Browse Forums Landscape & Garden Design Re: Reticulation controller 2Feb 16, 2010 12:06 am What brand? Is it hard wired to the house? Is it run from a transformer plugged into the wall? Is it mains voltage plugged into the wall? Re: Reticulation controller 3Feb 16, 2010 12:19 am I would expect the controller to have a water budget function or something similar. This is simple function that is often represented by a % symbol. Say things cool off then I would change the watering times down in one easy way by switching to the water budget, and setting it at say 60% of the programmed times. That way it's easy to do and we all save on water use. Brands I'd suggest are the Hunter XC, the toro kwik dial and for one without a water budget function the Irritrol rain dial will last ages! I would always suggest a weather proof model as they tend to have a tidier appearance. Sometimes when installed in garages and they don't have covers, if the door is left open and it is an indoor model then the sun can bugger up the screen. Of those the minimum stations is 6 so you have two spare. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ I would see about getting a wireless rain sensor as well [ img]http://www.duralirrigation.com.au/uploads/images/tororainsensor_250.jpg[/img] You can do that yourself. Have a squiz at my how to for that Re: Reticulation controller 4Feb 16, 2010 12:23 am This might be what they want to install. OK controller too http://www.wetearth.com.au/Product/Prod ... uctID=1206 Well here we go a 4 stn Hunter XC http://www.wetearth.com.au/Product/Prod ... uctID=1461 Re: Reticulation controller 5Feb 16, 2010 12:26 am this is related to the topic for those reading through viewtopic.php?f=19&t=4087&hilit=how+to+rain+sensor&start=0 and the how to viewtopic.php?f=19&t=11345&start=0&hilit=how+to+rain+sensor Re: Reticulation controller 6Feb 16, 2010 2:36 pm Hi Fu, wow....thanks for all that information......but can i ask more questions as i am technically slow......... 1. The current controller is mounted outside the house, next to the power box. Is this considered hardwired ? 2. The replacement was to be a rainwater pro 469. Is this equivalent to hunter XC. For the hunter XC, replacement costs was to be $385 3. If i were to re-landscape, would this affect the controller ? >>should be no, right as the pipes will hook up to the re-designated zones......... 4. Given that the most difficult thing i've tried was to change plugs, is it difficult to install controllers by myself ? There is an existing one there. Thank you very much ! Re: Reticulation controller 7Feb 16, 2010 11:55 pm You know my plan this summer was to have a How to Install an irrigation controller thread I will I promise, sooner or later when I get a chance I know it will help so many of you. Is it hardwired? If yes, an electrician needs to install it anyway, not an irrigation guy, unless he's a licensed sparkie Can you see a cord and plug? If no, it would most likely be hard wired. Call the electrician. They can also be run off 24 volt transformer sometimes installed in the roof space with low voltage black wires (like speaker wire with one side having a stripe down it) coming into the controller. That is safe for the homeowner to install. However i will say, look at my avatar and make sure the power is off when you stuff about in there. Nothing wrong with flicking off the fuse in the mains board and opening up the controller provided you just look and don't shove a screw driver in random places Use some common sense. Now behind that little panel in the bottom left of the picture is the 240 volt connections. Just take it as 240 volt if that is what you see and don't touch anything It isn't a cartoon, some not cool things can happen with electricity. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Have a look in the thread I posted there is a better pic of the inside of the hard wired controller of mine. This is the inside too Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ The 240 volt transformer is behind that little cover. The two red wires on the far left the go to AC are low voltage from the inside of that transformer. The coloured wires on the right side are for the valves. Can you get a picture of the controller you have? They will have a cover that is either unclipped or screwed on to reveal the valve wires. I might be able to tell you if it is hard wired from what you see inside. Look in the interests of getting a better controller, I'd buy from the link I posted for the Hunter XC and pay an electrician to wire it to the mains. I'll try get a few pics of older controllers with low voltage wiring for you guys. *The information provided is taken at your own risk only. If you are not confident with low voltage or not sure about anything I have posted or do not understand how important it is to have an electrician do anything with electricity then leave this to an electrician. Re: Reticulation controller 9Feb 17, 2010 8:05 pm Just don't go sticking you screwdriver or fingers in silly places Re: Reticulation controller 11Feb 17, 2010 9:27 pm Another easy to use and water efficient controller. Yeah there are cheap controllers on the market and I can assure you, you'll replace them on a regular basis. May as well just get a good one the first go. The Toro DDC is another controller that has that % function I mentioned. They can be called seasonal adjust, water budget or a scale of the programmed times. Re: Reticulation controller 12Feb 19, 2010 7:28 pm I took some shots of controllers that don't have a transformer inside the unit. I'll post tomorrow. Re: Reticulation controller 13Feb 20, 2010 8:19 pm Ok this is a shot of behind a 20 year plus rain dial controller that still has not skipped a beat. The very same controller is still made today and is still as reliable and easy to use. In fact it is identical. This one has no internal transformer and is supplied power via a plug in transformer in the roof space. The wires come down the wall and into the back of it. They are as I mentioned, like speaker wires. Black and one with a white stripe. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Now below, this is a crap unit that has nothing but problems and is constantly creating head aches and wasting water. Will it be changed? No It does not have an internal transformer. that too is mounted in the roof space and is supplied via the two black wires all scrunched up in the base. One with a white stripe like speaker wire. They are wired on the far right and joined via the two rusty crappy screws. To replace, turn off power at the mains, undo screws for the power wires (blk and Blk with wht strp) then mark all the station wires with tape and a number or write them down and get a photo. Then unscrew the unit from the wall and smash it on the ground so junk like that can never be used again Install the new controller, reconnect the wires Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Re: Reticulation controller 14Feb 20, 2010 8:40 pm I should ad that in the first pic of the last post that some clues are given away. There are three common wires (like an earth wire) They are coloured black and are wired in the base row of terminals. That tells me there are possibly three locations for the valves around the property. I don't install like this because finding them in years to come is a pain There are gadgets that make it easier though Just a good visual for what you might have in an unknown property. there are two sets of wires the same colours so that is where a good idea is to use some masking tape on them and mark the valve number. The fact that there are three common wires and two sets of paired coloured wires to me says there are two locations of valves and a separate location for the Master valve which also has it's own common wire running to it. The power wires are the ones wired in the top row on the right. The pink wire screwed into the terminal marked MV is the Master valve or Main valve. That holds the mains water pressure off the rest of the system and comes on when ever any of the others are activated. It can also be marked "pump" Now the locations of the valves in the bottom example doesn't follow the same thing. The bottom example was installed by an amateur. and was a night mare to locate and figure out what was done with the valves. This makes for an expensive repair. The top example was installed professionally with a good quality easy to use controller. I could tell the moment I opened it there was a Gecko in there and he scared all hell out of me Re: Reticulation controller 16Feb 24, 2011 9:59 pm The only controller i use and recommend to clients (residential purposes) is the Toro DDC. I would estimate i have installed 350-400 of these without one single call back due to the unit failing. A few call backs due to clients not able to remember how they work though..lol. Also happy to answer questions. Re: Reticulation controller 17Mar 08, 2011 10:16 am True. The Toro is a ripper. I tend not use the kwik dial much if ever now. The easiest to use is the Irritrol http://www.irritrol.com/controllers/con ... ndial.html Also very reliable. Pick of controllers would be The rain dial for ease of use but costs a bit. The Hunter x core for ease of use and value for money. Toro DDC for reliability and value for money. Very easy to use once you nut it out after a few go's Re: Reticulation controller 18Jul 30, 2011 9:11 pm Garden Master Fu! My build will be finishing up in a 2 weeks and i will be getting straight onto the landscaping (still in design process). I will be aiming to finish up the front before heading to the back (so i can reclaim $3000 from developer in landscaping coupon). I have been looking at controllers, Hunter XC or the Hunter X-Core. Is the extra price for the X-Core worth it? Also will 6 stations be enough or is 8 the way to go/ Planning on having Turf front and back, little vherb garden out back, brick rendered planters front and back, some trees front and back. Also, is http://www.wetearth.com.au the place to go? Their prices are fantastic, cheaper than ebay for controllers. Re: Reticulation controller 19Aug 07, 2011 11:23 pm Yeah shop around. Online, who is best changes from time to time, so stay well researched on prices |