Glossary

Last Update:Oct 22 2024 3:54pm • Est. Read Time:Est. Read Time: 7 MIN


Have you ever run into any words on the Rachio app that you don't know the meaning of? This article will list some really useful terms that you might don't know yet!




App
The Rachio application is available for free on Android's Play Store and Apple's App Store. It is also available with limited functionality online at https://app.rach.io/
Rachio App Homescreen
How do I update my Rachio app?
Rachio Mobile App Changelog (iOS)
Rachio Mobile App Changelog (Android)
Where can I download the Rachio App?
What's new with the Rachio app?

How do I find Multiple Controllers? (Device Lookup)

Advanced Wiring
Master Valves or Pump Start Relays are attached to the "M" Terminal on the controller. In order for these tools to work properly, we have to set them correctly on the Rachio app.
Do I have Advanced Wiring (Generation 2)?
Wiring your Controller
Wiring Label (Generation 1)
How do I Wire one Master Valve, pump, or common wire to two controllers?
What should I do if my wires don't fit?


Allowed Depletion

The maximum amount of water (moisture) that can evaporate from your zones before a watering cycle occurs.

Advanced zone settings


Available Water

The amount of available water that can be stored in the soil in that zone.

Advanced zone settings


Band

The range of radiofrequency used to transmit information through the Wi-Fi Network. Could be 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, or mesh system (which has both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz integrated into a single wifi network).


BlinkUp

The process used to connect Generation 1 controllers to the Wi-Fi Network via its photosensor.

How do I BlinkUp my controller?

Check the Rachio Generation 1 Quick Start Guide here

Click here for Generation 1 Tech Specs

BlinkUp tips for Android phones

How do I remove the front panel from the Rachio Generation 1?


Calendar

The 'Calendar' tab on the app lets you view the scheduled watering times for the month.

Calendar View


Common Wire

Usually a white wire; runs through all the valves and goes back to the C Terminal on the controller, closing the circuit.

Check the Rachio Generation 2 Quick Start Guide here

Check the Rachio 3 Quick Start Guide here

How to replace your Rachio Generation 2 with a Rachio 3


Community

Join the Rachio Community! There, you'll interact with several Rachio users and also with the Rachio Team.

Rachio Community Forum


Crop Coefficient

Plants' properties; used in predicting evapotranspiration.

How does it affect Flex Daily Schedules?


Cycle and Soak

A method that prevents water runoff by breaking total watering times into smaller portions.

Smart Cycle and Manual Cycle and Soak.

Direct Access
Designed for Irrigation Technicians, this feature can be used to configure a new controller/schedule without Wi-Fi.

Direct Access for Rachio Professional Partners

Efficiency

How uniformly the sprinkler heads distribute water on the zone.

Click here for details.

How do I perform an Irrigation Audit of my Sprinkler System?


Evapotranspiration

The amount of water a zone loses from plant transpiration and evaporation from the ground. One of the key parts of a Flex Daily Schedule.

Click here to see how it works.


Factory Reset

By factory resetting the controller, you clear any residual data preventing the controller from working properly. You do not lose settings such as zones and schedules.

How do I Factory Reset my controller?


Flex Monthly/Flex Daily

Dynamic schedules that change watering times/frequencies based on Soil Moisture (Daily) or Historical Data (Monthly).

How do Flex Schedules Work?

Flex Monthly Schedule FAQ.

How to set up a Flex Schedule?

How should I set up a Flex Monthly Schedule?

How do I edit intervals on Flex Monthly Schedules?

How do I edit the duration and frequency of a Flex Schedule?


Firmware
Low-level software that operates the controller or WFM’s Hardware.

How do I update my controller's firmware?

The controller appears offline on the app, but the lights are solid.


Fixed Schedule

The most predictable type of schedule, allows you to select when/how much to water each of your zones. It still works with the Weather Intelligence Features.

Fixed Schedules

Create a Fixed Schedule


History Feed

Where you can see all the historical information on your Rachio system, including runs, updates, and changes.

History Feed


IFTTT

"If This Then That" is a tool that lets you set triggers for automated actions for your Rachio Controller.

How do I use IFTTT with my Rachio?


Indexing Valve

A valve that uses time-based sequencing to distribute water through different zones

How does it work?


MAC Address
Media Access Control Address. This is the number that allows your controller to communicate with your Wi-Fi Network.

Where do I find it?


Master Valve: A valve installed upstream from the regular valves that control water flow into the main piping system.

Is there a maximum distance my valves can be from my Rachio controller?


Moisture Level
Shown in percentage, is the amount of available water that a specific zone has at the moment. An essential part of a Flex Daily Schedule.

What are Moisture Levels?


Personal Weather Station
A domestic set of weather measuring equipment. Can be installed at your house.

Personal Weather Stations & Rachio

Connect Tempest Personal Weather System to Rachio Controller


Pump Start Relay
An electrical relay that starts the pump whenever the Rachio controller runs a zone.

Click here to check compatible Pump Start Relays.

How do I wire a pump to my Rachio Generation 1?

Delay Between Zones

Water Pumps & Pump Relays


Pressurize Time
The time it takes for your zones to reach fully pressurized flow; when all heads or emitters put out water as designed

Pro Finder
Using this tool from our website, you'll be able to find a Rachio Pro near you: https://rachio.com/pro-finder/


Quick Run
Running a zone or schedule anytime you want, either from the controller or from the app.

How do I manually run one or more zones?

How do I turn on one zone?


Rain Sensor
In case of rain, a Rain Sensor attached to your Rachio controller will prevent any watering event.
Rain Sensors FAQ


Rain Skip
In case Weather Intelligence gathers a rain prediction from the Weather Station, the watering schedule will be skipped.
Rain Skip FAQ

Root Depth
The soil depth from which a plant extracts most of its water needs.


RSSI
Received Signal Strength Indication (in this case, the Wi-Fi Signal Strength by the Controller).


Saturation Skip
It determines if your yard has enough moisture to last until the next scheduled watering.

Saturation Skip FAQ


Seasonal Shift
This feature adjusts the watering times on a Schedule according to historical Weather data.

Seasonal Shift FAQ


Schedule
Watering events that will automatically start according to your set preferences.


All about watering schedules.

How do I create a watering schedule?

How do I edit a watering schedule?

Water Delay and Manual Skip

Can I control my Rachio controller from anywhere?


Why my schedule didn't run?

What if my controller goes offline?

How do I know what schedules are running and when?


How do I run a zone manually (Rachio Generation 2)?

How do I run a zone manually (Rachio 3)?


New Seeding Schedule.

What are Base Durations?

Watering Times are too High/Low?

How many Schedules can I create?


Watering Times are too High/Low?


Shared Access
This feature lets you share the access of your controller (your landscaper, for example) while still being the main owner.

How to Use Shared Access?
How to Use Complete Access?


Solenoid
An electrically controlled valve that regulates the flow of water from the system into the sprinklers.

 Click here to check solenoid compatibility.


Hibernation (formerly Standby) Mode
Your controller is on hibernation. All scheduled watering will be skipped.


SSID
The name of a Wi-Fi Network.


Transfer Ownership
Transferring a controller from an account to another.


Moved into a house with a built-in Rachio 3?

How do I share my Controller with someone else?

Transfer ownership of a Rachio controller to your account


Water Usage
This section helps you keep track of the amount of water your sprinklers apply.

Water Usage and Water Savings

Water Hammer
A pressure surge or wave, caused when a fluid in motion is forced to stop suddenly, which can cause major problems to the sprinkler system. It is possible to reduce the effects of the water hammer pulses with Rachio's "Reduce Water Hammer" feature.

How to Stop Water Hammer?


Weather Intelligence
Different features that act as weather triggers to skip the watering schedule or adjust its duration.

What is Weather Intelligence?

What is Weather Intelligence Plus™?

Why doesn't the weather data match on my Rachio?


Weather Network
Instead of gathering information from a single Weather Station, Weather Intelligence Plus gather information from more than 270,000 personal weather networks, resulting in even more accurate results.

How do I select my preferred Weather Station?

How do I use Weather Underground with my Rachio?

What Weather Station are you using for my property?


Weatherproof Outdoor Enclosure
An enclosure that allows the controller to be installed outdoors. Can be hardwired.

Click here for the installation guide


Web App
Other than cell phones or tablets, you can use your computer internet browser to control your system at app.rach.io.

Web App


Wi-Fi Update
Whenever something changes to your Wi-Fi Network (name, password, router, etc.), we need to update the unit’s Wi-Fi connection.

How do I update the Wi-Fi on my controller (Generation 2, 3)?

How do I update the Wi-Fi on my controller (Generation 1)?


Basic Wi-Fi Tips and Troubleshooting.

Offline Troubleshooting Tips (Generation 1)
Wi-Fi Troubleshooting Self Help

Is my router supported?

What is Wi-Fi Assist? (Apple devices)

Rachio 3 Light Codes

Rachio 3 Quadrant 2 Light Flashing Yellow

Rachio 3 Quadrant 3 Light Flashing
Rachio Generation 1 Light Codes

Amber Wi-Fi Light (Generation 1)


Rachio Generation 2 Light Codes

What does Light 1 mean? (Generation 2)
Light 1 Troubleshooting

What does Light 2 mean? (Generation 2)

What does Light 3 mean? (Generation 2)

What does Light 4 mean? (Generation 2)
Light/Quadrant 4 Rachio 3 and Generation 2


Wi-Fi Setup Tips for iOS (Generation 2)
Wi-Fi Setup Tips for Android (Generation 2)


Advanced Wi-Fi Troubleshooting


Wind Skip
If on, a Schedule will be skipped in case of strong winds.

Wind Skip FAQ


Winterize
To prevent the system from freezing and damaging the equipment, we need to prepare it for the winter.


How do I Winterize my system?

How do I re-activate my system after the Winter?


Wireless Flow Meter
Measures how slowly (or quickly) the water is flowing through your system.


Wireless Flow Meter FAQ

Wireless Flow Meter Tech Specs

Advanced Installation for the Wireless Flow Meter

Troubleshooting the Wireless Flow Meter

Installation Guide for the WFM - 1-inch PEX

Installation Guide for the WFM - 3/4-inch PEX

Notifications: Wireless Flow Meter and Wired Flow Meters

How do I install a wired sensor or wired flow meter with Rachio 3?

Yard Tab
The Yard Tab helps you to keep track of the health progress of your Lawn as you use Rachio Thrive.

Yard Tab Features

Zone
A specific area of your yard, activated by a single valve. Rachio controllers can control 8, 12, or 16 zones according to their version.


How do I set up my Zones?

Can I add pictures to my zones?

Where can I find details about my zones?

What Soil Types are in the Rachio App?

Yard Map


What type of vegetation (Zone Type) do I have?
What do I need to know to set up my zones?

What's my level of sun exposure, or how much shade do I have?

What type of soil do I have?

What type of slope do I have?

What type of spray head or nozzle do I have?


Advanced Zone Settings


How do I calculate my Precipitation Rate?

How to use a Catch Cup Test to access Nozzle Inches Per Hour and Efficiency for Advanced Zone Settings?


Why won't one zone turn on? (Generation 1)


Useful Links

Rachio Manuals and Resources
What can you do with your Rachio 3?
Rachio 3 Quick Start Guide

How do I change the e-mail address on my Rachio account?
Subscribe to Rachio Emails

Rachio Smart Home Integrations


Do you still need help?


We have a chat support team ready to assist you! You can submit a support request by selecting the chat icon in the bottom right of this page and a member of the support team will contact you live.


Summer Hours (April-September)

7am-5pm (MST), 7 days a week.


Winter Hours (October-March)

8am-5pm (MST), Monday - Saturday. We are closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Day.