Visit the Downloads page on this website to obtain a manual for the ESP-ME3 controller.
In my opinion, the Rain Bird ESP-ME3 controller/timer is the best controller on the market today. You can install the timer and operate it from the timer location, but that would limit all the new capabilities the timer has. Simply by installing a link module and downloading the Rain Bird app, you could program and run the timer from the comfort of your recliner or from any location in the world as long as you have a Wifi connection.
I’ve been using the ESP series timers for more than 20 years, so if you’re in the market for a new sprinkler timer this is the model to buy. The ESP series timers are intuitive, easy to program, and very durable.
The ESP-ME3 has a ton of features which include:
- Control via iOS and Android mobile devices (with LNK WiFi Module sold separately)
- Large LCD display with easy to navigate user interface
- Master valve/pump start circuit
- Program based scheduling allows 4 individual programs with 6 independent start times per program for 24 total start times
- Watering schedule options: By days of week, ODD calendar days, EVEN calendar days, or Cyclic (every 1 – 30 days)
- Advanced diagnostics and short detection with LED alert
- Rain Sensor bypass by Station
- Delay Watering up to 14 days
- Manual Watering option by program or station
- Seasonal Adjust applied to all programs or individual program
- Easy to install indoors or outdoors with pre-installed power cord
- Back-lit LCD display for improved visibility
In the past few years I’ve installed a few of these timers for homeowners and have been impressed on how easy they are to install and set up. I’ve even added these timers to my Rain Bird app which allows me to make adjustments to the homeowners’ sprinkler watering without having to be on site, I can do the watering adjustments from my home.
The ESP-ME3 comes out of the box with the capability of running 4 stations. If you have more stations in your yard you could simply add station modules (see image below) to accommodate those extra stations. The ESP-ME3 is expandable to 22 stations, so it is an excellent timer for light commercial applications.
A few years ago I installed the Rain Bird ST8i controller for my yard which I am currently running from my Rain Bird app. I really like the timer, but if I ever need to replace it I will install the ESP-ME3. The main reason why is the ST8i is station based, meaning that you program each station individually. The ESP-ME3 is program based which means I can combine like stations together in separate programs. An example would be; all the grass stations on program A, the drip circuits on program B, and a new sod area on program C. With this flexibility, I can’t think of a watering situation the ESP-ME3 couldn’t handle.
Have a Rainbird ESP-ME3 outdoor controller that is showing “no ac” message. The outlet it’s plugged into is working, it’s showing 120volts at the built in plug, and 27.6volts at the transformer connection. The screen stays on when the 9v battery is removed, but when set to manual or auto to start program or station it just flashes “no ac”
I would try resetting the circuit breaker then the reset button on the timer. If that doesn’t work I would call Rain Bird tech support at 1-800-724-6247.
I have my ESP-ME3 set to water on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. That is working fine but somehow Cyclic days is also running. How do I turn off Cyclic days. Thank you.
The manual is a bit confusing on this. If you have a program that is watering Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday, then you must have another program that is watering Cyclic. The easiest way to stop the program on Cyclic from watering is to clear the start times on that program. Also according to the manual your can turn the dial to Water Days, press Program Select to choose the program Cyclic is running on, then press the Back button to return to watering by Custom Days. I hope this helps.
Both the Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday settings and the cyclic settings both show to be on Program A. The daily settings are easy to change but still can’t turn off the cyclic setting. Once I had accidentally went past Sunday on the daily on/off choices, it went to cyclic and now I can’t turn it off. I can go back to the daily setting but the cyclic is still running too and they both show to be on Program A.
On that program once you go back in to Custom settings it turns Cyclic watering off. Don’t arrow past Sunday or it will turn Cyclic watering on. This is from the manual:
NOTE: With Sunday selected, press the Forward button to enter and activate Cyclic Watering (see the Advanced Programming section). If this is not desired, press the Back button to return to watering by Custom Days.
I have a RainBird ESP-ME3 and have a well. I would like to have 1 program (stations 1-4) to start on one day of the week and then 5-9 start the next day to stagger and save the well. Then use cyclic option.
I currently use the cyclic feature and water every 4 days using 1 program but would like time for the well to recover. Thanks!
Use program A and Cyclic watering to water stations 1-4 every four days. Be sure stations 5-9 don’t have Run Times on program A. Use program B and Cyclic watering to water stations 5-9 on a different day from program A. Be sure stations 1-4 don’t have Run Times on program B.
My Rainbird ESP-ME controller has a blank display and the red Alarm light stays on with controller plugged in. I’ve disconnected power. I’ve removed the battery. I’ve held the reset button for 10 seconds. After plugging controller in, Still a blank display. Any suggestions?
You’ve done everything the troubleshooting section of the manual calls for. I would give technical support at Rain Bird a call: 1-800-724-6247
I have an ESP-ME controller that suddenly has the ALARM light lit. I was running manual mode OK then went to next zone & now every zone will go to alarm (after a power down between trying each zone). If it was a single zone I would think it is a single solenoid but with all zones giving an alarm I am not sure where a short or bad solenoid would be. Thoughts?
Reset timer and manually advance timer through stations again. Station that triggers the alarm is the bad station. You can remove that station wire from terminal on the timer, reset timer and manually advance again through stations to confirm you have isolated the bad station. The only thing I can think of that would trigger an alarm on all stations is a cut timer wire to the sprinkler valves.
If you had to choose between this ESP-ME3 (you wrote it is the best) and the ST8 which one would you choose ?
What are the differences ?
The ST8 is station based and the ESP-Me3 is programmed based. Both are good but but if I had to choose now I would pick the ESP-Me3.
Thanks for your very informative blog. I just purchased a ESP-ME3 model. I live in las Vegas and we are allowed to water 6 days a week. I picked up the water days section and pointed knob to it. I was able to pick up 6 watering days with Sunday being off. Now it takes me to the next screen to pick cyclic days. I am not interested in cyclic days pattern but it is asking me to choose cyclic day and days remaining for it to start. How can we reconcile custom days with cyclic day setting. Can we just ignore the cyclic day settings. Please advise and thanks again for your expertise.
Yes, just ignore cyclic settings if you have custom settings setup. Check the display to make sure Even, Odd, & Cyclic aren’t displayed.
Thanks a lot. Appreciate it.
Kerry, I’m in the high desert in Albuquerque. We water some plants year-round, so I want to program the controller with different programs for each month. Aug might be every day but Feb might be once a month, so this is 12 different programs. The Rain Machine controllers can do this but are unavailable. Can the ESP-ME3 do it?
Hi Gary,
The ESP-Me3 controller has 4 programs with up to 6 start times per program. If you let me how many stations you have and what you want them to do I can give you a better answer if the ESP controller will do what you want.
Best, Kerry
I use a SST-400i now, 1 zone and adding 2 more, all xeriscape. I normally water 1 hour/day in the early AM. I select the drippers to get the amount of water I want for each plant area. Summer is 7 days/week. I use fewer days/week as the weather cools, but I still use 1 hour to get the water to go deep.
The easiest way to do this is to use program A on the ESP controller. Get the link module so you can run it from your smartphone. As the season gets warmer simply add days of the week to water to program A. As the weather gets cooler just turn days off. You could use all four programs and have different days of watering on each program but you would have to remember to turn on and off start times each month to prevent multiple programs from watering.
Thanks. I’m lazy so I’m going to try to find a controller to do that for me!