An Update On The Wireless Flow Meter - Announcements - Rachio Community
An Update On The Wireless Flow Meter
post by laura.bauman on Nov 6, 2019
Hey there Rachio Family,
At Rachio, we’re incredibly proud of the three generations of Rachio controllers and accessories we’ve created, and are even more grateful for the dedicated customers we’ve earned along the way.
Our mission is to provide our customers with products that are easy to use and personally rewarding. In particular, the Wireless Flow Meter has saved hundreds of thousands of gallons of water by notifying customers of unusual flow rates, and it will continue to help users like you monitor your lawn and save money from wherever you are. Unfortunately, the variability in irrigation system configurations made for a more complicated Flow Meter installation process for some of our customers—something that falls short of our mission. Because of this, we’ve decided to discontinue sales and production of the Wireless Flow Meter.
We want to stress that the Flow Meter is and will continue to be a supported and working Rachio product. Customers should not be concerned about their currently installed Flow Meters and can trust that the reason for this decision is not due to its current performance or accuracy.
This has also been communicated via email to all current and waitlisted Wireless Flow Meter users. Please check your emails for more information.
Have questions? Click here to learn more.
We’re so thankful to be part of your home and are excited to continue to bring you products that support our mission—and yours.
Best,
Lo + the Rachio Team
post by DLane on Nov 7, 2019
@laura.bauman - just wanted to let you know that as one of the above WFM users, I have not received an email (yet and yes I did check the SPAM folder).
If it is a support/complicated install issue, it seems like it would be a perfect opportunity to license out the firmware (for a reasonable fee) to someone and let them deal with the support issues. Unless Rachio is planning on ditching the 900 MHz radio for a different reason in a future version.
post by laura.bauman on Nov 7, 2019
Hey @DLane! I’m so sorry that email didn’t come through. Thanks for letting me know—I’ll send it to you manually right now!
If anyone else didn’t see an email come through, please let me know!
Additionally, thank you for the feedback about licensing support to a third party! While we don’t have plans to utilize a third-party vendor for support, our internal Product and Engineering teams will continue to release software and firmware updates as needed and we won’t be discontinuing support of the product at all!
post by top_gun_de on Nov 8, 2019
Laura, I think the next step should be to give more documentation on the kind of wired flow meters you support.
From my current knowledge, there are two basic types:
- Frequency modulation: Devices that modulate a frequency onto an electric dc signal. The higher the flow, the higher the frequency.
- Pulse-generating meters: Devices that get 24V from the controller, and one per gallon or per liter make a short electric pulse. Usually, it’s a classical meter with rotating numbers and digits, and there is a magnet fixed to a wheel that passes a reed sensor once per gallon or liter. This is what Hunter ie sells, and this is what is common in Europe, as it’s basically a house meter plus the magnet and reed sensor.
What do you support? Atm, you only hand out a list of US brands. It’s time to clearly state your specification.
post by laura.bauman on Nov 8, 2019
Hey @top_gun_de!
Thanks for the feedback! We do have these support docs available - is there anything missing from this that you’d like to be considered?
post by top_gun_de on Nov 8, 2019
There is just a list of few supported models. In my country, flow sensors are usually at a much lower price point. I expect to pay about 60 Euros for a certified flow meter with a pulse signal of 1 pulse per liter. This is the price for a meter that has been lawfully calibrated for municipal billing of potable water with 1" ID and is good for 10 years before recertification. The modulated meters are only used in industrial applications and even cheaper.
Your compatibility list only offers high-priced frequency-modulated sensors. This kind of sensor is available from china for less than 10% of the money I pay for a CST or Badger sensor. This is not stolen technology; the concept of these sensors is decades old. In fact, neither Toro, Badger, or CST sell their sensors in Europe. At their price point, they would have a hard time to find a market in Europe.
post by laura.bauman on Nov 8, 2019
Thank you so much for all the detailed information and suggestions @top_gun_de! Sending all this info and your recommendation to the team so they can dig into this option a little further.
post by Fixer on Nov 10, 2019
So because the Flow Meter installation process was more complicated for “some” customers, Rachio decided the heck with the rest of their customers whose flow meter installation isn’t complicated. I’m guessing the average homeowners don’t have complicated irrigation systems and probably have only 3 to 7 zones. So I’m sorry, but myself and I’m guessing many other Rachio owners are finding it hard to believe Rachio discontinued the Flow Meter because some customers had complicated installations?
post by tmcgahey on Nov 11, 2019
I think there may be more to the story between Rachio and the manufacturer making the flow meters for Rachio. I’m sure they can’t or won’t divulge the real reason, but I suspect the complicated install is only a small part of it…
post by laura.bauman on Nov 11, 2019
Whoops! Sorry for the delay in response, friends!
Hey @Fixer! Unfortunately, it was more than just a few customers running into trouble with the installation. There are a ton of irrigation system variations, many of which made installation difficult or impossible for many users. At the end of the day, our mission is to provide products that are easy to use (and fun to use) and this simply didn’t meet that mission.
post by Fixer on Nov 13, 2019
Hey Laura,
I picked up a wireless flowmeter today from my local Rachio Pro dealer. Thanks.
It will still continue to be supported by Rachio correct?
post by laura.bauman on Nov 13, 2019
Hey @Fixer! So great to hear! We’re definitely still supporting it!
post by ronjonp on Nov 13, 2019
@laura.bauman Additional flow sensors and the availability to enter a K and offset has been requested already HERE and HERE. Crossing fingers this will get added!
post by rbakerpc on Nov 15, 2019
No email to me either, and I’ve had one of the first shipped units.
What about any future features for existing owners? I had made a suggestion about monitoring water flow when the system was off. I have a well and my water main going out the wall to the sprinkler system broke outside after the flow meter. If the flow meter had detected and reported it, that would have saved my pump from running hours and flooding my whole back yard.
post by laura.bauman on Nov 19, 2019
Hey @rbakerpc!
Thank you SO much for being an OG WFM user! I’m so sorry that email didn’t come through. Any chance you’ve unsubscribed from emails? Still trying to track down the reason some people didn’t get an email.
As for future features, we’ll continue to maintain core WFM monitoring functionality and there could be opportunities for future development should it make sense for the product and our users.
post by ChicagoAndy on Nov 20, 2019
Laura, you may want to update your website. You’re still advertising the product and collecting names for the waiting list.
Also, if your justification is honest, in that really the problem is installation, it sounds like discontinuing it is the wrong decision, given that it appears quite popular. Why would you cut off your pro users?
post by laura.bauman on Nov 20, 2019
Hey @ChicagoAndy!
Thanks for the feedback on the website! The product page should be redirecting (maybe try a hard refresh to see if that works), but it seems to still be showing up for some users. Will work on updating that page specifically while we’re working on getting the rest of the website updated soon!
post by Fixer on Nov 21, 2019
Laura,
I’m getting ready to install my flow meter and I was watching the installation video and noticed that it said to make sure you install the fitting (Sharkbite or PVC lock) on the flow meter correctly because once you install them they can’t be removed. I am going to be using Sharkbite fitting on my flow meter. The whole purpose of Sharkbite fitting is that they can be removed. So my question is can the sharkbite fitting be removed off the flow meter and reinstalled or will the flow meter start to leak if I do? Thx
post by laura.bauman on Nov 22, 2019
Hey @Fixer!
Great question! Removing the fittings is difficult as the tool required doesn’t fit. We don’t have any methods that we can share to remove the fittings from the WFM. I can tell you that if you have issues replacing the flow meter or the fittings you can reach out to our support team for warranty solutions.