Valve Finder Feature

post by DavidGPope on Oct 1, 2015

It would be cool to be able to have a “valve finder” feature. The feature idea is that you could have a feature that would open and close the valve solenoid very quickly making a chatter noise. (similar to the old Chat-R-Box product)

This would allow the homeowner to walk the yard and listen for that distinct noise and find the valve. It would be great for homeowners and landscapers who maintain the yard and sprinkler system.

If this is a bit confusing, look up a product called “Chat-R-Box” for lawn sprinklers. Very cool!

P.S. this can also be done manually but you need 2 people. You remove the valve wire at the box and you turn on the station. You tap the valve wire on the controller position (opening and closing the valve) and send the other person off listening for the chatter.

Youtube video on the old product: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEmwmizJhJw

post by franz on Oct 2, 2015

Oh interesting, never heard of that. I’ll be sure the product team gets this!

post by vicw on Oct 5, 2015

That would be a very interesting feature if it would be possible to program it, without risk of damage to the Iro, or the valves.

I just finished a project this week, locating the 6 underground valves on our system. The original owner failed to provide that information to me, and I had never thought about it until I installed the Iro, and began to worry about where they were.

Ironically, my non-techy wife wondered if it would be possible to hear the valves clicking if we could switch them on and off rapidly, and I shrugged off her suggestion as not likely to work, and perhaps risky.

I ended up renting an Armada Pro-700 Wire Locator from Sprinkler Warehouse in Houston, and it did the job for me, but I spent about $100 overall for the rental, shipping and insurance. It’s very comforting to now know exactly where they all are, in case one ever fails, and I have no regrets about the effort, although the suggested feature in the Iro would have been very nice to have as a free and convenient alternative.

post by gdstark on Oct 13, 2015

I second the request.

post by emil on Oct 14, 2015

Just curious, assuming you’ve used one of these in the past, did you notice any impact to the solenoid’s performance after chattering it? Love the idea!

post by DavidGPope on Oct 14, 2015

I have used it in the past. The only drawback is that some solenoids don’t make a “loud chatter” noise. The other way is learning how these “valve finders” work and implementing it in the Rachio.

“Use a valve locator. Valve locators find lost valves by tracing the wires from the controller to the lawn sprinkler system valve location. A valve locator consists of a transmitter, a receiver, two lead wires and a grounding stake. The valve locator transmits a beeping signal along the wire to locate irrigation valves. Using a valve locator is an accurate way to find lost valves without damage to the lawn or garden.”

post by emil on Oct 14, 2015

Interesting idea. This would also allow you to track and locate your wiring if needed.

post by DavidGPope on Oct 14, 2015

Exactly… it also opens the door for Rachio to sell additional accessories. I currently own a commercial valve finder. You hook the transmitter up to the valve wire and then use the receiver to follow the line. The receiver is reading a frequency or tone and as you get closer to the valve, the tone gets louder and faster.

post by vicw on Nov 21, 2015

I was very happy with Sprinkler Warehouse. They were very prompt and courteous with responses, shipping and crediting back my deposit as soon as they received the returned Armada.

We’ve been in our used home for 10 years, and for most of it, I didn’t even realize that the valves were underground. Coming from Southern California, there was no need to bury them. The former owner never conveyed where they were, assuming he knew. I never gave them a thought until I installed the Rachio.

post by plainsane on Nov 23, 2015

Man, that is a super cool idea. For me, ignoring the find my valve feature, I like the idea as it would help me identify which of the 4 valves in one of my boxes controls a specific zone. The wires have lost too much of their color so the red black and brown are indistinguishable.

Hey fellas, this video is for you all. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_5eiQ2drQ_Y

post by emil on Nov 27, 2015

Great to hear Sprinkler Warehouse provided a top notch experience. They have a great website with good content. Had you used them before? Just curious how you stumbled across them.

post by vicw on Nov 28, 2015

Yes, previously, I had found one of the underground valve covers under my lawn. The round detents on the cover were both perforated, which allowed water, dirt, whatever to get down to the valve & wiring area. I tried to find a replacement, but apparently mine was a bit obsolete, and the store and online covers that I found were all too big or small, or just suspiciously different.

[@emil]
I didn’t want to have to replace the whole underground assembly, so with some more Google research, I found the exact replacement shown at Sprinkler Warehouse. Their website showed a detailed drawing complete with measurements, and I ordered three of them, since they were so cheap. They shipped exactly what was described on the site.

post by berlin on Nov 12, 2021

Following up on this stale thread.

Did this feature request every make it to product? It seems very straightforward to implement and would save many people a lot of money plus incentivize to buy a rachio when moving to a new home.

post by Jrgrant on Aug 2, 2025

Posting to keep this topic alive. The paranoia expressed in some of these comments (of questionable validity) could be easily mitigated by making it a paid feature only available for activation within the Rachio app. Liability for damage could be eliminated by wrapping the feature in whatever warnings the lawyers think is a good idea.

This feature would be of great value to me. I have five zones and I know where three valves are buried. Locations of the other two are a complete mystery!