b-hyve Software

Works great and setup went flawlessly. Had an Orbit brand installed on this house when I bought it, but something went wrong and it needed replacing. Went to Lowe’s to pick up a new one and saw this WiFi version. Since my home is rather “connected”, i.e. we bugged ourselves with Alexa, smart plugs, smart lights, etc, I thought it appropriate to make my irrigation system smart too. Very glad I did. Once we had it wired correctly (5 zones), setup of the timer to our home network (via WiFi) was super-simple and programming the 5 zones was a breeze. Took less than 5 minutes to connect it to my network, test the zones, and program 5 zones. If you’re used to using apps, the common app interface makes it super-simple to navigate and use - way easier than programming an irrigation timer using the LCD screen and buttons on the timer itself. Plus you can do a rain delay right in the app (not necessary if you have a rain sensor...I do not). There are 4 “Programs”, so you can program the same zones on multiple programs and toggle them on/off with a slider. Useful if your zones are treated differently for different seasons, for example. The only thing that’s not 100% clear during setup is any Alexa compatibility. I’m going to research that now. So far, the timer works great and I love the easy app interface, setup, and programming. Great job, Orbit!

My previous controller stopped providing free remote access in favor of a $2 per month charge. Then the power supply failed so I made the switch to the B-Hyve 6 station. Despite what some reviewers have stated I found the set up using the app on my phone to be simple. The program walks you through the process which only takes a few minutes. Adding the photographs for each zone is a nice touch. Smart watering is very effective based on local weather and evapotranspiration. I wasn’t clear on how to manual water, but the FAQ had it all spelled out. There are collection cups that can be purchased and added to the system to enhance water management, but I haven’t put any on my system. The transformer for the power cord is in the control box which is a nice touch, but there is only one place to hang the box from, a center screw slot. The weight of the transformer makes the controller tilt on the wall unless you add the second crew (provided) to the lower right inside the box (this is not pre-punched out I used a 1/4” drill bit through the plastic). I would have appreciated a bubble level in the box and a full set of paper instructions, as opposed to the quick start/mounting leaflet provided. Otherwise, this unit is awesome for the price! Great job Orbit.

The app is well designed, logical and easy to quickly set up. I was able to understand the basic as well as the advanced features right away. I like the ability to manually set watering or use the Smart feature. I like being able to adjust using the App as well as outside, directly at the station using the buttons on the box. You can keep it simple and let the system automatically make adjustments based on weather and lawn features or you can easily get into the many advanced features available for people who like to be able to adjust the multitude of advanced in-depth watering features. Great to be able to turn on stations to test standing in the yard using the phone App and not have to run back and forth to box. *In the “Zone Smart Watering Details” -> WATERING SCHEDULE ADJUSTMENTS. I Would like to see - the exact Days and Times it will Water and Duration - AFTER I ADJUST sliders like “runtime adjustment” and “Interval Adjustments” to get a user friendly view of what the automated system is doing. When I turn on Smart Water I’m not confident as I can’t “see” the actual Schedule (Date/RunTime)