Can Rachio 3rd Gen Do Better

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post by rraisley on Jun 19, 2020

rraisley
Rachio Power User
Jun 2020
I’m thinking of replacing my 6 zone irrigation timer with a Rachio, but I want to be sure it will do what I hope it will do. Currently, this is what /I/ do (I’m an engineer - sorry):
1. Water Flow Measurement: I’ve measured the exact water flow in gpm for each zone, calculated the area of each zone, and have a spreadsheet that can then calculate the minutes for each zone to put X" of water down.

1. Watering Schedule: I water 3 days a week (Monday, Wednesday, Saturday), and would like to keep doing that. Each zone waters 3 times per active day.
2. Weather Monitoring: I check the NOAA web site every Sunday and get the weekly FRET for my area (Columbia, SC), and set the Budget setting on my controller accordingly.
3. Rain Delay: If it’s going to rain, or has recently rained, I’ll set the Rain Delay.
4. Current Practices: I use the Budget setting based on the FRET which can easily give over 1.5" of water or more per week in the summer.

Concerns:

• Current automated system should equal or better my current steps.
• Wants to avoid a system that waters whenever it wants to.
• Needs customizable settings for optimal watering.

post by franz on Jun 22, 2020

franz
Co-Founder/CTO @ Rachio
Jun 2020
We love data. The system can be adjusted as low level as you would like in advanced zone settings. Adjust the nozzle precipitation rate settings as needed.

• We have the most advanced schedules on the market, and future improvements are planned.

post by rraisley on Jun 22, 2020

rraisley
Rachio Power User
Jun 2020
Thanks very much, franz, for answering!

• I like the idea of a Smart system that can adjust based on temperature and real factors.
• Concerned about being able to adjust if water seems insufficient.

post by inkahauts on Jun 23, 2020

inkahauts
Jun 2020
You don’t need to water on certain days to keep your yard green. Rachio allows you to input data for best results. Flex daily adjusts watering based on current weather, ensuring proper moisture levels.

post by rraisley on Jun 24, 2020

rraisley
Rachio Power User
Jun 2020
Thanks for all that great information. You’ve pretty much talked me into it.

• Concerns about modifying settings without losing features remain.

post by inkahauts on Jun 27, 2020

inkahauts
Jun 2020
Rachio allows for inputting nozzle inches per hour in advanced settings.

post by rraisley on Jun 28, 2020

rraisley
Rachio Power User
Jun 2020
Wondering if specific one-time skips can be requested for special occasions or events.

post by inkahauts on Jun 28, 2020

inkahauts
Jun 2020
Yes, the system can handle both regular and one-time skip requests effectively.