Irritrol RS1000 Wireless Rain Sensor

The Irritrol RS1000 was a snap to install in my outside irrigation controller. The receiver wiring is very typical/standard - 2 wires for 24 VAC power and 3 wires for a switch which provides both Normally Open (NO) and Normally Closed (NC). The transmitter is wireless - you simply set 2 adjustments for rainfall and evaporation and you're in business. After I installed this it rained the next day and prevented my sprinklers from coming on. Highly recommended.DETAILTRANSMITTERThe sensor/transmitter contains a number of small, water-absorbent rings (they look like thick washers) and are stacked vertically inside the cylinder that is at the top of the unit. As these rings get wet they expand and physically push against a switch; when they dry they retract. The rain setting (1/8", 1/4", 1/2", 3/4") works by simply adjusting how much room there is for them to expand before the switch gets activated. For example the 3/4" setting leaves a lot of space for expansion so that you need more rain (presumably 3/4") before the switch is activated. The switch position is transmitted to the receiver wirelessly periodically. The rings can be removed for cleaning, etc. in case dirt of bugs or whatever might clog it up.There is also a twist ring that opens and closes a small hole leading to the disks; this is to control evaporation and the drying out of the rings. If it's completely closed the rings dry out more slowly keeping your sprinkler controller off longer. I imagine you fine tune this according to the type of soil you have. (Clay soil holds water longer, sandy soil shorter). For instance if your soil dries out quickly you would open up this hole to enable your irrigation controller (and thus your watering schedule) to be enabled more quickly.RECEIVERThe Receiver comes with a rather short cord (somewhere around 14") so it must mount close to your controller. (I wish it had another foot of cable). It has 5 wires; two connect to your 24 VAC power lines, one is the common to the switch ("Break Valve Common") and the other two are the NO and NC of the switch (note you use one or the other, not both). Controllers are all a little different in how describe the receiver(/sensor) hook-up so check your manual, but 95% of them 1) use the Normally Closed switch and 2) provide two connections called "Sensor" or something like that. So for most people you will connect the two power lines to the power connection (24 VAC, NOT 120V AC!), and connect the "Break Valve Common" and the "Normally Closed" wires to the two "sensor" connections in your controller. (If you see an existing jumper or wire connecting the two sensor connections then you have a NC system; you will remove the jumper when you connect the sensor)If your system uses a Normally Closed sensor the Theory of Operation is that the Receiver(/sensor) makes or breaks the "VC", "valve common", "Common" or return-path from the valves, essentially making or breaking the circuit to your control valves. Note the controller doesn't know anything about a sensor being attached - it's still trying to run its watering program however the power to the valves is basically turned off so they don't open. I call this out because even if your system doesn't have a connection for a rain sensor you can still use this device, simply identify the "VC" or valve common wire(s) (often the white wire(s) coming from the wire bundle that goes into the ground) and instead of connecting it to the controller, connect it to the White wire ("Break Valve Common") on the Receiver and connect the Receiver Brown wire ("NC") to the controller where the white wire was. (You're basically putting a NC switch in series with the Valve Common wire).Lastly the Receiver has indicator lights for whether Rain is being sensed, signal strength, and power. A "Smart Bypass" button allows you to run your sprinkler system even if rain is detected. (Note that when you turn on the Bypass the "Signal" light goes out and appears like it lost it's link to the Transmitter; it will automatically reset within an hour or so after Bypass is turned off.Overall its a great unit. The things I'd like to see improved are: 1) a longer cord on the Receiver unit, at least 24" and 2) a slightly more flexible mounting bracket on the transmitter to allow it to (for example) rotate 90 degrees or attach to a thicker post (like a fence).

Works great

This sensor took me less than 10 minutes to set up. It is working great. We had a big storm the other day and the day after the irrigation didn't turn on. Very happy with the product and the ease of setting it up.

I bought this as a replacement for my original RS1000. After about ten years the old one would not hold sync with the base unit. It just wore out. When it was working for all the time before it broke I was very satisfied with it. Batteries last a long time and easy to replace.

Order came quick and accurate. Install instructions were easy to follow and the sensor works as advertised.

I have Hunter everything but read reviews about problems I have with my Hunter rain sensor. Mine still communicates but no longer senses rain...and it was made in 2015, installed in '16. It's a sealed system so the whole thing needs to be replaced. The Irritrol has replaceable batteries that last for five years and innards that can easily be serviced. Instead of throwing out an $80 unit every few years, this one uses tried and true technology and costs a little less than the Hunter. It took about 15 minutes to install.

The unit comes with fresh batteries already installed in the sensor. I liked how easy it was to attach the receiver to the sprinkler controller. and, since the sensor communicates with the controller by radio, no pulling wires from outside to inside of the house to install. It has rained several times since I installed the product and now the lawn doesn't get watered right after we get more then 1/4" of rain (this is auser-adjustable), but 1 or 2 days later watering starts up again (also user-adjustable).I didn't care for the bracket to mount the sensing unit on the eavestrough. It has a thumbscrew with such a small head that I needed a pair of pliers to install the sensor bracket. A bigger thumbscrew head would have eliminated the need to fumble around with pliers inside the eavestrough, while standing atop a ladder. Perhaps there was a reason for the small thumbscrew head, like making it hard for a DIYer to dent the aluminum raingutter by over-tightening.

Our irrigation service quoted an unrealistic price to replace the old Irritrol system, this is the exact same model and it works perfectly. The order was placed and the item arrived in perfect condition, installation was a snap.