AI that learns your yard · no cloud
Sprinkler Gnome
Smart watering that learns your soil and your sprinklers — the most sophisticated model you can buy, no cloud required.
- AI that learns your yard — it calibrates to your specific soil and your sprinklers’ real output, and waters better the longer you own it
- A full FAO-56 ET₀ water-balance model, where the big names only react to generic weather
- Corrected by real soil moisture — every zone gets exactly what it needs, for a healthier lawn with less wasted water
- Runs entirely on your network — no cloud, no account, keeps working offline
- No subscription, ever — and it costs less than Rachio or B-hyve
- Drops into your existing 24V sprinkler system (~30-minute swap)
- No subscription ever
- No cloud required runs on your LAN
- Drops into 24V systems ~30-min swap
- You own your data nothing phones home
How it works
The water balance is the instrument.
Each day Sprinkler Gnome runs an FAO-56 ET₀ depletion model for every zone — how much water the soil lost to evaporation and your plants — then waters only enough to refill the deficit. A soil-moisture sensor corrects the model against what the ground actually did, and over time it learns your soil and your sprinklers’ real output — so it gets more accurate the longer you run it. All of it runs on the device, on your network.
Read the full explainer →Specs
| Zones | 8 |
|---|---|
| Valve type | 24VAC solenoids |
| Connectivity | Local Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz) — no cloud required |
| Soil sensors | Up to one per zone (Zigbee) |
| Control | Local web dashboard on your LAN |
| Subscription | None |
| Install | Indoor, or outdoor in a weatherproof enclosure (sold separately) |
| Updates | Owner-controlled, over your network |
How it compares
Sprinkler Gnome runs a more sophisticated model than either — a full FAO-56 ET₀ water balance corrected by real soil moisture — and it’s the only one here that actually learns your soil and your sprinklers, watering better over time. It does it with no cloud and no account. And it costs less than both.
| Feature | Sprinkler Gnome | Rachio 3 (8-zone) | B-hyve XR (8-zone) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Watering model | FAO-56 ET₀ + soil moisture | Weather-based | Weather-based |
| Learns your soil & sprinklers (AI) | ✓ | — | — |
| Soil-moisture correction | ✓ | — | — |
| Works fully offline (no cloud) | ✓ | — | — |
| Local control, no account | ✓ | — | — |
| Data stays on your network | ✓ | — | — |
| Price (8-zone) | $150 | $199.99 | $169.99 |
| Zones | 8 | 8 | 8 |
See it pay for itself
Estimate your savings
A model-based estimate for your yard, climate, and water rate — using the same ET₀ method the controller runs.
Compared against a standard scheduled timer — edit its schedule
We compare your lawn’s actual need against a standard scheduled timer running this routine (it runs the same minutes rain or shine — that’s the waste). Defaults to ~1.5 in/week.
Questions
Will it work with my existing sprinkler system?
If your system uses standard 24VAC valves (almost all in-ground systems do), yes. Sprinkler Gnome replaces your existing controller — you move the zone wires over and you’re done, usually in about 30 minutes.
Do I need the cloud or an account?
No. It runs on your local network and is controlled from a web dashboard on your LAN. No vendor account, nothing phones home.
Is there a subscription?
No, and there never will be. It’s a one-time hardware purchase.
Does it need a soil-moisture sensor?
No — it waters from the ET₀ model on its own. Adding a sensor (up to one per zone) lets it correct the model against your actual soil for better accuracy.
How do I control it from my phone?
Through the local web dashboard on your home network. (A companion app is in the works; control is always LAN-direct.)
Add-ons
Available with the controller at launch (cart wiring comes with commerce).
soil moisture sensor
Available at launch
weatherproof enclosure
Available at launch