Are you looking for a Melnor digital water timer? This article will help you buy the right water timer because there could a confusion with the models and model numbers. Melnor has at least 5 types of water timers which might cause confusion to someone new to hose timers. There is nothing difficult about them except that they can be confusing especially that there are compatibility issues.
It can be a little annoying if you buy a wrong thing so we are going to try to clear that uncertainty.
Types Of Melnor Water Timers
The 5 types are;
- Melnor RainCloud,
- Melnor Wifi Aquatimer,
- Melnor Hydrologic Water Timer,
- Melnor Advanced AquaTimer,
- Melnor Original Aquatimer
To explain each briefly, the RainCloud is a higher version of the WiFi Aquatimer. They both are internet enabled and can be operated remotely from a computer or smartphone. They also can be integrated with Amazon Alexa, so it means they can be spoken to give commands. The Raincloud comes with an ethernet cable making it better because it makes it easier to connect to the internet via cable.
The Hydorlogic Water Timers are simple enough and do not conflict like others. They have their own rain delay and moisture sensor device, the 15339 Hydrologic Soil Moisture Sensor. They seem to be almost the same generation as the Melnor Advanced Aquatimers (we put the word advanced to differentiate from the lower version).
The Melnor Advanced Aquatimers and Melnor Original Aquatimers are the ones that could cause a lot of confusion. One can be mistaken for the other. This is an issue because the advanced one does not have automatic rain delay feature which the lower version has when connected with the AquaSentry. This is what makes the most confusion. To recognize the ‘Advanced’ you will find that it has a 5 digit model number while the ‘original’ aquatimer has a 4 digit model number. See the below!
Melnor 4-zone Digital Water Timer
Below are Melnor 4-zone digital water timer 3280 and melnor advanced 4-zone electronic water timer 33280. Pay particular attention to the model numbers! One has 4 digits while the other has 5. The Melnor aqua timer 3280 model is compatible with the Melnor’s AquaSentry Automatic Rain Delay Model 3300 for automatic rain delay feature. However, the 33280 model Melnor Advanced 4-zone electronic water timer is not compatible with the 3300 AquaSentry.
Melnor 3280 4-Zone Water Timer
Click here to view Melnor 4-Zone Digital Water Timer at Amazon.com
Click here to view the same at Melnor official website.
You will notice that Melnor clearly states that you can couple it with the Melnor Aqua Timer Rain Delay device 3300.
Melnor 33280 4-Zone Water Timer
Click here to view 4-Zone Digital Water Timer at Amazon.com
Click here to view the same at Melnor official website.
You will notice that the Melnor website makes no reference to automatic rain delay feature with the AquaSentry like it does with the 3280 model below.
Melnor Aqua Timer 2 Zone Digital Water Timer
In the same as the above 4-zone hose timers, there is some confusion between the original and advanced aquatimers. There is model 33100 which is the advanced version and there is 3100 which is the earlier version. The drawback with this is that the advanced version has no automatic rain delay.
Melnor 3100 2-Zone Water Timer
Click here to view Melnor 2-Zone Digital Water Timer at Amazon.com
Click here to view the same at Melnor official website.
There is Melnor Aqua timer 3015 which is lower version of the 3100. You will notice that Melnor clearly states that you can couple it with the Melnor Aqua Timer Rain Delay device 3300.
Melnor 33100 2-Zone Water Timer
Click here to view 2-Zone Digital Water Timer at Amazon.com
Click here to view the same at Melnor official website.
You will notice that the Melnor website makes no reference to automatic rain delay feature with the AquaSentry like it does with the 3280 model below.
Melnor 3280 Aquatimer 4-zone Digital Water Timer Video
In conclusion if you want to automate rain delay feature with a Melnor water timer, do not buy the Aquatimers bearing a 5 digit model number. You would rather buy the Hydrlogic water timers because they have a rain delay moisture sensor that can be automated by connecting the 15339 Hydrologic Soil Moisture Sensor.
The Melnor Rain Cloud, WiFi Aquatimer and the “original” digital aquatimers bearing 4 digits are compatible with the 3300 Automatic Rain Delay for AquaTimers. When combined they can automatically stop watering when it rains without you manually turning on the rain delay feature.
However, the best to buy right now will be the latest model – Melnor RAINCLOUD Internet Controlled Smart 4 Valve Garden Watering Irrigation Timer
Sprinkler Expert