Misting System Timer Recommended - Orchid Board

Rachelk · #1 10-03-2021, 03:03 PM

Hello, I am hoping to get a recommendation for a hose timer. I live in Central Florida and moved the vandas to the greenhouse a little early this year.(long explanation why).
Because the greenhouse is getting a little too hot from 10 AM to 4 PM I have set up a simple misting system to run multiple times a day to cool the greenhouse. I use a hose timer to turn the misting on and off. The issue is I cannot find a hose timer with a stop time setting. I have to manually turn the timer on in the morning and turn the timer off in the early evening. Otherwise it will continue to mist throughout the night. I will be going out of town for a few days and I’m going to be unable to manually control the timer. Maybe I’m going about this the wrong way, but I feel like there has to be a timer on the market with a stop time. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

Hello, I am hoping to get a recommendation for a hose timer. I live in Central Florida and moved the vandas to the greenhouse a little early this year.(long explanation why).
Because the greenhouse is getting a little too hot between 10 AM to 4 PM I have set up a simple misting system to run multiple times a day to cool the greenhouse. I use a hose timer to turn the misting on and off. The issue is I cannot find a hose timer with a stop time setting. I have to manually turn the timer on in the morning and turn the timer off in the early evening. Otherwise it will continue to mist throughout the night. I will be going out of town for a few days and I’m going to be unable to manually control the timer. Maybe I’m going about this the wrong way, but I feel like there has to be a timer on the market with a stop time. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

Roberta · #2 10-03-2021, 07:02 PM

First, Welcome!
I merged your two posts, that were duplicates. You can edit the post to remove the duplicate content or I can...

I use this timer Timer - Google Photos
to control an aquarium heater that I have in my RO tank - I have it turning on at 6 PM and off at 6 AM, so that when the tank is drained while watering orchids, the heater won't be operating dry. (Tank is filled by evening) I think I got it at Home Depot... If your hose timer (that controls the mister) has a battery backup, then it'll keep its schedule while the power is off but it can't run the mister while this type of timer turns off the power. Will that work for you?

estación seca · #3 10-04-2021, 02:23 AM

Welcome to the Orchid Board!

It's more complicated and expensive than the above but you can also put a standard electric irrigation valve between the hose bibb and the hose, and control the valve with an irrigation clock. You would need a variety of PVC fittings to connect hose threaded bibb to pipe threaded valve to hose threaded hose.

With either system I suggest an inline pressure reducer.

Ray · #4 10-04-2021, 06:03 AM

I use one of these for watering my outdoor orchids when I go away on vacation:

Orbit Hose-End Timer

Keysguy · #5 10-04-2021, 09:07 AM

Check out Charley's Greenhouses.

Charley's Electric Water Valve Assembly — Charley's Greenhouse & Garden

This is what I use for my vanda misters. It has a day/night sensor and can be set to run virtually any length on/off cycle including daylight only. I have mine set on daylight only to run for 15 minutes at first light and 8 hours thereafter. In other words.... 7 AM and 3 PM. It's perfect.

The only change I recommend is to buy spare black filter covers online from Banjo to replace the clear as in South FL the sun eats those clear ones.

Rachelk · #6 10-04-2021, 03:02 PM

Thank you so much for all of the responses. I knew there were other options to consider I just needed a little help.