[Curt]

Howdy & TIA for your help -

I have an irrigation system that has a slow leak and will depressure my tank in 10-20 minutes, causing the pump to come back on to repressure the tank. Clearly, fixing the leak would be ideal, but for now, I would like to "manage" this by having the sprinkler controller turn on the pump, give the tank a minute to charge, run the stations, and then have the sprinkler controller turn off the pump. I would also be wiling to consider "main valve" control solutions.... The problem I'm expecting is that the sprinkler controller sends "on" and "off" signals for each station, so whether the solution is electrical or a new valve, how do I set it up so that the first "off" signal is ignored and the system keeps running? (I'm thinking of a solution where the signal to turn on is coming from a "turn this zone on" signal.)

Thanks-
Curt

*****
Followup... Thanks for replies all. Timers are a possible solution, but zpm's recommendation is more what I was looking for... in fact, it's pretty much exactly what I was looking for! Thanks again all.

 

[zpm]

You need a sprinkler timer with a pump start output. Something like:

http://www.orbitirrigation.com/products/Timers/02/01/10/24/

If your leak is downstream of the tank, you can simply connect the pump output to a valve installed after the tank but before your leaky section.

If your leak is at the tank, then you'd need to get the pump running to charge the tank. You'll need a pump control relay, something like:

http://www.orbitirrigation.com/search/?searchbox=57009

Most timers don't have the ability for a long pump delay. For the timer above, it starts the pump, waits 2 secs, the starts the zone. That may be adequate. If not, you could set zone 1 to run for a couple of minutes, but don't connect it to a valve. The pump will run during zone 1 charging the tank, and your first valve will be connected to zone 2.

 

[J. V.]

Just put the pump on a water heater timer and be done with it. Do not touch any of the control wiring. Just install the timer on the system output for the pump. This will allow the pump to operate only when you want it to operate.

 

[Yoyizit]

Or commercially available timers may be easily modifiable for your particular application.

but for now, I would like to "manage" this by having the sprinkler controller turn on the pump, give the tank a minute to charge, run the stations, and then have the sprinkler controller turn off the pump.

>>Do you need all the time intervals to be separately adjustable? Please elaborate on the combinations of events that are important to you and what action(s) should be taken.

the first "off" signal is ignored and the system keeps running?

>>So it triggers on the second off signal? Are the "on" signals and "off" signals on separate lines or they happen serially on the same line?

 

[Curt]

This is the answer I was looking for.

This was the information I needed... Thanks zpm.

Curt

**************
You need a sprinkler timer with a pump start output. Something like:

http://www.orbitirrigation.com/produ...s/02/01/10/24/

If your leak is downstream of the tank, you can simply connect the pump output to a valve installed after the tank but before your leaky section.

If your leak is at the tank, then you'd need to get the pump running to charge the tank. You'll need a pump control relay, something like:

http://www.orbitirrigation.com/search/?searchbox=57009

Most timers don't have the ability for a long pump delay. For the timer above, it starts the pump, waits 2 secs, the starts the zone. That may be adequate. If not, you could set zone 1 to run for a couple of minutes, but don't connect it to a valve. The pump will run during zone 1 charging the tank, and your first valve will be connected to zone 2.