Rain 8 Sprinkler Issues

[kayemsi]

I am on my second set of Rain8 sprinkler controllers. I think lightening got the first set and I replaced those with a Rain8net Pro2 master and slave as these supposedly had protection and physical buttons for manual operation. Recently the master unit stopped talking to CQC (power cycling didn't help), but I could still run the stations manually. Now it got stuck running one station on the slave and I had to shut off the value in the ground to get it to stop. After unplugging the unit, when its plugged back in, the same station is lit up and nothing turns that light off (but the station doesn't run either). So I think to the units are seriously malfunctioning. We haven't had any lightening storms recently.

So my question is: can they be fixed?, or should they both be replaced (~$200 each)?, is there a reasonable alternative?

I have an Elk M1gold, but that is upstairs in a tech closet and the rain8 is on the outer wall inside the garage. There is a cat5 cable that runs from the tech closet to the rain8 for CQC serial control , but I am not sure what would be required for the Elk to control the 14 valves directly. Or if that is even a good idea.

Recommendations?

[standon]

I use ZAP lightning protection since I had lightning damage to mine at one point. Warren at Rain8 will repair each unit for $35 plus shipping if you message him (price from 2 years ago mine was the RS232 IC that was blown). Afterward I installed the irrigation protection here and haven't needed a repair since.

[znelbok]

Options as a replacement
ClickPLC
One of the other irrigation controller mentioned here that needs a driver (that no one has done yet - be the first to get it going).

Personally, I would use a Click at only $99ish for 6 outputs and is expandable.

Mick

[kayemsi]

I use ZAP lightning protection since I had lightning damage to mine at one point. Warren at Rain8 will repair each unit for $35 plus shipping if you message him (price from 2 years ago mine was the RS232 IC that was blown). Afterward I installed the irrigation protection here and haven't needed a repair since.

I had bought the Rain8 at Automated Outlet and their tech support had someone at WGL call me and arrange for a RMA. I shipped them both off overnight ($51 ouch). Hopefully fixing them won't be too bad. With the weather still in the high 90s and no real rain here lately, I am hoping to get this resolved quickly.