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: Better Than "Spray Away" Pattern - On Havahart's Model 5265.
Summary: 4 Stars
I bought the competitor's Havahart Spray Away which wasn't terrible I have to say. However, I really believe that the spray pattern, arc range functions is much better and smoother on this one (the Contech). It's more likely to "nail" and water spritz the raccoon's I've been so desparately trying to deter from rolling up my slow to root new sod. This was from a home property re-grading project. In addition, I highly recommend putting a cheaper portable AM/FM (AC or DC) radio in a kitchen sized, Hefty trash bag out where the new sod is (in the middle somewhere) IF you have this similar or same problem. I mean WITH RACCOON's rolling up, pulling back the rooting new sod. The little guys are looking for their food meal like grubs, larvae and other insects. So, the purpose of the radio is to tune it to a talk show on AM for instance, play it at an audible volume level during darkness NOT disturbing your neighbors. As in overnight. It really works! I was so amazed. I think that the raccoons don't exactly enjoy the prospects of human's being nearby with the voices. I mean, it was only one night but I'm now really much more optimistic I'll finally have success with them leaving the sod alone. These repellents such as Bonide repellent-ALL-animals crap that don't work is a huge waste of $. There aren't any registered repellents on any state's DNR web site except Capsaicin (hot chili peppers) on raccoon's. Don't let anyone at these nurseries tell you any differently. I had spoken to an "expert" Horticulturalist at my local nursery and none of the expensive remedies had worked or was even close to being correct. They want to sell you their expensive urines, chemicals, etc... What a waste!!! Bottom line: I'd recommend this motion detector sprinkler sprayer with an AM/FM radio playing at night to deter RACCOONS. Try it, you can always return it within 30 days.Customer Review: nothing better...
Summary: 5 Stars
This is the best thing I have ever seen for safely and humainly keeping deer out of flowers, gardens and shrubs. We have a terrible problem where we live. Residential but in the country next to a golf course. ( The neighbors counted 50 at one time walking by the house in the middle of the night.) They eat everything and anything. We have to have a mound system over our septic and they ate $400 worth of shrubs the first winter!
We set this up by our garden which we also had fenced in but they managed to reach over and eat the tops of the tomatos. The garden is along the edge of the driveway, and a garden bench sits beside it on the parking pad on the end of the driveway. We have come home and rounded the garage to find as many as 8 in the rose bushes along the house! We set it up and didn't realize we had partially obstructed the sensor with the garden bench. When we got home from work the next day my husband called me out to ask me to look around and see if I noticed anything different. I finally noticed what looked like double chalk lines etched all over the driveway beside the garden. I couldnt imagine what had caused it...until I noticed patches of white hair on the rough concrete! Obviously a large group had walked up onto the driveway together and until one had cleared the garden bench didn't get picked up by the sensor. When they finally set it off they had literally knocked each other down trying to get out of there. We would have given alot to see a video of that. Anyway it solved the problem! The only downside is you need an outside spigot nearby so that you won't be driving over the hose all the time, or having to move a long distnce to mow. It isn't any good early in the spring or late fall when the water in the hose can freeze up. Other than that, it's great!!!
Customer Review: Works for me!
Summary: 4 Stars
1) It worked and I'd highly recommend it. I had severe deer problems in the garden, got it, and then there was about zero deer problems. A week before frost, I removed it and in three days the tops of my green beans were GONE!
2) Four stars, because it was delivered with a nicked wire that actually broke while it was in use (Before purchase I read a few folks who recieved bad units- so maybe there's a little quality control issue with it).
3) Some other reviews mention that it's a lot of cheap looking plastic for a fair chunk of change. Yep, it's plastic, and I wish it was sturdier, but what isn't plastic these days, and right or wrong, this is a product that you'd sort of expect to be a few extra bucks.
4) I only had this for about two months, BUT, the 9V battery was still working fine (somewhat in conflict with some other reviews.)
5) I kept this thing on maximum sensitivity and it did seem to SOMETMES go off every time a leaf dropped (a complaint I read before buying). But IMO, it wasn't excessive. Yeah, I got sprayed a few times, but I'm thinking it was doing what it is supposed to do, and the green beans were very good according to ME AND NOT THE DEER!
6) Instead of using the small-looking plastic stake that comes with it or the overly-expensive plastic mounting bracket, I got creative and used my own stand: a rigid 1/2" pipe plus a common sprinkler base with an adapter for garden hose thread that matches the bottom of the electric eye.
7) I see a note that it's discontinued- too bad, although I see a competitive version on Amazon.com....good- someone needs to offer something like this- it does seem to keep deer away!
Customer Review: Great raccoon deterrent
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this about a month ago because the family of four raccoons that make nightly stops at our pond and waterfall were destroying all the plants, muddying up the water, and probably traumatizing the goldfish. Not too long after I installed it, I happened to be awake at 2am and heard the sprinkler go off, so I peeked out the bedroom window blinds and got to see the largest raccoon give it another go, with the other three a little bit back looking on like some comical cartoon characters. As soon as the one raccoon got near the waterfall, the sprinkler went again and they all scattered. Some of the juvenile raccoons just can't believe that scary thing is still there so they return a few times a week but our pond remains undisturbed.
What would make this great product even better is a built-in timer. I prefer to have the motion/infrared detector off during the day so the birds and other critters can use the pond, and it's a bit of a chore to go out there every morning and evening. Today though I solved that problem. I had a spare 9volt AC adapter lying around, and so I hooked it up to a weatherproof timer (the one I use for holiday lights), ran some low-voltage wire out to the Scarecrow and attached it to the battery terminals. Now the Scarecrow is on only from midnight to 8am -- perfect!
It does take a little messing around to dial in the area you want to cover, and I would definitely recommend Teflon tape for all the plastic hose fittings--the fern right next to the Scarecrow is looking suspiciously lush and green. All in all this is worth the price considering it's not just a motion detector but uses both motion and infrared.
Customer Review: Really Works
Summary: 5 Stars
We really like the Scarecrow!!!
Our front lawn is no longer the toilet for 6 to 12 dog walkers per day!
Most of the dog walkers are now walking on the other side of the street!
Prior to the Scarecrow we had tried dog repellent dispensers every 6 feet, doggy signs and confronting polluters. We even provided doggy disposal bags which the dog walkers refused to use. On more than one occasion we were threatened by the dog walkers or by their pit bulls as they insisted upon their right to soil our lawn. Over a period of 2 months, the dog walkers kicked and crushed the 6 dog repellent dispensers that were located 2 feet away from the side walk on our lawn. The crushing of the dog repellent dispensers led to the crushing of our 8 solar powered lights as much as 15 feet from the sidewalk. Subsequently, I securely mounted the Scarecrow to a fence post to discourage kicking and crushing at a sprinkler height of about 4 feet. One pit bull was determined to kill the Scarecrow, but he could not jump to the height of the sprinkler and after several attempts and getting soaked he retreated. The Scarecrow has been in operation about 2 months and has not been kicked or crushed so far by humans. Dog walkers and teenagers have thrown rocks at the Scarecrow but there has not been any damage as yet. Since installing the Scarecrow, I reseeded our front lawn and it is now returning to look like a lawn instead of a dog run at a dog pound. Since the Scarecrow, the squirrels have also abandoned the front of our house. However, large black crows are not intimidated by the Scarecrow and don't seem to mind the shower as they peck about.