaching out to tech support, they're usually pretty good at getting back to you.
I've used a couple of them for a few years only had to change the batteries. Installation position and location matter. Full sun exposure can be hard on plastic in general. If it gets fully submerged water can get in and if it's installed with the battery tray and button facing up water can get in or moisture condensation can build and cause the same problem as if outside water got in.
@@JoshWheelers Good to know, I just ordered one from Amazon, damn Biden inflation is crazy was $72. You need to set up the hub first then insert batteries into the timer?
@@shanew7361 It will prompt you to start the onboarding right away, you can abort and then login again then you have to go through the Add Device steps. Either way works.
How does the flow, volume calibration work? It would seem to be calibrated out of the box by default. Water is water and mine is no different than yours, or theirs. Obviously, flow rate can vary at any different time from the same hose bibb.
Bob & Janet Murano the timer has a "spinner" inside of it, as the water flows through it counts revolutions. By opening the hose faucet more or less you can vary the flow. So, what you want to do is get the flow set for how you will use it then run the calibration. As you mention, flow can vary, this is not 100% accurate 100% of the time but it will get you pretty close.
Hi, I just installed 3 of these yesterday. Just wondering if these lose wifi connections during my vacation, will the smart watering already scheduled on the app continue to work? If not, will these units switch to custom watering automatically even if the custom watering were left off ( off due to smart watering)? Also, I live in Australia. On watering schedule adjustments in smart details within the app, I see dashes on Jun to Sep months on the intervals table. What do they mean?
The timer is programmed to run the last schedule it received, typically about two weeks worth. This can be good and it can be bad. Good is that if it looses WIFI it will continue watering the last schedule. Bad if the last schedule included some adjustments for lots of rain and/or cold temps and then it gets really hot and dry and it's only set to water once a week or worse, not at all while you're gone. So, I would keep a close eye on the WIFI stability and then make a judgement call, would you prefer to let it be smart while you are gone or setup a custom program that you know will always run while you're away? Even if you're using a custom program you can leave the Smart Watering turned on for the timer but don't have the "zone" in a smart program and the timer will still receive rain and wind delays from the server. Also, it might not be a smart program but as long as it has WIFI you can change the program yourself if you feel it needs any adjustments while you're gone, so it's not like choosing a custom program is all bad either. About the intervals, I'd have to check on that. My guess is that the location data has not been downloaded or maybe calculated on the server yet. I'd give it a day or so and check it again. If it's still not populating reach out to customer service on that one. I'll ask when I get a chance too. Hope that helps.
Do you have to relink the timer with the wifi hub when you change the batteries? Also, can you over ride it at the faucet to use the hose as needed rather than through the timer? thanks for video.
Just On & Off. The flow is controlled by the hose faucet. However, once you have the flow you want you can calibrate the internal flow meter to meaaure the approximate flow so that as you set the runtime it will show you how much water that will put out.
Bought 3 of these. They all individually work well but I cannot setup 3 zones that work together. They are all zone 1 in their own system. Can't figure this app out. Help!
Andrew, for now that is how they work. It is in the list of things to do to be able to combine them into one program but it will be a while, I'm not sure how much longer. If you haven't found it already you can quickly switch between timers on the App's home screen by tapping the logo in the top middle. Sorry I don't have better news today but this is probably the #1 requested feature so it is important to us to get it done & right.
@@JoshWheelers yes thanks, I eventually figured that out! Otherwise it's been working great so far. I'm very happy, will be perfect when we can done all the devices up together so they can talk to one another. Thanks for the video and the reply!
Question... I don’t need this for a timer, I would just like to use it for turning the water on manually so I don’t have to walk up 18 steps and walk across the yard (which is kind of long) just to turn the water on/off. Do you know if I can use it just for this purpose?
Yes, you can. If you are within Bluetooth range you can connect directly to it, no Wi-Fi Bridge required. If you want longer range control then setup the timer & Wi-Fi bridge and you're all set.
Josh, please help if you will. I just bought a new house on February 4, 2019 that has low water pressure all over the house. I have two faucets, one on each side of the house. My house is 3900 square feet with a small yard "I hate cutting grass, life is too short for that crap". I water the entire front yard for about 3 days then, the entire backyard for about 3 days. All I want to do is to wake up in the morning and decide if I want to water my lawn. Can I just buy the to Wi-Fi systems and put one on each side of the house and control them manually from my phone or tablet? Or, do I have to do it the way you are demonstrating. I don't want to make a schedule to run, all I want to do is to water my lawn in the morning about 60 to 75 munites at my discretion. Presently, I get up at 8:00am and turn on my water with a manual control stop timer. I would just rather stay in bed and control the water when I see fit. Finally, there may be a number of syntax errors in my writing and that is because I am severely dyslexic. Thank you very much if you answer this question.
Yes, you can use it completely manually without a schedule. Also, checkout this product, a friend told me about it. www.domyown.com/tnex-p-16595.html Good luck!
One of my timers went about 4 months on one set of batteries and the other one used two sets in the same time frame. There are a few scenarios that would cause batteries to be used up faster than normal. Here's a few, weak connections strength to the hub, too many hops (where one timer that is connected to the wifi hub becomes a range extender for other timers that are out of range of the hub), and a timer that is stuck in update mode (cpu runs at full speed for updates). If your timer's are using up batteries in less than a month then our tech support people might be able to help troubleshoot the reason for you.
I've tried to read the comments, but cant find this answer. I'm trying to set up a system for this fall when I overseed. I don't want to drag sprinklers around all the time. So my plan it to buy a splitter/manifold to make my one faucet into 4. From there I will have 4 of these to make 4 zones. I will want these zones to come on one at a time after the other shuts off. If im understanding this right...I only need 1 timer with a hub...then the other 3 can just be the normal ones without hub correct? All 4 then would connect to the hub and all 4 would be smart timers then correct?
Yes, you have it right. One caveat, for now at least, each timer operates independently from the others. This means you will have to manually figure out the scheduling. The ability to program them together is one of the most requested features so we hope to have it eventually. ;)
@@JoshWheelers That wouldn't be hard tho right. For example...I have one come on at 10 am and off at 1005. The next on 1010 and off at 1015. ECT ECT. Correct?
That depends on your application and whether it requires one or not. For typical sprinklers you're fine but if you're doing a drip irrigation or mist system they may require one.
@@jennybaez-cepeda4919 depending on the pressure already at the faucet you may need a pressure reducer, I think they reduce the pressure down to 30psi, typical house pressures are between 45 & 60 psi. Orbit sells one as part of the drip irrigation starter kit or they can be purchased separately. They attach directly to the same connection as your hose would and convert it from that point on to the 1/2" drip irrigation distribution tubing. They also make some inline filters for if your water is coming from secondary irrigation systems and not the culinary water from your house. This helps prevent clogs in the drip emitters. I'm sure if you look up the Orbit Irrigation channel here on TH-cam there will be some videos demonstrating how to do that. We use drip irrigation for our grow boxes and really like it, best of luck!
I still have the original two running and they work great. One waters two grow boxes and the other just has our hose on it for spray nozzles and the occasional sprinkler. It's a great way to make sure the water does not get left running.
Josh Wheeler Thanks! Great to hear. I think I’ll move forward with 3 or 4 of them... 1 of course being the Bluetooth/network version, and the other 3 just Bluetooth. Thanks for the help!
Hey Josh... bought one... seems to have wrong time of day and weather/local temp information! How can I change my “location” so it has correct time and for sat info? Thanks man!!!
@@davidkokosz7286 you can connect to the hose timer directly by going to the App, select the timer you want to connect to then in the App's home screen tap on the network icon in the upper left corner. If it's currently connected via WiFi it will have the WiFi icon, tap that then choose control via Bluetooth, you need to be in Bluetooth range, a few yards or so. Once connected the app should update the timer's clock and settings. I'm assuming you got the Wi-Fi bridge too, so, the other thing you can check is the device address. Go to "My B-hyve" in the bottom right of the App, then Devices then select the device and make sure it has the correct address.
Hi guys, does the device support (via BLE or Wifi) an external API call? I would like to control it from my home automation framework instead of the Android app. Thanks!
Yes, I've seen them placed in may different orientations. One important note is that if they are placed facing battery tray up and they are exposed to direct watering they can get water in them. I've had mine that way testing and it did get water in but it wasn't enough to reach the electronics but if it does it will brick the timer. Also, they are not rated to be submerged, so above ground is the recommended installation.
You can have three separate programs (A,B&C) and each of them can have as many as four start times. So, that gives you up to 12 possible start times per day maximum. In each program you can set the timer to run for however long you want up to a maximum of a 4 hour duration. Hope that helps.
Mine last a couple to a few months, depends on how often it waters and how close it is to the Wi-Fi hub. It uses a latching valve so it only uses the battery to open & close the valve, not hold it open. If it has to relay messages to other timers then it will use more battery. It has a safety built in, if the batteries get too low (15% or something like that) it will not open the valve. This is to make sure there is enough power left to close the valve.
What is the approximate range for the bluetooth? I have 2 acres and some of the hose bibs are not right on the house. I'm concerned that they won't be able to connect to the WiFi module.
They use BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy), so it is less range than standard Bluetooth. I've personally seen some go 30 yards, could go further depending on obstructions and terrain. Also, each timer can act as a range extender, so, as long as there are enough timers in a chain to reach the edge of your property, then in theory it can be done. Here's the wrench to throw in the theory. To save battery the timers have to put the BLE to sleep and wake it up occasionally to see if there's a message waiting for it or to be relayed further down the chain. This can cause long delays in commands reaching the end of the chain and if the chain becomes overly chatty then the BLE has to remain on and will drain batteries too fast. So, in general, I'd guestimate that 2-4 hops/extensions can work but more than that can become problematic depending on the scenario. I'm no longer working with the B-hyve team on a daily basis as I was when we first launched so I'm not privy to the latest but I know that the new XR underground timer and Gen2 Wifi hub use a newer protocol which can extend the range considerably but I don't know when the hose faucet timers will have the same radios so I don't know when/if that will be available but if I get a chance I'll ask for more on that. If you have power and the Wifi signal further out into your property then you could setup multiple Wifi bridges and reduce the number of hops to get to a hub and that could help. It's definitely not ideal but may work for at least some of your needs. Sorry for the inconclusive and somewhat vague answers but it really does depend on your exact scenario which I don't fully understand.
@@ien2023 it might be worth a call in to tech support. There is now a second generation timer and Wi-Fi hub that are not backward compatible. So, if you are trying to connect two different generations it would not work for sure. Hope it gets sorted out for you.
Have you integrated with Google assistant? I set it up and can tell it to run program A on one device and program B on another but how do I tell it to stop watering a specific device? It seems to only have commands for stop watering but not stop specific program.
That's a little outside my wheelhouse at the moment. I've only been able to control one at a time. There's a setting on the Account screen to change the Google device.
is there any safety mechanism? the reason I am asking this is, I am going out of the country for 2 weeks and I would like to schedule a timer to water my plants. What if my power goes down or wifi got disconnected and water keep running?
This is a valid concern and I can't tell you what to do but there are some safety mechanisms built in. If the battery power drops below a certain level (about 10%) the timer will not run any programs. This ensures that there is enough power to close the valve after the watering is complete. If the power goes out or the Wifi hub can't get to the internet for any reason the timer should continue to run the programs it has both Smart and Custom. Hope that helps.
I spoke with one of the engineers and he had some good suggestions to add. Make sure that the timer is located above ground and cannot become submerged while watering or because of rainfall. Make sure the battery compartment door is facing down, this will keep water from infiltrating the case. In either scenario of water getting in the timer it could be possible for the valve be open but become flooded and short out causing it to not be able to close the valve. I have experienced water in my timers because I had them positioned on the faucet with the battery tray facing up and one of the timers was destroyed and the other was fine, it just depends on how much water gets in. Hope this also helps you out.
That is correct, if the weather threshold is met and it sets a rain delay it will not water. You can adjust the threshold by going to Settings - Devices - Select your timer - Weather Adjustments then either make it more or less sensitive to weather.
B-hyve hose faucet timers have 3 program slots that can have up to 4 start times each. This is nice if you want to have different programs saved for different yard areas or times of year. All you have to do is activate only the program you currently want to run. Hope that helps!
Yes, you could do that. You'd just need to adjust the flow on each one so that they both finish watering in the same amount of time, however long that is.
Free Android App with Beta turned on. If you're okay testing the latest version and reporting bugs the Beta is cool. If you're not, then stick with the Free public releases. The "Pro" has features that generally only contractors care about. Most of the features that were Pro only became available to most everybody when the hose faucet timer was introduced because it required management of more devices and then the flood sensor added even more and the limitation was based on how many devices you could manage on a regular account, that's really not an issue anymore. Hope that helps explain.
I miss spoke, the hose tap timer supports 3 programs and 4 start times, so, yes, that's still enough. Sorry about that, the underground timers are able to have 4 programs.
The hose faucet timer by itself is not Wifi enabled. However, if you buy the Wifi Hub + Timer combo pack it is accessible via wifi. The timer uses BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) to communicate with the hub which you connect to your Wi-Fi network. You can add multiple timers to one hub as long as they are in range of each other. You can have as many hubs as you need, I use two at my house. If you have a second generation underground timer (program button has A, B, C, & D programs or our B-hyve 4 or 8 station timer (no buttons), they are also hubs for the hose faucet timers). Hope that isn't too confusing.
@@drleishaobo you may be correct, the answer to his question depends on whether or not he has the Wi-Fi hub, which he does not specify. So I explained the different ways he can connect a Bluetooth hose faucet timer to a B-hyve Wi-Fi Hub either by using the dedicated Wi-Fi Hub or by using a 2nd generation B-hyve underground timer. If he has neither of those and he has no need for an underground timer he could simply get the Wi-Fi hub and connect it to his home Wi-Fi then add the Bluetooth hose timer to the Hub's network and then he'd be able to control his B-hyve hose faucet timer from anywhere he has internet connection. On the other hand, if he already has the B-hyve Wi-Fi hub installed and connected to his home Wi-Fi and the hose timer is already on the Hub's network, then he's all set and there's nothing more to do, he should be able to control it from anywhere he has internet connection. Hope that clears that up some. Thanks for the nudge.
I set up a program and it says it will run for 10 min 3x. Please tell me how to delete the 3x so that it only runs once. Don't know how that happened. Thanks.
There could be at least two ways I can think of that this could happen. 1st - if you setup a manual program you may have more than one start time set on the program. Go back to the program and look under Start Times, if there's more than one set that would be why, depending on whether you are using iPhone or Android you can swipe or tap on the one(s) you want to delete. 2nd - if you setup smart watering then it could be doing what's called soak & cycle, this takes a 30 minute watering and automatically spits it up into three 10 minute waterings which optimizes ground absorption and eliminates runoff and evaporation; in this case, I'd suggest you let it do its thing. Hope this helps!
Unfortunately the answer is "it depends". It depends on what you have between the hub and the timer, walls, trees, hills, buildings, microwaves, metal, etc... In a pretty clear, one house wall with no metal in it and no other obstructions, my guess is you could get 100 feet or better with the Gen1 versions. The Gen2 is supposed to have better range. I've not been testing these like I was before so I can't say how far that will be but I would expect more than 100 feet. Sorry for the non-answer answer. Let me know if you find out how far you have to go and if you try it. Thanks!
I've looked all over the internet and can't seem to find the answer, Do I need a back flow preventer with this device? I'm using it for a raised vegetable garden bed.
I'll have to ask an engineer for that but I can tell you that it uses a latching solenoid and the default is closed. I just don't know if there's enough tension there to prevent any siphoning back into the main system.
Yes, as long as they are all within Bluetooth Low Energy range of each other, which depends on what's between them plus how far. Each hose faucet timer can actually act as a range extender for other faucet timers. However, if you get more than a few in a chain the ones closest to the Wifi adapter will burn through batteries faster because they are trying to relay messages to the other timers. So, a direct connection to the WiFi hub is best.
David, I'm not able to answer that directly because I don't know exactly what a pool pump needs to function properly. That said, if you have the pump on a timer set to run certain days at certain times for a known amount of time then most likely it would work, otherwise I'm not sure. Feel free to post a follow up if you figure it out though. Thanks!
I have been trying to set mine up for about an hour. On the device I get the two clicks but no light, when I hit the on/off button a white light blinks. Device doesn’t show on my Bluetooth so I can’t go further. Any suggestions?
Snow Brenner try a factory reset, press the button 5 times, the light should blink red then it will reboot and blink blue. Also, make sure you are using the B-hyve App to connect, not the phone's Bluetooth screen. Did you also get the BH1 Wi-Fi hub?
It did as you said it should then it went to the screen that asked if device was on, I answered yes.it was prepa ring for set up then went to the screen Pairing, the screen has nothing listed, when I hit check bluetooth it says it is enabled, check that it is in pairing mode, when I select that there is just a list.
Snow Brenner okay, this is where it gets a little funky, your account has the timer on it, so, when the app tries to pair it the server says that the timer is already registered. There are two options now, I can delete the timer from your account & you do the factory reset again OR you can try pairing again, this time instead of saying it's a new device you'll say that the device was previously connected. I'd recommend you try the later of the two then let me know if it still didn't work and then we can wipe it clean & start over from the beginning.
Ryan Merritt I'm guessing you meant GPM not GPH because that would be super slow. I could only guess that the valve is obstructed by something or maybe the screen is clogged. But I'll try and ask the engineer for the timer if he has any ideas. I'm out of the office so it may be a few days before I can get back to you. I think the highest GPM I've seen was 9 or so coming off my house. They just turned on our secondary irrigation water but I haven't been able to test that yet.
Yes, Orbit does! These are tough to keep in stock so you may have to keep checking back. www.orbitonline.com/product/b-hyve-xd-smart-hose-2-port-timer/
Drew Casselman Yes, there is an app for both iPhone and Android. Make sure to get the free B-hyve app, not the pro or Lite versions just the regular B-hyve app.
b.hyve causing a water hammer. Purchased a water hammer arrester that did not help I had to put a pressure reducer in to make it tolerable. I may purchase a second water hammer arrester see if it helps any more. This is just a lot a monkey around when the manufacturer would need to do is make a close slower. I won't purchase another one.
I'm not a mechanical engineer so I'll do my best here. The hose faucet timer uses a latching solenoid to help extend battery life. This means that for the valve to be open the battery only needs to be used to get the valve open and latched and then can go back to sleep until it is time to turn off, at which point it only needs to use enough energy to unlatch the solenoid for the valve to return it's default state of closed. Since I don't know anything about your system I will speak about mine. I recently discovered that my home's water pressure was double what it should be and that my pressure reducer had failed which over the last few years caused multiple appliance failures and floods in my house. So, for me, I was glad to have a functioning pressure reducer on my whole house. Sorry you've experienced some negative effects with the timer but hopefully it can be figured out. Best of luck!
@@JoshWheelers Yes. My account says that the hub is registered, but the timer looks like it is in the update mode. The light is flashing white. The company is going to send me another timer.
@@stephensparks9084 ah, yes, it's stuck in bootloader mode. Don't if you haven't but did you delete the timer from your account? If not, there's actually still a good chance you can revive it.
I had the same issue but then I decided to reinstall but install the bluetooth timer instead of the wifi hub... it then found the timer and did some update. Then it asked if I want to add it to the wifi hub which I had previously setup and everything works
Here's the basics that I have at the moment. MFI chips (what makes Homekit work on any device) have been installed on all Gen2 (sorry Gen1, for now) devices for two years, which includes the 6, 12, 8 and 16 station timer with A, B, C & D programs, WiFi Hub and 4 & 8 station timers. We have worked with Apple engineers to program the Homekit app to work with our timers, we have tested it and it works. Here's the current hold up, some current Homekit requirements don't align with some of the hardware specs. We are working with them to find a resolution that maintains a great customer experience while meeting the hardware and software requirements.
Matt, it might be worth a call in to tech support. There is now a second generation timer and Wi-Fi hub that are not backward compatible. So, if you are trying to connect two different generations it would not work for sure. Hope it gets sorted out for you.
This is only the one video which showed all the set up process and helped me finally to make it work. Great and thank you so much guys!
the faucet device is leaking, same as 10:48 . how did you fix that?
The Best 'How To' Video from Start to Finish...Thank you
It's nice after one hot week vacation to come home to a green lush garden.All watered ,green and healthy like you never left.I will for sure get one one .
Amazing Product! I live in Miami and it survived our very hot and humid summer. Highly recommend!
Thanks ...I finally got both timers connected to their own individual hubs
Why? I have one hub and have 3 devices connected to the same hub.
100% what I needed to learn. Thank you for sharing!!!!!
Thank you very helpful. Got mine up and running. Thank you for sharing.
How has it held up thus far? Thinking of getting one.
thanks josh loved the vid
Great Video....Just bought one...Seems easy to use.
One of the best and detail video that ACTUALLY shows the hose install and setup unlike other ppl video..thann you sooo much! Definitely a buy for mee.
Just curious is it ok if I have 3 way or 2 way for this hub?
The hub can handle a lot of timers, I don't recall the exact number but definitely what you need is fine.
@@JoshWheelers oh I meant to say hose splitter 😅but it be ok with 4 hose splitter?
@@ScottyInVancouver Yes, your water pressure will dictate how many you can have running at once of course but as long as the splitter is appropriately spaced you can put as many as you need together.
In my reading, I don’t recall seeing their hub & timer listed separately but it appeals to me greatly to do it this way, assuming the cost is competitive. I’ll need to check on that as I need this operational before vacation.
You can find them listed together and individually on the Orbit Store, the timer alone is listed as Bluetooth but with the WiFi hub you can control it from anywhere. One hub can handle a bunch of timers as long as they are in range. store.orbitonline.com/store/products/category/timers-hose-watering/
@@JoshWheelers thanks, now I've swapped to using several hose timers & skip the digging for manifolds, etc so I can get same coverage with Smart system installed while avoiding the complexities of other way. I'll return all those parts in morning, order 3 hose timers, replace 2 on existing system & add a zone for list of potted beauties & call it done! What a tradeoff as well as learning curve handled!
Hub would NEVER connect to network, so after trying for 3 days I finally said the hell with this & took it back to the store.
i hooked mine up last night and it works great.....laying in bed turning my watering system off makes me a happy camper was really easy to setup and worked flawless i just saw someone online talking about timer going through batteries is that something anyone else has encountered with their timers let me know please
How has it held up? Debating on buying one.
@@shanew7361 don’t buy them. They work sometimes and then not. They worked good for about a year then I’ve had three go out. Orbit replaced 2 but what a hassle. They don’t last. And at 55 -65 dollars a piece they should do a lot better
@@geraldf4193 Damn, ordered one at $72.
Josh I am trying to connect two different hose timers. Do I need both bluetooth hubs or will one control both? Thanks for any help.
One hub can control multiple timers as long as they are in range and can "see" each other.
Thanks a lot! I was about to throw these things away.
Hi Josh
I have 4 faucet timers for different areas in my garden. Do I need to set up 4 zones. Zone 1 only shows up by default. How do I add other zones. As I need the timers to run for different durations. Your video is very good
Each timer operates independently of the others. So, you will set them all up as their own zone. It's a bit tedious but this allows each one to water exactly how you want it to. Although, there has been a lot of interest in being able to join them together as one timer with multiple zones. For now, as far as I know (I'm not as involved in this project now as I was when it launched) one major obstacle to doing this stems from the underground system timers. They do not allow two zones to run simultaneously in a program because of possible water pressure issues. Since there isn't (maybe wasn't, not sure if it's changed yet) a distinction between underground & hose faucet timers as far as the app knows they have the same limits. Hope that clears things up for you. Let me know how it goes.
I have three of these, and I've been using them through a hub for about 2 years. The documentation says you can run them manually by just pressing the button for 5 seconds, but I can't get this to work on mine. This would be handy if I'm not home and my wife wants to run one for a while on a hot day.
yah, at 13:06 in the video I go over the manual watering. If that's not working as expected I'd call tech support and see if they can help you troubleshoot and get it going again. Hope that helps.
This is helpful. But... is each hub a group I only have one hub. Then is each timer a zone?
Yes, that's the idea, each timer is technically its own timer with one zone. Been a while but I'm not sure they've been able to figure out how to combine them all into one timer with multiple zones yet. If your one hub can't reach all the timers then you'll need to add more hubs in closer proximity to the timers.
Thanks for the reply email, I do not see it here, that info will help others. Orbit is lax on details. Like when to use wifi or bluetooth. And defining things like zones, how many zones(or timers) to a timer. I want to use a timer as a main faucet, then control other timers off that timer. Does each timer have to be wifi or bluetooth?
@@thekia These can be used as Bluetooth only, the only reason to connect them to a WiFi Hub is so that you can control them from anywhere you have internet. You can connect directly to the timer via BT from the App and set a program and let it run no problem, however, if you want to get notifications when it runs, rain delays, run manual programs or any of the other smart features then you need to connect it to a WiFi Hub. Each Hub can handle dozens of timers, so as long as all the timers have a connection to the Hub you're good. This is not an advertised feature but the timers can act as bridges to other timers. So, if you have one timer that is connected to the Hub and add more that are too far from the Hub but are close enough to the first/previous timer the timer in the middle will relay messages back and forth. The problem is the latency, it slows the response time way down. I recommend keeping them within range of a Hub for anything requiring internet connectivity.
Thanks so much your teaching better that the chat or live call. So I have 2 timers not programmed and one is, but all come on with my prgrammed ones, Is tha because they are coonected via bluetooth, till the3y are programmed.
One the device detail page what does connect Bluetooth mean, and Active Device?
@@thekia Connect Bluetooth means just that, connect to the device over Bluetooth, which also requires you to be in range of the device. Active Device makes it the device that shows on the Home screen of the App. You can switch between them on the Home screen too.
Great video, it would be nice to add the Alexa option that works with these devices.
Thanks for the comment, all B-hyve WiFi connected timers support Alexa & Google integration.
It would be nice if during the setting of run time if the timer would also give you how much water would be delivered in that time since it is already calibrated. This way, if you only want to give 1/2 inch of water, you will know how long to run.
I'm pleased with your mode uf explanation & going 1 step at a time. Currently, I have a 2 zone system of watering in front yard using basic, no WiFi but next step is change of timer so I can add watering in back yard deck where I'll run it along top rods if awning & water hanging baskets & a separate approach that waters a myriad of plants in pots around this large deck. I also pjan on adding a series of pot watering to existing system & not certain how I'll approach that-add it to existing zone I guess but need to think that through.
I know it's feasible to ramp up to WiFi system but lack vision as to how I physically set it up (theory I get).
It's the physical plan of it that has me stumped. I'll have what setup in house, how many hubs, timers, mental block is serious? I am unable to picture what goes where! It would help enormously if you do video that shows these basics (even a schematic will clear my foggy brain) as to what physically sits where & then I'll be fine. I'm certain I'm not the only one with this issue. I didn't have trouble setting up front yard system which is huge but this expansion has me at a standstill. I'm crazy about the existing system which has been running for about 6 weeks in PA. What a cool advance for yards!
Thanks for coming to the aid of those wanting to move up in world of timers-exciting stuff. Is there any place I can see schematic of how I do my plan or anything close? Once done I'll be on my way. Last night, I was filling cart with all parts I need to always have handy- seems to be lengthy list but without it's guaranteed one frustrating topic.
I look forward to ongoing videos on this topic & thanks again.
Typical you want to water like plants together because of the amount of water & how often they need it. If you combine unlike plants on one zone the some may get too much while others don't get enough. As far as design of a system for pits on decks... There's really more than one way to do that and the best one is the one that works for your plants. You could look up Orbit Irrigation channel here on TH-cam then look for the drip irrigation videos. That might give you some ideas. Good luck!
Thanks, great info.
Great Video! Ours has been working great for over 6 months. Today when it clicked on, it sounded like a siren! I was able to shut it off and restart it with no issues- sound resolved. Tonight it did the same thing. I am trying to find troubleshooting articles but all I found is it might be a diaphragm. Not sure how to test that. I am thinking I might just unhook the hose to see if there is a blockage. Any tips would be appreciated!
That's a new one to me. I would definitely check for debris lodged in there. Make sure that off is fully off and open is fully open. Maybe try it without the hose and vary the flow to see if it changes at the output too. If nothing works then try reaching out to tech support, they're usually pretty good at getting back to you.
How has this held up thus far? Have read people having them fail after short period of time.
I've used a couple of them for a few years only had to change the batteries. Installation position and location matter. Full sun exposure can be hard on plastic in general. If it gets fully submerged water can get in and if it's installed with the battery tray and button facing up water can get in or moisture condensation can build and cause the same problem as if outside water got in.
@@JoshWheelers Good to know, I just ordered one from Amazon, damn Biden inflation is crazy was $72. You need to set up the hub first then insert batteries into the timer?
@@shanew7361 Yes, setup the hub first then the timer.
@@JoshWheelers Excellent thank you. Should I download and create an account now?
@@shanew7361 It will prompt you to start the onboarding right away, you can abort and then login again then you have to go through the Add Device steps. Either way works.
Thank you.
How does the flow, volume calibration work? It would seem to be calibrated out of the box by default. Water is water and mine is no different than yours, or theirs. Obviously, flow rate can vary at any different time from the same hose bibb.
Bob & Janet Murano the timer has a "spinner" inside of it, as the water flows through it counts revolutions. By opening the hose faucet more or less you can vary the flow. So, what you want to do is get the flow set for how you will use it then run the calibration. As you mention, flow can vary, this is not 100% accurate 100% of the time but it will get you pretty close.
Hi, I just installed 3 of these yesterday. Just wondering if these lose wifi connections during my vacation, will the smart watering already scheduled on the app continue to work? If not, will these units switch to custom watering automatically even if the custom watering were left off ( off due to smart watering)?
Also, I live in Australia. On watering schedule adjustments in smart details within the app, I see dashes on Jun to Sep months on the intervals table. What do they mean?
The timer is programmed to run the last schedule it received, typically about two weeks worth. This can be good and it can be bad. Good is that if it looses WIFI it will continue watering the last schedule. Bad if the last schedule included some adjustments for lots of rain and/or cold temps and then it gets really hot and dry and it's only set to water once a week or worse, not at all while you're gone. So, I would keep a close eye on the WIFI stability and then make a judgement call, would you prefer to let it be smart while you are gone or setup a custom program that you know will always run while you're away? Even if you're using a custom program you can leave the Smart Watering turned on for the timer but don't have the "zone" in a smart program and the timer will still receive rain and wind delays from the server. Also, it might not be a smart program but as long as it has WIFI you can change the program yourself if you feel it needs any adjustments while you're gone, so it's not like choosing a custom program is all bad either.
About the intervals, I'd have to check on that. My guess is that the location data has not been downloaded or maybe calculated on the server yet. I'd give it a day or so and check it again. If it's still not populating reach out to customer service on that one. I'll ask when I get a chance too.
Hope that helps.
@@JoshWheelers thx for the reply.
Do you have to relink the timer with the wifi hub when you change the batteries? Also, can you over ride it at the faucet to use the hose as needed rather than through the timer? thanks for video.
No, just change the batteries. :)
Is this device just an on/off function? Can the amount of water flow be adjust to just a trickle?
Just On & Off. The flow is controlled by the hose faucet. However, once you have the flow you want you can calibrate the internal flow meter to meaaure the approximate flow so that as you set the runtime it will show you how much water that will put out.
thank you
Bought 3 of these. They all individually work well but I cannot setup 3 zones that work together. They are all zone 1 in their own system. Can't figure this app out. Help!
Andrew, for now that is how they work. It is in the list of things to do to be able to combine them into one program but it will be a while, I'm not sure how much longer. If you haven't found it already you can quickly switch between timers on the App's home screen by tapping the logo in the top middle. Sorry I don't have better news today but this is probably the #1 requested feature so it is important to us to get it done & right.
@@JoshWheelers yes thanks, I eventually figured that out! Otherwise it's been working great so far. I'm very happy, will be perfect when we can done all the devices up together so they can talk to one another. Thanks for the video and the reply!
Question... I don’t need this for a timer, I would just like to use it for turning the water on manually so I don’t have to walk up 18 steps and walk across the yard (which is kind of long) just to turn the water on/off. Do you know if I can use it just for this purpose?
Yes, you can. If you are within Bluetooth range you can connect directly to it, no Wi-Fi Bridge required. If you want longer range control then setup the timer & Wi-Fi bridge and you're all set.
Josh, please help if you will. I just bought a new house on February 4, 2019 that has low water pressure all over the house. I have two faucets, one on each side of the house. My house is 3900 square feet with a small yard "I hate cutting grass, life is too short for that crap". I water the entire front yard for about 3 days then, the entire backyard for about 3 days. All I want to do is to wake up in the morning and decide if I want to water my lawn. Can I just buy the to Wi-Fi systems and put one on each side of the house and control them manually from my phone or tablet? Or, do I have to do it the way you are demonstrating. I don't want to make a schedule to run, all I want to do is to water my lawn in the morning about 60 to 75 munites at my discretion. Presently, I get up at 8:00am and turn on my water with a manual control stop timer. I would just rather stay in bed and control the water when I see fit. Finally, there may be a number of syntax errors in my writing and that is because I am severely dyslexic. Thank you very much if you answer this question.
Yes, you can use it completely manually without a schedule. Also, checkout this product, a friend told me about it. www.domyown.com/tnex-p-16595.html
Good luck!
have you had any issues of the timer going through batteries like crazy??? Saw this online someone had issues with that
One of my timers went about 4 months on one set of batteries and the other one used two sets in the same time frame. There are a few scenarios that would cause batteries to be used up faster than normal. Here's a few, weak connections strength to the hub, too many hops (where one timer that is connected to the wifi hub becomes a range extender for other timers that are out of range of the hub), and a timer that is stuck in update mode (cpu runs at full speed for updates). If your timer's are using up batteries in less than a month then our tech support people might be able to help troubleshoot the reason for you.
@@JoshWheelers thanks Josh
Hey, thanks for your demonstration. Is it possible to set it to run twice a day?
Yes, it has three program slots and up to four start times per program.
Josh Wheeler thanks!
I've tried to read the comments, but cant find this answer. I'm trying to set up a system for this fall when I overseed. I don't want to drag sprinklers around all the time. So my plan it to buy a splitter/manifold to make my one faucet into 4. From there I will have 4 of these to make 4 zones. I will want these zones to come on one at a time after the other shuts off. If im understanding this right...I only need 1 timer with a hub...then the other 3 can just be the normal ones without hub correct? All 4 then would connect to the hub and all 4 would be smart timers then correct?
Yes, you have it right. One caveat, for now at least, each timer operates independently from the others. This means you will have to manually figure out the scheduling. The ability to program them together is one of the most requested features so we hope to have it eventually. ;)
@@JoshWheelers That wouldn't be hard tho right. For example...I have one come on at 10 am and off at 1005. The next on 1010 and off at 1015. ECT ECT. Correct?
@@matthalle2071 Exactly
Great video. I have one question. Do you still need a pressure regulator with this device
That depends on your application and whether it requires one or not. For typical sprinklers you're fine but if you're doing a drip irrigation or mist system they may require one.
Josh Wheeler I want to set up drip irrigation for my fruit trees and my veggie garden
@@jennybaez-cepeda4919 depending on the pressure already at the faucet you may need a pressure reducer, I think they reduce the pressure down to 30psi, typical house pressures are between 45 & 60 psi. Orbit sells one as part of the drip irrigation starter kit or they can be purchased separately. They attach directly to the same connection as your hose would and convert it from that point on to the 1/2" drip irrigation distribution tubing. They also make some inline filters for if your water is coming from secondary irrigation systems and not the culinary water from your house. This helps prevent clogs in the drip emitters. I'm sure if you look up the Orbit Irrigation channel here on TH-cam there will be some videos demonstrating how to do that. We use drip irrigation for our grow boxes and really like it, best of luck!
Josh Wheeler thanks man I appreciate your input.
Its now July1, 2020. These things still the Go To? I am looking at getting something and these appear a top 5 choice... do you still like them etc?
I still have the original two running and they work great. One waters two grow boxes and the other just has our hose on it for spray nozzles and the occasional sprinkler. It's a great way to make sure the water does not get left running.
Josh Wheeler Thanks! Great to hear. I think I’ll move forward with 3 or 4 of them... 1 of course being the Bluetooth/network version, and the other 3 just Bluetooth. Thanks for the help!
Hey Josh... bought one... seems to have wrong time of day and weather/local temp information! How can I change my “location” so it has correct time and for sat info? Thanks man!!!
@@davidkokosz7286 you can connect to the hose timer directly by going to the App, select the timer you want to connect to then in the App's home screen tap on the network icon in the upper left corner. If it's currently connected via WiFi it will have the WiFi icon, tap that then choose control via Bluetooth, you need to be in Bluetooth range, a few yards or so. Once connected the app should update the timer's clock and settings. I'm assuming you got the Wi-Fi bridge too, so, the other thing you can check is the device address. Go to "My B-hyve" in the bottom right of the App, then Devices then select the device and make sure it has the correct address.
Hi guys, does the device support (via BLE or Wifi) an external API call? I would like to control it from my home automation framework instead of the Android app. Thanks!
As of now there aren't any open APIs. It can be setup with Google Home and Amazon Alexa.
Can these valves be used in a horizontal position. I want to use it for lawn irrigation control valves rather than the cable powered solenoid valves
Yes, I've seen them placed in may different orientations. One important note is that if they are placed facing battery tray up and they are exposed to direct watering they can get water in them. I've had mine that way testing and it did get water in but it wasn't enough to reach the electronics but if it does it will brick the timer. Also, they are not rated to be submerged, so above ground is the recommended installation.
Great info.
Hello great video. My ? Is
Can I program the unit to run from say 8 am to 5 pm every day for 5 minutes.
Thanks.
You can have three separate programs (A,B&C) and each of them can have as many as four start times. So, that gives you up to 12 possible start times per day maximum. In each program you can set the timer to run for however long you want up to a maximum of a 4 hour duration. Hope that helps.
how long do the batteries last in it how long can it run for before batteries need to be changed?
Mine last a couple to a few months, depends on how often it waters and how close it is to the Wi-Fi hub. It uses a latching valve so it only uses the battery to open & close the valve, not hold it open. If it has to relay messages to other timers then it will use more battery. It has a safety built in, if the batteries get too low (15% or something like that) it will not open the valve. This is to make sure there is enough power left to close the valve.
What is the approximate range for the bluetooth? I have 2 acres and some of the hose bibs are not right on the house. I'm concerned that they won't be able to connect to the WiFi module.
They use BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy), so it is less range than standard Bluetooth. I've personally seen some go 30 yards, could go further depending on obstructions and terrain. Also, each timer can act as a range extender, so, as long as there are enough timers in a chain to reach the edge of your property, then in theory it can be done. Here's the wrench to throw in the theory. To save battery the timers have to put the BLE to sleep and wake it up occasionally to see if there's a message waiting for it or to be relayed further down the chain. This can cause long delays in commands reaching the end of the chain and if the chain becomes overly chatty then the BLE has to remain on and will drain batteries too fast. So, in general, I'd guestimate that 2-4 hops/extensions can work but more than that can become problematic depending on the scenario. I'm no longer working with the B-hyve team on a daily basis as I was when we first launched so I'm not privy to the latest but I know that the new XR underground timer and Gen2 Wifi hub use a newer protocol which can extend the range considerably but I don't know when the hose faucet timers will have the same radios so I don't know when/if that will be available but if I get a chance I'll ask for more on that. If you have power and the Wifi signal further out into your property then you could setup multiple Wifi bridges and reduce the number of hops to get to a hub and that could help. It's definitely not ideal but may work for at least some of your needs. Sorry for the inconclusive and somewhat vague answers but it really does depend on your exact scenario which I don't fully understand.
@@JoshWheelers thanks for the information, much appreciated.
@@JoshWheelers Don't bother with the wifi hub as it does not work. I have their wifi hub and my timer would not connect to it only bluetooth..
@@ien2023 it might be worth a call in to tech support. There is now a second generation timer and Wi-Fi hub that are not backward compatible. So, if you are trying to connect two different generations it would not work for sure. Hope it gets sorted out for you.
Have you integrated with Google assistant? I set it up and can tell it to run program A on one device and program B on another but how do I tell it to stop watering a specific device? It seems to only have commands for stop watering but not stop specific program.
That's a little outside my wheelhouse at the moment. I've only been able to control one at a time. There's a setting on the Account screen to change the Google device.
I'm running 3 hoses off of a splitter. I am understanding 3 timers and one hub is sufficient?
Yes, that should work to get you three separate "zones" for watering. You still have to setup and control each one individually though.
is there any safety mechanism? the reason I am asking this is, I am going out of the country for 2 weeks and I would like to schedule a timer to water my plants. What if my power goes down or wifi got disconnected and water keep running?
This is a valid concern and I can't tell you what to do but there are some safety mechanisms built in. If the battery power drops below a certain level (about 10%) the timer will not run any programs. This ensures that there is enough power to close the valve after the watering is complete. If the power goes out or the Wifi hub can't get to the internet for any reason the timer should continue to run the programs it has both Smart and Custom. Hope that helps.
I spoke with one of the engineers and he had some good suggestions to add. Make sure that the timer is located above ground and cannot become submerged while watering or because of rainfall. Make sure the battery compartment door is facing down, this will keep water from infiltrating the case. In either scenario of water getting in the timer it could be possible for the valve be open but become flooded and short out causing it to not be able to close the valve. I have experienced water in my timers because I had them positioned on the faucet with the battery tray facing up and one of the timers was destroyed and the other was fine, it just depends on how much water gets in. Hope this also helps you out.
hey, quick questions will it not water my planets when it rains if I have the smart water g mode one.
That is correct, if the weather threshold is met and it sets a rain delay it will not water. You can adjust the threshold by going to Settings - Devices - Select your timer - Weather Adjustments then either make it more or less sensitive to weather.
Thanks for posting. You still loving it?
Yes, original two are still going strong!
Can you set up multiple facet timers to one hub?
Yes, as long as they are all in range. It'll support more than most anyone will ever need.
How many times a day can you set a timer to water will it do 2 times a day?
B-hyve hose faucet timers have 3 program slots that can have up to 4 start times each. This is nice if you want to have different programs saved for different yard areas or times of year. All you have to do is activate only the program you currently want to run. Hope that helps!
Could you just use a divider on one of the Smart timers so save money on buying and extra one?
Yes, you could do that. You'd just need to adjust the flow on each one so that they both finish watering in the same amount of time, however long that is.
@@JoshWheelers Can the flow be adjusted through the app?
@@jrreedjr34 Flow can't be controlled through the timer only the run duration. You would need to set the flow using the faucet.
Are you using free app or pro app?
Free Android App with Beta turned on. If you're okay testing the latest version and reporting bugs the Beta is cool. If you're not, then stick with the Free public releases. The "Pro" has features that generally only contractors care about. Most of the features that were Pro only became available to most everybody when the hose faucet timer was introduced because it required management of more devices and then the flood sensor added even more and the limitation was based on how many devices you could manage on a regular account, that's really not an issue anymore. Hope that helps explain.
I want to use it to water a greenhouse every two hours. My setup has only one faucet. Will that work?
The timer supports 3 programs with up to 4 start times each, so, yah, I think that should be enough to cover 12 starts per day.
I miss spoke, the hose tap timer supports 3 programs and 4 start times, so, yes, that's still enough. Sorry about that, the underground timers are able to have 4 programs.
Kind of a good plug and play device. You should do a video about how to water stucco. It would sell. Hou need to contact kirk jirodono on youtube.
Have a quick question. Does it work on wifi mode . Meaning to say if I am away from my home can I turn it on ?
The hose faucet timer by itself is not Wifi enabled. However, if you buy the Wifi Hub + Timer combo pack it is accessible via wifi. The timer uses BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) to communicate with the hub which you connect to your Wi-Fi network. You can add multiple timers to one hub as long as they are in range of each other. You can have as many hubs as you need, I use two at my house. If you have a second generation underground timer (program button has A, B, C, & D programs or our B-hyve 4 or 8 station timer (no buttons), they are also hubs for the hose faucet timers). Hope that isn't too confusing.
@@JoshWheelers you didn't answer his question at all
@@drleishaobo you may be correct, the answer to his question depends on whether or not he has the Wi-Fi hub, which he does not specify. So I explained the different ways he can connect a Bluetooth hose faucet timer to a B-hyve Wi-Fi Hub either by using the dedicated Wi-Fi Hub or by using a 2nd generation B-hyve underground timer. If he has neither of those and he has no need for an underground timer he could simply get the Wi-Fi hub and connect it to his home Wi-Fi then add the Bluetooth hose timer to the Hub's network and then he'd be able to control his B-hyve hose faucet timer from anywhere he has internet connection. On the other hand, if he already has the B-hyve Wi-Fi hub installed and connected to his home Wi-Fi and the hose timer is already on the Hub's network, then he's all set and there's nothing more to do, he should be able to control it from anywhere he has internet connection. Hope that clears that up some. Thanks for the nudge.
I set up a program and it says it will run for 10 min 3x. Please tell me how to delete the 3x so that it only runs once. Don't know how that happened. Thanks.
There could be at least two ways I can think of that this could happen. 1st - if you setup a manual program you may have more than one start time set on the program. Go back to the program and look under Start Times, if there's more than one set that would be why, depending on whether you are using iPhone or Android you can swipe or tap on the one(s) you want to delete. 2nd - if you setup smart watering then it could be doing what's called soak & cycle, this takes a 30 minute watering and automatically spits it up into three 10 minute waterings which optimizes ground absorption and eliminates runoff and evaporation; in this case, I'd suggest you let it do its thing. Hope this helps!
Has anyone already asked what the max range from the hub to the timer is? I have a faucet far from any indoor locations I'd like to control.
Unfortunately the answer is "it depends". It depends on what you have between the hub and the timer, walls, trees, hills, buildings, microwaves, metal, etc... In a pretty clear, one house wall with no metal in it and no other obstructions, my guess is you could get 100 feet or better with the Gen1 versions. The Gen2 is supposed to have better range. I've not been testing these like I was before so I can't say how far that will be but I would expect more than 100 feet. Sorry for the non-answer answer. Let me know if you find out how far you have to go and if you try it. Thanks!
@@JoshWheelers will do. I have a brick building but flat ground with no obstructions to clear so we'll see. I'm measuring the actual distance today.
I've looked all over the internet and can't seem to find the answer, Do I need a back flow preventer with this device? I'm using it for a raised vegetable garden bed.
I'll have to ask an engineer for that but I can tell you that it uses a latching solenoid and the default is closed. I just don't know if there's enough tension there to prevent any siphoning back into the main system.
Can one WIFI adapter work for 2 timer units?
Yes, as long as they are all within Bluetooth Low Energy range of each other, which depends on what's between them plus how far. Each hose faucet timer can actually act as a range extender for other faucet timers. However, if you get more than a few in a chain the ones closest to the Wifi adapter will burn through batteries faster because they are trying to relay messages to the other timers. So, a direct connection to the WiFi hub is best.
@@JoshWheelers thanks, good to know.
can i use this on a faucet with a pool pump?
David, I'm not able to answer that directly because I don't know exactly what a pool pump needs to function properly. That said, if you have the pump on a timer set to run certain days at certain times for a known amount of time then most likely it would work, otherwise I'm not sure. Feel free to post a follow up if you figure it out though. Thanks!
I have been trying to set mine up for about an hour. On the device I get the two clicks but no light, when I hit the on/off button a white light blinks. Device doesn’t show on my Bluetooth so I can’t go further. Any suggestions?
Snow Brenner try a factory reset, press the button 5 times, the light should blink red then it will reboot and blink blue. Also, make sure you are using the B-hyve App to connect, not the phone's Bluetooth screen. Did you also get the BH1 Wi-Fi hub?
Snow Brenner let me know if it never blinks red and only blinks white, that's a different scenario & we'll do something else.
It did as you said it should then it went to the screen that asked if device was on, I answered yes.it was prepa
ring for set up then went to the screen Pairing, the screen has nothing listed, when I hit check bluetooth it says it is enabled, check that it is in pairing mode, when I select that there is just a list.
Snow Brenner okay, this is where it gets a little funky, your account has the timer on it, so, when the app tries to pair it the server says that the timer is already registered. There are two options now, I can delete the timer from your account & you do the factory reset again OR you can try pairing again, this time instead of saying it's a new device you'll say that the device was previously connected. I'd recommend you try the later of the two then let me know if it still didn't work and then we can wipe it clean & start over from the beginning.
Thank you very much I think i will try the latter. My phone is dead now so it will be tomorrow!
I have this timer and it takes my GPH from 6 to 1.5 when I put the timer in between. Any idea?
Ryan Merritt I'm guessing you meant GPM not GPH because that would be super slow. I could only guess that the valve is obstructed by something or maybe the screen is clogged. But I'll try and ask the engineer for the timer if he has any ideas. I'm out of the office so it may be a few days before I can get back to you. I think the highest GPM I've seen was 9 or so coming off my house. They just turned on our secondary irrigation water but I haven't been able to test that yet.
Does anyone manufacture twin versions of these?
Yes, Orbit does! These are tough to keep in stock so you may have to keep checking back. www.orbitonline.com/product/b-hyve-xd-smart-hose-2-port-timer/
will this work with an iphone?
Drew Casselman Yes, there is an app for both iPhone and Android. Make sure to get the free B-hyve app, not the pro or Lite versions just the regular B-hyve app.
Josh Wheeler ok, thank you for the info
b.hyve causing a water hammer. Purchased a water hammer arrester that did not help I had to put a pressure reducer in to make it tolerable. I may purchase a second water hammer arrester see if it helps any more. This is just a lot a monkey around when the manufacturer would need to do is make a close slower. I won't purchase another one.
I'm not a mechanical engineer so I'll do my best here. The hose faucet timer uses a latching solenoid to help extend battery life. This means that for the valve to be open the battery only needs to be used to get the valve open and latched and then can go back to sleep until it is time to turn off, at which point it only needs to use enough energy to unlatch the solenoid for the valve to return it's default state of closed. Since I don't know anything about your system I will speak about mine. I recently discovered that my home's water pressure was double what it should be and that my pressure reducer had failed which over the last few years caused multiple appliance failures and floods in my house. So, for me, I was glad to have a functioning pressure reducer on my whole house. Sorry you've experienced some negative effects with the timer but hopefully it can be figured out. Best of luck!
I wish mine worked that easily. My app cannot find the hose valve timer.
Do you have the WiFi hub too?
@@JoshWheelers Yes. My account says that the hub is registered, but the timer looks like it is in the update mode. The light is flashing white. The company is going to send me another timer.
@@stephensparks9084 ah, yes, it's stuck in bootloader mode. Don't if you haven't but did you delete the timer from your account? If not, there's actually still a good chance you can revive it.
@@JoshWheelers It was deleted. I figured that it is beyond recovery. Thanks for the replies.
I had the same issue but then I decided to reinstall but install the bluetooth timer instead of the wifi hub... it then found the timer and did some update. Then it asked if I want to add it to the wifi hub which I had previously setup and everything works
Has anyone gotten any information about the update for HomeKit?
Here's the basics that I have at the moment. MFI chips (what makes Homekit work on any device) have been installed on all Gen2 (sorry Gen1, for now) devices for two years, which includes the 6, 12, 8 and 16 station timer with A, B, C & D programs, WiFi Hub and 4 & 8 station timers. We have worked with Apple engineers to program the Homekit app to work with our timers, we have tested it and it works. Here's the current hold up, some current Homekit requirements don't align with some of the hardware specs. We are working with them to find a resolution that maintains a great customer experience while meeting the hardware and software requirements.
I duno . too complicated app imo
My timer would not connect to it's wifi hub no matter what I do. DO NOT BUY THIS. Its a piece of crap.
Matt, it might be worth a call in to tech support. There is now a second generation timer and Wi-Fi hub that are not backward compatible. So, if you are trying to connect two different generations it would not work for sure. Hope it gets sorted out for you.
I hate how simple you make it look 🥲 it’s nearly impossible for me to open the battery slot