Hi all. I installed my Rachio last weekend, so I’m still very new to it. There’s one thing I’m not completely clear on (ok, several, but I will limit this post to one!).
I am forced to use a Fixed Days schedule because I have certain days that I am allowed to water. Does Rachio take into account weather beyond precipitation (resulting a skipped day) and seasonal shift (a monthly adjustment) for this schedule? E.g. it seems like it would be helpful if it knew that we had a few really hot days in a row and increase the watering times accordingly. Or if it’s cooler than usual, maybe they can be dialed back a bit. Does this happen at all, or is it really limited to the monthly shift?
Hi @sharding!
First of all, welcome to the Rachio community- hope you are enjoying you new controller so far!
After reading your post, I think you actually may be more interested in a Flex Daily schedule. In a Flex Daily schedule, you can still choose specific days to water, however it uses many additional factors to determine the length and frequency of your waterings. Here is an article that explains how it works in a little more detail, let me know if that sounds more like what you are looking for!
Keep in mind, this schedule can be a little more difficult if you have more than 3 restricted days. If that is the case, sticking with the Fixed Day schedule may be the better option Those shifts only occur monthly (besides the climate and rain skips.)
I am allowed to water three days a week, which if I’m understanding, means I have 4 restricted days. I would love to use the Flex Daily option, because that sounds like it would get me many more of the benefits of Rachio, but the messaging in the UI is pretty clear that it’s not recommended (unless I’m inverting your definition of “restricted days”).
@sharding-
We do usually recommend not using flex when you have over three restricted days. Flex works best when it has more scheduling flexibility. However- with that being said, that doesn’t mean flex isn’t a good option for your situation. You could absolutely get more of the Rachio benefits, and with the high heat months behind us, the restrictions in your schedule is may not be a huge cause for concern. Here is a thread where another one of our members used a flex schedule with only three watering days, and it sounds like he’s having quite a bit of success with it!
McKynzee
