I just ran a meter test on this zone with the new heads. 5 heads delivered 3.1 GPM
4 heads 20 feet apart with a 360 degree head in the middle. I of the 4 heads covers 180 degrees overlap with another zone.
Rough math @ 400 sqft is 0.75 in/hr
Psi is 28 in zone.
So no idea what this means for the hunter specs. I think the efficiency in this zone is probably closer to 75 or 80 pct.
Assuming this is what your layout looks like using MP2000 nozzle @ 30 PSI, a theoretical DU is just over 80%.
Hi, I converted a couple of zones to the MP Rotators late last season and very happy with the result. The only caveat is that now my irrigation times are running extremely long (at 0.4 in/hr it takes 2.5 hrs to deposit the 1 in recommended for St. Augustine). At the same time, the flow rate on my system is quite lower than before in terms of GPM.
I wander, if there is a way to setup my Rachio controller to be smart about this and run two (maybe three) zones simultaneously to finish the whole irrigation cycle quicker? It is clear the unit can drive two valves electrically at the same time because it does this to avoid hammering, so this would only be a software issue. Any thoughts, suggestions, API pointers?
@Rodrigo, glad to hear the rotary nozzles are working well for you!
Not at this time, sorry. The controller was designed to only run one zone and one schedule at a time to avoid the common problem with normal irrigation timers in which you can accidentally set up two schedules (programs) to start at the same time, which for most people results in low water pressure and inadequate water coverage.
The only work around at this time would be to double up zones via wiring; you can wire multiple solenoids/valves to the same zone output if you want. Although we recommend 1 solenoid/valve per zone for scheduling purposes, the Gen2 controller will support up to two solenoids/valves per zone, plus a master valve, for a total of three solenoids at any given time.
Hope this helps!
Thanks for the fast response! And, thanks for letting me know the controller’s capacity for driving up to 3 solenoids.
I’ll consider this workaround, although, up front, hard-wiring things together seems like a downgrade from the independence of multi-zone control. Perhaps you can add this as an advanced feature request? Particularly since it is likely that many systems will be converted to the newer low-flow rate MP rotors due to their efficiency.
Thanks again!
@Rodrigo, love the idea! I’ll pass this along to our product team, but you should +1 this feature request here 
Feature Request: Can we set the ‘Ending Time’ for flex schedules? Instead of the start time?
Hi, given these MP rotor zones take an extremely long time to water, and that because of the flex schedules the actual watering time is not predictable (because some zones are skipped sometimes), a great feature would be to be able to program the time the irrigation should be finished instead of the start time.
In my case, I have St. Augustin and I hear is best to water it early in the morning, yet before the sun comes and the wind picks up. So I’d love to be able to set my Flex Schedule to be done by say 8:30 A.M. and then have Rachio figure out when it needs to start (given the current irrigation needs) so that it can be done by that time.
Otherwise, my current setup is to start watering at 4:00AM, and sometimes it only does a couple of hours but other times it goes on until 10 AM.
This should be quite simple to code up and expose to the users.
Thanks!
Hey @Rodrigo-
This is a pretty common feature request that is currently on our radar. Thank you for the feedback, I will relay your +1 to the team!
McKynzee 
Yes, at only 25 psi, the precipitation rate is only .45 inch per hour. How are you determining pressure. With a Hunter MP Gauge? Its the only proven way to check pressure of a spray zone, unless you have made a homemade device with a pressure gauge.
Hi, I just wanted to check in on this issue.
Recapping: After updating my sprinkler heads to low-flow MP-rotors, my irrigation times went up to very long times (8-9 hrs), which compromise the idea about “never irrigate at night”. Additionally, given the lower flow rate of the new MP-rotors, the pressure drop on the main water line is much lower and most implementations can probably support 2 or 3 simultaneous zones.
The proposed workaround, to reduce overall watering time, was to hard-wire two zones together. As I prepared to do this during mid-summer, I realized I just couldn’t get myself to do this because it negated the first principle of Rachio–water savings. Overall, my zones are all different (some have steeper slopes, others have more shade, etc.) and I had tuned each zone to water just right. I realized that by tying two zones together, I would inevitably have to overwater one of them, and that was not cool.
Now that there are upgrades happening to the app and service, I’d like to once again feature-request that you enable a software way to enable activating two zones simultaneously.
@Rodrigo Determine your gallons per minute on the zones you want to run together. The size of your water meter will determine your total flow.
I have direct measurements of each zone’s flow, before and after the change to MP rotors. All I need is for the controller to be able to turn on multiple zones simultaneously.
MP rotators have a low precipitation rate (inch per hour), but their flow rate varies depending in the nozzle. Here is the specs: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.hunterindustries.com/node/501&ved=2ahUKEwisi7CzuoXZAhWphVQKHUVFCc8QFjAEegQIEhAB&usg=AOvVaw2AVoPIf1Lk6c5lh6C8P_sE
Holy cow, these are long run times. Was there a reason why you chose these over spray nozzles? You invested a lot of money in these nozzles.
My system was originally designed with traditional spray heads. I got sick of seeing enormous amounts of mist flowing away in the wind so I converted it to MP rotators.
Misting is caused by high pressure. MP rotators perform best at 40 psi. I know you have invested money in the MP rotators, but consider retrofitting standard spray heads to 30 psi pressure regulated heads and then use regular spray nozzles. Perhaps try this on one zone. For example, if you have Rain Bird spray bodies, buy 1800 PRS heads. Remove the internals of the existing heads and drop in the pressure regulated internals. If your MP Rotators are irrigating shrubs, could you stagger days? I do not know where you live, but established shrubs do fine with watering twice a week during July.
Sure. I looked into that, I had higher than normal pressure (65 PSI) and I looked at the difference in price from installing pressure regulators for the old Hunter Pro spray heads vs. replacing everything with MP rotators. Ultimately, I was sold on the higher efficiency (even when Pro-sprays are well regulated).
Sure, there are many solutions. The point of this thread is that a simple software feature that enables two (or three) simultaneous zones would be the best of all worlds. Rachio: Please consider this.
Mine run for 50 minutes each zone, and for now I have mine based on the maximum precipitation rate listed on Hunter’s site until I get off my but and do a catch cup test.
Do you have the available gallons per minute to wire two zones together?
That’s exactly what I was trying to get at too. Depending on the GPM, the meter will determine total flow. If the pressure is still 65psi, there will still be misting without head regulation and more flow per zone.
Do I understand correctly, you didn’t regulate the heads?
The MPs are more efficient with regulation. The nozzles themselves have no regulation and will turn faster than normal without it, wearing the gears. Plus, if the heads are regulated it will help when running zones together.