New schedule = empty soil moisture?

[SmartWaterTX]

Maybe I’m doing something wrong, but on my last two installs when I create a new Flex schedule, the soil moisture on all zones is empty. So the first schedule has super long watering times. I then have to go into each zone individually and adjust the soil moisture to full… oh wait, not on my android phone when standing in front of the customer’s controller, but when I get home and log-in on the computer because the adjust function is not available on the android app… oh wait, it is available in the app on a Rachio I mistakenly registered first and then shared with the customer, but not on the controllers I first had the customer register and then share with me…

Suggestions:

1. Provide a global soil moisture adjustment in the device settings
2. Make sure all three platforms (Android, IOS, web) have the same functionality available
3. Allow me (the contractor) to initially register the device and then easily transfer ownership to the customer
4. In the setup process, maybe ask how moist the soil is or start with it at Full.

[emil]

@SmartWaterTX, thanks for reaching out. Great questions and ideas!

when I create a new Flex schedule, the soil moisture on all zones is empty. So the first schedule has super long watering times.

Correct, the first Flex schedule will water to field capacity. This initial watering is always the longest and is used to set a baseline to begin ET & MAD tracking on a daily basis.

Provide a global soil moisture adjustment in the device settings

Interesting idea. If I’m understanding correctly, this adjuster will override all individual zones (up or down) if used?

2. Make sure all three platforms (Android, IOS, web) have the same functionality available

All platforms do allow for moisture level overrides. Are your customer’s sharing complete or limited access with you? If Limited, then the feature is not available as schedule and zone settings are not exposed. Let us know if you’re seeing otherwise.

Allow me (the contractor) to initially register the device and then easily transfer ownership to the customer

Love this idea! Like a change owner setting in the user profile perhaps?

In the setup process, maybe ask how moist the soil is or start with it at Full.

Also a great idea. Will pass this along to the product team for consideration.

Just a heads up, Flex schedules will be combined with Fixed schedules in our 2.5 app release. This change will eliminate some of the issues you were experiencing, such as the soil moisture logic at the zone level. For more details, please see this post.

[SmartWaterTX]

Yes, I would like to have the ability to override all zones up/down.

When customers share access via the app, there is no option for limited/full access, it’s only full access. With that access I am able to setup the zones and schedules via the android app, but when I go to the soil moisture graph, the only button at the bottom is view details. No option to adjust. Again, in the android app it’s a problem. If I log-in via the web, I can adjust. The one controller that I registered myself, I have the option to adjust inside the android app.

Love this idea! Like a change owner setting in the user profile perhaps?

Yes. It would be much easier to have the homeowner give me the wifi password, install the unit and setup the system myself, then test it before calling on the customer to come out to the garage and show them everything. With the Gen2 it’s a little easier since I can test using the new physical buttons, but I’d prefer to have it all setup before going through it with the customer.

Thanks for taking the feedback. Your pro-activeness is one of the big reasons why I am offering this option to my customers

[SmartWaterTX]

Another difference I just noticed between web and apps is when clicking on a scheduled day for watering in the calendar. In the app, it displays the schedule name and the start/end times for each zone being watered that day. Nice easy way to see what is estimated to happen in the future.

In the web interface, when I click on a day on the calendar, it only shows the schedule name and a summary value of start/end. If I then click on the right arrow, it pulls up the schedule editor, showing all zones and times times for each zone that do not match the app.

[Dan]

Hi @SmartWaterTX
We have some known areas where the native mobile apps differ in functionality and style from the webapp. We’re working to narrow those differences, and specifically the difference in the schedule screens, in upcoming releases.

Thanks,
Dan

[emil]

When customers share access via the app, there is no option for limited/full access, it’s only full access. With that access I am able to setup the zones and schedules via the android app, but when I go to the soil moisture graph, the only button at the bottom is view details. No option to adjust.

@SmartWaterTX, thanks for pointing this out. I’ll review this in more detail.

Thanks for taking the feedback.

Your welcome and ditto! We love to hear feedback from our users – good and bad. Thanks for supporting and installing Rachio