Installation, Programming, & Operation - Sprinkler · PDF fileInstallation, Programming, & Operation This controller generates radio frequency energy and may cause interference to

Installation,Programming,& Operation

This controller generates radio frequency energy and maycause interference to radio and television reception. It hasbeen type tested and found to comply with the limits for aClass B computing device in accordance with thespecifications in Subpart J of Part 15 of FCC Rules, which aredesigned to provide reasonable protection against suchinterference in a residential installation. However, there is noguarantee that interference will not occur in a particularinstallation.

If this equipment does cause interference to radio or televisionreception, which can be determined by turning the equipmentoff and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct theinterference by one or more of the following measures:

1. Reorient the receiving antenna.

RAIN BIRD SALES, INC. ---- Contractor Division145 North Grand Avenue, Glendora, California 91740, U.S.A. (818) 963-9311

© 1995 Rain Bird Sprinkler Mfg. Corp.® Registered trademark of Rain Bird Sprinkler Mfg. Corp.

Technical Services: 1-800-247-3782

2. Move the controller away from the receiver.

3. Plug the controller into a different outlet so that thecontroller and receiver are on different branch circuits.

If necessary, the user should consult the dealer orexperienced radio / television technician for additionalsuggestions. The user may find the following bookletprepared by the Federal Communications Commissionhelpful:

"How to Identify and Resolve Radio-TV InterferenceProblems."

This booklet is available from the U.S. Government PrintingOffice, Washington, D.C. 20402, Stock No. 004-000-00345-4.

P/N 632993

ContentsINTRODUCTION....................................1

Quick Reference Guide............................1Controller Stations....................................2Sample Station Layout..............................3Controls and Switches.............................4

PROGRAMMING THE CONTROLLER....5Default Program.......................................5Programming Checklist............................6Fill Out Program Schedule Sheet..............7Select Watering Schedule.......................10Set Current Time....................................11Set Current Day......................................12

Custom Schedule..........................12Fixed Schedule...............................13

Select Program......................................14Set Station Watering Days.....................15Set Station Run Times............................16Set Watering Start Times........................17

OPERATING THE CONTROLLER..................19Turn Controller On and Off...............................19Adjust Water Budget Percent............................21Use Manual Start / Advance.............................23Run Test Program.............................................24

REPLACING THE BATTERY AND FUSE.........25

INSTALLING THE CONTROLLER...................27Select Location...................................................27Mount Controller.................................................28Connect Field Wiring.........................................30

Station Valve Wiring....................................31Master Valve Wiring....................................31Pump Start Relay Wiring.............................32

Install Battery......................................................33Install Transformer..............................................34Install Wiring Skirt...............................................35

TROUBLESHOOTING...................................36

HAVE A QUESTION, PROBLEM, OR COMMENT?

Our toll-free Technical Services phone number is 1-800-247-3782.

SYMPTOM CAUSE CORRECTION

Display showsnumbers and letters,but is not moving oradvancing.

Same as Cause #3. See correction for Cause #3.

Schedule Slide Switchdoes not move.

5. Lower face plate cover ismisaligned over the switch.

Remove the lower face plate cover by gently prying it outalong the slots on the outside right and left edges. Reinstallthe cover, making sure that the Schedule Slide Switchengages the black switch on the cabinet interior.

INTRODUCTIONCongratulations on purchasing a Rain Bird ESP-TMsolid state controller. This manual describes how toinstall, operate, and maintain your controller. Pleaseread these instructions carefully.

Quick Reference Guide

If you want to:

Change the time of day....................................page 11

Turn the controller off and on(for example, because of rain)..........................page 19

Adjust watering times for all stations (forexample, during a hot or cool period)..............page 21

Start the sprinkler system manually..................page 23

Install a new battery..........................................page 25

Replace the fuse...............................................page 25

Troubleshoot a controller problem....................page 36

For your convenience, we have included a QuickReference Guide below, so you can quickly findinstructions for common tasks.

ESP-TM Installation and Operation Page 1

SYMPTOM CAUSE CORRECTION

TROUBLESHOOTING

Display shows"PR OFF."

1. Fuse has blown. Replace the fuse with one of the same amperage rating.Use the MAN START / ADV. button to run a wateringprogram. Press MAN START / ADV. to cycle througheach station. If the fuse blows again on a particularstation, that station's solenoid or field wires may have ashort circuit that needs repair.

Determine why power to the controller has beeninterrupted, and re-establish power.

2. Power is off to the controller.

Display is blank. 3. If the controller is still receivingpower, an electrical surgeexceeding the controller's built-insurge protection may havedamaged the controller'smicroprocessor.

Unplug the controller and remove the battery. Wait twominutes. Then re-install the battery, and plug the unit in. Ifnumbers and letters return to the display, the power surge didnot do permanent damage. Reprogram the controller.

If the display remains blank, the ESP-TM may be perma-nently damaged. Call Rain Bird Technical Services at 1-800-247-3782 for a service referral.

4. Power is off to the ESP-TM and thebackup battery has run down.

Re-establish power to the controller, and then reprogram it.Replace the battery with a 3-Volt lithium coin cell.

Page 36 ESP-TM Installation and Operation

ESP-TM Installation and Operation Page 35Page 2 ESP-TM Installation and Operation

Controller StationsThe controller has several stations as shown in theillustration on the following page. Each station isconnected to a remote control sprinkler valve.

The valve opens when it receives a signal from thecontroller, and the sprinklers connected to the valveturn on. When these sprinklers have run for their allottedtime, the controller shuts off the valve and opens thenext valve in sequence.

For example, the illustration shows that station 1 iscurrently watering. When station 1 is finished, thecontroller will shut it off and start station 2. In thesameway, station 3 will begin watering when station 2 isfinished.

Install Wiring SkirtSlide the wiring skirt into its slot beneath the flipstrip connector

If you've used 3/4" PVC conduit to route thefield wiring, you can route the transformer wires out ofthe side of the skirt by breaking out a small notch in theskirt with a pair of needle-nose pliers. See theillustration.

Secure the wiring skirt to the wall with the two shortscrews provided.

Snap the lower controller cover back into position.

Plug the 24VAC external transformer into a 110Voutlet.

ESP-TM installation is now complete. Please refer to theprogramming instructions on page 5.

1

2

3

4

5


Sample Station LayoutCAUTION: DO NOT plug the external transformerinto an electrical outlet until all other connectionshave been made. In addition, connect the wiresfrom the transformer to the ESP-TM flip stripBEFORE plugging in the transformer.

Connect the green ground wire (which is thelongest wire) to the ground screw located justbelow and to the right of the lower wall mountingscrew.

Connect one pre-stripped transformer wire to eachof the flip strip terminals labeled 24VAC. Connecteither wire to either terminal; polarity of these wiresis not important.

Install Transformer

1

2


Controls and switchesThe illustration shows the programming controls onthe face of the ESP-TM. These controls include:

LCD Display - during normal operation, displaysthe time of day; during programming, shows theresults of your commands; during watering, showsthe station that is running and the minutesremaining in its run time.

Arrow ON-OFF Buttons - used to set times anddays, and to make program changes.

A / B Program Button - used to select wateringprogram A or B. (On some ESP models, this buttonis labeled PGM.)

Manual Start / Advance Button - used to start theirrigation program manually or to manually advancewatering from one station to the next.

Programming Dial - used to turn controller off andon, and for programming.

Schedule Slide Switch - used to select one of thefixed-interval watering schedules or a customwatering schedule.

1

2

3

4

5

6

The ESP-TM controller is factory-supplied with a 3-Voltlithium coin cell backup battery, which is wrapped in aprotective insulator strip in the battery drawer. Thisbattery is designed to maintain program informationfor several days without power.

If electrical power to the ESP-TM remains uninterrupted,the lithium coin cell will last well over one year.However, long or frequent power interruptions will useup the battery much faster.

To activate this battery, remove the lower face panelon the controller. Open the battery drawer and removethe battery. Remove the plastic insulator strip from thebattery, and re-install it in the drawer. Be sure thepositive ("+") side of the battery is facing down in thedrawer.

Close the drawer, and reinstall the lower face panel.See page 25 for complete instructions.

Install Battery


Default Program

PROGRAMMING THE CONTROLLERYour ESP-TM controller is an electronic clock thatcontrols when your sprinkler system turns on, and howlong the sprinklers run.

Programming is the process of telling the controllerexactly when and how long you want to water. Thecontroller opens and closes the remote control valvesaccording to the program you set.

Each program contains:

Watering days - the specific days of the weekon which watering takes place (for example,

Monday, Wednesday, Friday), or the wateringinterval (for example, every third day).

Start time - the time of day that the programbegins; this is the time that the first station in theprogram begins watering; all other stations thenfollow in sequence.

Run time - the number of minutes that eachstation runs.

The ESP-TM series controllers have a backup, or default,program that takes over if your program is lostbecause of an extended power outage.

When the default program is running, all stations revertto Program A, with 10 minutes of run time per station.The default starting time is 8:00 AM.

The default program will water every day if theSchedule Slide Switch is set to "Custom."

If the Schedule Slide Switch is set to one of the fixedintervals, the default program will run every two, three,or five days, depending on where the switch is set.

The Program A default settings will be in operationuntil you enter your desired settings for Program A. Asyou enter your settings in Program A, the defaultsettings are pushed into reserve status as a backupprogram. If you are using only one of the twoprograms, make sure you use Program A.

Pump Start Relay Wiring

NOTE: Complete this section only if your systemrequires a pump start relay.

The MV terminal on the flip strip can be used to connecta pump start relay. Connect one lead of the 24VAC pumpstart relay to the MV terminal and the other lead to thecommon wire, as shown in the illustration.

CAUTION: To prevent pump damage when usinga pump start relay, use a jumper to connect unusedstations to a station that is being used. Ifprogram information is lost during a prolonged poweroutage, the ESP-TM will automatically run a "default"program when power is restored. This programruns all stations for 10 minutes. If unused stationsare not jumpered, the pump will operate with noflow (dead-head) during this 10-minute period.Dead-heading may cause the pump to overheat orburn out.


Programming Checklist

To program the ESP-TM controller for the first time, werecommend that you complete the following steps inorder:

Fill out Program Schedule Sheet......................page 7Select watering schedule..................................page 10Set the current time.........................................page 11Set the current day...........................................page 12Select the program (A or B).............................page 14Set station watering days (custom scheduleonly).................................................................page 15Set station run times........................................page 16Set watering start times...................................page 17Set controller to automatic operation................page 19

Station Valve WiringConnect each valve by its own separate power wire toone of the numbered terminals on the ESP-TM flipstrip, as shown in the illustration.

Connect a common wire to one of the leads on eachvalve. Connect the other end of the common wire tothe COM terminal on the flip strip. Wire used toconnect the valves must be code-approved forunderground installation.

Master Valve WiringNOTE: Complete this section only if your systemrequires a master valve (an automatic valveinstalled on the mainline pipe upstream from thestation valves).

Connect the master valve wiring to the MV terminaland COM terminal as shown in the illustration.


Fill Out Program Schedule SheetBefore you begin programming, fill out the ESP-TMController Program Sheet and keep it for reference. Asample Program Sheet is shown in this illustration.Several blank Program Sheets are provided for youruse on the following pages.

Enter a brief description of each station on thecontroller.

In the Program A column, mark the wateringschedule. Either circle one of the fixed intervals, orfill in the watering days in the "Custom" row.

Enter the starting time(s) for Program A. You mayhave up to three separate start times for eachprogram.

Enter the run time for each station assigned toProgram A. Enter "0" for stations that are not usedin Program A.

Repeat steps 2 - 4 for Program B. If you are using afixed schedule, Program B will have the samewatering days as Program A.

1

2

3

4

5

The "flip strip" connector, shown in this illustration,allows fast and easy connection of field wires.

Wires connected to the flip strip should be strippedto expose 1/2" of conductor at the end. Do notuse wires larger than 16 gauge. Wires smaller than 18gauge should be doubled over before beinginserted into the flip strip.

To connect field wires, raise the flip strip lever to theopen position. Insert the stripped wire into theround hole beneath the lever. Then lower the flipstrip lever to grip the wire.

Tug gently on each wire to make sure it's securelyconnected.

Connect Field Wiring

1

2

3



Mount ControllerPlace the supplied mounting template in the desiredlocation on the wall. Mark the screw centerlocations by punching through the template with asharp tool.

Remove the template. Two plastic spacers areprovided for the upper mounting screws only. (Seeillustration on the next page.)

Slip the spacers over the screws and drive theminto the wall or stud at the upper keyhole marks:holes A and C for flat surfaces, or hole B only for anexposed stud.

When the wide, flat end of the spacer is pressedagainst the wall or stud, the screw is at the properdepth. Do not drive a fastener into location D atthis time.

Remove the controller's lower face panel by gentlyprying out the panel at the slots on the left and rightsides.

Hang the controller on the upper keyhole slots.Make sure the spacers are in the upper, narrowportion of the slots. Then drive a fastener throughlower mounting hole D, located just to the right ofthe fuse. The controller should now be secure.

1

2 3

4


Select Watering ScheduleThe ESP-TM has two types of watering schedules,either fixed or custom. The fixed schedule sets wateringto occur every second, third, or fifth day. The customschedule lets you select specific days of the week onwhich watering is to occur.

The type of schedule you select applies to bothprograms, A and B. For example, you cannot setProgram A to a fixed schedule and Program B to acustom schedule.

To use a fixed schedule, move the Schedule SlideSwitch to one of the FIXED positions:

2 = every other day3 = every third day5 = every fifth day

To use the custom schedule, move the ScheduleSlide Switch to the "C" position.

1

2

ESP-TM controllers are designed for indoor mountingonly. For best results, mount the controller at eye level.

Mount the controller so that a 117-Volt AC power outletis within five feet of the controller so the wires from theexternal transformer can be easily connected to thecontroller.

Select Location

INSTALLING THE CONTROLLER

The ESP-TM controller has three "keyhole" slots on theback of the cabinet. Use these slots to mount thecontroller to a flat wall or vertical stud. Always uselower mounting hole "D" to secure the bottom of thecontroller.


Set Current TimeTurn the dial to "HR."

The display shows the hour that is currently set,either AM or PM.

Press � or � to set the current hour.

Turn the dial to "MIN."

The display shows the minute currently set.

Press � or � to set the current minute.

1

2

3

4

5

6

If the ESP-TM fuse should blow, check for shortcircuits in the valve solenoids or field wiring. (Formore information, see the Troubleshooting sectionon page 36.) Correct any problems beforereplacing the fuse.

To replace a blown fuse, remove the old fuse fromthe clips, and replace it with a 0.5-AMP, 250-VoltFAST BLO fuse.

To reinstall the face panel, align the rounded postson the inside of the panel with the sleeves insidethe cabinet. Also align the Schedule Slide Switchwith the internal switch on the circuit board. Thengently press the face panel until it clicks into place.

3

4


REPLACING THE BATTERY AND FUSESet Current Day

Setting the current day varies somewhat depending onwhether you are using a custom schedule or a fixedschedule.

Custom ScheduleMake sure the Schedule Slide switch is set to "C."

Turn the dial to "DAY."

The display shows the day of the week that iscurrently set (for example, "MO" for Monday).

Press � or � to change the display to the currentday of the week.

1

2

3

4

The ESP-TM controller features a battery backup, whichwill preserve the controller's program in the event of apower failure. Under normal conditions, the lithiumbattery will last well over a year. For maximumprotection against loss of programming data, Rain Birdrecommends that you replace the lithium coin cellbattery once a year.

In addition, if a short circuit occurs in the sprinklersystem, you may have to replace the fuse.

Remove the controller's lower face panel by gentlyprying out the panel at the slots on the left and rightsides.

To replace the battery, pull out the battery drawerand remove the old battery. Install a new 3-Voltlithium coin cell battery in the drawer. Be surethe positive ("+") side of the battery is facing down inthe drawer. Then close the drawer.

1

2


Run Test Program Fixed Schedule

Make sure the Schedule Slide switch is set to afixed-day schedule: 2, 3, or 5.

Turn the dial to "DAY."

The display shows "1" for the first day of thewatering cycle. Day 1 is always the watering day.

Press � or � to change the current day from 1.If you want tomorrow to be the watering day, changethe current day to the last day in your fixedschedule.

For example, if you're using a two-day scheduleand you want to start watering tomorrow, set thecurrent day to "2." If you're using a three-dayschedule and you want to start tomorrow, set thecurrent day to "3."

1

2

3

4

The ESP-TM controller has a built-in test program thatwill run each station in sequence for two minutes. Youcan use this program to check out the operation of allthe sprinklers in the system.

Turn the dial to AUTO.

Press both arrow buttons at the same time andhold them down until...

The display shows the first station number and twominutes of watering time remaining. The controllerwill run each station for two minutes and then returnto AUTO mode to await the next scheduled starttime. Any station that has been set to a 0 run timewill be skipped during the test program.

1

2

3


Select Program Use Manual Start / AdvanceThe ESP-TM controller has two programs, A and B. Eachprogram operates independently.

If you are using the custom watering schedule, eachprogram can have different watering days. Forexample, Program A might run on Monday,Wednesday, and Friday; Program B on Tuesday,Thursday, and Saturday.

If you are using a fixed watering schedule, bothprograms will have the same "ON" days. For example,if you are using the three-day fixed schedule, ProgramA and Program B will both run every third day.

You can assign any station to Program A, Program B,or both.

The program that is currently selected appears inthe far left corner of the display. The display willshow either "PGM A" or "PGM B."

To select the program, press the A / B (or PGM)button until the program you want appears in thedisplay. Pressing the A / B button switches backand forth between the two programs.

1

2

Select the program you want to start. Press theA / B (or PGM) button to switch back and forthbetween the two programs.

Press the MAN START / ADV. button to begin theprogram with the first assigned station. To advancethrough the stations in the program, press MANSTART / ADV. repeatedly until the station you wantis displayed.

1

2


Set Station Watering DaysNOTE: You must set station watering days only ifyou are using the CUSTOM Schedule. If you areusing one of the FIXED schedules, skip to page 16.

Turn the dial to "MON."

The display shows the day of the week (forexample, "MO" for Monday) and either "ON" or"OFF." ON means the selected day is a wateringday. OFF means watering doesn't take place on theselected day.

Press the ON or OFF button to set the selected dayof the week on or off.

Turn the dial to the next day of the week. Repeatsteps 2 and 3 until you have set each day of theweek either on or off.

1

2

3

4

Turn the dial to ADJUST WATER %.

The display shows the current water budget setting(between 10% and 200%). A setting of 100% meansthat all stations will run according to their normalprogrammed run times.

Press � or � to increase or decrease thepercentage in 10-point increments.

When water budgeting is set above or below 100percent, the words WATER BUDGET will appear inthe top of the display.

To turn off water budgeting, repeat steps 1 to 3,and set the percentage to 100%.

1

2

3


Set Station Run Times Adjust Water Budget PercentTurn the dial to Station 1.

The display shows the selected station and its runtime. If you are programming the controller for thefirst time, or after a long power outage, the built-inrun time of 10 minutes will appear.

Press � or � to change the display to the runtime you want (up to 99 minutes). Set any unusedstations to 0 minutes.

Turn the dial to the next station in sequence.Repeat steps 2 through 4 until you have set the runtime for each station.

1

2

3

4

The Water Budget feature on the ESP-TM lets youincrease or decrease the run times of all stations bya selected percentage. You may adjust the run times aslow as 10 percent and as high as 200 percent.Adjustments must be made in increments of 10percentage points.

The percentages are calculated on the normalprogrammed run times for each station. For example,if a station is programmed to run for 10 minutes, andyou set the water budget percent to 80%, the stationwill run for 8 minutes (80% of 10 minutes). If you setthe water budget to 120%, that same station will run for12 minutes (120% of 10 minutes).

The water budget feature can be useful for cuttingback watering during cool winter months, or forincreasing watering during periods of unusual heat.Keep in mind that the percentage you set applies toall stations on both programs.


Set Watering Start TimesEach program on the ESP-TM can have up to threewatering start times, which tell the controller when tobegin the watering program. The start time applies toall watering days for that program.

If you want to water more than once a day, you can setthe second and third watering start times. Forexample, if you are growing new lawn seed, you mightwant to water several times a day. To do so, you couldset a program to run at 6:00 AM, 11:00 AM, and 4:00PM.

Make sure the program you want appears in thedisplay. Either "PGM A" or "PGM B" will appear. Toswitch to the other program, press the A / B (orPGM) button.

Turn the dial to 1 in the "Watering Start Times"section.

The display shows the start time currently set forthis program.

1

2

3

To turn the controller off and prevent all watering,set the dial to OFF. The display will show thecurrent day and time. In addition, the right-handminute digit will blink to show that the controller hasbeen turned off.

The OFF setting can be used during rainy weather,seasonal shutdown, or system maintenance.

2


Turn Controller On and Off

OPERATING THE CONTROLLERPress � or � to change the start time. The timesetting moves forward or backward in 15-minuteincrements.

To eliminate a start time, press � or � until theblank setting between 11:45 PM and 12:15 AMappears.

If you want to set additional start times for thisprogram, move the dial to 2 or 3 in the "WateringStart Times" section. Then repeat steps 3 and 4.

If you are following the programming checklist onpage 6, you have now completed all programmingsteps for Program A. At this point, you may:

Enter Program B by following the steps thatbegin on page 14, or

Set the controller to automatic operation, asdescribed on page 19.

4

5To set the controller to automatic operation, turn thedial to AUTO. The display will show the current dayand time until the next scheduled automatic start.When a program is running, the display will showthe station currently turned on and the minutesremaining on its run time. When the entire programis complete, the display will change back to thecurrent day and time.

If you forget to turn the dial to AUTO, the controllerwill eventually set itself to automatic operation. Theonly setting that prevents automatic operation isOFF (see step 2).

1

Documents

Installation, Programming, & Operation - Sprinkler · PDF fileInstallation, Programming, & Operation This controller generates radio frequency energy and may cause interference to