Hello Rachions
I am about to setup my new Irrigation system with 4 zones. I have Ordered Rachio Gen 2 8 zone controller. I like to know, do I need rain sensoror PWS or both ? I like to have PWS but only if adds more value.
PWS would be Pro 5-in-1 Weather Station with HD Display and Lightning Detector(accurite)
Rain sensor would be Hunter Rain-Clik Wireless Rain Sensor
Please suggest on PWS and Rain Sensor brands
Appreciate your help
Bala
Welcome to the community!
I’d wait to see if you have a PWS nearby once you’ve installed the controller. No need to buy one if there is one close enough.
http://support.rachio.com/article/405-choosing-weather-station
IMHO these are a cheap way to augment our weather intelligence, but not necessary. Maybe start with choosing a PWS and seeing how our weather intelligence performs before buying a rain sensor?
http://support.rachio.com/article/284-weather-intelligence-watersmart
Hope this helps!
I went with the Accurite solution. But it is tricky to install and requires purchasing their hub as well. Before you go down this path be sure you read all the FAQ’s on the topic. My closest weather station was 15 miles away and I started out using this one and monitoring the difference in rainfall. Did see over 1/4" difference in some recent showers, so switched to my PWS. I don’t know if the IMHO would have been a “just as good” solution, but we have enjoyed having our own PWS and have placed the display in our bathroom so when we are getting ready in the morning see current stats. Also fun to have an on-line weather station with all the history and graphs. Sure that will wear off after a while 
Good luck
You don’t actually have to have the hub with Acurite as long as you plug the acurite home panel into a computer that is always on. I did end up getting the hub so I wasn’t dependent on the computer always being on.
You can get the acurite hub - which is quick and easy install. But it only writes to Weather Underground - which rachio still doesn’t support. However, there are instructions here on this site to setup an automated script online that will past from Weather Underground to PWSWeather. This is what I’m doing and working well.
You could also create a meteobridge with and old router and the meteobridge software flashed to it. A little more time consuming.
There are brands other then acurite that will post direct to PWSWeather.
Overall now that I have the script copying over to PWSWeather from Weatherunderground I’m happy with the Acurite and Acurite hub setup.
Yes, that is exactly what I did using the D-LInk505( about $30) plus Meteobridge (about $75) and the Hub (about $80) for the same reason of not having to have a 24/7 computer on. Works great, but need at least a basic knowledge of networking i.e. IP addresses and where to find them and how to use them. If you can access your router and have ever updated firmware you should be able to complete this installation. That was my “tricky” comment above. But now that it is working. I really like it.
You don’t need the bridge in hat setup from what I have seen. Just the software and router
Thank you all