Rainbird ISA-408 Automatic Sprinkler Timer For Anytime, Not Just April Showers
Written: Apr 08 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Easy to program - Good quality at a reasonable price.
Cons: None
The Bottom Line: The Rainbird ISA-408 Automatic Sprinkler Timer offers excellent quality at a reasonable price. Don't waste money on higher priced alternatives or poor quality competitors.
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| michiman1's Full Review: Rainbird Isa-408 Automatic Sprinkler Timer |
Real estate experts will tell you that you should spend as much as one-tenth your home's value on your landscaping. The best protection of that investment is a quality irrigation system. The Rainbird ISA-408 Automatic Sprinkler Timer I installed has given me three full seasons of worry-free service to this date.
Options
The Rainbird ISA-408 Automatic Sprinkler Timer has a number of options which are necessary to give your landscape it's proper attention. First and foremost, this model offers automatic watering for up to eight zones. Rainbird also makes timers for four, six, twelve and sixteen valve systems depending on your needs. At this point I must advise you to carefully consider the selection you make and take into account any future landscape projects, especially in regards to your timer purchase. In my case I purchased the Rainbird ISA-408 Automatic Sprinkler Timer even though I was only using six zones at the time. Last season I added two more zones to water bushes and landscape around our new patio, this simple forethought will save both time and money in the future.
The system offers a dual program set which allows you to customize two different programs based on current weather conditions. I basically have set up two programs, one for normal conditions and one for more drought type conditions which may occur in the middle of the summer. One push of a button allows me to switch programs instead of totally reprogramming the entire system. Additionally, the Rainbird ISA-408 Automatic Sprinkler Timer provides six pre-programmed schedules which are simple to modify to your needs.
The system also has a option in which the program will fall back to a default program in case of a battery failure. I have yet to see this happen but I can see this would be a nice feature should something happen to power while on vacation.
One press of a button will disable the timer during those rainy periods where mother nature takes over and also a manual feature is also available should you care to manually water a particular area of the yard.
I decided to purchase Rainbird sprinkler heads and valves in addition to the timer when I originally designed the system. While the timer works with Rainbird valves, it is also should be compatible with almost any 24 volt valve currently installed. This of particular interest for those of you who may be looking to replace an old timer.
Durability and Value
I had decided in my planning of the system to opt for the Rainbird name based on previous experience. The Rainbird brand offers the best balance of quality and price on the market today. I have watched several neighbors start their systems up in the spring, only to find it necessary to replace valves and sprinkler heads, even though they may have purchased more costly brands. I have gone three totally worry free seasons, this despite particularly hard well water which tends to normally wreak havoc with any water related system.
Another reason for purchasing the Rainbird name is it's availability. Rainbird products can be readily purchased at any home store such as Home Depot or Lowes as well as any business specializing in irrigation systems. You will have a harder time purchasing some others, Hunter, to name just one at local home stores. I also shy away from the more inexpensive names such as Lawn Genie and Orbit which are more readily available but appear to need more repair and attention. The Rainbird ISA-408 Automatic Sprinkler Timer can be purchased at Home Depot for $49.00 this year, the same price I paid several years ago.
Final Thoughts
The Rainbird ISA-408 Automatic Sprinkler Timer is a great value as is the remainder of the Rainbird line of irrigation supplies. Take the time for a well thought out plan and the rewards will show in a much improved look for your yard without the hassle or worry of hand watering.
Recommended:
Yes
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