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Old April 19, 2012   #61
Worth1
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Default Timers and contraptions

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Last edited by Worth1; November 17, 2012 at 09:11 PM.
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Old April 19, 2012   #62
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Worth,

If your plan depends on synchronization of different timers preset for exact times, you will have a problem. I've never seen one of these timers than can maintain an accurate time within one minute per month. For some reason, they all seem to lose time rather than gain time. I can understand that happening with a mechanical timer, but not with an electronic timer.

If the primary valve stays open and zones or processes (insecticide or fertilizer application) operate without synchronization, it shouldn't be a problem.

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Old April 19, 2012   #63
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Old April 19, 2012   #64
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Worth,

For output my cheapo timers only have a common and one hot for each zone. Don't they make 24v timer relays (1 to 60 sec) I could just place (in series?) between the timer and the valve solenoid? Then set the timer to 1 min. for each zone and connect each zone (hot wire) to the relay.

Obviously, I'm no electrician.

I like the idea of a build your own - the misting timers for cuttings (10 sec on, 6 times a day) are expensive.

Steve
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Old April 19, 2012   #65
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Old April 19, 2012   #66
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For fertilizer and bug spray, could you not use it with a lower volume
or adjustable volume emitter for 1 minute? (Instead of a fixed flow
emitter for 15 seconds?)
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Old April 19, 2012   #67
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Worth1 View Post
All sprinkler timers have the same thing one common and what you would call hot for each zone.
Then I guess I don't know enough to understand your original diagram. What is the wire labeled "Zine"? Is that just another [hot] zone wire?
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Old April 19, 2012   #68
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Heritage View Post
Then I guess I don't know enough to understand your original diagram. What is the wire labeled "Zine"? Is that just another [hot] zone wire?
Yes I meant to spell zone but after I posted the picture to my horror it said Zine.

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Old April 19, 2012   #69
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Worth1 View Post
Yes I meant to spell zone but after I posted the picture to my horror it said Zine.

Worth
Zine, or Zone, it doesn't matter, it's still over my head. But, thanks for posting

Steve
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Old April 19, 2012   #70
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Heritage View Post
Zine, or Zone, it doesn't matter, it's still over my head. But, thanks for posting

Steve
I wish it wasn't All I want to do is help folks out with ideas.'
I'm a creative dreamer that has millions of ideas stored away and I figured maybe someone could put them to use.

Worth
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Old April 20, 2012   #71
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I use soaker hoses and they have been enough to water my whole 8'X18' garden. I feed by hand with liquid fertilizer.

Lou
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Old April 20, 2012   #72
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I find that soaker hoses are the best system for watering my 8'X18' vegetable garden.

Lou
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Old April 23, 2012   #73
Worth1
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Yesterday I purchased some brown drip line and a battery operated 2 station timer.

One station on my ferns I just put in and the other station for my tomatoes and peppers etc.

Seems to be working just fine.

This will get me by till I get the fancy PC based controller.

I was going to change my mind and get the RainBird
http://www.sprinklerwarehouse.com/Ra.../esp12lxme.htm

But finally decided to get the Irritrol.

http://www.sprinklerwarehouse.com/Ir...p/pc12-int.htm

The reason is my wife would play the devil working with a dial and push buttons where she can easily work with it on a computer with a windows based system.

The other reasons are programming for me, and the options I have.

I called Irritrol today and told them about a misprint out on the timing.
One brochure said 1 minute to 4 hours the spec sheet said 1 minute to 24 hours.
It is 1 minute to 24 hours.
They were shocked to learn of the mistake.
Needless to say the programing is very flexible.

Worth
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Old April 24, 2012   #74
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Are you not a little worried about it running on Windows (system hangs
on a screensaver bug while you are away in Alaska for two weeks, or
something comparably inane)?

(I avoid screensavers for just that reason. My linux screensavers
are "blank the screen", which uses no system resources and has
never hung a linux system for me. I am not sure if Windows versions
have that option. Nothing against graphics programmers creating
fun animations, it is simply that my computers have other things
to do that matter more to me than running screensaver graphics
code when no one is around to watch it.)
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Old April 24, 2012   #75
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dice View Post
Are you not a little worried about it running on Windows (system hangs
on a screensaver bug while you are away in Alaska for two weeks, or
something comparably inane)?

(I avoid screensavers for just that reason. My linux screensavers
are "blank the screen", which uses no system resources and has
never hung a linux system for me. I am not sure if Windows versions
have that option. Nothing against graphics programmers creating
fun animations, it is simply that my computers have other things
to do that matter more to me than running screensaver graphics
code when no one is around to watch it.)
Once you program the controllers you can kick the computer out the door.
The program is stored in the controller for this reason.
You can have many programs in the computer or on a disk and just download it into the controller anytime you want from anywhere you want.
You can have the software on more than one computer.
Basically the PC is an interface with the controllers.

Worth
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