Watering Restrictions and Seasonal Timing Adjustments?

[beedix]

I’m shopping around for a new controller and the Rachio looks pretty close from a features perspective. I have a couple of specific questions related to scheduling. With my current controller, I can pretty well manage soil structure adjustments, spray head output, etc. I have a couple of pain points that I’m wondering if the Rachio handles.

1. The biggest pain point I have is that everytime my city has water restrictions, I have to re-tool the cycle\soak timings and overall maximum runtime per zone. It would be nice if when our restrictions go from twice a week, to once a week, and then to every other week…that the system readjusts.

2. In terms of seasonal adjustments. I assume I can scale my watering times by a percentage? Is that done automatically? And is the Rachio smart enough to shift watering times to reduce lawn disease likelihood. Like in spring\summer, I want to water in the early AM so the plant tissue dries off as it heats up. And in fall, I’m wanting to water later in the afternoon.

Thanks for the help.

[benblackmer]

Hey @beedix, thanks for the questions!

1. The biggest pain point I have is that everytime my city has water restrictions, I have to re-tool the cycle\soak timings and overall maximum runtime per zone. It would be nice if when our restrictions go from twice a week, to once a week, and then to every other week…that the system readjusts.

Agreed that this is a pain point. It’s something we’d like to support, but we don’t at the moment. I don’t know of any controller that does this currently.

2. In terms of seasonal adjustments. I assume I can scale my watering times by a percentage? Is that done automatically? And is the Rachio smart enough to shift watering times to reduce lawn disease likelihood. Like in spring\summer, I want to water in the early AM so the plant tissue dries off as it heats up. And in fall, I’m wanting to water later in the afternoon.

This is done automatically with Rachio. It’s our Water Budgeting feature. We generally water in the early morning. However, if you want to change your water times that’s an option. We will adjust watering duration automatically, but not specific watering times.

[beedix]

Thanks @benblackmer. Understood. There would never be a way to database every city’s water restriction rules\guidelines, but it would be nice to be able to input a few rules (times per week, cutoff times, drip irrigation zone constraints, etc) and let the controller re-calculate a schedule. Pretty much same with being able to specify a monthly seasonal shift in start time (unless water restrictions do not allow).

I’ll keep watching. You can tell Rachio is definitely on the right track based on the documented variables being input into the system in the documentation I’ve read. I just don’t think I have enough compelling reason to switch yet without these features, but I’ll keep watching this product.

[benblackmer]

Sounds good. Thanks!

[plainsane]

To #2, I recommend the flex schedule, it’s a fire and forget. No seasonal adjustments. I love it, it computes your transevap and waters when the dirt is dry, to you get automatic seasonal adjustment. It saved me even more water than the other smart features as it intelligently utilizes mother natures water as well. The bomb!

Nothing really in the way of disease. Water early and infrequently and treat at first sight.