Irrigation wiring question

[RedDirt]

I have four like irrigation controllers, an Orbit model with a wireless remote for each. These four, six station controllers will all be mounted on a board, together, in the garage.

When I am wiring the bank of controllers can I hook up all the valve common wires with a jumper to each controller? Or does do the valve commons need to be run only to the station dedicated to operate that valve?

The former is my desire as it gives me the most flexibility of hard wiring individual stations as the system is built and valves are added to the system. This will be an add-on as needed project, maybe a couple of years before fully operational. Also, as stations locations come on line, the valves of that station may need to be operated from two different controllers simple as a function of running out of stations on one controller to handle the three/four valves located there. If I can't bulk all the commons together at the controllers I'd need two commons to the stations to run valves from separate controllers.

BTW - I'm building this way because the controllers were very cheep, $10, $15 as I recall; a promotional sale at Home Depot. A 24 valve controller in comparison normally runs several hundred dollars.

 

[jeffinsgf]

There's no reason that the common coming from a manifold can't be jumpered into two controllers (or more). Seems like it might get a little confusing, though. Personally, I would run 7 conductor cable to each manifold location and let one controller run that manifold.

 

[Willl]

Don't think so, you can't share commons with all three transformers.

Now if you could get one larger transformer to run all three controllers, that would work.

 

[Willl]

Then again, drawing it out on paper doesn't look so bad, and we all share the same common/ground/earth with no problem.

 

[RedDirt]

Willl,
It's the valve commons, not the transformer commons, that I want to join and connect to multiple controllers. But thanks for the input.

Jeffsgf,
Your reply is encouraging, thanks.

All the underground wires are already installed, When I built the house several years ago I rented a trencher for a weekend to install my water main. It worked so well, and I had it all weekend, I made a quick sketch where I thought I'd want stations and went ahead and ran my irrigation mains and control wires. Just capped them off "for later". Mostly I ran 4 and 6 conductor wires but a couple home runs are 7 conductors that I split downstream to two stations. I'm just now installing the valves and laterals.

I'm not sure why joining all the valve commons and running to various controllers would be any more confusing than tracking the 40 or so wires I already have. If all the white wires are common at all stations, as typical, then it might even be easier. Good record keeping, a labeling system, and accurate as-builts are the only ways I know to keep it all straight.

 

[aczlan]

Willl,
It's the valve commons, not the transformer commons, that I want to join and connect to multiple controllers. But thanks for the input.

I'm not sure why joining all the valve commons and running to various controllers would be any more confusing than tracking the 40 or so wires I already have. If all the white wires are common at all stations, as typical, then it might even be easier.

where I worked last summer we had a very large irrigation system, the main system had a pair of rainbird ~30 station controllers and 4" mains going to the lawn, in this system the white (common) wires were all hooked together. we also had another that was almost as bit and it also had the commons hooked together.
so based off of that I would say if you are using one transformer to power everything, connect all of the commons together.


Aaron Z

Aaron Z

 

[Soundguy]

If it were me, I'd connect all the commons for each controller.. but not specificall 'bus' all the commons together. just my opinion on the subject. There is no benefit of cross connection all the commons.. however.. if a fault occurs, you could be sharing the fault across all the controllers if you 'bus' the commons. ( few ground fualts that would cause a problem.. but there are some.. )

Soundguy

 

[Willl]

Can't do one without the other.

 

[RedDirt]

where I worked last summer we had a very large irrigation system, the main system had a pair of rainbird ~30 station controllers and 4" mains going to the lawn, in this system the white (common) wires were all hooked together. we also had another that was almost as bit and it also had the commons hooked together.
so based off of that I would say if you are using one transformer to power everything, connect all of the commons together.

Aaron Z

Aaron Z

When you say "if you are using one transformer to power everything" do you mean the transformer that powers the controller? willl also mentioned "transformer". Now I'm confused x2.

To me "transformer" is the power source. My four controllers each has it's own 26vac/750mA power transformer. Do I need to get a single transformer to power up all the controllers from one power source in order to cross connect the valve solenoid commons? Would that be a 26vac/3000mA transformer and then daisy chain the controllers together (wire together in series like a line of receptacles)?

 

[aczlan]

When you say "if you are using one transformer to power everything" do you mean the transformer that powers the controller? willl also mentioned "transformer". Now I'm confused x2.

To me "transformer" is the power source. My four controllers each has it's own 26vac/750mA power transformer. Do I need to get a single transformer to power up all the controllers from one power source in order to cross connect the valve solenoid commons? Would that be a 26vac/3000mA transformer and then daisy chain the controllers together (wire together in series like a line of receptacles)?

yes the transformer is the sole power source, I would not connect the neutrals of multiple transformers together, too much of a place for problems if one transformer goes out.

attached is a crude diagram, sorry it is not any better but I am rebuilding my computer and don't have Visio back on
yet.


HTH

Aaron Z