Sprinkler controller for visually impared

In article <[email protected]>,
"CL \"dnoyeB\" Gilbert" <[email protected]> wrote:

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

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

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

Smitty Two wrote:

> In article <[email protected]>,
> "CL \"dnoyeB\" Gilbert" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Anyone know of a sprinkler controller that is simple to use and has a
>> large
>> display. my mother is visually impaired and has a garden that she likes
>> to
>> water on her own schedule. There is an extremely cheap control unit now
>> that is useless. I want to upgrade it so its easier for her to water
>> when she wants.
>>
>>
>> Thanks for your recommendations.
>>
>>
>> CL
>
> I see a huge untapped market for things like that. The baby boomers are
> aging, and thanks to modern medicine living longer than the previous
> generation. My aunt had severe macular degeneration and couldn't see to
> adjust the thermostat in her apartment, operate a TV remote, etc. ad
> infinitum. Twenty years ago or more someone came out with a "big button"
> phone," but few other products have followed.
>
> But, if your mother only has a few zones to water, you could just skip
> the electronics altogether and put in a distribution manifold with
> manual slicer valves.

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


CL

CL "dnoyeB" Gilbert wrote:
...

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


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

--

dpb wrote:

> CL "dnoyeB" Gilbert wrote:
> ...
>
>> She has several zones to water. She waters the garden zone manually
>> though.
>
>
> So all she really needs is an "off" timer she can see to set for
> duration? (Trying to figure out what is the target here...)
>
> --

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

CL "dnoyeB" Gilbert wrote:
> dpb wrote:
>
>> CL "dnoyeB" Gilbert wrote:
>> ...
>>
>>> She has several zones to water. She waters the garden zone manually
>>> though.
>>
>> So all she really needs is an "off" timer she can see to set for
>> duration? (Trying to figure out what is the target here...)
>>
>> --
>
> Grass is watered by timer. Garden is watered using the same control box,
> but on demand. Is that clear enough for you???

Well, not really... :)

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

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

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

--


--

dpb wrote:
...

>> Grass is watered by timer. Garden is watered using the same control box,
>> but on demand. Is that clear enough for you???
>
> Well, not really... :)

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

...

Something here suit, perhaps?

http://doitbest.com/Hose+Timers-Melnor+Gardena-model-101-doitbest-sku-706414.dib

--

dpb wrote:

> dpb wrote:
> ...
>
>>> Grass is watered by timer. Garden is watered using the same control
>>> box,
>>> but on demand. Is that clear enough for you???
>>
>> Well, not really... :)
>
> The question wasn't what you had now, but what alternative solutions
> would you consider/are feasible...
>

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


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


CL

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

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

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

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

--

dpb wrote:

> CL "dnoyeB" Gilbert wrote:
> ...
>> I had not considered controlling the garden separately. That could
>> simplify things given that I had a 2nd timer so it turns off
>> automagically.
> ...
>
> Seems to me the mechanical timers w/ the big knob would be nearly ideal
> if the idea is to turn it on manually and auto-off.
>
> A few paint marks of appropriate positions would be easy to apply and
> readily viewable w/o needing to read anything specific. "Turn it to
> here" would be about all the instruction required if would seem.
>
> Think "lowest-tech possible" is my mantra...
>
> --

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


CL