RACHIO CURENT PROBLEMS SCHEDULING GEN3
Currently, I am finding the same situation with the Gen 3 with Flex daily, and the other attributes of W.I and Cycle. I’ve been installing Rachio controllers for over 4years and Gen 3’s since they were released.
I will be posting later, however I am separating all like zones into different schedules.
In example A : Two zones are drip, (in the exact same location, and plant type) one watered the other did not… On my initial program it gave me more than 2 1/2 hours of watering for those Zones and I said great all set… My Ron Popeil moment!
Well was I mistaken, returning a week later to transfer ownership and make some irrigation repairs thinking W.I. was to water appropriately. It did not.
Upon my field visit both on site and in my app, the watering or non watering events did not make any sense… I emptied both Zones (not even enough water on the first zone) changed plant type, and both watered correctly.
However, the projected next watering event I initially stated a 9 day interval which is out of line with actual Et. , though it matched an estimated data calculation. I’m looking for “smart” . Will I have to empty again? Or manipulate PR on WI?
I should not have to go advance to change PR etc., and if so it should be at GPH delivery not in/hr. in this case of drip. Heck, I asked the contractor who installed the drip lines ( incorrectly as well) how many GPH tubing did you use on this job; he said 9GPH three times… Shrugs.
What, It seems to indicate here is not smart at all and not using local W.S and only empirical data, or the Hyperlocal data is way off. One of my indications of this was through W.U. and its PWS reporting. I still have to verify If my mapping is correct. But there is something definably a miss as I have found this on a half a dozen controllers thinking Rachio will catch up and straighten things up in time. I have to re-visit all my sites to check the performance, water events and soil moisture content.
At any rate, I will be comparing real time Et, to the parameters Rachio is using on the Gen 3 , however my Gen 2’s on PWS do not do this. If, I have to install my own WS I will , or I will just have to say this is a remote device and program the controller on fixed scheduling since it’s like a bad baseball batter with the misses and strike outs and 30 percent accuracy.
I have another two installations today and will only be doing one and waiting for another WiFi to Beta test on site and compare controllers initial set up. I will however be setting up Rachio without hyperlocal data input.
I will also set up another site Rachio Gen 3 side by side with WI with same Zone type turf and the other on PWS. Hence , Example B. One Zone on WI and the other Zone next to it on PWS Flex Daily. Currently reading 45% and the other at 65% and they are same type, same soil, same everything, and in Zone sequence of 3000 s/f turf area . Previoulsy, one was at 110% and the other 17% and both were inaccurate. As, I walk with my soil tester.
I have the same thing happening on another site with five Turf Zones in a 5000 s/f area and it all waters different. How can this be correct lest comforting knowing this makes any sense?
These situations should not be happening to Contractors, who do this as a living and part of their water conservation and smart irrigation programs as I’m not getting paid to do all this water management re-configurations which was supposed to be figured out well before we install the equipment and not after the customer is questioning our recommendations and expertise. I don’t mind tweaking and putting in some extra effort however I do like the Ron Popeil moments.
Thus, at this time, as I indicated. I would return to defaults, separate Programs, empty, (you already did) and then try changing plant type i.e. Shrubs to perennial theirs a 5" difference I believe in root depth. Also take it off Cycle and soak. Then work from there. Hopefully, we can get nuisances out of the Platform and it can be more seamless for everyone. I do like to say; “A Rachio a day!”
