Watering Program Basics - Toro ECx User Manual

Watering Program Basics

A watering program requires three basic instructions to
operate automatically:
• What days to water –called watering days
• When to water – called a program start time
• How long to water – called zone run time
The following example illustrates how a typical watering
program could be set for the sprinkler system shown on
the previous page.
Example: The program start time is set for 5:00
zones 1 and 2 each have a run time of 10 minutes and
lawn zone 4 is set to run for 20 minutes. Note that zones
3 and 5 water shrubs and flowers and have been exclud-
ed from this program. (These zones will be set to oper-
ate on separate programs).
As shown in the watering program diagram, at 5:00
the timer starts the program watering cycle. Zone 1
sprinklers run for 10 minutes and shut off. Zone 2 sprin-
klers turn on, run for 10 minutes and shut off. The timer
skips zone 3 and turns on zone 4, which runs for 20 min-
utes and shuts off. Zone 5 is skipped and the watering
cycle ends at 5:40 .
AM
As you can see from this example, only one program
start time was needed to operate three different zones.
Because of variations in plant watering needs, the ECx
provides three separate programs. The programs, called
A, B and C, are completely independent of one another
– like having three timers in one housing.
Watering Program Diagram
Program
Starts - 5:00
. Lawn
AM
AM
Using more than one program for example, would enable
lawn zones to be watered every day on program A,
shrub zones to run on on Monday Wednesday and Fri-
day on program B and drip irrigation to soak the flower
beds every three days on program C.
Although the ECx offers the multiple program feature,
you may want to have all zones on one program if it
meets your needs. The other programs can remain
turned off until you need to use them.
AM
12
9 3
Zone 1
6
12
9 3
Zone 2
6
12
3
9
Zone 4 6
Program
Ends- 5:40
AM
7