Rain Bird ARC8 App-Based Indoor/Outdoor Smart WiFi Irrigation Sprinkler Timer/Controller, 8-Zone/Station, EPA WaterSense Certified, Compatible with Alexa, Indoor/Outdoor 8-Station

This controller is such an inexpensive upgrade to my last Rain Bird (that finally died after 28...yes 28...years!). Easy to install the controller. Easy to install the Rain Bird App. Easy to program the App. Easy to set alerts/notifications. Easy to set rain delay parameters (e.g., "delay watering by x day(s) if there is at least a ___% chance of __ fraction of inch of rainfall in my zip code", etc. etc.). Easy to export controller program to someone else's phone (e.g., I emailed it to my landscaper's phone for quicker/easier irrigation system start up). Easy to link to Alexa. Easy to control with phone or Alexa. Heads up, about two times out of 10, phone cannot connect to the controller - you just have to try again right away (assuming your Wi-Fi signal at the location of the controller is good - which you can check when installing controller by bringing your mobile device next to the controller and looking at the mobile device's Wi-Fi strength signal). Of course I've only had it two days so far, but it's a joy. One more spectacular addition to my SmartHome.

It just does not work, and "customer service" is a joke. I have set this controller up three times now, having to rename each zone and take new pictures for the zones each time. After 3 days max the unit loses connection with the app and what's confusing to me is that the scheduled run times will not even start. After attempting to chat with the AI chatbot on the website, I was told I was being transferred to a human but instead it just closes the chat, or tells me that it's new and can't help (If it's so new, don't deploy it!) I attempted to reset my password from their website and never received an email (been over 3 hours now). I called the support number only to be told that the WiFi chip is weak. I was told I would have to buy another repeater to extend my Wi-Fi, even though my current extender is less than 20 feet away with a Ring camera and my garage door opener on the network that both function great and are further away from the extender. Customer Service I talked to said they get calls on these units all the time. So that tells me A. The company does not care that these units are faulty or B. They don't bother to track user issues and repair them. Don't wait until your return period is gone. Get rid of it!

This has been a great addition to my irrigation setup. It is cloud based which means should the power go off or the device needs to be rebooted (reinstalled), all the settings were recoverable via the cloud settings. It is quite intuitive to set up giving great flexibility for watering needs. It has 3 programmable settings. It is limited to the number of water frequencies (unlike their manual units) so you have to use a new program (A,B,C) to initiate a new water time. This works great with the app, I am able to control another system in another state with a few simple key strokes. Each program has great flexibility to meet a variety of watering needs. Also, they have great customer support when or if you have any problems.

Installation required adding extensions to my existing wiring, have extra wire and wire nuts available. If you take a picture of your existing wires before disconnecting any wires, you avoided a major headache The phone app and installation was a bit lengthy, the unit needed software updates. But it was easy to follow. The ability to use my irrigation system via an app is very convenient, and affordable, I love it!

Here's an update from May 21, 2024… The Rainbird wireless water system is still going strong. I've not had any problems. It's so convenient to be able to program it either in the house or across the country as weather dictates. Regarding the wireless connectivity, I've maybe had a couple of times where it's lost connection but it's usually for maybe a few minutes… But the most important thing is that, it still continues with your program. And especially even if you've lost power it still picks back up with its memory and you're still on your installed program so your plants survive in the summer. Regarding other reviewers saying the unit loses connectivity with the wireless network, I've got mine installed of course outside but it's on the same wall as the wireless router, which is up on the second story so probably about 25 to 30 feet from router to the unit. I've got OK connection probably about three bars, but it seems to be just fine. So I might suggest that of course establish with your phone that where you're going to install the controller you have fairly decent wireless connectivity. And at least in my experience if it does drop a connection, it does come back quickly and doesn't require any rebooting, etc. And of course, if you were to install a wireless repeater near the unit that would mitigate any connection drops. I like how easy it is to run a program in manually… And of course it being on the Wi-Fi system I can access it anywhere in the world. Last summer my sprinklers went off for a week while we were traveling… You can imagine how difficult that is on plants in Phoenix Arizona, where we had days that we were up at 110F. Most of the plants survived but it was a warning to me with the $10,000 worth of landscaping we put in two years ago that I needed a way to be able to monitor and change my watering while we are traveling. I also purchased at the same time, a flume water meter that measures exactly how much my home uses right at the meter from the city. So when I run the watering system, I know exactly how many gallons each station is using. But the amazing thing is is that the Rain Bird does not lose its programming if power is cut off, so it will not stop watering, if for some reason the Wi-Fi connection is lost. Additionally, as soon as Wi-Fi comes back on, it will automatically re-connect. I've seen some reviews of other products where people were complaining about losing the Wi-Fi and then losing their program or the system not running because Wi-Fi had been lost. I searched for almost 2 years looking at different products, and this one seemed to be the most reliable. And in my experience in the last four months, this is worked flawlessly. Oh, I forgot to mention that is so easy to hook up… That's provided you already have an old school watering system… I disconnected our 30 year old orbit, water controller, and put this in 10 minutes.

I only use two stations. One is for plants and the other for trees. Trees are set to flood for 5 minutes every other day and the plants soak for 25 minutes every day. Each are on their own program with one start time. Trees seem okay, I manually tested and water usage data seems about right. I manually tested plant watering which worked fine. The usage chart though is total bonkers. For less than a week it notes usage over 120 hours. Best I can tell the 25 minutes a day is working and it’s some kind of glitch. I expect the only way to fix is to do a factory reset. I did try to redo the program which didn’t help. I suppose I can wire up to a different station and initiate a new program for that. UPDATE: After a factory reset and setting up it all works as it should. I suspect initially setting up with two start times on the same station created the problem. The documentation does not say anything about this so can't say it is the cause.

Spent hours trying to get it set up this morning. Had to do things mulitiple time and lots of my morning spent watch the little cirlce spin around. The physical device is easy to install and get up and going. It's the app that is a problem. Giving it one more try but I'm likely returning it. I don't like that is doesn't have a screen that you can skip the app and just do everything on the rainbird device.

Very good

Acquis pour remplacer un vieux modèle, le rebranchement s’est fait en moins de 30 minutes. La configuration de l’appli sa connexion à mon réseau wifi a pris moins de 10 minutes. Bref, tout s’est très bien passé!

Funciona muy bien. Fácil de programar con la app. Pero no es compatible con Alexa en México. Al menos a a fecha de hoy todavía no.

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Amerikan pazarında satın ,neden Avrupa da satıyorsunuz, yada 220 wolt göre yapın.

No hay manera de instalar la aplicación y no sé dónde comunicarme para ayuda . QR no funciona