That smart switch should work, except I don't know fully what WiFi means.

Does this mean that it will only work with the correct app on your smartphone through an internet connection and your WiFi router?

 

That smart switch should work, except I don't know fully what WiFi means.

Does this mean that it will only work with the correct app on your smartphone through an internet connection and your WiFi router?

That is my interpretation. I have never used either device and my home network is locked down, so, we shall see.

I think the WiFi part only comes into significance when I want to switch what yard I'm cutting. I'll eventually need it, but at least the NC connected yard should work.

 

What I see here is a total lack of communication caused by totally different interpretations of the term "circuit." All of this confusion would have been avoided by either a much more detailed description: "A perimeter defining wire loop circuit", or by theresponding readers having some basic understanding of how robot lawn mowers actually function.

 

What I see here is a total lack of communication caused by totally different interpretations of the term "circuit." All of this confusion would have been avoided by either a much more detailed description: "A perimeter defining wire loop circuit", or by theresponding readers having some basic understanding of how robot lawn mowers actually function.

I miscommunicated.

That is in the past, unfortunately, I looked yesterday for quite some time, but didn't find any way to correct the title. Even going back to edit posts is disabled after either a set amount of time or another post is added.

I stand corrected, there it is.

 

I am guessing that it does not work adequately to wire the two loops in parallel. My GUESS is that if both loops are connected at the same time , the mower does not venture from one of the loops to the other loop. SO THAT is the reason for switching between the two loops.
NOW A QUESTION!! WHAT makes the decision as to which loop is mowed?? Has that been a user decision, and you want it to be automated?? OR is the switching itself inconvenient so that the TS wants a more convenient way to achieve the same action?? I am guessing that a fully automated scheme might be the best possible goal. Possibly an automatic mowing the front lawn on even days and the real lawn on odd days.. That can easily be achieved using two Double pole normally open relays and a programmable day-by-day sprinkler system timer. In addition, iif the sprinkler timer includes a "Not During Rain" sensor scheme, it could avoid lawn mowing when it rains.

 

I am guessing that it does not work adequately to wire the two loops in parallel. My GUESS is that if both loops are connected at the same time , the mower does not venture from one of the loops to the other loop. SO THAT is the reason for switching between the two loops.
NOW A QUESTION!! WHAT makes the decision as to which loop is mowed?? Has that been a user decision, and you want it to be automated?? OR is the switching itself inconvenient so that the TS wants a more convenient way to achieve the same action?? I am guessing that a fully automated scheme might be the best possible goal. Possibly an automatic mowing the front lawn on even days and the real lawn on odd days.. That can easily be achieved using two Double pole normally open relays and a programmable day-by-day sprinkler system timer. In addition, iif the sprinkler timer includes a "Not During Rain" sensor scheme, it could avoid lawn mowing when it rains.

Yes - I have a mechanical DPDT switch in a waterproof box and switching it is a mild pain. I'm more worried about damaging the perimeter wire connection to the switch than anything else. I wouldn't be switching that frequently, but in essence, yeah.

As I mentioned earlier, I probably want to mow the backyard 2/3 of the time just because of the light, water, and drainage it gets. The front yard grows a bit slower and as I have it arranged, is smaller in area.

 

A waterproof plastic electrical junction box could easily hold the two D.P.N.O. 24 volt coil relays, and then three buried wires too wherever the sprinkler program controller is located. And programming a sprinkler control would not be complicated. And for the fairly low current the relays could be a fairly compact model.

 

Thanks for the response.

But, referring back to the earlier comments, I was mistaken about the perimeter wire being run from 25.5 VDC, that powers the base station only and then the base station is what powers the perimeter wire and that is what I presently have switched.

I already have a device I think will serve this purpose as linked above. I'll post back once I actually test it.

 

I had deduced that the 24 volts was powering an intermediate portion of the system. I doubt that the device in post #20 will work, BECAUSE IT CAN ONLY SWITCH the connection to one end of the loop. I am guessing that there is a high frequency voltage/current, circulating in the loop and that even an open loop will be quite a load. So my thinking is that you need a two-pole control, similar to the switch you presently use. Which is what I suggested earlier.

 

I had deduced that the 24 volts was powering an intermediate portion of the system. I doubt that the device in post #20 will work, BECAUSE IT CAN ONLY SWITCH the connection to one end of the loop. I am guessing that there is a high frequency voltage/current, circulating in the loop and that even an open loop will be quite a load. So my thinking is that you need a two-pole control, similar to the switch you presently use. Which is what I suggested earlier.

Ok, that makes sense.

I was originally trying to understand if that might be a concern if it would some how still place a load on the system - I don't know enough about electronics or electricity to intuit that.

Since you raised that concern, and now that I already measured the voltage as being AC, what little I do recall is that it would induce a charge in the wire that is connected.

So, back to the drawing board then. I don't see anything that fits the bill.

 

What I suggested once before is one option. That is total automation from a programmed timer. If the robot mowers have their start times set by a timer the whole system would not require any effort, except to occasionally verify it was functional.
Another option is manual remote control, using that device already shown to operate a change-over relay. Or it could operate two relays, one constantly activated, the other selecting the less frequently mowed lawn. Using relays to switch AC circuits is very common in some arrangements.

 

What I suggested once before is one option. That is total automation from a programmed timer. If the robot mowers have their start times set by a timer the whole system would not require any effort, except to occasionally verify it was functional.
Another option is manual remote control, using that device already shown to operate a change-over relay. Or it could operate two relays, one constantly activated, the other selecting the less frequently mowed lawn. Using relays to switch AC circuits is very common in some arrangements.

I would need some help finding products, please. I did look at relays shortly and then realized I am not making my own product, but hoping to buy something off the shelf that I can just plug directly into without frying my hair.

 

Welcome to AAC.

Shelly makes great products and they certainly offer modules that can easily do what is needed. If you replace the switch with a DPDT relay you can wire it exactly the same way and now you have a single circuit to close.

The question is, how do you want to control the relay? With a remote pushbutton? With a home automaton system using voice command (Siri, Alexa, &c.)—or something else.

Shelly has their own excellent app—but they also have wide integration with other systems.

 

Welcome to AAC.

Shelly makes great products and they certainly offer modules that can easily do what is needed. If you replace the switch with a DPDT relay you can wire it exactly the same way and now you have a single circuit to close.

The question is, how do you want to control the relay? With a remote pushbutton? With a home automaton system using voice command (Siri, Alexa, &c.)—or something else.

Shelly has their own excellent app—but they also have wide integration with other systems.

I think any of those are viable options. If I can control it via an app, that is great, if the remote push button is like a key fob for my car, that is fine too. Personally, I'd prefer to have 1 less app installed on my phone especially if all it is doing is a push button I need to trigger once or twice a week.

 

I think any of those are viable options. If I can control it via an app, that is great, if the remote push button is like a key fob for my car, that is fine too. Personally, I'd prefer to have 1 less app installed on my phone especially if all it is doing is a push button I need to trigger once or twice a week.

OK then one more question for you—do you have, or do you plan to have, a home automation system for things like lights and other stuff (garage doors, door locks, appliances, &c)?

 

OK then one more question for you—do you have, or do you plan to have, a home automation system for things like lights and other stuff (garage doors, door locks, appliances, &c)?

No, not for the foreseeable future, the mower was not my preference, but since it is there, I might as well make it more seamless.

 

Hmm, I suppose my options may be limited. It looks like this may work:
https://www.amazon.com/Generic-Channel-Wireless-Contact-uncanned/dp/B0D1MZL1NK

M1 and M2 would represent the 2 perimeter defining wire loop circuits.

It seems like I could cause a short this way if I'm not careful. I suppose I could with a DPDT if I'm not careful. I believe the input voltage is ~140 as I measured .7 on a 200V scale.

This is what I presently have, I didn't try to use it because my main question was around whether it would be best to wire it that way or if it would place extra load on the power supply:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DM1BYRPS

 

As mowing season is underway, this is at the forefront of my mind again. In my mind, this should be fairly simple to accomplish, but I want to be sure I'm not going to damage my base station in the process.

I am having difficulty finding a mechanical switch or wifi/bluetooth relay that would allow me to expand from 2 circuits to 4. I don't foresee expanding beyond that because at that point, I will just get a wireless mower.

Right now, I believe what I have is a DPDT 3-position switch that is on-off-on. This allows me to toggle between 2 different zones at present (front and back). I want to expand to 4 because the grass seems to grow faster in some spots than the others and I'd like to easily target those areas with a flip of the switch.

Having said that, this is about the closest I can find:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JKQ8DQT

And while I think my soldering and heat shrink skills are decent, I feel it would become a bigger project than what I'd like ideally and have a high potential for problems. I would solder on leads with quick-release connectors to each of those terminals and then solder on quick-release connectors to the perimeter wire. And, finally, I would connect everything together (the easy part). That is about 20 joints I need to solder.

If I look at something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C7QQY69D

It appears to give me 3 usable zones. I would also have to attach the base station terminals to 1, 5, 9 and 3, 7, and 11, then zone 1 would use 2 and 4, zone 2 6 and 8, and zone 3, 10 and 12. It seems doable, but it is still only 3 usable zones if I am interpreting that correctly.

I appreciate your time and thoughts.

 

I would use a simple 4PST (4 pole single throw) switch to switch a DPDT relay for each lawn circuit.

A 4 pole wifi relay could be used in place of the manual switch.

 

What would the wiring be like in that case? Would I wire all of the boundary wire terminal leads together and then the relay connects the boundary wire start lead ?

Can you share some links to example products?