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SC24 and SC36 User Manual

1. 110 volt circuit that is not controlled by light switch nor feeds noisy load such as large motor Access to 6 to 410 grounding wire and copper clad ground rod Access to the sprinkler control valve wiring 2 Securely mount the controller through the stud mounting locations or the optional masonry mounting hole using appropriate wood screws or concrete anchors not included NOTE If installation will be on drywall or masonry install screw anchors to assure secure mount 3 Use a 1 2 metal conduit coupling to attach a connection box to the power nipple on the bottom of the controller as shown in the diagram below 4 Drill a hole in the Mies bottom of the controller d box to install a 1 2 conduit for the ground wire as shown below Page 2 Installation and Operation Manual NOTE Conduit adapters grounding rod and wires are not provided Install conduit and adapters as required by local electrical codes re m F Fe Vi rer rn babe Ware 40 i eid Ter aai Lo md D ne nat Fruer Pt Fride Connecting the Valves Ceri fer Vats 5 Clip out the knock out from the hole the bottom of the and install a 3 4 conduit for the zone wires If a larger hole is needed use a hole saw to enlarge the provided hole The knock out can be
2. Prev buttons to highlight the Walk Around Test field then press The Walk Around Test screen will appear You can set the amount of time that each zone will run in the Runtime for Each Zone field You can access this field using the Next and Prev buttons and then set the run time with the and buttons The starting zone appears in the Testing Zone field which defaults to zone 1 If you want to start higher zone use the Next and Prev buttons to access the Testing Zone field and set the starting zone with the and buttons After you have set up the timing and starting zone use the Next and Prev buttons to return to the Start Test field and press Only zones with a valid runtime will operate Unconfigured zones or disabled zones will be skipped As the zones sequentially turn on you can walk around with the pattern and inspect for broken sprinkler heads clogged heads miss operating valves incomplete spray patterns and etc 4 Press the Back soft key to return to the Test screen Pressing Back or rotating the knob will cancel any test that is in progress Event Pause NOTE This option provides advanced control of the irrigation and is not required for the controller to operate Event Pause enables the system to pause operations for up to 6 scheduled events This is especially useful for scheduled social and sports events where irrigation must be suspended without turning off the system or adjusting the programs risk
3. may be running at the time you start will be suspended and will finish after the manual program finishes If another program is scheduled to start while a manual program is running it will be delayed until the manual program is finished Multiple program starts can be initiated They will run in the order they were initiated and take precedence over scheduled program starts A given program can be stacked for manual watering only once Manual program watering uses the same flow control settings as does normal scheduled program watering Page 12 Installation and Operation Manual Watering Start Times Watering Start Times allows you to select when each program begins to water Each program can have up to 6 start times Setup is the same for both timer programs A B and D and sensor programs 51 52 53 536 1 Press the or Adjust Value buttons to select Aug 24 Auto Mode 12 26 which program start times you want to setup Program Start Times Setup 2 the Nextand Prev buttons to Select Program move between each of the 6 start times Start Time 1 3 Use the Adjust Value button to select Start Time 2 Ias the desired start time Start Time 3 as Jan Start Time 4 on Start Time 5 wn lun Start Time 6 lun Auen 42 Soil Moisture Sensors Soil Moisture Sensors enable you to adjust the moisture thresholds for each sensor in the system a
4. start times for each watering Program Page 1 5 24 36 Controller Soil Moisture Sensors Knob position for setting sensor thresholds and for manually reading the sensors Soak Cycle Knob position for setting soak cycle run and soak durations for each zone Flow Management Knob position for setting zone and tap water flow rates for automatic management of simultaneous zone watering Test Tests valve solenoid currents wire leakage sensor currents and valve operation Allows sequential activation of zones for checking sprinkler heads Event Pause Knob position for programming future events during which you do not want watering to occur Advanced Options Knob position for adjusting display contrast setting up multiple zone watering reading messages etc Water Budget Rain Delay Knob position for setting seasonal adjustments and rain shutoffs for clock driven zones that do not utilize sensors Sensor zones accommodate weather conditions automatically Zones These positions access each individual zone and are used for assigning the zones to programs for setting zone run times and for manually watering zones 6 Pull tabs to access inside wiring terminals Controller Installation Mounting the Controller 1 For safe reliable operation select an installation site which will provide Protection from direct irrigation spray Protection from direct sunlight during the hottest part of the day Access to
5. zone that is not controlled by that sensor In order to save digging a trench from the sensor back to the controller Acclima has developed a wiring method that allows you to connect the sensor to your irrigation system at the nearest valve box Sensor Installation 1 Before you start ensure the lawn has been watered deeply so that the digging will be easier and the excavated turf will not be subjected to undue stress 2 With a flat shovel cut a shaped vertical slit in the turf 24 inches square and about 4 to 6 inches deep 3 Work your shovel under the turf to a depth of 4 inches and roll it back toward the hinged or uncut side 4 Lay the sensor in the soil in the bottom of the hole and press it down so that it is seated firmly in the soil in the bottom of the hole Remove any rocks and sticks that may interfere 5 Pack loose soil around and between the sensor rods covering them with tight soil to a depth of at least 1 2 inch Compact the soil around the rods to the same compaction as the undisturbed soil 6 Cut a deep vertical slit out of the side of the hole for the sensor wires Poke the wires down to the bottom of the slit Keep the wires away from the sensor rods 7 Replace the rolled over sod Pack around the edges with your fists and seal up the cracks as much as possible To connect the sensor wiring do the following 1 Install a 6 inch wiring box near the sensor where you will make a splice for running longer wirin
6. 8 Advanced OMS EE 19 Water Budget Rain Delay 21 lossary 21 Irrigation Schedule Our toll free Technical Service phone number is 866 887 1470 imited Product Warranty HAVE A QUESTION PROBLEM OR COMMENT Our toll free Technical Service phone number is 866 887 1470 27 Installation and Operation Manual SC24 36 Controller Introduction Congratulations on your purchase of the Acclima SC24 36 the finest soil moisture sensor irrigation controller on the market You have joined in conserving water earth s most important resource Suspended Cycle Irrigation Acclima SC24 36 is a Suspended Cycle irrigation controller that utilizes advanced Acclima Digital TDT soil moisture sensors that report accurate soil moisture readings to the controller regardless of soil type temperature compaction or soil chemistry Like conventional controllers the SC24 36 uses watering schedules to determine when a zone will irrigate but unlike conventional controllers the zone will not water during a given watering cycle if there is already sufficient moisture in the soil At the beginning of each programmed watering cycle the controller takes a moisture reading from the sensor governing that program If the moisture is above the watering threshold you set for that program the watering cycle will be suspended until the next programmed start time I
7. SC Series Controller User Manual Model SC24 ACC SYS 0024 Model SC36 ACC SYS 0036 a Closed Loop Irrigation Systems Table of Contents 5C24 36 Controller 1 MUOU LOM E E E jeanaessccseyaaduectansaamienanannsnesateamnedaomanecdecdsanics 1 Controller 1 ontroller Installation Morgen eee 2 Connecting the Valves svare 3 Connecting a Master Valve amp Pressure Meter 4 CGo nneciing a PUMP teeta 4 Connecting the power source and 5 Connect a Rain Sensor massere nesa 5 Sprinkler System BASICS a a 6 SST R 6 Sensor Installation 7 8 Timer PON 9 PP 9 Planning a Water Schedule 9 ontroller Programming basic 10 EEE EE EE ae uieaheteeneeeanay 10 Set Time A Dale 10 Off Add or Remove Hardware 11 Water schedule 12 Watering Start TIMES ae 13 Soil Moisture Sensors aaa aai 13 20065 nede 14 ontroller Programming advanced 15 SKE 15 Fow Manageme sasipe e E 15 TO ere E 17 EVN EAUSO E S 1
8. able Water Supply 480 GPM calculation is based on the standard be and L G inge Pa recommended flow velocity of 5 feet per second Waive Delay 0 Hrs 0 0 Sec You can override this calculation and enter your Master Valve during valve delay Off own GPM rate if you wish by selecting the Read Flow Meter 2495 Available Water Supply field and adjusting the AE her Er value re Lon at 2 Some valves have difficulty turning off if another valve immediately turns on and drops the water pressure Set the lapsed time you need between valve turn off and the next valve turn on in the Valve Delay field This field is also useful for setting long valve delays needed for recharging pond poor well 3 Normally you will want to have the Master Valve remain on during valve delay period but if you are using the Master Valve wiring to activate a pond pump and need recharge time set the Master Valve to Off during valve delay Do this in the Master Valve During Valve Delay field 4 The emergency shutoff field will only be available if there is a flow meter installed It will shutoff the system if the flow rate is exceeds the set rate The Zone Water Management screen can be accessed from the Flow Management screen using the Select Item buttons and button Press the Prev button to switch to the Zone Water Management field and press Adjust Value Aug 24 Auto Mode 02 23 AM This Zone Water Management screen displays a Zone Water M
9. am is finished the controller will service the next program Set Time amp Date Before programming the irrigation controller the date and time should be set W Auto Mode 11 38 AM 1 Turn the controller dial to Set Time Set Time and Date and Date The current or default date at Tata Th and time are displayed Current art Thu Sep 08 2005 2 Press the Prev and Next buttons to Current Time 11 38 17 move through the fields Enable 3 Press the Adjust Value buttons to BE Saving enabled change the new date and time New Date 08 2005 4 Press the SAVE soft key to save the New Time time and date you have entered OFF 10 Installation and Operation Manual Off Add or Remove Hardware The Off Add Remove Hardware mode has two functions 1 To place the controller in OFF Mode 2 To facilitate Hardware Setup When you select Off Add Remove Hardware the controller takes 4 seconds to shut down This is done so that turning the knob through this position will not unintentionally turn off the controller In Off Mode the controller is OFF and will not water The controller display shows the Hardware Setup Screen In Hardware Setup the controller automatically scans and detects hardware installed throughout the system It is necessary to scan the system and detect hardware whenever sensors are installed or removed The controller will also detect any instal
10. anagement report of each zone and its water usage The Select Zone 1 value for each zone s water usage Is Zone Water Use Unknawn unknown If you install a flow meter after you run Uses Booster Pump the system for the first time the controller will automatically measure flow rates for each zone Water source provides 480 GPM and the unknown value displayed will be replaced This zone will water alone by the actual flow rate determined by the controller If you know the flow rates for each zone you can manually enter the values into the system el Gere Once the system knows the rate the water source provides and the rate each zone uses it will automatically maximize the use of your water source based on these settings Page 16 Installation and Operation Manual For example if the water source provides 80 GPM of water and program 51 includes 4 zones each using 20 GPM the system will water all four zones simultaneously at the program start time If program S2 includes 3 zones each using 40 GPM the system will water the first 2 zones for the programmed time simultaneously and the third zone by itself thus maximizing the water source Notice the message near the bottom of the display The system will alert you if the zone will be used in multi zoned watering The default unknown value prohibits multi zone watering for that zone and the message reads This zone will water alone If a number has been entered int
11. and ground Connect a Rain Sensor WARNING AC power wiring must be installed by qualified personnel only All electrical components and procedures must comply with all applicable local and national electrical codes Make sure the power is OFF before connecting to the controller 1 Route the power wires through 2 conduit coupling and into the connection box Make the connection in the connection box with wire nuts and close the box cover 2 Route 6 to 10 grounding wire through a 12 conduit between the Ground terminal and an outside copper clad grounding rod 3 Apply power to the controller Often a rain storm will not provide enough water to bring soil moisture levels up to the needs of the grass If a program starts during a rainstorm and the soil is dry at the root zone the controller will irrigate for the full duration of the watering time If the rainfall is heavy and has soaked to the root zone by the time of the program start the controller will not allow watering Hence a rain sensor is not needed and is not desirable for the system However some municipalities insist that rain sensors be installed on automatic irrigation equipment If you live in such an area connect the rain sensor to the two rain switch terminals on the controller You will need to remove the jumper wire first After installing the rain sensor press the button beneath the LCD Labeled Rain Sensor to activate it Page 5 Getting Sta
12. be watered such as lawn or flower bed and sprinkler head type Each valve is connected to a numbered terminal within the controller identifying it as Zone 1 Zone 2 Zone 36 Zone Run Time The length of time a zone will operate during a watering cycle Run time can be set from 1 minute to 18 hours Page 24 Installation and Operation Manual My Irrigation Schedule WATERING SCHEDULE FORM PROGRAM A PROGRAMB PROGRAMC PROGRAM WATERING DAY EVERY DAY Cycle Days Cycle Days Cycle Days Days SCHEDULE EVENS Ben en an ODD DAYS Odd 4 rz PROGRAM START TIMES 2 oS Pulp OLIES LOCATION ZONE RUN TIME ZONE RUN TIME ZONE RUN TIME ZONE RUN TIME My Irrigation Schedule 5 PROGRAMS SENSOR PROGRAMS CUSTOM SETTINGS EVERYDAY opp STARTTIME sfmfrlw evee tuv Even 080 At oa re 8 3 E ar of soccer RUM TIME a NUMBER SENSOR THRESHOLD CUSTOM Cycle Days Cycle Bus irs ereenn Day Day 26 Installation and Operation Manual Limited Product Warranty Your controller is warranted for one year from date of purchase to be free of defective materials and workmanship provided it is used within the working specifications for which the product was designed and under normal use and service U
13. booster pump providing valve delays and source recharging etc Management Allowable Depletion The point of soil moisture content where plants begin to stress due to lack of water Nominally this is the point at which sensor controlled irrigation begins a watering cycle Master Valve A valve installed between the water source and irrigation valves to control water flow to the irrigation system The controller automatically turns on the Master Valve circuit at the beginning of each watering cycle Master Valve Circuit At the beginning of each irrigation cycle before the first sprinkler valve is turned on the master valve circuit is energized to open the system master valve Odd Even Schedule The Odd Even schedule enables odd or even numbered days of the month as watering days Permanent Wilt Point The soil moisture level where plant life dies Pump Control Circuit The pump control circuit is energized to start the pump whenever a zone is active that has been configured to use the pump Rain Delay This feature enables all watering operations on timer programs A B C and D to be delayed from 1 to 14 days Rain Sensor A rain sensor is a device required by some municipalities to suspend irrigation during a rain storm Such a device can be connected directly to the SC24 36 When water activates the rain sensor the 5 24 36 will suspend all watering operations including timer and sensor programs for as long as the sensor is activa
14. changes and rain Water Budget is a seasonal adjustment that changes the run times of all timer zones as a percentage For example if the controller is set in the spring during the summer months of June July and August the user might set the water budget for those months at 150 Meaning the zone run times will be 1 5 times the programmed duration If the zones were watering for 10 minutes they will all run for 15 minutes during those months Another example would be setting the controller in the summer and changing the water budget for the cooler fall months of September and October to run at 50 Meaning the zone run times will number of zones that you want to water simultaneously under the Acclima Flow Management System The acceptable range is 1 to 4 Aug 24 Auto Mode 0158 AM 1 Press the Next button to move to Water Budget TETT Select Program and press the or Adjust Value Water et buttons to set the program Select Program 2 Press the Next button to move to Water Budget Month of for the Month Of and press or Adjust Water Budget M4 100 Value buttons to set the month 3 Press the Next button to move to Water Budget Percent and press the or Adjust Value buttons Rain Delay days 0 to adjust the percentage The default value for each month is 100 Sewer 12 4 Repeat steps 1 2 amp 3 for each month and for each timer program Rain Delay allows you to stop all
15. e Zones PRG 2 Press the Next button to move to the Day Watering Activity Cycle Type field This field allows you to select the day the selected program will water Kan Senior Zona sake CH 1 52 Custom choose which days the program waters Everyday allows the program to water everyday Odd Days allows the program to water only on odd calendar days Even Days allows the program to water only on even calendar days Every Days allows you to select how many days between watering from every 3 day to every 30 days 3 Press or Adjust Value buttons to select the day cycle type 4 To adjust Custom day cycle type press Next and scroll through the days of the week The program will water on days of the week showing a water drop and will not water on days of the week showing an X Use the or Adjust Value buttons to change from a drop to an X 5 Follow the same instructions for all desired programs NOTE Though sensor programs are set to water on a day cycle they may or may not water due to soil moisture levels Manual Program Start allows you to run a full program manually To do this highlight the Select Program field using the Next and Prev buttons Then select the program you wish to run using the or Adjust Value buttons To start the program press the Manual Start soft key Note The Manual Start Program feature will run all the zones for their full duration as set up in the program Any other program that
16. es are connected to the controller scan for hardware using the Off Add Remove Hardware feature see page 16 The controller will locate the sensor automatically and properly configure the system The sensor is now wired into the system and ready for use Sensor Thresholds Soil acts much like a sponge When you immerse a sponge Sarath _ _ _ _ water and repeatedly squeeze it it becomes saturated If you remove it from the water it will drain rapidly then drip for a while Gravitational forces act against capillary forces until equilibrium is reached and the sponge stops dripping This equilibrium state is called Field Capacity FC There is still plenty of water in the sponge but gravitational forces are not strong enough to pull it out When soil is at field capacity and slightly below conditions are sits excellent for plants The addition of water above field capacity Permanent Vil wastes water causes leeching and eee depletes the soil of valuable nutrients while also contaminating the groundwater with pesticides and fertilizers It also drives oxygen out of the soil and suffocates the roots As soil dries out from field capacity point is reached where plants have difficulty drawing water out of the soil and begin to experience stress This lower limit to which you can allow your plants to experience is called Management Allowable Depletion MAD This is the point where irrigation water must be applied
17. f the moisture level is below the watering threshold then the full cycle will run as programmed During wet or cool periods you will notice less watering activity from your Acclima system During hot dry periods you will notice more watering activity The Acclima SC24 36 is an advanced controller allowing you to maximize the efficiency of your sprinkler system The controller allows for simultaneous multiple zone watering based on your settings You have the flexibility to set each zone to run on a conventional timer program or on a sensor controlled program These options allow for customization of the controller to your unique sprinkler system Controller Components 1 LCD Display 2 Controller SOFT buttons The button s function ol varies with each screen 3 Controller Adjustment buttons Press and Hold to repeat 4 Front Cover The front cover is weatherproof and includes a security lock i 5 Controller Dial normal position for automatic i ana irrigation The controller will run in any knob position except the OFF position iy Off Add Remove Hardware Shuts the system down This position is also used to install or remove sensors and flow meters Watering Schedule Knob position for setting the days or schedules on which each watering Program will run Watering Start Times Knob position for setting the
18. g to the nearest valve box This splice box will also serve to mark the approximate location of the sensor for many years ahead after you have forgotten where you put it 2 Bring the 3 sensor wires up underneath the splice box Also bring three 14 Ga polyethylene insulated wires red white and black underneath the splice box These will run to the nearest valve box 3 Cut a deep slit trench from the splice box to the valve box and tuck the 3 wires into the bottom of the trench Run the 3 wires underneath the lower lip of the valve box Stomp the slit trench closed with your feet 4 Wire the sensor to the extension wires in the splice box Use waterproof connectors such as 3M DBY connectors to seal the connections 5 In the valve box disconnect the solenoid wires from the present wiring if wiring is already installed One of the solenoid wires will have been connected to the common wire from the controller and the other will have been connected to the zone wire from the controller 6 Connect the black wire from the senor to one of the valve wires Page 7 Getting Started 7 Connect the white wire from the sensor and the other wire from the valve to the common wire 8 Connect the red wire from the senor to the zone wire that you disconnected from the valve Use DBY connectors to make these 3 connections Moisture Sanma Connector Black Wire Common V re Controller _ SerisorContigur Once the valve wir
19. ges They are LCD Contrast Adjustment Maximum Zones On for multi zone watering default 4 Read Clear Status Messages Erase Controller Memory LCD Contrast Adjustment Use the Next and Prev buttons to highlight the LCD Contrast number Then use the and buttons to adjust the contrast to your liking The default setting is 50 Maximum Zones ON Use the Next and Prev buttons to highlight this area then use the and buttons to set the maximum After Power Failure Reset Recover Mode Reset Mode causes the controller to ignore any watering during the power failure and resume the schedule when the power returns Recover mode causes the controller to resume any watering in progress during the power failure and scheduled watering during the power failure The controller catches up on missed watering Read Clear Status Messages Periodically you should check the status messages associated with your system The Auto Run knob position also displays a line indicating the number of status or error messages If you are troubleshooting the system you will want to look here to determine what the system knows about the problem you are pursuing Following is a list of potential messages Ribbon Cable Unplugged This is a fatal condition The SC24 36 cannot operate due to an unplugged cable The ribbon cable is behind the front panel It should be plugged into the upper socket in the plastic slot If the cable is ok then some other error exists and
20. head of those dry spells Each sensor configured zone must be assigned to only one sensor program Planning a Water Schedule Watering schedules consist of four data points What days to water watering days When to water start time How long to water run time Sensor threshold for sensor programs Page 9 Getting Started It is always helpful to plan your watering schedule on paper before beginning the programming steps Your will have a record of your watering schedule and zone locations which can be kept with your controller after it is installed Controller Programming basic Auto Run The Auto Run setting on the controller dial is the normal operating position The system is in auto mode and the screen displays error messages current watering activity and current zone activity 1 Press the Next and Prev buttons to Aug 24 Auto Mode 12 10 navigate through the fields AutolRun Status 2 Press or Adjust Value to 4 Status or Error Messages select fields or edit values View Current Watering Activity Active Zones PRG No Watering Activity DF View Current Watering Activity This screen displays a list of all zones programs and their status It is useful to view which programs and zones are currently active and which tasks are pending If one program is active and another program starts the controller stacks the new program tasks behind the active program Once the current progr
21. ing forgetting to restore it 1 Select events from Event 1 through Event 6 by using the Next and Prev buttons then press Adjust Value 2 Use the Next and Prev buttons to move between fields and the or Adjust Value buttons to change the Start Date the date of the event the Start Time the time of day the event begins and the Duration how long the even will last Page 18 Installation and Operation Manual 3 Once the desired event is set press the Aug 24 Auto Mode 01 43 Next button to move to the Save Changes field Setfdodify Event Pause and press Adjust Value Or you press the Start Date 24 2005 Wed soft key below the save changes icon near the Start Time AM 01 42 bottom of the display Duration 3 Hours 4 To cancel changes move the Cancel Changes field and press Adjust Value or to delete the Cancel Changes even move to the Delete This Event field and Delete This Event press Adjust Value Owe ar Mss Pause To immediately pause all watering highlight the Current Pause Duration field using the Next and Prev buttons Use the Adjust Value button to set the pause time in 5 minute increments The pause will begin immediately To return to automatic watering press the Resume Auto soft Key Advanced Options NOTE This option provides advanced control of the irrigation and is not required for the controller to operate The Advanced Options are miscellaneous systems settings and messa
22. ing the available flow rate from your water source it can then water multiple zones simultaneously without causing a pressure drop in your system If you know the flow rates of your zones and your water source you can enter this information into the controller and activate this feature even though you do not have a flow meter installed If you install an Acclima Flow and Pressure Module the controller will determine this information automatically 1 Install the Flow and Pressure Meter FPM module in accordance with the provided instructions 2 Connect the black wire pair from the FPM module to the Master Valve 3 Connect the Red and Black wire pair from the FPM module to the Data Industrial Flow Transducer red to red and black to black 4 Connect the white wire from the FPM to the common wire in the underground wiring system 5 Route the remaining red wire from the FPM back through the zone wire conduit to the MV terminal in the SC 36 controller 1 7 Fiza Praidure NOTE Connecting the master valve is optional and may not be required for your irrigation system Connecting a Pump Connect one of the pump relay wires to the common wire at any convenient access to the common Run the remaining wire back through the zone wire conduit and connect it to the Pump terminal as shown below ER Pump Relay Page 4 Installation and Operation Manual Connecting the power source
23. led Flow and Pressure Meter Every installed sensor will cause the controller to Aug 24 OFF Mode 1203 create a new Program associated with that _ Hardware sensor You will then configure that Program with Use to scan watering days and start times Any of the zones rs can then be assigned to that Sensor Program The zone that waters the sensor must be Terminal 2 assigned to that Program Terminal 3 Sensor Terminal 4 Mo Sensor Terminal 5 Sensor Terminal 6 Sensor ae Sensor For example in the screen at the right notice that the terminal for zone 2 is wired to a sensor That sensor will be called Sensor 2 and the controller will create a Program for it called S2 If you press the controller will scan the highlighted terminal for hardware If you press all terminals will be scanned for hardware Page 11 Controller Programming basic Water Schedule The Watering Schedule knob position allows you to modify the days of each watering program This includes both timer programs and D and sensor programs 51 S2 S3 S36 Aug 24 Auto Mode 12 10 1 Select a Program by pressing the or Adjust AutoRun Status Value buttons in the Select Program field Timer 4 Status or Error Messages programs are A through D and sensor programs View Current Watering Activity are S followed by the zone terminal number where they are installed Activ
24. lti zone watering This is called a watering cycle About the Sensor The Acclima Digital TDT soil moisture sensor accurately measures the volumetric water content in the soil and communicates it to the controller Soil moisture is reported as a percentage of water by volume The sensor automatically takes an average moisture reading over the length of the stainless steel rods every time a sensor program is scheduled to Page 6 Installation and Operation Manual begin and whenever a manual reading 1 required For example if the sensor were dipped half way in a bucket of water the moisture reading would read 50 Sensors are buried in a representative place in an irrigation zone at a depth of about 4 inches A representative place means a spot in an irrigation zone that represents the conditions of the whole zone and other zones that the sensor will control If the zone is only partially shaded the spot should be in the sun The spot should be in a low traffic area and away from tree roots and sprinkler heads It must not be in a low spot where water will accumulate The subsoil beneath the sensor must allow drainage Do not install sensors near the base of slopes or near sidewalks hose connections or car washing areas It is a good idea to have a sensor near the top of a south or west facing berm or slope or any other area where stress to the grass has been a problem Do not install sensors in a location that will receive water for a
25. ly run the zone For Timer Programs programs A B C and D you can set the zone to follow one or more of the four timer programs 1 Turn the controller dial to the numbered Aug 24 Auto 12 59 Zone Run Times Manual Watering settings e 1 Setup Each setting controls 1 of 3 zones Press the Enable Zone for Watering YES third soft key labeled Zone Select to select Zone Watering Mode Timer one of the three zones Run Time PRG A 2 Press the Next or Prev buttons to move Run Time PRG Wot Used between the program fields Run Time PRG Wot Used 3 Press the or Adjust Value buttons to Run Time PRG D Used change the run time of each program in Manual Run Time minutes minutes Status OFF Somer PY fart i FED f Lz For Sensor Programs S1 S2 S3 S36 you can set the zone to follow one sensor program Aug 24 Auto Mode 01 08 1 Press the Next or Prev buttons to move to the 1 Setup Zone Watering Mode Enable Zone for Watering YES 2 Press the or Adjust Value buttons to Zone Watering Mode change the zone watering mode to sensor This will only be possible if there is a sensor installed Controlling Sensor 1 Program 81 the system Run Time Not Used 3 Press the Next button to move to the Controlling Sensor field Manual Run Time 5 minutes 4 Press the or Adjust Value buttons to Status 001111 change the Co
26. nd take a sensor reading Sensors read and display e Soil Moisture reported as percent moisture by volume e Soil Temperature in degrees Fahrenheit e Soil Conductivity reported in deci Siemems per meter dS m The default soil moisture threshold is 25 You should adjust your thresholds based on your unique soil conditions in accordance with instructions at page 13 14 Aug 24 Auto 12 09 1 Press or Adjust Value to select the Moisture Sensor Setup sensor Select Sensor 2 Press Next to move to threshold field and Threshold 250 use the or Adjust Value buttons to change the threshold 3 To read the sensor press Next to move to the Read Sensor Read Sensor field and press the Adjust Value Soil Moisture 452 button to take a sensor reading Soil Temperature 8001 Soil Conductivity 200 d m Some Fer Sel ess OFF 1 12 After a few seconds sensor reports the current soil moisture temperature and electrical conductivity at the sensor Page 13 Controller Programming basic Zones Once the timer programs programs A B C and D and the sensor programs programs 51 52 53 536 are set up you need to assign the zones to the programs Each zone can be set to follow one or more of the timer programs or one sensor program Zone setup allows you to adjust Enable Zone for Watering yes or no Zone watering mode timer or sensor Run Time in minutes Manual
27. nless installed by an authorized Acclima trained technician Acclima assumes no responsibility for installation Acclima also assumes no responsibility for removal or unauthorized repair Acclima s liability under this warranty is limited solely to replacement or repair of defective parts and Acclima will not be liable for any crop or other consequential damages resulting from any defects in design or breach of warranty THIS WARRANTY IS EXPRESSLY IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER WARRANTIES EXPRESS OR IMPLIED INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSES and of all other obligations or liabilities of manufacturer No agent employee or representative of the manufacturer has authority to waive alter or add to the provisions of warranty nor to make representations or warranty not contained herein Should you have any claim under this warranty please contact Acclima s warranty desk by calling toll free 866 887 1470 for prompt assistance Acclima Inc 2260 East Commercial Street Meridian Idaho 83642 Page 27 PRESS Closed Loop Irrigation Systems Acclima Inc 1763 W Marcon Ln Ste 175 Meridian Idaho 83642 Toll Free 866 887 1470 Phone 208 887 1470 Fax 208 887 6368 L Closed Loop Irrigation
28. ntrolling Sensor field to select which sensor program you want the zone to follow 5 Press the Next button to move to the Run Time field 6 Press the or Adjust Value buttons to change the Run Time field to select the zone s run time in minutes Manual Run Time allows you to set the time that the selected zone will run manually To set the run time and manually start a zone do the following 1 Press the Next or Prev buttons to move to the Manual Run Time field 2 Press the or Adjust Value buttons to adjust the Manual Run Time minutes 3 Press the Manual Start soft key to start watering Page 14 Installation and Operation Manual NOTE The manual zone will begin watering immediately and will cause any other watering activity to be postponed until the manual zone is finished The manual watering for the zone can be terminated by pressing the Manual Stop soft key If you rotate the knob to another zone and start it manually the added zone will run in its turn Multiple manual zone starts can thus be stacked but a given zone can appear in the list only once Manual zone starts take priority over manual program starts and manual program starts take priority over scheduled program starts Any postponed activity will return to automatic run mode after all manually started zones have finished The run time for manually started zones is the manual run time programmed in the zone setup Manual zone watering for multiple zones u
29. o the Zone Water Use field then the message will read Multi Zone Watering Possible Press the Back soft key to return to the Flow Management screen Test NOTE This option provides advanced control of the irrigation and is not required for the controller to operate The Test function provides access to two additional screens that help you diagnose wiring and hydraulic problems with your irrigation system The main screen tells you the condition of the back up battery and the box temperature If the displayed Battery Voltage drops to 2 2 volts or below replace the battery with two Alkaline AA cells Do this with the power on so that you will not have to reset the clock The battery compartment is on the back edge of the pull out panel Remove the battery cover and replace the batteries noting the proper polarity The Box Temperature should not be allowed to exceed 150 degrees Fahrenheit High temperatures will cause the display to stop working properly and in the extreme could melt the box The internal transformer heats the box 10 to 20 degrees above its surrounding temperature Do not mount the box in direct afternoon sunlight If it is to be mounted in another enclosure make sure that the enclosure is ventilated Use a metal conduit and power junction box for connecting the 110 VAC power The metal will help pull the heat out of the transformer Test Valve Current To perform an electrical test on the system wiring and solenoid valves u
30. ram starts the valves operate one at a time in numeric order with each zone watering completely before another zone begins was dumped Check your program scheduling for congestion Insure that the daily watering load does not exceed the available time Power Restore Failed at TIME A power failure occurred at the time indicated and was restored If the power was off for an extended period there may be zones that did not receive water depending on reset recover mode To access read and clear the Status Messages do the following 1 From the Advanced Options screen press the Next and Prev buttons to highlight the Read Clear Status Messages field Then press the button The message list will appear 2 Use the Next and Prev buttons to scroll through the messages 3 If you wish to clear the messages press 4 Use the Back button to return to the Advanced Options screen WARNING Erase Controller Memory Don t do this unless you intend to clear out all configurations settings logs activities and messages This is intended only for re using the controller different site for training or for re doing an installation Page 20 Installation and Operation Manual Water Budget Rain Delay NOTE This option provides advanced control of the irrigation and is not required for the controller to operate Water Budget Seasonal adjustment and rain delay allow you to adjust the timer zones programs and D for seasonal
31. required for the controller to operate The Acclima SC24 36 is equipped with an advanced Flow Management System The controller incorporates simultaneous multiple zone watering to automatically optimize the total water flow from your water source This feature minimizes your overall irrigation time makes it possible to get through your watering schedule on larger more complex properties and provides uniform loading on pumps Page 15 Controller Programming advanced Flow Management aligns the total zone water consumption to be as high as possible without exceeding the capacity of the water source Up to four zones will run simultaneously to achieve this flow rate That zone limit can be modified under the Advanced Options knob position Setting up Flow Management requires providing the controller with zone flow rates and the water source flow capacity If you have installed a flow meter the controller will the flow rates of the zones automatically If you do not have a flow meter on the system you must enter those rates using the Zone Water Management screen The source flow capacity is entered in the main Flow Management screen as follows 1 Enter the Master Valve Pipe Diameter main Aug 24 Auto Mode 0125 line pipe diameter using the Next button and the or Adjust Value buttons The controller automatically calculates the Available Water Master Valve Pipe Diameter 20 Supply in gallons per minute GPM This Avail
32. rted Getting Started Sprinkler System Basics There are four main components to an Acclima SC24 36 automatic system controller zone valves sprinklers and soil moisture sensors The following is an example of a typical installation Valve 1 Zone One Front Side Lawn Sensor Program S1 Valve 2 Zone Two Front Lawn Sensor Program 1 Valve 3 Zone Three Side Shrubs Timer Program A Valve 4 Zone Four Garden imer Program B Valve 5 Zone Five Back Lawn Sensor Program S5 The controller signals the zone valves when to start and stop the flow of water to the sprinklers The sensors communicate the soil moisture level to the controller and the sprinklers apply the water Each zone valve controls a group of sprinklers called a zone The zones should be planned and installed according to microclimates or the types of plants or turf being watered the sun shade conditions the amount of water delivered by the sprinklers and the available water flow and pressure The watering schedule determines when and how long each zone will be watered The SC24 36 uses two types of watering schedules timer programs and sensor programs The SC24 36 provides four independent timer watering programs called A and D and up to 24 36 sensor programs called 51 52 53 524 36 Each zone is assigned to one sensor Program or to one or more timer programs except in cases of soak cycles and mu
33. se the Next and Prev buttons to access the Test Valve Current field Then press Immediately the controller will begin measuring solenoid current sensor current and leakage current on each of the 36 zone terminal circuits and on the master valve and pump terminals You can scroll through the results using the Next and Prev buttons If you want to verify a reading you can press the button and the highlighted terminal will be tested again Valve current varies by manufacturer but is generally in the 180 to 250 mA range If it is below 100 mA or above 350 mA you probably have a failing valve The controller is designed to operate loads up to 600 mA If the current exceeds 600 mA replace the solenoid immediately Sensor current is typically 40 mA If a sensor is not working and its current is above 50 mA or below 25 mA then it needs replacement provided the wiring leading to it is insulated securely fastened and unbroken Leakage current is the current that flows through the ground between a zone wire and Page 17 Controller Programming advanced the common wire due to missing insulation on the wires This can cause communications errors between the controller and sensors and will eventually cause the wires to corrode away and system failure This current should read 0 Press the Back button to return to the main Test screen Walk Around Test To test the watering operation of all of the zones in your system use the Next and
34. ses the same flow control settings as does the normal scheduled program watering Controller Programming advanced Soak Cycle NOTE This option provides advanced control of the irrigation and is not required for the controller to operate Soak Cycle is used for hillsides or slopes to avoid surface runoff by watering for short period of time stopping and allowing the water to soak in then continuing another short period of time until the total zone run time is satisfied soak cycle consists of two parts maximum on time and minimum off time Aug 24 Auto Mode 01 16 AM 1 Use the or Adjust Value buttons to select Cvele Setup Cycle Setup which zone you want to run in soak cycle Select Zone 1 2 Press Next to move to the maximum time on field and press the or Adjust Value buttons to Maximum Time On 6 minutes set the maximum on time Minimum Time Off 3 Repeat for the minimum time off field Fi DFF l Acclima 5 24 36 has advanced multiple zone watering functions If a zone is in a soak cycle and another zone is scheduled to follow the controller will initiate irrigation in the following zone during the soak cycle Off period The Off time period will automatically increase to allow the following zone to complete its irrigation cycle before control returns to the soak cycle zone Flow Management NOTE This option provides advanced control of the irrigation and is not
35. stability Stability is essential for irrigation control Start Time A start time is the time of day selected to begin the watering cycle Each program A B and D and each sensor program 51 52 53 536 can have up to 6 separate start times Suspended Cycle Irrigation The SC24 36 operates as a Suspended Cycle controller when using sensor programs The controller uses programs to control the time and date of watering but then suspends irrigation if the soil moisture level is above the user set threshold when the program start time arrives Irrigation is allowed at the next start time when the moisture level drops below the threshold Terminal Block Connection points for valve wires common wires master valve pumps and other accessories located behind the front panel of the controller Valve Common Wire The common wire is the circuit that is common to all the valves in the system Each valve has one wire attached directly to the common The SC24 36 uses this wire for communication from the controller to the sensors and flow meters throughout the system The other wire connected to the valve that is not common to the other valves is often called the Zone Wire Water Budget Water budget is a seasonal adjustment that enables the runtime of all zones only to be adjusted in 5 increments from 10 to 200 For selected months the timer program duration is multiplied by the water budget percentage and activated for that adjusted d
36. ted The 5 24 36 accommodates normally closed common interrupting type rain sensors Saturation Saturation is the soil moisture level where the water begins to puddle on the surface due to the inability of the soil to assimilate any more water The saturation water causes runoff and or leeching to the subsoil until the moisture level reaches field capacity Saturation irrigation wastes water leeches out nutrients contaminates groundwater and Page 22 Installation and Operation Manual suffocates roots Scheduling Planning how long to water zone run times when to water program start time and which days to water watering days Soak Cycle A Soak Cycle is used for hillsides or slopes to avoid surface runoff by watering for a short period of time stopping and allowing the water to soak in then continuing another short period of time until the full required amount of water has been applied Soil Moisture Sensors Soil moisture sensing has been attempted for 40 years with limited success Prior to the development of the Acclima Digital TDT sensor soil moisture sensors were subject to unstable readings due to temperature chemistry and compaction sensitivities The Acclima Digital TDT soil moisture sensor provides readings of absolute moisture content that are stable to within 1 percentage point over all temperature and soil chemistry ranges in which grass will grow It is the only sensor on the market that meets that level of
37. the controller will need factory attention Page 19 Controller Programming advanced Power Overload There is a short circuit in one of the zone valves in the zone valve wiring or on the valve board in the SC24 36 Check for a shorted solenoid valve for the zone or zones listed and then check the valve and board wiring Shorted Valve A valve connected to a sensor or flow meter is shorted Check the solenoid indicated Pipe Break The flow rate is excessively high This could point to a broken zone pipe or missing sprinkler head It could also point to a stuck valve Check the indicated zones for plumbing problems Main Break The flow meter continued to read high when all valves are off The main line is broken or a valve is stuck Check the mains and look for zones that are running without being turned on Communications Error The remote device sensor or flow meter is not communicating properly with the controller Infrequent errors are ok but if they are regular and persistent check the device wiring Especially check for un insulated wiring and loose wire nut connections If that is ok suspect the device Dead Battery This means that the battery was dead during a power fail and the SC24 36 clock lost track of the time You will have to replace the batteries and reset the clock Scheduling Overflow The controller was not able to keep up with an aggressive watering schedule The list of pending zones to be watered when a prog
38. timer programs during rain For example if rain is in the forecast for the next three days you can easily set the SC24 36 to stop watering timer programs programs A B C and D for those three days Press the Next button to move to Rain Delay and press the or Adjust Value buttons to set the number of days to delay watering NOTE Water Budget and Rain Delay only apply to timed programs A B C and D Sensor programs take care of themselves by sensing the soil moisture levels There is no need to make seasonal or rain delay adjustments to sensor programs Automatic circuit protection A built in circuit protection circuit designed to prevent damaged to the controller caused by a faulty valve solenoid or pump start relay The instant an overload current condition is detected the affected zone 15 turned OFF and the next zone in the watering sequence is turned ON Calendar Schedule A Calendar Schedule enables you to select specific days of the week to water for example Monday Wednesday and Friday This is a 14 day schedule which starts on Page 21 Glossary Sunday and ends on Saturday Field Capacity The maximum water holding capacity of soil Any additional water added to soil above Field Capacity will percolate through to the subsoil The Acclima SC24 36 manages the process of delivering water from the source to the zone valves This includes managing total water flow in multiple zone watering supporting zones that require a
39. to receive water After the week period configure the zones to run on the sensor programs Timer Programs The SC24 36 allows four timer programs called A B C and D Timer programs are used when you do not want a zone to track a moisture sensor This will be helpful for xeriscape gardens or flower beds where you may not have a sensor installed Timer programs begin as scheduled water for a set duration and then turn off You can customize timer programs to water daily odd days or even days or every 3 to 30 days You may also customize timer programs to water on selected days of the week Each timer configured zone can run one or more timer programs Sensor Programs The SC24 36 accepts up to 36 sensors Each installed sensor creates a new program S1 S2 S3 S36 Any zone can be configured to follow any sensor program Sensor programs are controlled by a specific soil moisture sensor buried somewhere among the zones assigned to that program A moisture threshold is set for the senor and a schedule for the program is set up This includes setting the days to water the program start times and the zone run times Sensor programs should be set to water frequently every day if possible On those days when water is not needed no water will be applied But if water is needed the next cycle is only hours away If you must restrict watering to widely spaced intervals set the thresholds a little higher to allow stress preemptive watering a
40. to keep the plants from experiencing stress If water is not applied the soil will dry to the Permanent Wilt Point PWP This is the point at which the plant dies The proper moisture zone for healthy plants is between Field Capacity and Management Allowable Depletion Management Allowable Depletion is typically 75 of Field Capacity in absolute volumetric water content terms The Acclima sensor measures absolute volumetric water content Field Capacity can easily be determined by flooding the sensor Page 8 Installation and Operation Manual area then waiting for the sensor readings to stabilize The stabilized reading is Field Capacity For heavier low percolation soils it may be best to flood the sensor in the evening then take a moisture reading the next morning before transpiration starts before the sun gets too high In the morning the soil will be at Field Capacity After you have determined the FC for each sensor multiply that number by 8 to get the watering threshold Using 8 instead of the 75 MAD level will provide margin for the sustenance of the grass until the next watering cycle Round up to the nearest whole percent then set that number as the threshold for the sensor Field Capacity 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 Watering Threshold 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 NOTE Run the system on timer programs programs and 0 week after flooding the sensors Otherwise the flooded sensors will not allow the dryer lawn
41. uration Water on Demand Irrigation Page 23 Glossary Acclima manufactures both Suspended Cycle and Water on Demand controllers see Suspended Cycle Controller A Water on Demand Controller applies water immediately when the soil moisture level falls below the watering threshold provided it is not restricted from watering at that time It does not use Programs Allowable watering windows are set up in which the controller can apply water when it is needed Watering Threshold A watering threshold is the soil moisture level at which watering is permitted allowed It is normally the Management Allowable Depletion level or a little above that level Watering Program A watering program or schedule is the information store in the controller memory that determines when an automatic water cycle will occur and how long each zone will water The controller requires three basic instructions to operate automatically A watering program consists of four data points e What days to water watering days e What time to water start time e How long to water run time e Sensor threshold for sensor programs NOTE Sensor programs may or may not water They are dependant on soil moisture levels Watering Day The days of the week selected to water Zone Each solenoid valve controls a specific group of sprinkler heads called a watering zone The zones are generally laid out and installed according to the type of plant material to
42. used to guide drill bit for the hole saw Each zone has a valve that controls the flow of water to the zone Control wires from these valves must be connected to the controller 1 Route the valve wires from the valves into the controller as depicted in the schematic below 2 Attach the common wire to one of the 4 common terminals Tighten down the screw 3 Strip the insulation from the zone wires back 1 2 Push the zone wires into the push in terminal strips If you need to remove the wire press the black lever on the terminal strip with a screwdriver then pull out the wire 4 If you are using a pump with your sprinkler system connect the pump relay wire to the terminal labeled If you are using a Master Valve with your system connect the wire from the master valve to the terminal labeled MV Note that the pump can be configured to turn on with selected zones The Master Valve turns on with all zones NOTE If you are installing an Acclima Flow and Pressure Meter the Master Valve will be connected to the black wires on the Flow and Pressure Meter module rather than to the controller Page 3 Controller Installation WARNING Insure that all wire connections in your valve boxes are protected with waterproof connectors such as the 3M DBY connectors Connecting a Master Valve Flow amp Pressure Meter The Acclima SC 36 enables sophisticated flow control for simultaneous multiple zone watering Know

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