SPRINKLER TALK FORUM - You Got Questions, We've Got Answers

I'm finishing up on the install of my irrigation system and everything seems to be in order. I just can't seem to find instructions on how to turn on my pump relay via the controller. The pump relay works fine as we had went ahead and tested it manually. All wires are in place to the controller and to the relay. I just can't figure out how to set a program to control the pump. This is an 'Orbit Watermaster' 9-station controller which is very easy to use except the pump feature isn't clear whatsoever. I have on wire going to 'pump' and the other going to 'COM' on the controller as well. Please respond quickly with an answer because i need to pick up my grass next week and need to have my irrigation system working. How do I set this thing for the pump 'on' at a given time? Quick response would be appreciated.

<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 />I'm finishing up on the install of my irrigation system and everything seems to be in order. I just can't seem to find instructions on how to turn on my pump relay via the controller. The pump relay works fine as we had went ahead and tested it manually. All wires are in place to the controller and to the relay. I just can't figure out how to set a program to control the pump. This is an 'Orbit Watermaster' 9-station controller which is very easy to use except the pump feature isn't clear whatsoever. I have on wire going to 'pump' and the other going to 'COM' on the controller as well. Please respond quickly with an answer because i need to pick up my grass next week and need to have my irrigation system working. How do I set this thing for the pump 'on' at a given time? Quick response would be appreciated.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Really need some input here guys. I've been reading on the web on different controllers and they all seem to imply that the pump start relay would start when a zone is activated (Didn't say that directly, but that's what i understood) via the controller as long as your wiring to the controller for the valves and pump relay are correct. I have one wire to the 'pump' reading and one to the main 'COM' port that all the other valves are wired to as well. Is this correct, and will the pump indeed start automatically when any zone program starts? Please let me know ASAP, thanks. I need to really get going on this.

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by bobw</i>
<br />That should have you good to go. Anytime a zone is supposed to come on, the pump/main will also come on, so your pump relay will come on whenever any zone program starts.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Hey, thanks alot BOBW. just wish the instructions had came right out and said that! Also, would you know how I could 'jumper' the wires for any unused zones so if the controller runs a default program during a power outage, it won't burn up my pump trying to start these unused zones?

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by bobw</i>
<br />Sure.... for each unused zone, just connect a piece of wire from the terminal for the unused zone to a terminal for a used zone. This will let the used zone get a signal and open when the unused zone is turned on by the controller. You can also use this trick if you ever have a zone that you want more watering cycles for than your controller allows... just then, you'd program the controller to run the "unused" zone.....
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

I talked to Orbit and according to them, when the power fails, the timer will rely on the battery backup for your programming when the main power comes back on. However, they also said if your backup battery is dead, the system defaults to nothing and you to hit the 'reset' button and start your programming again. Should I still go ahead and jumper the unused zones just to be safe? Thanks.