Maximize Water-savings and Landscape Protection with FloWatch™
FloWatch enables users to have greater control over how IQ4 responds to higher or lower expected flow situations. Using FloWatch and flow sensors, IQ4 monitors flow rates and responds immediately when flow rates are outside the threshold that users set and control. In situations with higher than expected flow, users can prevent wasted water and flooded landscapes by enabling IQ4 to shut off the Master Valve. Detecting lower than expected flows prevents plant loss and keeps landscapes looking beautiful. In each of these situations, IQ4 can help you pinpoint problems earlier and keep your system running smoothly.
How it Works
FloWatch compares the current flow rate from the flow sensor to expected flow rates and takes various actions based on your settings. To start using FloWatch, flow rates can be entered manually or learned automatically through a Learn Flow process at the satellite controller.
Using Learn Flow
Allowing the satellite controller to Learn Flow automatically is the easiest, most accurate method to enter flow readings. The automatic Learn Flow operation will learn the flow rate for the stations within a FloZone. A FloZone is a group of stations downstream of a master valve and flow sensor. Users need to set up runtimes for all stations included in the FloZone before initiating the Learn Flow operation. After flow rates are learned, they can be reverse synced to IQ4 from the controller(s) before the next sync or auto sync.
SEEF and SELF Settings
Once the flow rate is learned, the Seek and Eliminate Excessive Flow (SEEF) and Seek and Eliminate Low Flow (SELF) settings let you define the threshold for higher or lower flow rates and set up the actions that should be taken when these conditions are detected.
Users can set up the following actions.
- Diagnose and Eliminate: Enables the controller to diagnose the high- or low-flow conditions.
- Shut Down and Alarm: Closes the Master Valve for the FloZone without diagnosing the problem.
- Alarm Only: Issues an alarm but takes no other action (Master Valve is not closed).