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Sprinkler System Controller

Posted on 4/18/24 at 3:45 pm
Posted by slacker130
Your mom
Member since Jul 2010
8407 posts
Posted on 4/18/24 at 3:45 pm
My 6 zone old school sprinkler controller is dying. I'm looking to upgrade to a controller with wifi and an app, because my current controller is in an inconvenient location, making it difficult to turn off/on and change.

Any suggestions?
Posted by CarRamrod
Spurbury, VT
Member since Dec 2006
57723 posts
Posted on 4/18/24 at 4:03 pm to
Dont get Rain Machine. they went to subscription based a few years ago.
Posted by TAMU-93
Sachse, TX
Member since Oct 2012
993 posts
Posted on 4/18/24 at 4:12 pm to
I like Rachio.
Posted by Puffoluffagus
Savannah, GA
Member since Feb 2009
6233 posts
Posted on 4/18/24 at 5:50 pm to
A lot of people like rachio.

I've had the rainbird wifi controlled for a few years.
It's pretty decent. I can control and set schedules pretty easily through the app. Set delays etc.

The only thing I wish I could do it with it, is set more precise schedules.

I.e. instead of doing MWF - 7am watering. It would be nice if I could do the mwf 7am zone. But also schedule a shorter 5min watering at say noon time on certain days or daily.

Not sure if the rachio let's you more fine tune schedule or if there's a newer version of the rainbird that let's you do that.
Posted by slacker130
Your mom
Member since Jul 2010
8407 posts
Posted on 4/19/24 at 7:29 am to
quote:

I like Rachio.



I wish their base model was 6 zone and not 4. Not sure I want to spend $200 on the controller, just due to the fact that I probably wouldn't use it to it's fullest.
Posted by DawgCountry
Great State of GA
Member since Sep 2012
30861 posts
Posted on 4/19/24 at 8:13 am to
love my rachio
Posted by bbvdd
Memphis, TN
Member since Jun 2009
25895 posts
Posted on 4/19/24 at 12:35 pm to
quote:

I like Rachio.


another satisfied rachio owner.
Posted by LSU fan 246
Member since Oct 2005
90567 posts
Posted on 4/19/24 at 1:44 pm to
quote:

I've had the rainbird wifi controlled for a few years.
It's pretty decent. I can control and set schedules pretty easily through the app. Set delays etc.

The only thing I wish I could do it with it, is set more precise schedules.

I.e. instead of doing MWF - 7am watering. It would be nice if I could do the mwf 7am zone. But also schedule a shorter 5min watering at say noon time on certain days or daily.


I have rainbird also. Cant you just make another program schedule and add what zones you want?
Posted by TAMU-93
Sachse, TX
Member since Oct 2012
993 posts
Posted on 4/19/24 at 2:17 pm to
quote:

Not sure I want to spend $200 on the controller


If you're patient you can find them on sale for $100. Setup a slickdeals.com alert.

If you need something now, I've heard good things about Orbit B-hyve. But, I have never used one.
Posted by baldona
Florida
Member since Feb 2016
21474 posts
Posted on 4/19/24 at 2:18 pm to
quote:


I have rainbird also. Cant you just make another program schedule and add what zones you want?


This. He definitely could.

To the OP, the only issue with WIfi is you have to make sure you have wifi where your current controller is located. I got my dad a wifi one and his is on the corner of his garage furthest away from his house and he has issues with it getting the wifi. Obviously he could get an extender or whatever, but I'm just saying.
Posted by crownNbull
Gretna
Member since Jun 2010
3154 posts
Posted on 4/20/24 at 6:36 am to
quote:

I.e. instead of doing MWF - 7am watering. It would be nice if I could do the mwf 7am zone. But also schedule a shorter 5min watering at say noon time on certain days or daily


You can with the Rainbird. Go to watering start times. Usually says ‘1st’ with whatever time you have. Hit the right arrow and go to 2nd and enter what time you want to cycle again.
Posted by Puffoluffagus
Savannah, GA
Member since Feb 2009
6233 posts
Posted on 4/20/24 at 7:16 am to
quote:

You can with the Rainbird. Go to watering start times. Usually says ‘1st’ with whatever time you have. Hit the right arrow and go to 2nd and enter what time you want to cycle again





I can set multiple times for each zone if I wanted to run the same time/duration but I can't dictate a separate frequency and/or water time.

As above I have a mwf 35min watering schedule

If I wanted to add a M-Fri 10min watering at noon time, I don't have a way of doing it. At least not through the app. I've never looked at the controller itself and see if there's a work around.

Eta: so I do believe the rachio does let you have a little more control over scheduling watering times
This post was edited on 4/20/24 at 7:22 am
Posted by Big Jim Slade
Member since Oct 2016
5479 posts
Posted on 4/20/24 at 7:46 am to
quote:

If I wanted to add a M-Fri 10min watering at noon time, I don't have a way of doing it.



Go back to the main page and start a Program B and you can add that custom run time.
Posted by Puffoluffagus
Savannah, GA
Member since Feb 2009
6233 posts
Posted on 4/20/24 at 7:59 am to
quote:

Go back to the main page and start a Program B and you can add that custom run time.


Not an option. Since this thread started, I decided to look over everything again to.make sure I wasn't missing something. Apparently with this rainbird wifi controller (st8x) - there's no "programs" , you set watering based on zones. Which means I can't accomplish what I'm trying to accomplish.

It's likely that some of the other rainbird controllers would in fact allow me to do what I'm trying to do. But those wifi controllers are twice the price of a rachio.
Posted by Puffoluffagus
Savannah, GA
Member since Feb 2009
6233 posts
Posted on 4/20/24 at 8:23 am to
Thanks to this thread I've also spent some money.

.
Ordered a rachio 3 8 zone controller, was on sale plus found a $40! Off coupon. So all in taxes and shipping $139.
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