While I can and have renamed the zone, I am talking about a zone attribute of “Lighting” as opposed to “Loam” or “Drip.” Programmatically, that would allow you to distinguish that it is a zone that can run while watering zones are running, and it is immune from weather effects.
@surfpup, ah, gotcha! Thanks for clarifying. I see the value in this as well with your explanation. I’ll pass this along to the product team for review and consideration.
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I know the Toro Evolution controller offers a wireless relay to do this. And FX Luminaire offers smartphone capability to control lighting but only with an FX Luxor lighting controller. If Rachio has an auxiliary port it could turn on lighting or a pond pump. The technology is out there. Everything is progressing in this direction.
And the Rachio interface is much more elegant than the FX Luminaire. I use the FX, I can only make changes while At home on my network, and anything setting up with timing is temporary. Everything else has to be done at the box. I would love to see an auxiliary port for controlling lighting and pump in the future!
There are better alternatives than an irrigation controller.
Agree with this.
Hello,
I too would very much like to have this added, especially since the Gen 2 has Relay Starter support in “advance wiring” located page 31 of the manual.
Physically the rachio wiring connections supports it, and it’s turning my lights off and on.
However none of the Zone types are pump or lighting with by the hour run times.
Many other controller support this as separate running zone and don’t follow Stand By mode.
Thank You.
I get sad when I read this. There are so many lighting platforms out there, why put the burden on an irrigation controller to handle this? I know other devices perform this behavior, but it is so niche. Buy a home automation platform so you can hook your coffe maker to,it,and then some…leave iro to pwn your water meter.
Zway and openhab both are free and provide remote access when you are away.
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Professional controller both landscape, pool and home automation all support this. It’s not a burden on Rachio. Rachio provides wiring support for this already.
The problem is they have not included visual support for it the app.
The Gen 2 system offer advanced wiring and the app should support those items. So don’t be too sad. The suggestion wasn’t for you.
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Are you able to run your lights while the irrigation is running as well? Or are you still limited to one zone at a time?
Hi nope still can’t. Also rain delay effects all schedules. Other wise it works great with lights since I’m not watering at night.
Really would like to see 2 zone run @ a time and unlink some schedules from rain delay.
And a " generic " zone.
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Any chance when the major software release comes that Rachio will recommend or sell a relay to turn on landscape lighting?
Can you tell me why this feature is important to you? I sold landscape lighting for about 8 years at an irrigation supply house and contractors always purchased a transformer, plus a timer and photo cell. Is this feature important because you can alleviate the timer and/or photo cell? Personally I would prefer to have my irrigation clock separate from my landscape lighting, but that is just a preference of mine.
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I want to set up an IFTTT to have the lights come on at dusk and stay on until around 9pm. I also want to have the ability to turn on the lights at any time if I go outside. By combining landscape lighting and irrigation, I am able to accomplish control of 2 things with 1 device. This is simpler for me. I am tired of having an app for every smart device around the house.
I know Toro’s Evolution controller has a relay feature that is wireless. Google wireless relay and see what you find. I will do the same. Maybe Rachio has a suggestion.
Do you run your sprinklers from dusk until 9? If not, you could probably get that working with your controller. The only limitation would be with wanting to turn them on when you go outside- if your sprinklers were running when you went out, you could not turn them on. But if they weren’t you could!
I was wondering if a Wemo switch could
Be used with Rachio to control landscape lighting and use the IFTTT app. I am just wondering. I believe it is a belikin product.
You can use the Wemo switch without Rachio. You just plug the landscape lighting module into the Wemo switch, which is then plugged into an outlet. You just need their app to control it.
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I usually water in the morning so that would work. I am hoping that with the major software release @franz mentions above, the engineers allow the Master/Pump Valve Wire “M” terminal slot to be used to control a relay for landscape lighting. I suspect that most folks do not have a master valve or need a pump start relay and allowing the “M” wire to control landscape lighting would add value to most customers.