I recently discovered this product and am trying to ascertain whether there are any issues with using it in Europe. Besides the voltage difference, which I assume can be mitigated through the use of a compatible 230v power supply that outputs the same voltage/current as the original, are there any issues with using this product in Europe? (from a cloud connectivity perspective, timezone difference, etc).
I am interested in setting it up at a location where it would be controlling multiple things: a yet-to-be-installed sprinkler irrigation system for watering a flower garden, a yet-to-be-installed drip irrigation system for watering a vegetable garden, to begin with.
Given that I don’t have an existing sprinkler or drip irrigation system, are there any recommended ones that perhaps are “more” compatible, etc? (if that even makes sense)
The ideal solution would allow me to use a large rainwater-catching-tank as a primary water source for the irrigation system(s), and if that tank is empty, switch to using the main water line. Anyone know of such a thing? (I already have the large rainwater tank)
Thanks for reaching out to us. Hello from Colorado!
We certainly appreciate your interest in our product. As you mentioned the voltage is different as we supply a power adapter that is built for US standards, so you would need to source your own adapter to fit your electrical requirements. In regards to the connectivity, cloud, timezone, etc… you would not have any issues with this.
The Iro can only control 24VAC solenoid valves so if you were planning on installing this yourself you would need to be sure that you are using AC valves and not DC. We don’t really recommend any specific brand. I would just do some research and see what you are most comfortable with based on review and cost.
One thing of note though. The Iro is not certified outside the US, so you would not be able to purchase one from our website. If you did end up purchasing a unit Amazon will be your best bet, but note that the unit will not be under warranty.
I am not sure in regards to the rainwater catching tank. I would assume this would feed into the irrigation piping, but would need to have a mechanism to trigger it open, kind of like a master valve. The Iro would be able to trigger this open but it would need to be wired up. What are you thinking you will do for this? I am curious.
I think you could set this up using a Tank Top Up Valve – looks pretty simple. You’d probably need a booster pump to setup the system correctly, so you’d need to calculate the offset between water and energy prices.
Here’s a simple sketch of how the system could work (compliments of chelseagreen.com)
Hello. I am interested to hear if you managed to get Rachio to work in Europe as I am planning to also adapt it. Where did you find the valves for the sprinkler and which ones would you recommend in the end ?
@hypnosii & @Stylisch, Rachio has many users in Europe. We don’t support the electrical requirements with the included power adaptor, but if you purchase a transformer to convert your local power meet the requirements of the power adaptor it’ll work assuming you have 24VAC solenoids on your sprinkler valves.
