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Hunter wireless rain clik, junk or did I just get a bad batch?

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Jason Rose

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Ok, I know I'm not an "irrigation god", but I dabble... I have an HOA I installed 3 wireless rain cliks for (3 seperate controlers). Within a week one crapped out. I checked it out and It's indicating a dead battery (no LED flash when I push the rod down). Now I find that the second one is doing the same thing. These have a date on them of april 09, and are *supposed* to have a 10 year battery life.

I went all the way to Ewing today, 45 minute one way trip, and was told they have had NO complaints or returns on these sensors... And I have 2 that crapped out in mere weeks. I came back with two new Irritrol wireless sensors, and hope that they work. They cost more $$, which is out of MY pocket to get this working right. I'm getting sick of the phone calls every time the irrigation is ON when it's raining, and when it won't run when it's hot and dry...

I opted for wireless because I don't want to be responsible for wires on the sides of 3 houses. There's just no way to make them look 'clean' enough IMO.

What's the deal with the hunter sensors? Is this normal or did I get some that were made on a friday afternoon?
 
#3 ·
Jason Rose said:
and was told they have had NO complaints or returns on these sensors...
Click to expand...
Most often used line in the irrigation industry after "The check's in the mail"

I would like a nickel for every time I have been told that I was the only one that had ever had a problem with whatever product was not working

We have been using Irritrol wireless since the Rain Bird ones went south, maybe 3-4 years and have not had any issue with reliability or battery life.

I personally did not like the Hunter wireless so I have never used one.
 
#4 ·
M L Thomas said:
We have been using Irritrol wireless since the Rain Bird ones went south, maybe 3-4 years and have not had any issue with reliability or battery life.
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I've replaced three of the Irritrols. One just three weeks ago. The receiver was getting a signal from the transmitter, but it would not turn off the controller. Worked fine for 1.5 years. And that one was a replacement as well. The first worked for 1 year.
 
#5 ·
Just go's to show what you will find out after a few years in this business - All the manufacturers produce junk at some time - On a product you have not had prior problems with it's usually due to a supplier change on a component and the bad component does not show up until we contractors find it. Then they tell us "This is the first time I have heard of that problem"

Push for some warranty credit for your time on those rain sensors - If they value your business they will give you something, maybe a free Hunter wireless sensor
 
Discussion starter · #9 ·
djt22 said:
Do you remember the color off the button you had to push down to activate the battery test? White or Black? Hunter had an issue on their WRC taking water on the battery shorting them out.
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Black, I believe.

Yeah, it's a sealed non-replaceable battery. When it goes bad you have to trash the whole sensor and buy a new one :hammerhead:

I mounted these to the gutter at each house, they stick straight out from the gutter a good 5". All 3 aren't on the same sides of each of the houses, but they are almost on the corners so all 3 nearly get the same sun/wind exposure.

The ONE of 3 sensors that is still working, only opens the circut for a brief time, maybe a day, after a good rain. I have the little door almost closed and it still dries out too fast. The other, when it was working, I had the door all the way OPEN and it would keep the water off for several days with the same rainfall.
 
#10 ·
It is supposed to be sealed. I was told the Black was they replacement to the white button but I am seeing more of the blacks coming back as well. Irritrols rs1000 seem to hold up well and you can replace the battery when it goes bad.
 
Discussion starter · #12 ·
Tom Tom said:
I don't trust the wireless stuff.
Click to expand...
Me neither, now. I have a few of the mini-cliks out there and AFIK they are working great. One prop I drive by frequently and I've yet to see the sprinks running in or after a rain. I also mow the property and have no problem with it keeping them off too long either, no dry spots.

Just that damn ugly wire to deal with...
 
#16 ·
I have used the Hunter WRFC for several years now as well. Had one go out on a house I retrofitted and added a zone to about 6 months ago. Just replaced it 3 weeks ago...dead battery. Just replaced that one last week...dead battery again. Maybe a bad batch.
 
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#17 ·
Hi everyone,

The post appears a little old, but I found a solution so i figured I'd post it. Coles notes versions is to take apart the sensor (done manually - split it in the middle) and sand down the part of the leaver arm that contacts the black button.

The reason: the black test button has some felt washes that invariably swell when when they get wet. over time and the accumulation of dust they won't shrink back to the their original thickness. The result is that the lever arm is not able to spring back to the original position so the sensor constantly indicates that it is still wet and that the sprinklers should not come on.

So why doesn't the light flash when I press the button? This is because the reset is a two step function 1. lever is depressed all the way - LED blinks to indicate this. 2. lever returns to original position - LED blinks again to acknowledge this. Step 2 is the key step that is missing, the system never resets so pressing it again won't activate the light.

Sanding the top of the lever allows the lever to come all the way to the top and reset also allowing an "all dry" signal to be sent to the receiving unit. Bottom line: engineering screw up, battery is fine.

hunter can solve this by getting rid of the stupid washers they are unnecessary and in fact created a problem. Hunter: epic fail....
 
#20 ·
I had several if not most I installed go out due to bad battery. Hunter replaced them under warranty but I had to do it on my time. They did make good by giving me other stuff. I have since went to the fairly new Rainbird wireless sensor that has a replacable battery. So far so good.
 
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