Purchased Rachio, have Irritrol CL-100

Hi there,

I’ve purchased a new Rachio, but I have yet to install. I’m hoping to confirm the Rachio can work with some existing hardware installed in my home before I do, or I may rethink what I want to do.

Turns out the home has a Irritrol CL-100 Wireless Kit installed, which includes the CL-W1 weather sensor/transmitter. The installed control panel, the Irritrol Rain Dial-R, is what I want to replace.

I came across this support doc, but the mentioned hardware is a different model:

http://support.rachio.com/article/362-irritrol-wireless-rain-sensor

Can someone confirm the weather sensor that’s already installed is compatible?

Thanks!

-Mike

I would not think the Climate Logic would work well with Rachio. Instead, I would recommend you install a wired or wireless rain freeze sensor. Climate Logic is specific to two Irritrol controllers, Rain Dial and Total Control. When used with these controllers, the location zip code is entered into the controller. A small thumb drive is uploaded into these controllers that have years of historical ET. The weather sensor then measures temperature and solar radiation to adjust run times against historical ET. It also has a rain and freeze sensor. Bottom line: CL-100 is not compatible with other controllers.

1 Like

While I’m not personally familiar personally with the Irritrol system you mentioned, I’m fairly certain this assessment is correct:[quote=“robertokc, post:2, topic:5751”]
Bottom line: CL-100 is not compatible with other controllers.
[/quote]

I should mention, however, that the Rachio system’s internet-connected nature and use of location-based ET data renders such a kit … rather useless. (read: “outdated” :wink:)

Thanks guys! So bottom line - rip out my existing hardware because the Rachio is a better solution anyway? :slight_smile:

I don’t think outdated is a fair adjective to use. Some locations will not have access to WiFi, which has limitations. Some people might not have a smartphone or Wi-Fi and cannot afford these things. Irritrol products with the Climate Logic have earned the EPA WaterSense label. Toro (Irritrol is a Toro brand) will be coming out with its own Wi-Fi controller very soon. It’s a multi-billion dollar company on the stock market, so I would not call Toro outdated.

Yes.