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When to turn on Pump / Controller valves?

mugentuner

Advanced Member

Posts: 88

Location: FL

1

Thursday, May 6th 2004, 4:03am

When to turn on Pump / Controller valves?

I'm close to completing my installation of my irrigation system, however, I was wondering when I should set the pump to come on from the controller and also the valves. I was thinking the pump needs to come on just before the valves and then when done watering, shut down the pump and then the valves via the controller. Anyone with well pump experience, please let me know how you go about this. Thanks a million

bobw

Advanced Member

Posts: 101

Location: Canada

2

Thursday, May 6th 2004, 6:05am

Your controller should have a place to wire in a pump start relay or a master valve; it may be labeled with either designation, but will work just fine if it labelled for master valve. Just connect one wire from your relay to this spot and the other to the common and you should be good to go.

bobw

Advanced Member

Posts: 101

Location: Canada

3

Thursday, May 6th 2004, 6:09am

One other thought. Read up on your controller. Some controllers will run a "default" program if they lose power for too long. Usually the default program will run ALL zones on the controller, even if you aren't using them (i.e. you have a 9 zone controller and only 8 zones). If your controller does this, you may want to jumper the unused zones to a zone in use. This will prevent the default program from running the pump without a valve open and potentially blowing the pump.

drpete3

Supreme Member

Posts: 376

Location: USA

4

Thursday, May 6th 2004, 6:30am

The way my pump works is by using a pressure regulator. when the pressure in the line drops to 40 psi my pump turns on. The pressure drops when a valve opens. Thebn it turns off when it gets upto 60 psi and that is when the valve closes. I use this system instead of a pump relay.
Thanks,

Pete

mugentuner

Advanced Member

Posts: 88

Location: FL

5

Thursday, May 6th 2004, 10:34am

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by drpete3</i>
<br />The way my pump works is by using a pressure regulator. when the pressure in the line drops to 40 psi my pump turns on. The pressure drops when a valve opens. Thebn it turns off when it gets upto 60 psi and that is when the valve closes. I use this system instead of a pump relay.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Well, I have pump relay and just wondering when I should set the pump to come on (30 secs or so before valves?). That post earlier about using a jumper for valves not being used is a great idea as well though.

mugentuner

Advanced Member

Posts: 88

Location: FL

6

Thursday, May 6th 2004, 10:36am

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by mugentuner</i>
<br /><blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by drpete3</i>
<br />The way my pump works is by using a pressure regulator. when the pressure in the line drops to 40 psi my pump turns on. The pressure drops when a valve opens. Thebn it turns off when it gets upto 60 psi and that is when the valve closes. I use this system instead of a pump relay.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Well, I have pump relay and just wondering when I should set the pump to come on (30 secs or so before valves?) and then off again. That post earlier about using a jumper for valves not being used is a great idea as well though.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
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