Customer Reviews

Orbit 57069 Sprinkler System Hard Wired Rain and Freeze Sensor

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I bought this sensor and tried it several times under spring rain. The sensor will be triggered by the rain, but it took a while (about a half hour heavy rain) to start. That causes a lot of waste of water if your system happened to start during this time. I guess this is the shortcoming of this type (disc expansion) of rain sensor. In addition, the sensor supposedly can stay on for a period of 1 or 2 days depends on the evaporation setting on the sensor. I set the evaporation window to fully closed in order to test the longest delay time. After several heavy rains, the sensor can only stay on for no more than 10 hours. That means 10 hours later after a heavy rain, the system can still start to water your lawn. I am disappointed about this sensor. Nevertheless, the sensor looks pretty solid, and sleek.

The rain sensor is hard-wired. There is also a model which is wireless. The hard-wired unit is wired to interrupt the electrical current going to the irrigation zone solenoids. There is no way to override it, so if it rains enough to trip the switch you have to either go up and re-adjust it, or just do without watering until it dries out. This can be bypassed by the user just installing a simple switch between the wires that go to the rain sensor, essentially bypassing the switch.

The switch does not contain a float mechanism. It works by rain causing expansion of some fibrous washers which in turn presses a micro-switch to interrupt the electrical current to the irrigation valves solenoids.

There are two adjustments on the switch- one for how much rain it takes to trip it and the other for how quickly it will be allowed to dry after it gets wet. There is a calibration on the side for how much rain is needed to trip it.

Overall the switch has worked quite well. I set it for 1/4 inch of rain when I installed it and that has been about right. I've only had one tim when it didn't come on and I wanted it to, and one time that it didn't turn off, probably because the switch didn't have time to react to the rain.

The system obviously can't predict if it is going to rain later in the day which would eliminate the need for the irrigation system to run earlier in the day. That is up to the user and there is a system delay button on the irrigation controller to do that.

Overall a 4 star rating. I'd give it 5 stars if it had a way to manually bypass the switch. I believe that the wireless sensor does have that feature. If I had known about the wireless sensor I would have gotten that, assuming it wasn't too costly. Not sure how reliable the wireless one is or how often one has to change the batteries. Probably worth a try!

Works as advertised...great quality....easy to understand and install...several installation options available and all parts for several installations included. Adds piece of mind of watering automation. Great for vacation properties or apartment complex installation.

I recently purchased [4] rain sensors and installed them on my drip-system controllers at my ranch.Amazon has the lowest cost/no shipping $/and fast delivery! The [2] sensors that i installed on 'old' orbit controllers[wired in series with the valves 'common'wires tested fine. however the [2] sensors that i installed on 'new' orbit controllers [which contained sensor switches and connection lugs] would not work until i added a jumper-wire from the valve 'common' lug to the 'right-sensor-lug.then these [2] sensors also tested fine.[i sent an e-mail to orbit related to this problem but never heard back from them].we will have to wait for the Az summer monsoons to arrive[jly-aug-sept] to actually determine that the sensors shut down the drip-systems during rain storms.if the sensors work as stated they will be a major improvement in our drip systems and a large water cost saving also!!

great to forget about watering your garden, easy to install and easy program. great option for watering systems, i use it in my orbit watering system. it is adjustable and different range of rain water levels.

I purchased this from Amazon because it was less expensive than at Home Depot, but when I received it, I found that it was not the same. The one from Amazon had its cord cut and spliced with a speaker wire, which is not suitable, so I returned it. Besides being speaker wire, the place where the original cord and the speaker wire is spliced is sloppily done. It was a waste of shipping fees to receive it and return it, but it was not useable. Normally, I have been very happy with the products I have purchased on Amazon, but I guess the odds caught up to me on this one.

only works for a few hours after rain even when set to lowest amount with window closed its junk! Soaked in water and measured disk expansion very slow to expand.

I purchased this item in conjunction with an Orbit 9 Station timer.

The disks do-not expand when wet, this does not work at all.

The micro switch works, as a test I placed the disks in water for 2 hours with no effect.

I wonder how it can even be marketed as a rain sensor.

Extremely disappointed please save your money.

I don't know if this is good or not. I bought because it also had the freeze sensor, but it did not work, basically was on when should have been off and vice versa. Called orbit, helpful, but found that it won't work with Toro controller which operates the opposite. so they need to make this clear.