Do you have a link to the wire you used? What is the brand/model? Did you contact ED? Does the 25GPM settle down after you give it a little time?
SiteOne has access to the cable (armored or unarmored), sometimes called āToro signal cableā. Just contact SiteOne. Paige Electric is the manufacturer (acquired 2022 by Genuine Cable Group - GCG). In the early days, I had frequent conversations with EveryDrop. Not so much any more. The calibration pressurization and settle times are configurable (Rachio app / Controller Settings / Flow Settings) - 2 minutes works for me. If youāre trying to fill a long pipe, it takes longer.
For installation of signal cable, try to find someone with a āWilton Trenching Spadeā. Best tool ever invented for burying wire or conduit.
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Thanks to everyone on this thread so far, it has been very helpful.
I am having similar issues and wondering if anyone has any insight. I have been having issues for a couple of months now. At first it was false high flow readings and sometimes low flow warnings. Following the advise on here, I installed the shielded toro flow sensor wire. That seemed to fix it for a couple of weeks. But now when I calibrate, the Rachio reads 50%-80% higher than what the 1004-EX LCD display reads. It seems to be proportionally the same % for all zones. The LCD display has been consistent from the beginning and doesnt vary much while the zone is running. Is my flow meter bad? Seems hard to believe since the lcd display is correct.
My flow meter is in the same valve box as 3 other valves. I have the shielded cable but the leads from the meter and the connections to the cable are not shielded. Could that be an issue?
I have contacted Rachio Support and they sent me a new controller but I still have the same problem so it isnt the controller.
Also FYI, My Rachio 3 is only 10 ft away from my Everydrop 1004 EX and I have the wires buried in PVC conduit.
Scroll back to near the beginning of this thread, and youāll find my complaint about an EveryDrop 1004-EX that exhibited exactly the same symptom you describe (proportionally high calibration through Rachio than the displayed LCD on the meter). Rachio was validated as good, and that meter was replaced by EveryDrop, but my current meter (also 1004-EX) exhibits occasional crazy calibrations too. Contact EveryDrop, they might have some ideas.
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@JBTexas thanks for the response! I will contact Everydrop and see where that goes.
@JBTexas also, what are your thoughts on the meter wire leads and connections being unshielded between the meter and shielded cable? Seems that if the meter is in the same box as other valves maybe that could be an issue with interference.
Unshielded (improper) cable can ABSOLUTELY be an issue. are you able to fish through the proper cable from meter to controller without any splices?
Yes I have a continuous shielded flow sensor cable (same product mentioned before) from the controller to the valve box. Itās only 10 ft. But at the valve box where the connection to the meter occurs, the wire leads and connections are unsheilded in the box. Seems like it needs to be shielded but how is this achieved? Are you wrapping it somehow?
Canāt help you there - my meterās isolated. Is the EveryDrop above ground? In the valve box? How much sprinkler wire in the valve box? Do you have good waterproof connections from signal wire to meter leads? If your shield drain is floating, did you snip it off so it stays that way?
Gotcha. Mines in the valve box with 3 other valves, so there are 4 other sprinkler wires. Currently I have waterproof gel filled wire nuts connecting the leads. Yes my drain wire is snipped off. Iām thinking I may try some other way of creating a good waterproof connection and shield it somehow. Thanks for the input.
First paragraph from the EveryDrop 1" meter installation instructions:
The Everydrop vortex flowmeter includes the upstream straight pipe run needed for proper operation. The pipe must ALWAYS be FULL and be free of air with >10psi of back pressure for the Vortex meter to function.
That upstream (source side) pipe is pretty long and should be horizontal or flow vertically upward to accommodate these instructions. How did you manage to get all this in a valve box? Even when horizontal, we needed a gate valve downstream to maintain sufficient back pressure while filling the pipe and calibrating. Is it possible your sprinkler wires arenāt the issue?
If you have a zone whose wires arenāt in this valve box, you could test whether you are able to calibrate and operate that zone without issues. Then, maybe weād think isolation of the meter is worth figuring out, because no other zone wires which are in that valve box are hot while youāre metering that other zone.
Our guesses using Occamās Razor: 1. Turbulence through the meter, 2. Meter failure, 3. Electrical interference.
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@JBTexas thanks for the suggestions. As of today I now have working set up but I will first respond.
I was able to get it to fit in a valve box by cutting the upstream straight pipe of the flow meter and coupling it back together shorter with a PVC coupler. I know this isnāt ideal but I definitely have 10 pipe diameters of 1" pvc upstream of the meter. When I first installed the meter like this, it worked flawlessly for 6 weeks so Iām thinking this isnt the issue.
I do have zones in another valve box, but the same issue happens with those zones as well.
I contacted Everydrop and heard back. They suggested that since things started changing after 6 weeks, it points to the possibility of poor wiring, specifically corrosion on the connections. The meter is a very low current device and any corrosion on the connections can disrupt the readings.
With this and the feedback on this forum, I decided to re strip my meter leads clean and connect to the shielded flow sensor wire with a watertight plug connector. I used heat shrink on all of the wire connections. Finally I found a wire shield sleeve to wrap the wires with in the box from the shielded sensor wire all the way to the bottom of the flow sensor. This did the trick. I now have accurate readings in the Rachio App.
I am unsure if it was corrosion or electrical interference or both. I am reluctant to change anything at this moment to find out. I want to continue to monitor and see if this solution holds up. Either way this is probably a good solution for flow meters installed in a box with other valves.
Appreciate all of the help!
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Unfortunately I spoke too soon. I had a high flow warning overnight and when I calibrate I get inaccurate readings again. I believe I have a failing meterā¦
Is it just 1 zone or all zones?
All zones
i know itās highly unlikely but do you have a way to run a different cable from the meter to the controller, just on top of the grass or whatever just as a test to see if maybe yours has a break or defect in it?