Rainmachine HD12/16 with embedded Ethernet port (not via USB adapter)
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I hard wire all devices where possible as it is more reliable, secure, and reduces burden, even if small, on my wifi network. The PRO series have Ethernet ports, and it would be awesome for the HD series to have the same. It would also be nice to eliminate the USB ports on the *top* of the device especially considering the environments where this device is designed to be installed. Those large openings are just an invitation for dust, water, etc to gain easy entry. I covered the unused port with Kapton tape (overkill, but it works nicely for this). POE would be nice too if it negates the need for the local power brick and the power requirements are minimal.
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I power mine via PoE. The issue is, the power is 24VAC so the PoE splitter I use provides 24VAC. It has the ability to supply up to 80 watts, but my switch can only provide 60 watts. The PoE splitter is as large as the Rain Machine Pro 16. So adding PoE support would add cost and size to the unit. There is an AC to DC converter onboard to provide the DC power to run the electronics, the majority of the power stays at 24VAC to power the sprinkler valves.
So PoE+ (802.3at) can supply 30 watts (PSE) of which 25.5 watts is usable to the PD. So while the power supply that comes with the Rain Machine is 18 watts (for the Pro 16), there is the conversion factor to take that ~50VDC and convert it to 24VAC. So not all 25.5 watts would be usable to the PD after the conversion. So that means that 802.3bt might need to be used which is the four pair variant. It can provide 60 to 100 watts of power to the PD. This adds to the BOM and also the size of the Rain Machine. So I cannot see them adding PoE support even though it would be nice to have. You can also do what I did and just use a PoE splitter to get PoE capability. It is just a box near the Rain Machine that has the PoE Input and then an Ethernet and a power plug on the out end.
For reference, to just power on the Rain Machine Pro 16, my switch says it takes 7.1 watts and at idle it is using 6.7 watts.
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Awesome analysis! I don't like to have power bricks so that was my primary reason for thinking about POE. However, I also fear that even if POE were feasible, it would put the switch at risk given the higher exposure to surges caused by nearby lighting strikes. For my external IP cameras, Ubiquiti Networks (brand of my networking gear) suggests using two surge protectors, one close to the external device and one close to the switch. I am assuming this would also apply to a POE powered RainMachine... so one would have to add that to the cost/complication as well.
Anyway, POE aside, I would really like to see an HD-12/16 with a physical Ethernet port. No USB wireless dongles or USB to Ethernet dongles!
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Yes, a surge suppressor is ideal. I use industrial environment ones from Phoenix Contact; they are all metal, designed to use a DIN rail (which I mounted the Rain Machine on as well) and you only need one, to protect the switch side. Electricity is going to go the path of least resistance and that will be to the ground. Keep in mind that with an irrigation controller, there are wires under the ground. So if the lighting hit the ground and traveled up the wiring, the irrigation controller is going to get hit. So at least having one on the Ethernet side protects the switch.
PoE is most likely a pipe dream for an irrigation controller. Most systems are AC (including the valves). So the power brick is just taking 120/240VAC and converting it to 24VAC, which is directly fed to the valves themselves. The neutral (common) is always connected to every valve and then relays just control the live/hot portion. The irrigation controller does have a converter onboard to change the 24VAC into DC for the controller itself. So the power being converted is very little. With PoE that converter needs to change the majority from DC to AC. Then it also needs to convert the higher voltage DC to a lower voltage DC for the controller itself. Given that there are very few PoE splitters that even deal with AC, the components are not going to be as cheap as the DC to DC ones. The one I have can go up to 80 watts, they did have one that could do 40 watts though. Even the 40 watt model is about the size of the Rain Machine itself. So it would add considerable size to the Rain Machine, the BOM would be higher. Most people wouldn't use PoE so the increase in cost would steer users away. I went with the 80 watt model as it had a terminal strip instead of a barrel connector. It made wiring it easier. Mine can handle 2 wire and 4 wire PoE. I'm using the 4 wire PoE for it.
So anyone that wants PoE will need to go the PoE splitter route.
If they added a physical PoE port to the HD line, then it would compete with the Pro line. I didn't care about the large screen on the HD model. How many times do you actually use the screen? Mine Pro sits in an enclosure on the side of the house that is licked. If I need to access it or make a change, I use the Web UI or the app, so the screen really doesn't do much. It was fine for the initial setup, but after that it is rarely used.
Latest stats shows the maximum drawn at the switch is 11.1 watts. The PoE splitter doesn't support negotiation so I have to hardcode 4 pair PoE on the switch side. The brick that Rain Machine supplies is .75 amps; so that is 18 watts.
Inline Power Mode: static
Operational status: on
Device Detected: yes
Device Type: Ieee PD
IEEE Class: 4
Discovery mechanism used/configured: Unknown
Police: off
Power Allocated
Admin Value: 60.0
Power drawn from the source: 60.0
Power available to the device: 60.0
Actual consumption
Measured at the port: 6.7
Maximum Power drawn by the device since powered on: 11.1
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I would even be fine with a USB Ethernet port. I actively try to avoid wifi for anything that can be wired. Wifi is nice for mobile devices, and for things that need to be moved, but hardwiring something like a sprinkler controller that for most installations will never move makes total sense.
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There is a USB port on the HD12/HD16 and a USB Ethernet adapter can be used in it.
See:
https://support.rainmachine.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/115005924527-Ethernet
Probably the biggest issue is it currently is not officially supported and you need to find a USB 2.0 adapter; so most likely 10/100.
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