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Programming Irrigation Controllers What's the number one reason for customer complaints and callbacks? If you're like most irrigation contractors, an improperly programmed controller is the typical answer. Today's irrigation controllers offer a variety of features and program options. As much as these modern marvels help improve the flexibility of an irrigation system, they do increase its complexity and, sometimes, the frustration you'll experience servicing it. The following tips will help give you a basic understanding of how a controller works, how to program it and what some of the more complex features might be. Basic Programming Techniques The controller energizes...

How can I clear all the programming and reset my Rain Bird ESP-Me sprinkler timer back to the factory default settings? If you are unsure about the programming settings or are experiencing erratic behavior that might have been caused by lightning or a power surge, you may want to clear all the programming and restore your ESP-Me sprinkler timer back to the factory default settings. The following steps will show you how. Warning: before attempting this, remember that all of your program settings will be completely cleared. The current date and time will not be affected. Step 1 Turn the...

Multimeter Operation Multimeters A multimeter is an inexpensive piece of test equipment that is capable of measuring AC volts, DC volts, and resistance. By learning how to use this equipment, it is possible to troubleshoot controllers, solenoids, field wiring, and to verify AC and DC voltage levels. Electrical Terms AC volts (VAC) - Alternating Current, this is household voltage. Most irrigation solenoids operate on AC voltage. Rain Bird voltage specifications are 117 VAC ± 10% (105 - 129) volts. DC volts (VDC) - Direct Current, the normal source is a battery. DC voltage is polarized, meaning that there is a...

The Intelligent Use of Water™ Infographic

Dealing with Slope Irrigation Meeting plant requirements and managing irrigation systems can be a difficult task under normal circumstances. When slope plantings are involved, applying water efficiently and effectively can be extremely challenging. Too little water and plants won't grow, too much water and you've got other problems. Several tactics can be utilized to help you deal with these ups and downs. Following are ten design and product application tips for effective slope irrigation. Tip #1: To reduce run-off, select an irrigation timer that controls your water applications. Choose an irrigation timer with at least four start times per program...

Teaching Curriculum Explorations Into Water What is it? Rain Bird’s Explorations Into Water Teaching Curriculum is an educational tool providing teachers and parents with specific lesson plans and related course work geared to students in grades 3-6. It can be downloaded by clicking on the link to the right. What is its purpose? Rain Bird and Dr. Stefanie Saccoman at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona) designed the program to motivate students to think about the part each person plays – and the actions they can take in using and conserving water. The curriculum gives students the opportunity...

Smart Irrigation Grounds News: Q2, 2018

The Rain Bird GSP Board Exchange Program Fast, easy, and dependable!

Drip Irrigation / Xerigation® Rain Bird Xerigation/Landscape Drip products are made especially for low-volume irrigation systems. By delivering water at or near the plants’ root zones, Rain Bird Xerigation® products offer targeted watering with greater efficiency for healthier plants and outstanding water savings. With over 150 products, Rain Bird has the broadest drip irrigation product line in the industry to meet any site requirements. Browse Rain Bird's Drip Irrigation Products:

Pro Tip: Entering Decoder Addresses for ESP-LXD 2-Wire Decoder Controller The ESP-LXD controller uses unique 5 digit addresses to communicate with the decoder. Here are four Pro Tips on how to enter the decoder addresses. 1. Programming Guide: Use the programming guide provided with the controller. Apply the detachable decoder label on the appropriate page in the guide for record keeping and to retrieve later if the label on the field decoder is not legible after extended use. 2. Detachable Panel: The ESP-LXD front panel is detachable from the controller. Disconnect the ribbon cable from the front panel, insert a...

Irrigation Design Tip: Climate and Irrigation Requirements To answer the questions “How much water has to be applied to the plant material?” and “How often and how long does the system need to run?” several factors need to be examined. The local climate is one of the main factors that influences how much water is needed to maintain good plant growth. The plant water requirement includes the water lost: by evaporation into the atmosphere from the soil and soil surface by transpiration, which is the amount of water used by the plant the combination of these is evapotranspiration (ET) ETo...

Drip Tip: Dripline Layout for Slopes In this Drip Tip, we will cover design tips when using XF Dripline on slopes. An increasing number of municipalities are restricting the use of sprays or overhead irrigation on slopes. Dripline can be successfully used in these areas to eliminate erosion and runoff. XFD On-Surface or XFS Subsurface Dripline Use these tips when using XFD On-Surface or XFS Subsurface Dripline to ensure the landscape is receiving enough water at the highest point and not too much at the lowest point. The design of the dripline system should account for slopes on the site...

Smart Irrigation Grounds News: May/June 2019