HOZELOCK - Watering Timer Sensor Controller Plus : Automatic and Easy Watering with its Light Sensor, Adjustable Watering at Sunrise and/or Sunset, Manual Watering Function [2214 0000]

In the ongoing quest for a perfectly hydrated garden, especially in Cambridge's sometimes unpredictable climate, an automatic watering solution can be a game-changer. The HOZELOCK Watering Timer Sensor Control positions itself as an intelligent assistant, ready to take the manual labour out of irrigation.The packaging was typical for a garden accessory – a sturdy box designed to protect the electronic components. It arrived without incident, well-secured and ready for immediate deployment. This no-fuss delivery is always appreciated when you're keen to get your watering system set up.Upon unboxing, the unit's design is immediately apparent. It's compact and functional, predominantly in Hozelock's signature yellow and grey. The interface features a clear dial and, depending on the specific model (as Hozelock has a few variations), potentially an LCD screen. It connects directly to your outdoor tap, designed to be inconspicuous yet accessible. It doesn't aim for sleek minimalism, but rather for practical robustness, a hallmark of Hozelock products.In hand, the Watering Timer Sensor Control feels solid and well-built. The plastic casing feels durable, designed to withstand the elements of an outdoor environment. The dial and buttons offer a satisfying tactile response, making it easy to select settings. The tap connectors are robust, suggesting a secure, leak-free fit – crucial for any watering system. The battery compartment is easily accessible, a practical consideration for routine maintenance.The real magic of the Hozelock Sensor Control lies in its intelligent operation. This particular model, leveraging a daylight sensor, aims to water your garden at optimal times – sunrise and sunset – without constant manual programming. This feature is particularly useful, as it automatically adjusts to the changing seasons in the UK, ensuring efficient watering and minimising evaporation or leaf scorch. I've used it to keep my raised vegetable beds and hanging baskets consistently watered, especially vital during dry spells. The "water now" manual override is also incredibly useful for those times when a quick, extra burst of water is needed. The various models also offer flexibility, from simple pre-set programs to more advanced customizable options, allowing users to tailor watering durations to specific plant needs.This watering timer is an excellent solution for busy gardeners, those going on holiday, or anyone looking to automate their garden irrigation. It's particularly well-suited for drip irrigation systems, small sprinklers, or even watering can filling, ensuring your plants receive consistent hydration without you having to be physically present. The "sensor control" aspect truly sets it apart, offering a smart, adaptive approach to keeping your garden thriving. It truly steps up as a reliable guardian for your precious plants.

This is one of the best gadgets I ever bought so the garden so far. I pride myself in have a nice garden and this Auto Sprinkler will make some of you have a good laugh at times, I have 2 daughters " 20 & 18 " and because I in their eyes have a nice garden, they invite all of their friends round to what is now called Pre-Drinks to our garden and despite me telling them about this sprinkler, they tend to ignore you anyway up until the point were it came on itself. I have never saw 7 girls move as fast in my life, I was in tears laughing but they know it all these days.Anyway the way you can set this up is great for my needs and as you can read from other reviews, its a great job. Before it arrived I always had a drip from the from the tap anyway and I fixed it the best I could but there is still a slight drip but I just put a bucket under the tap now to use a small water but for water for my greenhouse.I cant understand why some reviewers say its bad quality as I think its fine. I have mine set to come on at sunrise / sunset for 10 minutes 5 days a week and it works a treat.It was very easy to set up although the instructions could do with being in larger print as I had trouble reading them even with glasses on but thats just me.I dont have to put up any pictures this time as the rest of the reviews has that covered.I would give this product a sold 10 /10 and its great value for money and I even read somewhere that there`s a WiFi version that works of your mobile in an app form.UPDATE: 20/5/2019On the week of good weather in May, I decided to bring out the Hozelock Sensor Controller Plus from the shed as I had just reseeded the lawn and had set it up correctly as usual when indeed it didn't automatically work in the morning and at night. So as it was past its 1 year guarantee I had 2 choices, either do it manually or buy a new one but I decided to put new batteries in it just in case it was that and low and behold it worked as normal. Now even though the old batteries was able to turn it on manually they didn't work the sensor part. Im just glad I put new batteries in it before I chucked it.So always put new batteries in it the following year just in case you find it not working people. It might just save you buying another model and spending a lot of cash you didn't have too.

This is a good automatic watering system which we found quite easy to set up and use and it can save a lot of manual watering that we used to have to do. However it does not work with rechargeable (1.2 V) batteries and only works with throw-away 1.5 V batteries. Although this is explained in the instructions for use it is nevertheless disappointing that retailers are still selling such products and not supporting use of rechargeable batteries.Another disappointment is that the settings for automatic watering are quite restrictive and only open the valve to allow a maximum of one hour's watering at a time. Whilst this may not always be a problem with the UK's cool climate, in summer it is simply not enough and we would like to have been able to set it to water very slowly for several hours at a time. In fact when we were away from home for just over 2 days in hot weather we came back to find plants in tubs in a poor state and they would certainly have died had we been away for longer.

Works well, good controlled watering system..