Daisy Chained zones? That is a new one for me…
Yeah, I have a flowerbed at the very back of the yard. Instead of running a pipe just for that single zone, I just connected the flowerbed via the backyard zone, and hoped to run the flowerbed for a short duration DURING the running of the backyard zone. I had the wire and running 400+ feet of wire was easier than new piping in this case.
Well, I wouldn’t hold your breath on a feature like that. I think this would be a darn near one off case as that is not a normal installation practice. If I were you, I would try to change out whatever type of nozzle or emitter you have on the zones so that each section can put down the needed water in the 30 minute run time.
One option might be to attach a drip line for the bed coming off the yard zone pipe with a pressure regulator there to decrease the pressure. You can use either Netafim, or if you want control over the quantity of water, use emittters from 1/4" tubing. The emitters can come from a sprinkler adapter or 1/2" supply tubing. We used this with emitters to get around a problem reaching the bed directly. It worked pretty well for the time we used it.
Pump/mv operation by station would be great.
a watering window option, so no water outside specified days and times
24 or 32 station unit
a multi user account for companies so they would not have to share the main account with all the service techs. users on main account would be great. we could eliminate a user and not have to change passwords for everyone else.
Clocks with more stations, commercial controller with more stations and water windows. HOA style controller with more stations and a cell card.
- An internal power supply
- Ability to add to a quick run that’s already started
- Mounting holes the width of a single gang box (the mounting holes are actually a rocker style switch plate screws width apart) (nice try and I did mention that during beta testing)
- Dump that silly “Fill” “Empty” option under the Soil Moisture button
- Integrate the Smart Hose Timer as a wireless valve with the same options and properties as a wired valve. For crying out loud!
- GET HOMEAPP TO WORK
- RJ45 LAN plug to get wired instead of wireless. Wireless will begin to suck soon.
- landscape lighting module controlled by Rachio
- true binding post connections instead of this lame push in BS
- watch for Rain Bird as they rip past Rachio and all we will see are their taillights
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Much as I don’t want it to happen, I’d be surprised if Rachio makes it another five years. Dumping support for the web interface, poor support, and no new release in years - writing is on the wall. My guess is a paywall shortly.
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Less random database corruptions. For some reason it has been setting my flow alerts to 10% and 150% when I get an alert.
5 GHz addition would be OK, but given that it is not near as good as 2.4 GHz for traversing walls, and most controllers are in the garage or outside in an enclosure, I would NOT abandon 2.4GHz. I have a couple of IOT devices in my large home and they only work reliably with 2.4 GHz interface. And yes, i have two Wifi access points on my property. Also, I don’t think supporting 2.4 GHz add much expense, if any at all.
Gen3 already is 5ghz capable. Issue that pops up from time to time is how many newer mesh systems only project one SSID, and not band specific.
I agree, 2.4ghz has it’s place, and low bandwidth IoT is perfect for it. Longer range and ability to get through and around obstacles is way better.
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Not sure I understand your #7 that “…wireless will begin to suck soon.” It certainly has its issues today, but with WiFi6 delivered, mesh routing, speeds up to 1gbps, etc., I see the trend going positive, not negative. I’d appreciate your thinking here.
If Rachio 4 were announced, I wish they would spend time upgrading the algorithm of the app. Last 12 months, seems the IOS app updates been centered around their hose timer…and the rachio crowd has been left in the dust. Last major update was a year ago to the advanced settings for flex settings which was long overdue. We have yet to see anything fixing other ongoing issues reported on these forums.
What makes a smart sprinkler system smart is its software, not so much the hardware. Making further improvements to Rachio app and introducing new features would be great. 
Agreed, most of the improvements suggested here are really software. I am sure that when the generation 4 comes out, it will have something new about it. However, I kind of doubt it will be a monumental hardware change, but could be wrong.
Why don’t you want the options to Fill and Empty? I like and make use of these options myself.
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Please explain the use to me because when I want to tell the controller that a zone is dry wouldn’t I click FILL? When I do the moisture graph changes as though a watering has happened and the next watering schedule has then changed to the day after the one previously scheduled and in turn drying out said zone further.
If Rachio closes their doors we are all going to be standing there with our garden hoses in our hands going “why why why”?
Get these guys here to jump the fence to Rain Bird should be in Rain Birds wheelhouse.
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It’s a pretty simple concept. It is moisture level, and think of it as a bucket. If you see that it is dry, but Rachio is reporting the zone full of moisture, you empty the Rachio bucket so that it will refill itself again.
Are you saying IF rachio closes their doors we will have a non-functioning controller and App?
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