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what is esp32-irrigation-computer fr?

leonetienne/esp32-irrigation-computer — explained in plain English

Analysis updated 2026-05-18

9C++Audience · developerComplexity · 4/5Setup · hard

tl;dr

ESP32 firmware that turns a microcontroller into a local, cloud-free garden irrigation controller for up to eight solenoid valves.

vibe map

mindmap
  root((Irrigation Controller))
    What it does
      Controls garden valves
      Local only no cloud
      MQTT and REST
    Tech stack
      ESP32
      ESP-IDF
      C++
    Use cases
      Automate garden watering
      Connect valves to Home Assistant
      Build a local smart irrigation setup
    Audience
      Hobbyists
      Home automation builders
      Hardware tinkerers

Code map

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filefunction / class

what do people make with this?

VIBE 1

Automate opening and closing garden hose valves on a schedule or by command

VIBE 2

Add irrigation control to an existing Home Assistant setup without cloud dependency

VIBE 3

Build a custom low cost sprinkler controller from an ESP32 and a few solenoids

VIBE 4

Monitor and trigger valves remotely over MQTT or a plain REST API

what's the stack?

ESP32ESP-IDFC++MQTTREST

how do i run it?

Difficulty · hard time til it works · 1day+

Requires building a small circuit with solenoids, transistors, and a buck converter, plus flashing firmware via ESP-IDF.

in plain english

Esp32-Irrigation-Computer is firmware for an ESP32 microcontroller that turns it into a garden irrigation controller. It drives between one and eight solenoid valves that open and close garden hose lines, and it talks to Home Assistant through MQTT as well as a plain REST API. Everything runs locally: there is no cloud service and no account to sign up for, so all communication stays on your own network with your own MQTT broker. Setup happens entirely through a web interface hosted on the device itself. On first boot, or after a WiFi reset, the ESP32 creates its own WiFi access point with a captive portal so you can connect a phone or laptop and enter your home network's WiFi details. After that the same web UI is used to configure the MQTT broker, name the device, choose which GPIO pins control each valve, set up optional status LEDs for WiFi and MQTT connection state, and add an optional password to protect the web UI. Home Assistant integration uses MQTT auto discovery, so each valve shows up as its own switch entity without writing any configuration files by hand. A safety feature forces any valve closed if it has been left open longer than a configured timeout, and all valves shut off automatically if the device loses its WiFi or MQTT connection. The project includes a full hardware build guide: a parts list, a wiring diagram, and written wiring instructions covering the buck converter, transistors, flyback diodes, and grounding layout needed to safely switch 12 volt solenoids from the ESP32's GPIO pins. The firmware is built using the ESP-IDF toolchain targeting the ESP32 chip. The author describes this as a personal project rather than a polished product: it was built quickly with the help of an AI coding assistant, testing is done by hand rather than through an automated test suite, and the code is not meant to be production grade. They share it because it works for their own setup and might be useful to someone else who wants the same thing.

prompts (copy fr)

prompt 1
Help me flash this ESP32 irrigation firmware using ESP-IDF and connect it to my WiFi
prompt 2
Explain how to wire a 12V solenoid valve to an ESP32 GPIO pin safely with a flyback diode
prompt 3
Show me how to set up Home Assistant MQTT auto discovery for this irrigation controller
prompt 4
Walk me through configuring valve GPIO pins and a failsafe timeout in the device's web UI
prompt 5
Help me plan the parts list and wiring for a 4 valve version of this irrigation controller

Frequently asked questions

what is esp32-irrigation-computer fr?

ESP32 firmware that turns a microcontroller into a local, cloud-free garden irrigation controller for up to eight solenoid valves.

What language is esp32-irrigation-computer written in?

Mainly C++. The stack also includes ESP32, ESP-IDF, C++.

How hard is esp32-irrigation-computer to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated hard, with roughly 1day+ to a first successful run.

Who is esp32-irrigation-computer for?

Mainly developer.

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