Just How Does That Work?
So, just how does an irrigation controller work? Is it Magic?
No, it is just the use of electricity! A standard irrigation controller connects to 110 volt outlet or circuit breaker depending on if you have an indoor or outdoor model. There is a transformer in the clock that takes the 110 volts and turns it into 24 volts.
The 24 volts is used to keep the time and program of the irrigation system. The voltage is also used to open the electric valves to allow the flow of water to a certain zone.
An irrigation controller circuit board has a separate station for each zone and one "common" wire, which acts as the negative. When a certain zone is activated, what is happening is that the controller is sending out 24 volts to that electric valve.
The electricity has then magnetized a plunger inside the valve, which then lifts up and allows the flow of water to that section. After the amount of time has passed that the zone was programmed for, the electricity then stops for that zone and moves on to the next.
When the electricity stops, the magnet causes the plunger to drop which causes the flow of the water to stop as well.
Electric valves have been used for about the past 25 years. Not exactly rocket science, but a very important innovation for the advancement of automatic lawn sprinkler systems.
Scott Young
http://www.autolawnsprinklers.com
No, it is just the use of electricity! A standard irrigation controller connects to 110 volt outlet or circuit breaker depending on if you have an indoor or outdoor model. There is a transformer in the clock that takes the 110 volts and turns it into 24 volts.
The 24 volts is used to keep the time and program of the irrigation system. The voltage is also used to open the electric valves to allow the flow of water to a certain zone.
An irrigation controller circuit board has a separate station for each zone and one "common" wire, which acts as the negative. When a certain zone is activated, what is happening is that the controller is sending out 24 volts to that electric valve.
The electricity has then magnetized a plunger inside the valve, which then lifts up and allows the flow of water to that section. After the amount of time has passed that the zone was programmed for, the electricity then stops for that zone and moves on to the next.
When the electricity stops, the magnet causes the plunger to drop which causes the flow of the water to stop as well.
Electric valves have been used for about the past 25 years. Not exactly rocket science, but a very important innovation for the advancement of automatic lawn sprinkler systems.
Scott Young
http://www.autolawnsprinklers.com
posted by Irrigationman at
9:49 AM
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