How To Wire Water Pump Pressure Control Switch

Almost any major maintenance problem in an irrigation organization volition cause a unusual pressure level or menstruum level in your irrigation arrangement. Therefore pressure and/or flow monitoring is a good way to detect problems. Most of the fourth dimension the response to a abnormal pressure level or menstruum level would be to shut downwardly the system, or possibly to shut down the electric current valve zone and try another 1. Irrigation systems are typically shut down using what is called a main valve. A master valve is a unmarried valve located at the water source that can close off all the flow of water into the irrigation system. For more details see my article on master valves. On systems with a pump you lot volition probably want to shut off the pump. Sometimes, equally with booster pumps, you volition need to both close down the pump and shut a principal valve.

So what problems might an abnormal pressure or flow bespeak? A very low pressure may point that perhaps the pump is broken (if you have a pump), an intake screen is clogged, a filter is dirty, a valve failed to open, or a pipe has broken. Abnormally high force per unit area could be the outcome of a valve not opening when it should, a dingy filter (if the pressure is measured upstream of the filter rather than downstream) or some obstruction in the pipes. Depression flow could indicate a valve failed to open, a filter is dirty, or that a pump isn't working as it should. High flow could indicate a broken pipe, a cleaved sprinkler, or a valve that is stuck open. In most cases monitoring either flow or pressure level is sufficient as opposed to monitoring both.

How to Monitor Your Irrigation System

In that location are a number of unlike ways to find and respond to abnormal pressure or flows. Following are a few or these. If you would similar to suggest other methods, delight contact me. I realize this is not an exhaustive listing.

The image below shows the Hunter Pro-C Modular four Station Indoor Controller which makes automating your irrigation easy and user-friendly.

An image of the Hunter Pro-C Modular 4 Station Indoor Controller

If y'all need to irrigate a larger property, or require more specialty zones, bank check out the Hunter PCC 12 Station Indoor Controller.

Use a Smart Irrigation Controller that has a Sensor Input and Response Feature:
This is probably the easiest manner to add pressure level detection and response. It is also what I consider to exist the preferred method, as information technology is reliable and gives y'all the most control. Some high-cease irrigation controllers can utilize an electronic sensor hooked upward to the mainline pipe to monitor the water in the irrigation arrangement. Some of these controllers use menstruum sensors, some use pressure sensors, some can utilise both types. These controllers with advanced features are typically sold as Smart Controllers and are expensive compared to ones typically found on a residential irrigation organisation. Prices for these controllers typically first effectually $300.00 and go upward into the thousands for ones that handle dozens of stations. Some controllers tin increase the number of zones with an irrigation controller expansion module. But and so you get a lot more with them likewise. They are sold through professional irrigation supply stores, both online and locally.

WARNING: Be certain the controller will practice exactly what you want Earlier y'all purchase it! Non all controllers marketed equally "Smart Controllers" take these sensor input features, many simply work with specific types or even models of sensors, and some controllers may not provide the response options yous want or need. You lot need to research the controller carefully. Don't rely on a simple cheque list of features! "Sensor input" can mean almost anything, you need details! I have seen controller feature lists where the unit sounded fantastic and ultra flexible, only to discover after closer examination that the actual response features don't do what I need or want. Read the actual owner'south manual (nigh controller manufacturer's have them available on their websites) to see what the truthful capability of the controller is. Read the sections of the transmission on how to hook upwardly the sensor, then there will also be a separate department on how to plan the sensor you should look through. Some controllers allow for time delayed responses, some don't. If you take a pump you will almost always need a time delay characteristic to featherbed the sensor when the pump is starting upward. Even those controllers that do allow y'all to add together filibuster times may not allow as much or little time equally you need. It is critical that you practise as much research every bit possible before you lot go to the expense and attempt of purchasing, installing and programming the controller.

For instance, I have a Rainmaster Hawkeye Smart Controller on my own irrigation system, as well as using it on the majority of the commercial systems I pattern. This item Smart Controller has flow sensing capabilities, but it does not take congenital-in pressure sensing capability. It does have a delayed response allowing delays of ane-6 minutes, but but in i minute intervals. It volition likewise allow the use of one additional simple on/off type sensor (near controllers accept a excursion for this type of very simple sensors. A uncomplicated rain switch is an case of this type of sensor.) It has an aural "chirp" alert that alerts you that a sensor response has been activated. While this item controller meets my needs, it certainly will not come across everyone's. Almost every major irrigation company makes a Smart Controller, and each has different features and capabilities. Exist sure you are using upwards-to-date resources when checking out models. Smart Controller models are introduced each year, and often the capabilities of existing models change from twelvemonth to twelvemonth, so it is hard to keep up with them.

When using a controller with a force per unit area and/or flow sensor you start by installing the actual sensor on the mainline pipe. The method varies with the brand and model of sensor, about are pretty hands installed. The sensor is wired to a special concluding on the irrigation controller. Typically the wire used must be a special shielded communications cable, rather than standard irrigation valve wire. Consider installing communications cable in PVC conduit to protect it, as it is very sensitive to even the smallest nicks from shovels, animals digging it upwardly, or rodents chewing on it. Nearly pressure level sensors work by sending a reading of the current force per unit area to the controller every few seconds. A typical flow sensor has a small paddle that turns every bit the h2o flows through the pipage. Flow sensors normally send a signal based on the amount of flow, for example they might transport a signal each time 5 gallons of water has flowed past the sensor. The controller and then interprets that data from the sensor and responds. In most cases you will pre-decide what the response will be when you prepare the controller. For case; if you have a system with a pump, y'all could programme the controller to close downward the irrigation system if the pressure was below x PSI for more then 2 minutes during the set irrigation period. The ii infinitesimal qualifier (delay) for close downwards would allow the pump time to pressurize the organization during start up and also avert "false alarms" caused by brief dips in force per unit area.

Using a Unproblematic Pressure Switch with a Pump Operated System:
This method is for those with pumps. What I am describing hither is for emergency shut off only. I'thou assuming you already have something set to plough on or off the pump during normal irrigation operation. That might exist a standard pressure level tank with a pressure switch to control information technology. Or you may be using the pump beginning feature on the irrigation controller to actually start and finish the pump using a 120v relay. The new pressure switch nosotros are talking installing in this case is used only to notice pressures that indicate a problem and plough off the pump. So if all is hooked up properly, in the event of blockage or no water going into the irrigation organisation the pressure will drop and the new pressure switch will close the pump off.

This method requires that your irrigation organisation is leak free and tin can hold force per unit area for days betwixt irrigations. If the arrangement is not leak free see #4 below.

1. Make sure you lot accept a actually good quality spring-loaded check valve on the irrigation mainline pipage. The check valve goes someplace after the pump, but earlier the pressure switch. A good quality bank check valve is needed to go on the water from leaking backwards out of the arrangement through the pump. Typically the self-priming characteristic of the pump is not good enough by itself to do this, yous demand a split check valve.

two. You will need to employ a pressure switch that works backwards from normal ones used for household water systems, since you want the switch to shut off the pump at low pressure (standard switches used on household water systems turn on the pump at depression pressure level.) Some switches tin can be wired to work either way, others can't. Keep in mind that the low end on many mutual pressure switches in around 25-30 PSI. That might exist a bit higher than you lot want for a low end shut off, especially if your arrangement will be operating at less than 45 PSI. Y'all don't desire accidental "false" shut offs since the only way to go the system back on will be to manually start the pump and concord it on until the pressure is back in a higher place the shut-off level.

three. At that place a problem to be dealt with. The problem is that valves close slowly, taking as much as a minute or ii to close after the controller tells them to. At the end of the terminal irrigation cycle a typical controller closes the last valve and immediately shuts off the pump. But it takes the valve several seconds upwardly to a minute or two to really close. During this closing catamenia the system volition depressurize. With no pressure in the system the pump will not restart for the next irrigation cycle, considering the low pressure shut-off switch is detecting low pressure and shutting off the power to the pump. There are two means to deal with this.

A. You can fool the controller into keeping the pump running after the last valve excursion has finished watering. Your controller needs to take the capacity for one extra valve on it to practise this, so if you lot accept x valves y'all will need a controller with 11 stations. The last station on your controller needs to non have a valve attached to information technology. Program 1 minute of time on that last station. Now the controller thinks it is operating 1 concluding valve, so it keeps the pump running. That will keep the organization pressurized while the terminal valve closes. If ane minute is non enough fourth dimension for the final valve to close so add some other minute of run time to that last empty station.

B. Some controllers have a built in delay feature that keeps the pump running after the last valve closes. This characteristic keeps the pump showtime excursion energized, which keeps the pump running for a minute or two after the last valve is signaled to close. This gives the valve fourth dimension to close before the pump is shut off. Some less expensive controllers have this characteristic. But typically merely high-end controllers have this feature, so this method isn't very practical. If you lot are going to buy an expensive controller yous might too forget about using a pressure level switch and apply a Smart Controller and a sensor to shut the system downwards, every bit described in the start section of this article.

4. Often a small leak will cause the system to depressurize between irrigation runs. This tin exist a major problem. The pump will not outset if the force per unit area is depression, the low pressure switch is going to shut off the power to it.

If the leak is very small you can install a pressure tank, just like on a typical house water system. Assuming a small leak, the tank keeps the organisation pressurized. But that merely works with a very small leak and it can take a huge pressure tank to supply enough h2o to keep the organization pressurized. If your system has a larger leak you lot will need to find and repair the leak. If you can't get the organization leak costless, yous will need to take a different approach, as described below.

You can use a timer to over-ride the low pressure switch, and let the system to start even with no pressure level. Y'all will need a "Fourth dimension Delay Relay". The time filibuster relay needs to be the type that allows the power to flow when energized, then shuts it off later a minute or ii of delay. It needs to have an automatic reset. Y'all then install the relay on a bypass wire around the low pressure level switch. That style the pump can start even when the pressure switch is "off" due to low pressure. You volition need to work with someone knowledgeable when ordering the time delay relay to exist certain you go the correct relay, equally they make many different kinds.

Using a Pump Controller with a Sensor:
This is essentially the same method as the Smart Controller method I described earlier. Only the "smarts" are in the pump controller rather than in the irrigation controller. Some of the newer digital pump controllers (don't get confused hither, we're talking about a separate pump controller, not the sprinkler controller) are programmable, they are merely a pocket-sized computer that operates a relay that starts and stops the pump. You hook them up to a pressure level sensor, likewise to the irrigation controller, and to whatsoever other sensor you want (wind, rain, temperature, low-cal, menses, you lot name it.) Then you lot can program them to do but most annihilation using that information input. They can turn off the pump if a low pressure level occurs for more than x number of seconds, turn off the pump if a high pressure occurs for x number of seconds, turn on the pump at a given fourth dimension of twenty-four hours, etc. Pretty much any input yous want can cause the pump to turn on or off. The adequacy depends on the brand and model of the pump controller. The downside is information technology takes electronics know-how to set the thing up and someone tech savvy to plan it. Typically you claw upwards a laptop to the pump controller to program in the logic, then once it is programmed it runs by itself. The laptop just gives yous an interface that is easier to work with. I really tin't give you much more details across that, this blazon of pump command is beyond my expertise, I just have seen pump system experts apply them to practise amazing things.