General Product Information FAQ's



How does the Weather Reach Receiver System work?

Your landscape needs water to live. Weather Reach sees that the plants get the right amount of water at the right time.

The soil is a reservoir that holds essential nutrients and moisture needed by the plants to keep them healthy and beautiful. Weather conditions cause the soil to dry out. Solar energy, temperature and wind cause evaporation. Humidity also affects how quickly the landscape dries out.

As the soil dries out, oxygen is drawn into the roots. This is important to keep roots strong and healthy. There comes a point when it is time to replenish the water evaporated from the soil. If it hasn't rained, then it is time to water using the sprinklers or irrigation system. Watering schedules need to respond to changing weather conditions.

Irrisoft uses proven science with the Weather Reach Water Management System. This cost effective solution uses a network of local weather stations and radio transmissions to see that weather information reaches sprinkler controllers.

Solar energy, temperature, wind, humidity and rainfall information from weather stations is sent wirelessly each hour to Weather Reach Receivers that are connected directly into your sprinkler controller. Because rainfall can be localized the Weather Reach Receiver can use an on-site rain collector to measure the rain. When watering is needed, the Weather Reach Receiver takes control allowing your sprinklers to water and replenish the soil reservoir.

The result is a fully automatic sprinkler system that keeps your landscape healthy and helps you save money while using water resources wisely.

Irrisoft shares your love for beautiful landscapes.


How much water can I save with the Weather Reach Receiver?

The Weather Reach Water Management System achieves documented savings of 20% - 50% landscape water use. Your savings may vary depending on current water use compared to actual water requirements. .

See WR-7 Site Reports documenting savings achieved by Irrisoft customers.
See a chart of potential savings


What are the results of field evaluations of the Weather Reach Receiver?

View WR-7 field evaluations


Does the Weather Reach Receiver fully automate my sprinkler system?

Yes, the result of the Weather Reach Water Management System fully automates your sprinkler system to keep your landscape healthy and help you save money while using water resources wisely. The system should be monitored initially and adjustments may need to be made to user settings. The sprinkler system needs to also be checked regularly for proper performance.


What does ET mean?
Evapotranspiration, or ET, is a measurement of the water that evaporates into the air from the soil and the amount of water that is used (transpired) by a plant. ET is used to determine how much water must be returned to the landscape either by rainfall or by using your sprinkler system.


What does watering according to the weather mean?
The weather determines how much water a plant will need. Soil is a reservoir that holds essential nutrients and moisture needed by plants to stay healthy and beautiful. Weather conditions such as solar energy, temperature, wind and humidity cause moisture to leave the soil reservoir. Current weather conditions including rainfall information from weather stations is sent wirelessly each hour to Weather Reach Receivers that are connected directly into your sprinkler controller. The Weather Reach Receiver uses this information to determine when watering is needed to replenish the soil reservoir.


What do I do to the Weather Reach Receiver when I winterize my sprinkler system?

You do not have to do anything to the Weather Reach Receiver. It will continue to operate normally. If you are using the ET Enable output the soil moisture balance may need to be adjusted in the spring so the first watering cycle runs when needed.


Does Irrisoft offer training seminars or educational material on water management principles?

Yes, we do. To find out more information regarding training seminars please contact our customer service manager, Susan Robison, at srobsion@irrisoft.net or at (435)755-0400.

Water Management educational material is also available for you to download.

InSite Irrigation Scheduling is a free software program developed by Irrisoft to assist you in building irrigation schedules.


Does Irrisoft offer training seminars or educational material regarding the installation and operation of Weather Reach Receivers?

Yes, we do. Please contact our customer service manager, Susan Robison, at srobsion@irrisoft.net or at (435)755-0400.

Educational material covering the installation and operation of Weather Reach Receivers is available for download.


Where can I get a price list for Irrisoft products?

Contact your local Authorized Weather Reach Distributor or Dealer. You can also contact us directly.


Where can I buy a Weather Reach Receiver?

 Click here to find authorized dealers, distributors, and representatives.


What is the warranty on the Weather Reach Receiver?

Irrisoft warrants products to be free from defects in materials and workmanship under normal use and service for twelve months from the date of shipment unless specified otherwise. This warranty is subject to conditions; please see the Users Guide page 65.


How does the Weather Reach Receiver know how much water is in the ground?

 By using real time weather data and site specific information Weather Reach Receivers use proven science to measure the amount of evaporation from the soil. This synthesized process is backed by decades of research and is proven to be very accurate.

Let's compare watering a landscape to filling the gas tank in a car. When the gauge reads close to empty, it is time to fill the tank. When soil moisture has depleted by evaporation, the Weather Reach Receiver allows the sprinkler system to fill the soil reservoir to ensure a healthy landscape, like filling the gas tank. A controller without Weather Reach technology may water whether the landscape needs it or not.

By using this method of watering, your sprinkler system may water more frequently in the summer months, and less frequently in the spring and fall months since watering is now based on weather (which affects how much water evaporates from your soil).

Weather Reach automatically adjusts throughout the year to keep the moisture levels in your soil reservoir at the best level for the health of your plants.