Irrigation Rain Sensor

Wired Rain Sensor

The wired rain sensor is more versatile than a wireless rain sensor in terms of being able to be used between different brands. For example, you can take a different brand of rain sensor and then couple it to your brand of irrigation controller. Because the rain sensor is such a simple device you’re able to use it with a different brand than what it is.    We have a video on YouTube you can watch and see how a Hunter wired rain sensor is installed to a Rain Dial irrigation controller.   Just click here to watch the video on our YouTube channel

Wireless Rain Sensor

Wireless rain sensors are more sensitive to the fact that they will not work across brands.   To buy a wireless brand, a rain sensor you will need to be the same brand as the controller.  For example you cannot buy a wireless Hunter rain sensor and use it on a Rain Dial irrigation controller. You have to buy a Toro wireless window sensor to use with your Toro irrigation controller.See our wireless rain sensor installation video here.

We highly recommend for you to install any type or style of rain sensor to your irrigation system. So if you’re away for the weekend or going to a business trip during the week your irrigation system will shut off if there is a little precipitation. Most of the sensors can be adjusted for rainfall. We generally set ours for the lowest setting which is 1/8 inch of rain before the system shuts off.

There ARE instances when your system will be running and it is raining outside.  Once the minimum threshold has been reached by the rain sensor, then the irrigation system will be turned off.

How the Wired Hunter Mini Clik Rain Sensor Works

With the Hunter Mini Clik rain sensor there’s a little hydro disc inside  This disc absorbs the rain.  If there’s just a little bit of rain, the disc will absorb and swell up a small amount.  But if we get a large amount of rain,  the disc will absorb more water like a sponge and then take longer to dry out.  This type of mechanism allows for the small amount of rain fall to only affect the irrigation system for a short amount of time versus a large rain fall will shut the system down for a few days.

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