Sometimes we go on trips and we are probably worried about who will water our house plants in our absence. Or maybe some friends have a garden or villa that is far from their home and watering the plants there is sometimes a hassle. Of course, we may not be one of these friends and instead we have beautiful and fresh plants at home that we want to be watered on a regular schedule and on time. If we are one of these groups, it seems that we need an automatic watering timer. But which one should we choose? This was a question that was on our minds in 2016, before we founded Smart Irrigation™. A watering timer that, first of all, has high quality construction. Because no one wants to see their plants damaged. But the price should also be reasonable. Apart from the price, there are other things. It should be easy to install and adjust. Even the timer should have a beautiful appearance. It should have various capabilities and programs for watering. It should not face problems when there is no electricity! And finally, there is one important issue: it should be waterproof. So we worked and researched for a long time. So far, we have reviewed more than 20 different American, German, Italian, English and Chinese systems and timers. We have visited famous and reputable websites that have timer rankings. In the end, we chose Orbit. And for one simple reason. Because it answered all our questions!
Orbit Irrigation Products, Inc., headquartered in Bountiful, Utah, USA, is a leading manufacturer and supplier of irrigation products for the residential and commercial markets and has been in business since 1986. Orbit’s core product line includes sprinklers, controllers, timers, misters, drip irrigation equipment, electric valves, nozzles and irrigation tools. Orbit distributes more than 2,000 types of products to 40 countries on 5 continents. The company’s factories are mostly located in China, with a few in Taiwan and one in the United States. As for the watering timers, all of them are manufactured in China and Taiwan, with the exception of the Wi-Fi model (B-Hyve). For more information, please visit Orbit company page on Wikipedia or visit Orbit Company Official Website.
We can give this timer any desired program that we want to use for watering trees separately for outlets 1 and 2. The Orbit 2 outlets model has a button called STATION, which we can press at any step of setting the program to switch between outlets 1 and 2. The program set for each outlet is specific to that outlet and do not interfere with the other outlet. Another feature of the 2 outlets model is that if there is a program conflict between the outlets, the timer will first execute the outlet program that is earlier, then when it is finished, it will execute the other outlet program for the specified period.
Orbit Buddy II 2 outlets timer, has one inlet at the top and two outlets at the bottom. The upper inlet, is 3/4-inch female, and the lower outlets are 3/4-inch male. Most garden and yard faucets have 3/4-inch thread. So you can easily connect the upper inlet to the garden faucets. But for the lower outlets that connect to the water pipe or hose, we must use the appropriate connector. That is, by going to the pipe and fittings store and showing the timer to the store manager, we can obtain a suitable connector for the timer. Then, connect the water pipe or hose to the lower outlets of the timer with the help of these connectors. Of course, sometimes we may want to install the timer in the water pipe path. In this case, we need three connectors. One for the upper inlet of the timer and two for the lower outlets of the timer.
Of course, we can also use only one of the outlets of the Orbit Buddy II timer. In this case, the second outlet is not connected to anything and remains idle. In other words, the Orbit 2-output model, in addition to having the efficiency of the 2-output model, also has the efficiency of the Orbit 1-output model.
Setting the watering program for the Orbit 2-outlet model is very easy and exactly the same as the Orbit 1-outlet model and is done in 5 steps. First, we set the current time, then we set the watering start time, then we set the watering duration, after that we select the watering intervals and finally, we set the hand to AUTO. The only difference with the 1-outlet model is that at each step of the setting, we use the STATION button to switch between outlets 1 and 2. In this video, you will see how to set the watering program on the Orbit Buddy II watering timer.
The Orbit Buddy II watering timer works with 2 alkaline batteries. Its manufacturing technology and high quality of the timer mean that it will not need to be replaced for more than a year. So please remember, when a year has passed, replace the timer battery. That is, pull out the back door of the timer and replace the new batteries and tighten the door back in place. Our recommendation is to use alkaline batteries. The price difference between normal and alkaline batteries is very small and they are easily found in most stores and even supermarkets. Of course, you can also use the normal type, but we recommend using alkaline batteries due to their longer lifespan and more reliable performance. Also, please be careful to use standard (non-rechargeable) batteries and never use rechargeable batteries.
When you set the program, all waterings are carried out according to the program, but if you would like to irrigate manually in addition to the program, this is possible. To do this, first make sure that the hand is on AUTO, then press the MANUAL button. Now you must immediately select a time between 1 and 240 minutes using the positive and negative buttons to irrigate. For example, if you select 20 minutes, then irrigation will be carried out for 20 minutes through output 1. But why output 1? Here’s the point! If we wanted to irrigate through output 2, it would still be possible. We should have switched to output 2 by pressing the STATION button before selecting the irrigation duration!
Once irrigation has started, if for some reason you would like to stop irrigation after a while, this is also possible. Just move the hand to OFF. You will see that irrigation is stopped. To re-enable scheduled irrigations according to the usual program, set the timer hand to AUTO.
When it rains, it might be better to temporarily deactivate the timer. Because usually the water has reached the plants and trees enough and there is no need to water again from the timer. But how to temporarily deactivate the timer? To do this, first make sure that the timer hand is on AUTO. Then press the positive button. You will see that the number 12 appears. If we press the positive button again, the number 24 appears, and if we press it again, the number 36 appears. For example, if the number 36 appears and we release the timer, the timer will not have any activity for 36 hours and if it was supposed to run a watering turn, it will not run. After 36 hours, the timer will automatically activate and resume its activity. But one problem! We may regret after deactivating the timer and want to activate it again! Do we have to wait 36 hours!? Fortunately, no! Just set the hand to OFF and return it to AUTO mode. That’s it. The timer is activated again.
The Orbit watering timer is resistant to rain and snow. So don’t worry about rain and water penetrating the timer! However, our recommendation is to put a protector on it or install it in a place where rain does not fall on the timer. Of course, such a recommendation is only for your safety and greater confidence, otherwise the manufacturer never made this recommendation. However, based on our work experience, we have found that customers who protect the timer from rain and frequent sunlight, experience a longer lifespan. Especially in tropical regions where the midday sun is very scorching.
The Orbit Buddy II timer has a metal filter (mesh) in its inlet. You may have question that how often must to clean the filter. It depends on the quality of the water in your city. If the water you use contains salts, it is better to clean the timer filter after a year. Of course, this is very easy. Just take out the timer filter located in the timer inlet, wash it with water, and put it back in place. Some colleagues install a separate filter before the timer inlet, which, by the way, in addition to being a very correct thing to do, you will no longer need to replace the timer’s internal filter. Of course, there is no sensitivity to this issue and there is really no need for a separate filter. But we must remember to clean the timer’s internal filter once a year. That is, remove the filter from the inlet and wash it with water so that if there is mud and small particles accumulated on it, it can be cleaned.
In some areas, water freezes completely in the winter and even reaches a temperature of minus 15 degrees. All automatic watering timers are sensitive to freezing water. That is, if the water freezes in your city in the winter, be sure to disconnect the timer from the tap and store it indoors. After the freezing period is over, reinstall the timer on the tap and hose. But what is the reason? Basically, when water freezes and becomes solid, any expansion and contraction of it causes damage to the internal solenoid valve of the timer and may even break it. Currently, all companies that manufacture watering timers have included a freezing symbol on their timer boxes and consider failure to observe it to void the device’s warranty.
The Orbit Buddy II 2 outlets timer is produced in multiple model numbers, colors, and even different models. For example, model number 27133 is for the United States, or model number 94148 is for Europe and is an international model. In between, there are also different color schemes. Deep green, pale green, silver, and blue. For example, the same model 94148 is produced once in pale green and again in silver. There is no difference in the performance and quality of the different colors and models as far as we have researched and emailed. Even the 27133 model, which is only for the United States, is still produced in China. As we have previously told our friends, most American companies produce their products in China for various reasons, especially economic reasons. Usually, market players are well aware of this issue, and sometimes there is sensitivity to this issue among loved ones who are planning to buy American products and watering timers for the first time.
Yes. But provided that the water pressure inside the tank does not drop below 1.7 bar! This was the engineering answer to the question. But let’s make it clearer. Automatic watering timers have a solenoid valve inside. This solenoid valve opens and closes with the command of the timer’s electronic board, allowing or not allowing water to pass through. But the point is that the solenoid valve requires a minimum water pressure to operate. Of course, it is a very low pressure. But it is necessary! City water pipes always have the right pressure and water timers work well on them. Tanks, tankers and water barrels are also fine if they are continuously connected to the city water pipe, and the timer can be installed on them. Also, if the barrel or tanker is not connected to city water; we can solve the problem of lack of water pressure by installing an automatic pressure booster pump (automatic home water pump) before the timer input. In general, the Orbit Buddy II timer operates in a water pressure range of 1.7 bar (25 psi) to 6.9 bar (100 psi).
Many friends ask the question: does the Orbit watering timer reduce the incoming water pressure or does it not change it? Or, for example, some friends ask how many trees can this timer water? To find the exact answer to this question, in addition to e-mails and Q&A with Orbit experts, we also did some practical work ourselves. Their result was that the Orbit watering timer Buddy II model does not perform any function to reduce water pressure. In fact, the Orbit timer has a large and very high-quality solenoid valve inside, which in terms of pressure performance is no different from a regular yard valve! So we conclude that if the city water pressure in your place of residence is low, then the water output from the timer will also have low pressure, but if the water supply in your home or villa has high pressure (for example, 5 bars), the water output from the timer will also be high. In fact, using the Orbit timer to water your home trees is exactly the same as if you had used an extra valve! And using an extra valve usually does not reduce water pressure, so friends, don’t worry about it.
If you are interested in buying an Orbit watering timer, you are probably wondering whether the 2-outlet model is better for me or the 1-outlet model? But the answer to this question depends on how you use it and also on your personal opinion. The only difference between a 2-outlet timer and a 1-outlet model is that it has one more outlet valve. For example, if you have a garden of various trees on the right side of your yard and a small green space with grass and flowers on the left, buying a 2-outlet model seems to be the best option for you. Because you can set a program for the garden and a completely separate program for the flowers. Of course, there is another use for the 2-outlet model. If your garden or villa is large enough to need more watering, buying a 2-outlet model is still more economical. Because the maximum watering duration per turn is 4 hours. If you feel that your garden needs more irrigation, you can irrigate half of the garden with outlet 1 and the other half with outlet 2. This means that in total, for each watering session, you can water the garden for up to 8 hours.
Also, if you are only interested in the 1-outlet model, but you feel that buying the 2-outlet model is a safer choice for the future, then you can still buy the 2-outlet model. Because a garden or green space may be added to your home or villa in the future.
In general, the sales volume of the 1-outlet model (Orbit Buddy) is higher than the 2-outlet model (Orbit Buddy II), but given that there is not much price difference between these two models, we recommend buying the 2-outlet model for loved ones who have two different gardens. Because in terms of cost, it is completely more affordable.
