Hunter Industries · HPC-400
Ready to buy
The retained reference is $214.95 current U.S. retail price. The maximum station count requires compatible modules or decoder design and is not included in the base price. Verify the wire map, valve and transformer load, signal path, local watering rules, backflow status and return or installer-service terms before purchase.
Current market
Each line carries its own check date because price, software, specifications, and product cycle do not age at the same speed.
The maximum station count requires compatible modules or decoder design and is not included in the base price. Confirm current stock, authorized seller, tax, delivery, included accessories, return terms and installer labor before paying.
HPC-400 is the defended Hunter choice when a small base must grow, local touchscreen access matters and flow-aware Hydrawise control is useful.
Other paths
These are not generic competitors. Each one represents a different way to buy into the same market.
Rain Bird
Hunter Industries
What changed
Older observations stay in the ledger when the current view changes. That lets a buyer tell the difference between an old complaint, an active issue, and a problem that was corrected.
HPC 4-Station Hydrawise Controller was checked against exact manufacturer identity and support, current U.S. price, zone and wiring limits, weather, sensor, offline, privacy and service boundaries, independent analysis and bounded owner or installer reports.
Each amount stays tied to its source and capture date. Conflicting prices remain visible until the seller resolves them.
Current reference priceA structured timeline will begin with the next source capture
Owner experience
Owner and installer discussion returns to module sizing, touchscreen access, hydrawise setup, flow commissioning and field service rather than a universal water or reliability result.
These are self-reported experiences from different properties, climates, soils, slopes, precipitation rates, pressure and flow conditions, valve loads, wiring ages, networks, apps, weather stations, subscription tiers, local rules and maintenance histories. They identify checks to run and do not prove water savings, plant health, leak detection, freeze protection, reliability, safety or code compliance.Installers and owners discuss HPC module sizing, touchscreen use, Wi-Fi, flow setup and service. Search results are anecdotal and not a controlled reliability sample.
Draw the final station and sensor topology and price every module before choosing the four-station base.
1 evidence recordSources
The page separates what a source states directly from what we conclude across sources.
Hunter Industries identifies HPC-400 as a four-station indoor/outdoor touchscreen base expandable through conventional modules or EZ Decoder for larger residential and light-property systems.
$214.95 current U.S. retail price was retained for HPC-400. The maximum station count requires compatible modules or decoder design and is not included in the base price
The four-station base expands with Hunter PCM modules and supported EZ Decoder configuration to a documented platform maximum of 32 stations; cabinet, module and decoder rules apply Touchscreen and Hydrawise programming support multiple schedules and cycle-soak logic; the installer must still implement applicable watering calendars and utility limits The outdoor cabinet supplies 24 VAC stations and a master-valve or pump-relay signal; decoders and pumps have separate wiring and surge-protection requirements Two sensor inputs can accept documented rain and flow devices for alerts or suspension, but expected-flow commissioning and hydraulic diagnosis remain installer work Hydrawise uses forecast and station data to adjust schedules; selected station, landscape inputs and precipitation rate bound results, while freeze logic does not protect pipes
Wi-Fi, Hydrawise account, location, app and cloud processing carry privacy, permission, firmware and service dependencies; the touchscreen preserves local access Schedules continue and monthly adjustment can remain local if offline, but remote control, reports and fresh forecast adjustment stop; free Home and optional paid plans have different limits The modular cabinet and touchscreen offer field service options, while display, modules, Hydrawise plan and cloud longevity remain time-bounded
WaterSense labels independently certified weather-based controllers against performance criteria. Weather adjustment remains dependent on correct installation, landscape inputs, representative data and local watering requirements.
EPA states that its water budget is not intended to schedule irrigation and that real-time local weather data are needed for scheduling decisions.
Professional guidance distinguishes on-site sensors, local weather stations and internet weather as different data paths whose selection and configuration affect schedule adjustment.
Cross-connection control and backflow prevention are distribution-system protections governed through local programs; an irrigation controller does not supply them.
Professional product guidance documents the exact four-station base, touchscreen, enclosure and expansion path, with installation context.
Installers and owners discuss HPC module sizing, touchscreen use, Wi-Fi, flow setup and service. Search results are anecdotal and not a controlled reliability sample.
ESP-ME3 Controller with LNK2 WiFi is the modular local-first residential and light-property control alternative at $366.49 current U.S. direct base bundle price.
Pro-HC 12-Station Hydrawise Controller is the fixed high-channel professional connected control alternative at $339.95 current U.S. retail price.
Manufacturer identity, exact specifications or manual support, current U.S. price, independent editorial or professional evidence and bounded owner or installer evidence were checked on August 18, 2026. This desk covers complete, current U.S.-supported residential and light-property irrigation controllers where conventional programming, weather-aware cloud control, retrofit connectivity, modular expansion, two-wire topology or proprietary whole-yard design materially changes the purchase. It excludes faucet and hose-end timers, single-valve gadgets, standalone sensors, valves and solenoids, agricultural or municipal central control, unsupported systems, cosmetic bundles, marketplace-only products and station-count variants without a capability difference. Station count, expansion modules, transformer capacity, valve inrush, common wiring, master-valve and pump-start relays, flow-meter compatibility and sensor ports are exact-model limits. Water budgets and ET or forecast adjustments depend on landscape data, soil, slope, roots, precipitation rate, distribution uniformity and representative weather data. Utility and municipal watering days, drought rules and time windows must be checked and programmed locally because app rule databases can be incomplete. Freeze skips protect schedules, not pipes, valves or backflow assemblies; winterization is separate. Flow or leak alerts do not prove leak absence or stop every failure. The controller supplies no backflow protection and does not establish plumbing, electrical, permit, inspection or code compliance. Pumps, 120 or 240 V circuits and conduit work require the documented relay path and qualified installer or electrician. The controller cannot repair pressure, flow, coverage, valve, pipe, soil or root problems. App, account, cloud, weather provider, privacy, firmware, subscription and support availability can change. No controller guarantees water savings, plant health, freeze protection, leak prevention or code compliance.
Researching another model?