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E A R T H - F R I E N D L Y G A R D E N I N G
Programming Your Irrigation Controller
by Donna DiFrancesco, Water Conservation Specialist, City of Mesa, Master Gardener
A good irrigation controller or timer that is properly programmed can keep your
plants healthy and save a lot of water. However for efficient watering you
can't just set it and forget it. You need to change the watering frequencies as
plants become established, as the seasons change, or if it rains. Keep in mind
that the controller controls the irrigation system, but YOU control the
controller.
What Do Station, Valve & Zone Mean
Before we talk about how to enter a program, let's discuss some terminology used
when discussing timers. 'Station', 'valve,' and 'zone' are terms commonly used
with these systems. And while they are closely related, they do refer to
different things. A 'station' is a term used by many controllers to indicate
what valve it is controlling. A 'valve' is the device that accepts the signal
from the timer to open and allow the water to flow. A 'zone' is the area of the
yard (or groups of plants) that is watered by a valve. Let's use all three
words in a sentence... "At the programmed time the controller gets a message to
turn on a station and sends a signal through the wires to open the corresponding
valve to let the water flow through the pipes to irrigate the zone that it
controls." So 'station' is commonly how it's referenced on the timer, the
'valve' is the physical open-shut device on the water line and the 'zone' is the
area of the landscape that gets watered when it's turned on.
Entering a program
To enter a program, use the basic instructions printed inside the controller
door to input your information. You may need to make sure your timer is in the
'set programs' mode before you begin. To get started, there are four important
pieces of information that need to be entered and maintained:
- Current day and time - Generally you need to
tell the controller what day of the week it is (Mon, Tue, etc.), and set the
time of day. Set the time much like you do a digital clock, making sure you get
the a.m./p.m. correct. Otherwise, you may have a 5:30 a.m. start-time surprise
during your 5:30 p.m. barbecue.
- Watering days or frequency - You can set your
controller to water on a certain day or days of the week such as every
Wednesday, or every Monday and Thursday. Or, if your controller has a 'skip
day' option, you can set a certain frequency by inputting 'days between
watering' or 'skip days'. For example, if you input '10' under the skip day
option, your controller would turn on 10 days after the last
watering.
- Start times - Once the controller knows what
day to water, it needs to know what time to start the watering. On most
controllers, one start time will run all of the stations assigned to that
program in sequence. Think of it as a program start, not a station or valve
start. The timers are designed that way so that you don't have to do the math
to figure out when you need to start each valve on the program.
- Length of time to water - Once the controller
knows what days to run and what time to turn on, it needs to know how long to
run before turning off. Run times can vary from 10 minutes for something like
bubblers, to 6 hours for a drip irrigation system.
After inputting the program, double-check your entries to make sure they are correct. You can run a program test by pressing the semi-automatic button if your controller has this option. This will run the program immediately, then not water again until the programmed days and times. Some controllers may also have a 'review' option that shows all your programmed input.
What is multiple program capability?
Another option you should have on your timer is multiple program capability. If
you have this option, you'll see a switch that allows you to set the timer on
program A, B, C, or 1, 2, 3, etc. Multiple programs on a controller allow you
run different stations on different schedules. If you have a shrub zone that
needs to be watered once every 14 days, a tree zone on that needs to be watered
once every 21 days, and a lawn zone that needs to be watered every 3 days,
you'll need a controller with at least three programs. It's the different
frequency needs that determine how many programs you need. See the sample timer
program below.
You may have noticed the following points on the program example:
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