Zone Question

[ml_homeboy]

Hi All,

Quick Question:

Zone Valve 1 - Front Yard
Zone Valve 2 - Back Yard

Is it possible to wire the two valves to a four zone timer so I can water each zone individually and have a 3rd zone on the timer that would activate both of them?

 

[Jimbo]

The timer is not intended to feed two solenoids at the same time. You might have fuse or circuit breaker issues. Also, the whole purpose of zones is because usually your water supply volume is not adequate to run more than one zone at a time.

You can have multiple start times on each zone. What is the idea that you want to run both zones at once?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[ml_homeboy]

I installed the whole system myself including driving the well. The well can more then handle both zones on at the same time and I prefer it that way as I can water the whole yard at once every morning.

I was just wondering if anyone new of a trick I was missing in wiring the valves. The timer has been enabling both valves at once for some time now without any issues.

 

[Wet_Boots]

Buy an expensive controller that can be programmed to run more than one zone at a time. Several times the cost of the ordinary controllers.

 

[hj]

timer

Most timers cannot correlate conflicts between zones so if you program both to operate at the same time it will happen. You cannot hook both zones to a single terminal for simultaneous operation and then try to run each separately using different terminals, however. Most timers can handle two valves simultaneously.

 

[Alectrician]

You cannot hook both zones to a single terminal for simultaneous operation and then try to run each separately using different terminals...

I would bet that you can.

 

[Teamo]

I can't see any advantage to running them both at once. If you are going to run them all of the time like that then why not eliminate one of the valves and just pipe the two zones together.

 

[Wet_Boots]

Most timers cannot correlate conflicts between zones so if you program both to operate at the same time it will happen. You cannot hook both zones to a single terminal for simultaneous operation and then try to run each separately using different terminals, however. Most timers can handle two valves simultaneously.

This is not true. Controllers use their processor logic to "stack" starting times, so that only one zone is operating at any one time. The reason for this is that you get to use a smaller, cheaper power transformer, if you don't run zones simultaneously.

Amp up your spending, and you can get a controller that can overlap programs.
And it is programs we are talking about, and not zones. You never "start a zone" - you assign one or more zones to a program, and then you set a starting time for the program.

So for the extra hundred or so, the OP can devise a schedule of programs that can run his zones simultaneously. Or not.

 

[ml_homeboy]

Thank you all for your responses!

I will look into a more expensive timer that will provide me the functionality.

 

[Wet_Boots]

Thank you all for your responses!

I will look into a more expensive timer that will provide me the functionality.

You can look at a Toro Custom Command controller.

 

[MaintenanceGuy]

I've done this. Athletic fields with 32 zones. Needed to wet down one field for about 5 minutes before game time to control dust and it required that 2 zones come on at once.

I used a small 24V cube relay. A relay is a switch that can be closed electronically.

In your example, zone 1 would run only zone 1. Zone 2 would run only zone 2.

But zone 3 would be wired to both turn on zone 1 AND to close the relay which would connect the wire for zone 1 to the wire for zone 2. So when zone 3 is activated, both zone 1 and zone 2 run but when zone 3 is not activiated, the two zones are isolated by the relay.

 

[hj]

you are on

I would bet that you can.

Not if both valves are wired to a single terminal and also to individual ones. When the single zone activates it would also backfeed to the merged wiring and from there to the second valve.

 

[Alectrician]

When the single zone activates it would also backfeed to the merged wiring and from there to the second valve

Oh yeah.......I didn't quite think that one all the way thru. You would need a relay in there that would disconnect #2 when #1 came on and #1 when #2 came on.

 

[Msgale]

no it wouldnt, you could wire the relay to kep them separated

controller screw zone #1 wired directly to valve #1
controller screw zone 2, to valve #2

so far, zones 1 and 2 work normally


a single throw single pole relay :
connect zone 3 controller screw to one pole of the relay, and the same relay pole is wired to zone 1.

then the other relay pole goes to zone 2.
then, 1 and 2 are only connnected when relay is on,