SmartStorm Videos | Basic Setup

The SmartStorm Web-Enabled Irrigation Controller is a robust, 10-zone irrigation controller with a built-in web server. It can be controlled over any IP network, including the Internet and private networks. The SmartStorm excels in its web interface which can be accessed from any location by a computer or smart phone using a standard web browser.

The web interface provides a much larger and more helpful screen and provides a user-friendly experience to create water schedules, monitor sensors, and manually control your irrigation system. You no longer need to reference the users manual to figure out how to program your irrigation controller each season.

For this video we are going to review the configuration settings of the SmartStorm. For this example, we have already wired a 10-zone sprinkling system with a temperature sensor to the SmartStorm unit.

You should have already logged into the device and changed its default IP address. For help on how to do this, please see the Establishing Communications video, linked in the transcripts below.

Once you are logged into the setup pages, you will see the SmartStorm's, Main tab where you can see its model and serial numbers.

Next is the Network tab. Any settings changed in this tab will require the SmartStorm to be power-cycled. Here you change the IP address and any other network settings to be able to communicate with the SmartStorm controller which was covered in the Establishing Communications video. In this example, we have already changed the SmartStorm's default IP address to one that will work on our network.

The Advanced Network tab is not used for most installations; however, this is where you can enable Remote Services for more remote communication options. The SmartStorm has a simple built-in firewall, but for additional security, you can configure it to only allow access to client devices with certain IP addresses.

The SmartStorm requires a password to log into the setup pages. The password can be changed on the Password tab. Additionally, you can enable a password requirement for the SmartStorm's Control Page.

The Date/Time tab is set for program start times, zone run times, and for logging to work properly. The time is stored and displayed in a 24-hour time format. The SmartStorm has a capacitor-backed real-time-clock circuit that will keep track of time for several weeks in the event of a power failure. You can also choose to set the time manually, or to sync it with an NTP server. When the Submit button on this page is pressed, the SmartStorm will immediately synchronize with the time server. There are also settings to account for daylight-savings time.

For logging, the SmartStorm can record data such as program changes, or zone starts and stops. The logged data is stored in internal, nonvolatile memory and can be retrieved by entering the IP address followed by /log.txt. For more information on logging, please see the Appendix of the SmartStorm's users manual.

The Inputs tab provides configuration options for the two, switch-closure inputs built into the SmartStorm. The drop-down box is used to select how the input will control the unit. You can use the inputs as an On or Off switch, as a rain-sensor switch (to stop the current program), or as a manual switch to advance the program to the next zone.

The Temperature tab is used to choose your preferred measurement of Fahrenheit or Celsius and also to configure the automatic low-temperature shutoff feature which can disable the automatic run mode. If no temperature sensor is attached, this feature is disabled. If you would like to monitor the temperature, but do not want the low temperature shutoff feature, you can set the low temperature shutoff to a low value such as -50°.

The Zones tab is used to add descriptions for each of the zones. It can also be used to set zones 9 and 10 as master valves.

To program run times, click on the Programs tab. The SmartStorm has four separate programs that can be configured to run with a variety of time and output options. You can select which days of the week and when to water, for example, you can choose to set an interval for which days you would like to water, you can select the program to run on even or odd days, or you can simply select the days of the week that you would like to water. The interzone delay is the time that the SmartStorm will wait between turning off one zone and turning on the next zone. This time is set in seconds and can range between 0 – 224 seconds.

You are able to add up to eight start times for each program. The time should be entered in a 24-hour format. The program will run through all the zones that have a non-zero run-time.

Underneath the Interzone Delay field, is the run time for each valve in each program. If you do not want a zone to run, then set the time to zero. Values entered can be between zero and 224 minutes. By default, all the values are set to zero.

The Advanced Settings tab is used to setup the advanced watering options such as adjusting the monthly overall water budget. The percentage will modify the time that the zones will run, as set in the Programming tab.

The value in the Max Simultaneous Valves will determine the number of valves that you can run simultaneously. The maximum value is two.

When operating more than one valve at a time, make sure you power the SmartStorm with a transformer that is large enough to support multiple-valve operation. Note that enabling stations 9 or 10 to function as a master valve or pump controller requires a transformer for multiple valve support.

The Control Page Setup tab is used to set parameters that affect the view of the Control Page, and how often it will refresh.

The text entered in the Main Header Text appears at the top of the Control Page. This field can be up to 30 characters long. The default text is Sprinkler Controller.

The Auto Refresh Page option will cause the Control Page to reload the page and its contents at a specified time interval, anywhere from one to 32 seconds. When set to NO, the web page will need to be manually refreshed to show the current status of the unit in the control page.

The Control Page can either be accessed by clicking on the Control Page tab from the setup pages, or it can be accessed by typing the IP address of the SmartStorm into a web browser. As a side note, if any port is used other than the default port, 80, the port must also be included along with the IP address. For example, to access the SmartStorm at port 8000 of its default IP address, you would type: http://192.168.1.2:8000.

On the Control Page, you will see the Main Header Text of "Sprinkler Controller," along with the list of zones, their current status, and which program is running. If the Scheduler is on, it will show the current water budget percentage.

If a temperature sensor is attached, you will also see the current temperature.

The Run Mode drop-down box allows you to change the state of the scheduler. If it is set to Off then the scheduler will not run the configured programs. When it is set to Automatic the scheduler will be turned on.

The Zone control allows you to start and stop zones manually by selecting the zone in the drop-down box, then either stopping the zone, or running it for a specified amount of time. (240 minutes maximum.)

The Program control allows you to start, advance, and stop programs manually. The drop-down allows you to select which program you would like to control. The stop button will stop the selected program, and the start or advance button will start the program, or advance it to the next zone.

That's an overview of the SmartStorm's web interface. It is designed to provide the most user-friendly experience possible, and to eliminate the need of referencing a users manual at the beginning of each watering season.

For more information about the SmartStorm Web-Enabled Irrigation Controller, including its technical specifications, please see the SmartStorm's users manual located on our website.