How To Set Up Smart Irrigation Control with Alarm.com

[tyler]

Through Alarm.com you can integrate a few different Smart Irrigation control systems to further enhance the home automation experience through Alarm.com.

Currently, the Rachio and Rain Bird smart irrigation controllers are compatible with Alarm.com.

What can you do with Alarm.com smart irrigation control?

Currently, the following features are compatible with smart irrigation and Alarm.com:

System Status Monitoring

• Watering history
• Current water (if active)
• Seasonal adjustments (Rain Bird only)

Control

• Rain Delay
• Turn on specific zones for a desired time
• Run Program (same as Run Schedule on Rachio)
• Put the Device in standby (Rachio only)
• Stop current watering

Note : The Alarm.com app does not support configuration of Rachio schedules, Rain Bird programs, weather settings, or offer a view of schedule history.

What is needed to get started?

In order to get set up, you will need:

• an Alarm.com service plan with Water Management and Irrigation Control.

  • Through Surety, that would be Surety Home and Surety Complete service plans.

• A Compatible smart irrigation controller.

Rachio Smart Sprinkler Controller

Versions compatible:

All generations

Rain Bird Irrigation Controller

Versions compatible:

• ESP-TM2 with LNK Wi-Fi Module

  • Available in 4, 6, 8, and 12-station (zone) modes

• ESP-Me with LNK Wi-Fi Module*

  • Supports 4 stations (zones) by default; station modules can be added to support up to 22 stations (zones)
  

*Compatible ESP-Me’s shipped after November 2, 2016, will have the LNK Ready icon on the panel. If the controller does not have the LNK Ready icon, the panel can be swapped out for a newer version without re-wiring the controller.

[tyler]

Getting Started with Rachio

Install the Rachio Controller, connect the system to Wi-Fi, and configure schedules and zones in the Rachio app before adding Rachio to an Alarm.com account then:

1. Log into your Alarm.com app
2. Navigate to the Irrigation card on the Home screen, tap Connect to account.

3. Enter your Rachio app credentials, then tap Allow Access if asked.
4. Wait for the controller to load. The Irrigation card on the Home screen should automatically refresh after authorization is complete. If not, you may need to log out of the Alarm.com app then back in to see the changes.

View and control Irrigation on the Alarm.com app

Irrigation card

The Irrigation card displays the current status of your Rachio controller, whether it is currently in use or when it was last in use. It also displays if the controller is in Rain Delay or Standby mode .

Note Last Watered displays the last zone watered, regardless of whether it was watered through a schedule or manually.

Irrigation features

1. Set Rachio to Standby or Rain Delay.
2. Start watering an individual zone, all zones, or run a schedule.
3. View the last time each zone was watered.

Additional tips

• It is not possible to interact with a zone or schedule while watering. You will need to tap Stop Watering before making changes.
• To water zones that are not in a schedule, tap on Water All Zones and deselect zones as desired.
• Schedule names are visible in the Alarm.com app, but the zones and durations are only available in the Rachio app. Use the Rachio app to give each schedule a descriptive name for easy reference from the Alarm.com app.
• If adding Rachio and Rain Bird systems to the same account, Rachio must be added first.
• To change zone names, use the Devices page on the Alarm.com website.

• Should you ever need to Delete Rachio, this would need to be done by the dealer, so if you are a Surety subscriber and you need the connection removed, just let us know!

[tyler]

Getting started with Rain Bird

Install Rain Bird, connect the system to Wi-Fi, and configure programs and zones in the Rain Bird app before adding Rain Bird to an Alarm.com account.

Device Compatibility

Alarm.com is compatible with the following Rain Bird hardware:

• ESP-TM2 with LNK Wi-Fi Module

  • Compatible ESP-TM2’s have an all-green control plate. If the control plate has multi-colored buttons, it is not compatible.
  

• ESP-Me, shipped after November 2, 2016 with LNK Wi-Fi Module
  • Compatible ESP-Me’s will have the LNK Ready icon on the panel. If the controller does not have the LNK Ready icon, the panel can be swapped out for a newer version without re-wiring the controller.

To add the Rain Bird Controller to an Alarm.com account:

1. Write down or photograph the MAC address on the back of the LNK Wi-Fi Module.
2. On a mobile device, log into the Rain Bird app.
3. Select the Controller, then tap the Settings icon.
   
   
4. Tap to expand Connected Home , then tap the toggle switch next to Alarm.com .
   
5. Return to the home page of the Rain Bird app.
6. Then, give the MAC address located on the back of the controller’s Wi-Fi Stick to us, or your current service provider.

Real-time irrigation control

Irrigation card

The Irrigation Card displays the status of your Rain Bird controller, whether it is currently in use or when it was last in use. It also displays if the controller is currently in Rain Delay or has a seasonal adjust.

Irrigation feature screen

• Set Rain Bird to Rain Delay
• Start or stop watering an individual zone
• View the last time each zone was watered

Additional Tips

• Zones are named numerically.
  • To update the zone names via the Customer Website, click Settings then Devices
• When watering, it is not possible to interact with any other zone or program. To make changes, tap Stop Watering .

• To water select zones that are not in a program, tap Water All Zones and deselect zones as desired.
• Program names are visible in the Alarm.com app, but the program details, including zones and durations, are only available in the Rain Bird app. It is recommended to give each program a descriptive name for easy reference later.