Contech CRO101 Scarecrow Motion Activated Sprinkler
by Contech
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List Price: Our Price: $34.99 You Save: $25.00 (42%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Lawn & Patio See more product details |
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Tools and Hardware Reviews of Contech CRO101 Scarecrow Motion Activated Sprinkler
Customer Review: Great product!
Summary: 5 Stars
What a great product! It works great! I haven't found anything that works better or is more humane to protect my garden and lawn.
The neighborhood cats were using my lawn and garden as their personal litter box. This infuriated me. I didn't know what to do to get rid of them. I tried using a foul smelling spray to keep the cats way, but the deposit from the local cat that I found in my garden the day after I sprayed told me I needed to try something else. I surfed the Net and discovered the Scarecrow.
Does it work? Let me put it this way: the next morning after I installed the Scarecrow, I heard it activate. I quickly looked out my window to see a cat scurry across my yard like a bolt of lightning. The Scarecrow had definately done its job. I continue to hear the Scarecrow activate intermittently against all types of animal intruders, protecting my garden from all who threaten it. I'm impressed.
Are there problems with the Scarecrow sprinkler system? Sure, but they're minor.
First, it is difficult to control the distance water is sprayed. I live in the city and I have to be very careful how I position the unit. It just misses spraying into my neighbor's yard. The unit will activate when my neighbor is close to his fence and sends a jet of water his way which just misses him. That can be quite threatening to a friendly neighbor. Fortunately, I took the time to explain my problem and the Scarecrow to my neighbor. He understands my situation and is not bothered too much by the Scarecrow attacks.
Second, you can't control the range of the Scarecrow sensor to any great degree. The sensor covers a range. You can't adjust the sensor to cover say an area only 10ft long and nothing more. Hence, the problem mentioned previously with my neighbor comming too close to the fense and activating the sensor.
Third, the unit is made entirely of plastic. What more needs to be said of plastic.
Fourth, the unit leaks water where the hose connects into it. You will need to use Pipe Joint on the hose threads to stop the leak. Make sure you buy the Pipe Joint made for plastic pipes and hose.
Fifth and finally, the Scarecrow ties up your hose and water supply. I solved this problem quickly and easily by buying a quick-change hose adapter. This allows me to disconnect the hose from my Scarecrow and connect the hose to whatever accessory I may need. For instance, I'll disconnect the hose from the Scarecrow and reconnect the hose to my sprinkler using the quick release and then water my lawn. I'll just as easily disconnect the hose from the sprinkler and reconnect it to the Scarecrow. All within a second or two. It's very easy.
The problems that I've mentioned may sound major, but they really aren't. They are simple minor issues to be dealt with. Cats deficating in my garden was a much more tramatic issue for me. Not knowing what to do to humanely stop the cats made the trama even worse. The Scarecrow solves that problem nicely for me.
Take a chance on the Scarecrow. I highly recommend it.
Customer Review: It Actually Works!
Summary: 5 Stars
We bought the Scarecrow because of the problems we had with our neighbors cats. The cats would come into our yard and use it as their litterbox. We live in Arizona and have a gravel backyard, so it could easily be mistaken for a litterbox by a cat.
We had tried many remedies prior to purchasing this device. The internet was a wealth of knowledge on what to do for cat problems. Most of them had some degree of effectivness but none of the solutions were long lasting. The pepper would blow away in the wind, the tabasco would wash off in the rain.
We ordered the Scarecrow from the Amazon approved dealer because we have had very positive results when ordering from Amazon and their affiliated partners. The cost was a bit higher but the piece of mind was worth it.
When the device arrived we immediately set it up in the backyard. Remember that you need one 9 volt battery for the sensor to work. The device works by reading a range of almost 180 degrees with a sensitivity knob so it won't fire and shoot a stream of water if a leaf blows by. The sprinkler head is adjustable both to horizontal range as well as vertical range. I set the device to fire just at the about the top level of our brick fence so as not to soak my neighbors yard. She was told about the sprinkler also so if her cats came home wet, she would know why.
The Scarecrow did a great job of keeping the cats out of our yard. I was very impressed with it. I never heard it fire but left the hose attached and the device on all the time for the first week. The connections were tight and did not leak. The spike on the bottom of the device was strong enough and sturdy enough to survive being pounded into the tough Arizona ground. I didn't put the funky stickers on though. I figured if it was that easy to scare the cats, I could just put a drawing outside; besides the strong Arizona sun would just bake them off.
In very short order the problems we had in that section of our yard were gone. The problem though, is cats are not as stupid as one would hope. The cats just cut through the front yard and hopped the fence on the other side of the yard and did their business there which would necessitate the purchase of a second Scarecrow. We moved away from Arizona prior to purchasing a second Scarecrow but I am sure that it would have proven as successful as the first.
Our water bill remained the same since the Scarecrow only fires for short bursts and the cats won't stay in range that long.
Overall, very worth the cost. This is one device that works as well, if not better, than it is supposed to. I would not hesitate to recommend this device to anyone with animal or pest problems. It is safe, non-toxic and user friendly. Your neighbors who own the pests should not be upset with wet animals and it is better than neighborly discord.
Customer Review: Awesome product **Read this if your problem is Deer!!!!**
Summary: 5 Stars
First off I would tell anyone that this product truly works. If you have any hesitation, my review along with all the others should be proof enough.
I purchased the Scarecrow Sprinkler last year after coming back from vacation to find a brand new shade garden I had planted completely decimated by local deer. We have a family of about 8 deer that I try to keep away, but my neighbors have other agendas. They "feed" the deer with corn which attracts them and frustrates me more and more [if Contech invents a neighbor deterrent, please let me know ;) ]
After mourning the $500+ I lost in plants and shrubs, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I started with "deer-b-gone" or some sort of "organic" deer repellant. It washes away, isn't cheap, smells bad and flat out doesn't work.
I then came across the Scarecrow and decided to give it the old "college try". Well folks, IT WORKS. No more deer, but uh-oh a flaw. Just like others, you have to remember that the Scarecrow is there or "BAM" YOU WILL GET HIT WITH A BLAST OF WATER. It has gotten me, my kids, my wife, a landscaper, our exterminator and one of our neighbors.
LADIES and GENTS..I have the solution to this problem!!!!!
What I realized is that the deer only do their dirty work from dusk to dawn. I thought what if I can get my sprinkler to only work during those hours and shut off during the day. Then I researched to see if there was a water timer that allowed for extended watering times. Say hello to this Orbit timer from Amazon.com Orbit Lawn & Garden Hose Digital Watering Timer And Valve #62001to use in conjunction with the sprinkler. It has completely flexible functions that allow the water to only turn on from say 8 pm to 8 am. It only turns on the water flow to the sprinkler. It will only use the water if the sprinkler motion sensor is set off so no wasted water. At 8 am, the timer turns off the water flow and NO ACCIDENTAL MIDDAY SHOWERS!! Then it kicks back on at 8 pm for another night of protection. These are the times I used but I may need to adjust a bit since I do sometimes make early or late strolls through my garden. You can set to whatever times you need to have it on and off based on your own situation.
So there you have it. Use this product in conjunction with a flexible timer and you get the benefit of excellent deer/pest protection while avoiding many of the minor flaws mentioned in other reviews.
Customer Review: Keep birds away from pool!
Summary: 5 Stars
First, I recommend checking all the reviews--it takes time but they're very useful to decide whether this will help in your situation and give great fine-tuning tips.
My problem is birds making a mess around my pool--worst during a few weeks after opening each season until I make it clear they aren't welcome. I have a lot of trees and lanscaping nearby so it was a real challenge. I've tried all sorts of anti-bird strategies and last year found that "patrolling" with squirts from my long range hose would train them to stay away after a few weeks but the process was (obviously) a real pain.
I spent untold hours researching solutions. Most of the bird repellant products were questionable in terms of efficacy (e.g. balloons with scary faces) and some were horribly expensive (like $500 to $1000 in some cases!!) and came with clear warnings that they were not guarateed and non-returnable!
Anyway, the water concept seemed useful so I decided to give it a try. After a few weeks, it seems to have worked wonderfully well!! Almost no mess around the coping and only some random contributions from fly-overs. Big improvement and I'm not running out like a demented fireman trying to put out flames in the sky!
My suggestion for installation is to consider using shims to steady and adjust the unit---many commented that it's hard to keep stable and it does have a lot of force exerted on the unit during water blasts. I inserted the installation spoke in the ground and used 3 shims to secure it and to adjust for the angle/trajectory that works best (much easier to reposition shims than to remove and resettle the installation spoke in order to fine-tune direction of spray). I also attached a cut-off unit to the supply hose that makes it easy to turn off where and when you want to deactivate the sprayer without getting to the dial on the unit (which would give you a pretty good blast if you can't approach directly from the rear).
So, if you're battling the nasty dirty birds, I'd say give it a try. Heavens knows I've tried many things and with this sprayer, so far so good!
Contech Electronics Scarecrow Motion-Activated Sprinkler #CRO101/CRO102
Customer Review: Worked great...and still works great!
Summary: 5 Stars
Deer moved into the neighborhood and started stripping my fruit trees at night. I got three of the Scarecrows to cover the most likely access routes. Assembly and adjustment were a breeze. Works as advertised, and so far, so good. UPDATE: Three growing seasons later and the Scarecrows are still on the job. My fruit trees are happy and my only problem with the vegetable garden is slugs! I have not had a problem with any of the units failing, and they have been in use about 6 months out of each year. I noticed a few people complaining about battery life, but this has not been an issue for me. I talked with the manufacturer about battery usage, and they said that a battery should be good for about 900-1000 triggerings. The batteries in mine last about 3-4 months, even with a number of false alarms from tree limbs swaying in the breeze. I have the sensitivity control on about the 7 mark (out of 10). However, if you have the sensitivity set full up you are going to have a lot of unnecessary triggerings and it will expend the battery a lot faster. A handy feature is that, when the battery does start to go, the Scarecrow delivers an abbreviated spray pattern and that is your sign that it's time for a new battery.
I did use a modified mounting method because my soil is very hard. This method may help those who have problems with the spike loosening in the ground. I got a 3' long piece of large diameter rebar and drove 2' of it into the ground; then I took a 2' piece of 1" diameter PVC electrical conduit (with the bell end at the top) and slipped it over the rebar. I drove a couple of short screws through the PVC until they snugged up to the rebar. Then I pressed the mounting spike into the bell end of the PVC where it makes a snug, friction fit. Obviously, you can adjust the dimensions to your specific circumstances. Not only does this make a sturdy mounting method, but it elevates the unit above taller foliage, and it's cheap. It cost me less than $15 to make 3 brackets.