After programming the controller to use Solar Sync, we recommend that you leave it alone for a few days to gather sun and temperature data. If necessary, there are two ways to make adjustments:
- If you find an individual zone is wetter or drier than the rest of the site, simply increase or decrease the amount of run time entered in the controller for that station.
- When making adjustments to program run times, make sure to reset the Seasonal Adjustment valve to 100%. Solar Sync will make the appropriate adjustment automatically based on measured weather conditions.
- If your landscape is wetter or drier than it should be, use the controller to increase or decrease run times.
IMPORTANT: Set station run times for peak summer watering with Seasonal Adjustment set at 100%.
After Solar Sync has been installed and programmed, we recommend allowing the system to run for a few days at the initial setting. Because of the variation in site conditions (including sensor location, amount of direct sunlight available to the sensor, reflective heat from surrounding structures, etc.), the initial setting may require adjustment to achieve the desired performance.
The calibration of the Solar Sync to a particular site can easily be accomplished by adjusting the Region and/or Water Adjustment settings. The instructions below outline this process:
- Allow system to operate at initial settings for a minimum of three days.
- Observe the Seasonal Adjustment on the controller. If the Seasonal Adjustment amount appears to be lower or higher than expected for that time of year, the Solar Sync settings need to be adjusted.
Seasonal Adjust too low: Make sure the controller dial is in the RUN position. Increase the value on the Water Adjustment scale (10 is max). Once the setting is changed, the controller will immediately be updated with the new Seasonal Adjustment %. Increase the Water Adjustment setting until the desired Seasonal Adjustment % is shown. If you max out the Water Adjustment scale at 10 and still require more Seasonal Adjustment, move down to the next lower Region (from Region 4 to 3, for example).
Seasonal Adjust too high: Make sure the controller dial is in the RUN position. Decrease the value on the Water Adjustment scale (default setting is 5). Once the setting is changed, the controller will immediately be updated with the new Seasonal Adjustment %. Decrease the Water Adjustment setting until the desired Seasonal Adjustment % is shown. If you minimize the Water Adjustment scale down to 1 and still require a reduction in Seasonal Adjustment, move up the next Region (from Region 2 to 3, for example).
NOTE: If an individual zone is “wetter” or “drier” than the rest of the system, simply increase or decrease the amount of run time on the controller.
The table below will assist you in identifying the region where you live. There are four basic ET regions, each with descriptions of the region, along with typical ET and temperature characteristics. If possible, choose the region based upon average July ET or peak summer ET.
| A | B | C | D |
|---|---|---|---|
| Based upon the ET of your region using the average July ET or peak summer ET. This is the preferred option when selecting your region. | Based upon the temperature for your region using the average July or the driest month high temperature (not the highest temperature for July. | Based upon the general description of your region. | Region based on A through C |
| If the average July* ET is is 0.17" (4.3 mm) or less per day | If the average temperature for July* is 65°–75°F (18°–24°C) |
| Region 1 |
| If the average July* ET is 0.18"–0.23" (4.6–5.8 mm) per day | If the average temperature for July* is 75°–85°F (24°–29°C) |
| Region 2 |
| If the average July* ET is 0.24"–0.29" (6.1–7.4 mm) per day | If the average temperature for July* is 85°–95°F (29°–35°C) |
| Region 3 |
| If the average July* ET is 0.30" (6.7 mm ) or more per day | If the average temperature for July* is 95°–105°F (35°–41°C) |
| Region 4 |
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