HOT in Texas!

post by tcat007 on Aug 20, 2019

I’ve been using fixed schedule for a few months, I can only water 2 days a week. Grass is turning brown because temps a have been over 100 for a month. Isn’t the weather “intelligence” supposed to increase watering with high temps? Or does it only adjust if it rains? It adjusted slightly at the beginning of summer, seemed date related, not temp related.

How do I know how much extra water is needed for hot temperatures?

post by franz on Aug 21, 2019

Only if you are using the flex daily schedule type. And with only 2 days allowed watering it wouldn't be effective. I would just increase your watering durations.

It will adjust per month, but you might have to add additional minutes.

I would add additional minutes until things aren’t looking as stressed, then back off when the system is looking healthier.

post by Eaw on Aug 27, 2019

That’s ridiculous. I also live in Texas and have a twice per week watering restriction, and the algorithm doesn’t work. To compound the issue, the device just advised me it was dialing back on watering due to some sort of “seasonal adjustment”.

While I could go set a manual duration, was hoping this device would be smart enough to take a look at my ambient conditions and adjust itself. There are so many parameters for soil properties, but no function of temperature in the watering algorithm to account for evaporation? My old Blossom system had a multiplier that could be applied to the algorithmic setting to help “tune” the algorithm, which was better than just going to full manual. Perhaps that should be something the Rachio folks need to consider.

post by tcat007 on Aug 28, 2019

No kidding. It can track rain (which isn’t necessarily accurate), but can’t track temperature, which is much more accurate. 3 days of 105 dry heat, and no automatic compensation watering on the 4th day? Such a simple software upgrade. I guess they want to promote savings, which if it automatically watered as it should, it would actually cost you more (but would save your grass!)

post by tcat007 on Sep 1, 2019

Just got the seasonal update, and it knocked 20 minutes off my total time! It’s been 100 for 2 months with .04" of rain in 62 days! I thought this was a SMART control! Thanks for killing all my grass! Weather “intelligence”? Please get your software act together!