Weather Intelligence Plus

post by briansusername on Mar 21, 2018

So, the Gen 3 hardware is listed as having “Weather Intelligence Plus” (WI+) for “hyperlocal” weather data. The details are scant so far, and some quotes on various news sites add more confusion. Some seemed to indicate there is new specialized hardware, but others that it is just a software feature with new data aggregation.

Before I preorder the new hotness that is Gen 3, I have a few questions:

1. Is WI+ a hardware feature? Are there new weather sensors (barometer, etc.) inside the Gen 3 hardware?
2. If there are new hardware sensors, does indoor vs. outdoor mounting matter?
3. If there are not new sensors, is WI+ coming to Gen 1 and Gen 2 hardware??
4. If there are not new sensors and WI+ is not coming to Gen 1 and Gen 2, why not?
5. If this is strictly a software feature chosen to be tied to Gen 3 hardware, can Gen 1 and Gen 2 users get some WI+ love for some reasonable fee ($20?) so we don’t have to go to the trouble of upgrading?

post by bbbmiller on Apr 10, 2018

I’m with you on this! I am expecting it is software based and went looking for these same answers.

Can someone in Rachio respond to this? I’m not going to consider upgrading until I have the facts.

post by Kubisuro on Apr 10, 2018

If Weather Plus is subscription model and works with Gen 2… and its features are valuable for my situation… sign me up (plus support Rachio!). Would love to have an alternative to my cheapo, error-prone weather station.

post by griesimatthew on Apr 12, 2018

I agree. This seems to be more of a cloud calculation rather than a hardware feature. The only reliable sensor they could add would be a barometer, as it is usually the only thing that is reliable outside and in, and I do not see how a barometer can make weather that hyperlocal.

post by cheezmo on May 7, 2018

I was in Costco today and they are selling the Rachio 2 with Weather Intelligence Plus. Since it is obviously compatible, what is the path for those of us with a Rachio 2 to add Weather Intelligence Plus?

post by Bioreef on May 7, 2018

I wonder if that is some sort of manufacturing error (someone put the stickers on the Rachio 2 instead of 3’s). The Rachio website clearly says that Weather Intelligence Plus is a Rachio 3 exclusive.

post by boldblue737 on May 7, 2018

ouch, that has to be a mistake with the Rachio 2.

post by cheezmo on May 7, 2018

So if I want to add WI+ to my gen 2 I can do it by buying another gen 2 from Costco? I already have the hardware and don’t want to add to a landfill. This leaves me with a very poor impression of Rachio.

post by fpuig on May 7, 2018

You get Weather Intelligence Plus but you don’t get support for Wireless Flow Meter. If you don’t need the wireless flow meter this is a no-brainer purchase.

post by briansusername on May 7, 2018

Except those of us who already have a Gen 2 unit. That’s not quite a no-brainer. I would be interested in a modest upgrade fee to add WI+ to my existing unit.

post by cwagz on May 8, 2018

I would be interested in upgrading my current Gen2 with Weather Intelligence Plus as well.

post by zpaiulsgrove on May 14, 2018

I would like to echo earlier comments, I would be more than willing to pay an upgrade fee to get Weather Intelligence Plus if it would get me more accurate weather information and help save water.

post by bigjohns97 on May 28, 2018

I am in the process of possibly buying a weather station to install but if this new service doesn’t require that then I would just purchase an upgraded Rachio.

post by boldblue737 on May 28, 2018

weather intelligence plus requires a Rachio 3 or the purchase of an Rachio 2 from Costco with a specially marked box.

post by fightinaggie08 on Jul 31, 2018

SO WI+ is compatible with Gen2? I do hope you will enable this for other Gen 2’s, that is why we paid a premium for your product.

post by eckirchn on Aug 27, 2018

[@franz] is it safe to assume that Weather Intelligence is based on the Weather Underground API and using that community to inter/extrapolate data that is more accurate than standard NOAA data?

post by franz on Aug 27, 2018

Your PWS will always have the best precipitation (assuming it is working) which is very important for our models.

post by eckirchn on Aug 28, 2018

I understand this defeats the purpose of a marketing point for the product, but Rachio should partner with Ambient Weather, not just WU.

post by Lmc805 on Dec 10, 2018

I had my Rachio 2 fail and replaced it with Rachio3 (for the water meter).

post by franz on Dec 11, 2018

If you’d like I can have the team remove that feature and get you back to PWS weather, just let us know.

post by giesimatthew on Dec 11, 2018

If Rachio is using national data to derive ET, I don’t see how I’ll be able to use the smart watering features… .

post by jebgg on Dec 15, 2018

I’ve been reading these posts concerning ET with interest.

post by marked on Apr 29, 2019

I just installed my 3.0 a couple of weeks ago and put it on a flex schedule.

post by franz on Apr 29, 2019

It looks like flex daily is pushing out the front yard based on precipitation forecasts.

post by chrisn on Oct 11, 2020

Hi, I’ve just been reading this thread with interest. I live in Australia and own a Rachio Gen 2.

post by 7Natives on Apr 28, 2021

[@franz] appears to have commented by not commenting. I’d surmise the take away is that Rachio has no intention of implementing WI+ on the Gen 2.