Unpacking
When I received my order, I was very impressed at the quality of the packing. The system was neatly packaged in a single box. Inside the box was the reservoir. Inside the 5 gallon plastic reservoir was the entire misting system, ‘packed with peanuts.’ You can see the packing job, along with some inital installation shots below.
{gallery [Rainmaker]}
These photos may be a little out of order, but you get the idea. They obviously take pride in their product if they take the time to wrap everything up neatly in bubble wrap, each nozzle set in a separate baggy, and include detailed instructions for installation. I only needed a single nozzle for my setup, so most of the hardware was unnecessary. But I appreciate having it in case I do expand later.
The bucket came pre-fitted with the neoprene bulkhead gasket, which meant I didn’t have to install it myself. I did have to tighten it a bit to get it not to leak.The fittings were all pre-wrapped with teflon, which was a very nice feature. I was able to get the whole system installed in under an hour, with a crescent wrench and a standard screwdriver because the setup was so simple. Step by step instructions were handy, but I’d like pictures along with text for idiots like me.
You’ll notice that the pump had nice rubber feet. This made operation a little quieter and you can stick the pump anywhere.
The bucket was made of high quality opaque plastic. It had a close-able spout on top, which I don’t think I’ll use, but who knows? The lid had a rubber gasket on it, so spills will be unlikely. It also came printed with the components of the Rainmaker I System on the side as a sort of permanent packing list.
The hose is made of very flexible uv resistant plastic. It was semi-see through. I found I had plenty enough hose for my installation. However, if you have a lot of cages you’ll probably need more.
They included way more pieces than I needed for my simple install. It’s good to have lot’s of spares. I’m happy that I bought an assortment of nozzles from them at an extra price ($1.25 a piece). For the record, they sold these to me at below retail price.
The timer was the most complex piece of the install. It took me 15 minutes to get it programmed with the right time and three programs. I set it to come on at 7:30, 12 and 6 for 15 minutes. It came with tiny watch batteries for backup, which I appreciate whenever I have to unplug the timer from the wall. Saves me from having to go through that again.
I double checked the time so that it didn’t come on at 7:30 am and end at 7:30 pm, which would have flooded poor Bertie. The design of these timers could be improved if they just let you set the “on” times and then the interval (5 min, 10 min, 15 min, …). That is how the DIG irrigation timer works. Saves people from making silly mistakes, like I almost did when I was quickly setting the timer. I guess they are multi-purpose timers, though, and it wouldn’t be practical for all applications.
The timer did have a daylight savings time setting, which came in handy this morning when we sprung ahead. I only had to hit the DS button to set the clock ahead one hour. Smart.
After installing all the hoses and screwing on the red nozzle, I filled the reservoir with warm water from my kitchen sink an hit the ON button for the timer. I have to say I was a little suprised at how loud it was. While I was used to a totally silent sprayer (because it was a hand pump model) this seemed a lot louder than their claim of it being ‘very quiet’. I guess I can still hold conversations in my kitchen with it on, so it’s not unusable. But maybe if they put an mp3 recording of the sound when it’s on it would help people make decisions to see if it’s right for them. Or at least provide decible ratings. In my comparison shopping, I had nothing to go on except the manufacturer’s claim that their pump was quiet.
20 MB AVI Movie
Louder than your Kenmore.
{gallery [Rainmaker_Movie]}
Download a 20 MB movie (about 315 days on at 28.8k modem.) of the pump during operation. You can judge for yourself whether the pump is noisy or not.
Rainmaker I in action
{gallery [Rainmaker2]}
Here are some additional pictures of it in use. Doesn’t Bertie look happy?
6 responses to “Rainmaker I Review”
Since this was published, I learned that the Mist King only has a 2 minute spray duration and does not come with a timer. Thanks to Jolene Thompson for the information.
I also have added a hydor 200w inline aquarium heater to heat up the water to a warm 93 degrees before it showers ol’ Bertie. Amazon sells these for $40.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0002JEMM6/qid=1114992911/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-1729203-5801402?v=glance&s=kitchen
This prevents cold water showers that might shock Bertie into running away from his shower.
I read your page about misting system comparisons. It is too bad that you didn’t actually look at and test each system so you could truly compare and rate each systems strengths and shortcomings. Concerning our Pro Mist series of misting systems, our pumps are truly the quitest available, with the nozzles making more noise than the pump does. Our pumps are specifically designed (not diaphram or centrifical pumps) for the constant high back pressure created by a misting system and will not fail in a couple of years due to the pressure or seal failure. Our pumps do not need water for lubrication, so will never be damaged if ran dry, are covered with a 2 year warranty and have an expected service life of 30,000+ hours. They also develop higher pressures (up to 125 PSI and no pump noise), resulting in a finer mist than other systems. No other product can even come close to this. We do not use plastic nozzles as the flow rates are much higher, especially when intstalled in an area that has relatively high temperatures (inside a reptile cage). Plastic quickly expands with an increase in temperature. Most plastic nozzles being sold are tested & rated at much lower temperatures than experienced in our industry, so the quoted flow rates are misleading. These nozzles can be purchased for about 25-50 cents ea. wholesale, showing the markup one is paying. We only use our own metal alloy nozzles as they do not have this problem and will last much longer than a plastic nozzle will. We also rate our nozzles at 100 degrees F to give a more accurate flow rate for the uses they will be subjected to. Our PMP-60 and PMP-70 misting system pumps both provide the same performance and quality, the only real difference is that the PMP-70 pump has a greater output so it can handle more nozzles. There are many other features that seperate our systems from other brands available. There is no way one can talk about what system is better unless they have seen the other systems. I invite you to talk with people that have used our systems and other brands and see what they think about them.
We only sell our systems directly from our NY facility at wholesale pricing. This way, we are able to offer our customers a superior product at a competative price. This is why you do not see any companies offering our Pro Mist micro fine misting systems for sale. Please let me know if you have any questions or would like additional information.
Sincerely,
Bob Pound
Pro Products
Hi Bob,
Sorry for the delay on approving your comment. I get so many spam comments I have to moderate them.
I’d be delighted to do a head to head test with one of your Pro Mist Products vs the Rainmaker I, if you send one to me. I’ll do a full write up. I’m just a poor chameleon owner, so buying 7 full misting systems was out of my budget. I’ll even send it back in the original packaging. We could do a sound test, run dry test, mist flow rate test. I don’t represent either company, so it would be good press if it turns out your claims are right.
I understand you products are highly regarded among the chameleon community.
Best regards,
Ed
Really enjoyed your review. Just became a Cham parent and I ordered the same misting system. Do you like the Hydor inline heater you installed? Do you find 200w. to be adequate? Just wondering if you would make any changes because I would like to duplicate this system. Thanks!
Regards,
Mike
nice set up,im interested in buying one of those mist pumps,i have a humidifier but i need a mist pump for my chameleon collection.i would like to ask u qs,