Watering timers for growing plants. Water timer watering. Instruction manual Irrigation timer for water instruction

Drip irrigation for your garden

Drip irrigation is the most efficient and economical way to water your garden, saving you time, money and water.

What is drip irrigation?

It is an efficient and economical irrigation method. This method of irrigation gives more than 90% water efficiency. Unlike irrigation methods such as sprinkler irrigation, which are only 65-75% efficient, drip irrigation reduces leakage and evaporation. Drip irrigation delivers water very slowly to the root of the plant, just where it is needed.

Drip irrigation is used in greenhouses, nurseries and agricultural firms. Be that as it may, ordinary home owners can reap the benefits of using and benefiting from drip irrigation. As a homeowner, you can use drip irrigation for your vegetable and year-round gardens to water trees, flower beds, and flowers.

Benefits of drip irrigation

Tubes with a large number of drips, called drip lines, are placed above the ground along the beds with plants. Droppers slowly let water into the soil into the root zone. Since the humidity level is kept at an optimal level, plant growth productivity and quality are improved. Plus, drip irrigation:

Prevents diseases by minimizing water contact with leaves, stems and fruits of plants.

Allows beds between plants to be dry, improves access and reduces weed growth.

Saves time, money and water because the system is very efficient.

Reduces labor costs.

Increases efficiency even on uneven ground.

Reduces water leakage and fertilizer below the root zone.

Drip irrigation system assembly and components.

The main components of a drip system are a faucet or automatic controller, a filter, a main line, auxiliary lines, connectors and fittings, drip lines and plugs.

The main line is connected to a water source - to an external tap - and then, through an auxiliary line - to drip lines. In general, auxiliary lines are used if you have many watering zones. The total length of the main line and auxiliary lines should not exceed 120m.

The faucet regulates the water supply to the system and can be controlled either manually or automatically (if an electrical controller is connected). A pressure regulator is required if the pressure can exceed 2 bar.

Filters prevent clogging of droppers with substances undissolved in water over a long period of use. It is best if the filter has a filter mesh of at least 120 MESH or higher. Adapters and filters are used to connect drip lines to the rest of the system. This is important because it right size to prevent leakage when pressurized water is supplied.

Drip lines and drippers

The drip line is a polyethylene tube, with built-in droppers, which must be located near the plants. Drip lines and droppers are various types and diameters depending on your needs. The length of each 16 mm/33 cm/2.1 l/h drip line should not exceed 50 m from the point where the water enters the tube, so that the emission uniformity is 95%. You will need to reinforce the line to prevent it from moving.

Common Mistakes

The following points are provided to introduce you to some typical mistakes that are encountered in the design and installation of a drip irrigation system.

Too long drip line or too many drippers:

The Tandem Dripline contains drippers that are pre-installed at the factory every 33 cm and each dripper delivers 2.1 l/h (at 1 bar pressure)

The maximum recommended length is about 50 meters on a flat plane for equal flow with 95% uniformity, or a maximum of 80 meters for 90% uniformity of flow, which already means that up to 15% emission difference between the first and last dripper in the line is possible. . Since the Tandem drip line has 4 outlets in each dripper, this contributes to better flow and better stability against clogging.

Filtration:
Use the correct filters for your system. Select the correct filter element depending on the quality of the water and the types of drippers. We recommend a filter with at least 120 MESH. Never use the system without filters.
Wrong pressure:
For a drip irrigation system to function properly, it must be supplied with the correct pressure. (BAR or ATM are the same) If you try to put too many drips into the line, the pressure will drop below the operating minimum and your system will not work. If you use the wrong pressure regulator, or don't use one at all, your system will have too much pressure and won't work properly. The table below shows different flows with different pressure and relative chart.

. Wrong zoning:
"Zoning" is the grouping of a large drip line into common "zones". Zones are usually grouped by plant type. The trees are separated from the flower beds. Plants that are resistant to dry climates are separated from moisture-loving ones, etc. if you have different types soils, you can also separate them into separate zones. The main thing you have to remember is the ability to water each plant according to its needs with the system turned on? If you place a large tree in the same line as a small flower bed, one of them will be either too dry or too wet.
. The drip irrigation system can be connected through an automatic regulator.
Since a small amount of water is delivered slowly, drip irrigation is designed to function throughout the day, except on rainy days. The question of how long to use drip irrigation depends on how much water your plants need per day and how much water the drip outlets have. Water is supplied once or twice a day. Best time for irrigation - early morning, because at this time the level of evaporation is the lowest.
. Water Demand: You need to know the water demand according to the evapotranspiration factor (Evaporation rate in the area you are in and plant transpiration). If, say, evapotranspiration is 5 mm per day in the hottest month, we calculate this data by the size of the zone we wish to water, i.e. 100m2: 100m2x 0.005 m = 0.5 m3 per day is the water requirement every day. This is an accurate calculation of the amount of water you need to apply each day through a drip irrigation system. You can water every two days, doubling the water volume, or even every 3 days, triple the water volume. You also need to adjust the system in the months that are not so hot.
The usual way to do this is by trial and error. Adjust the system usage time and daily schedule for the whole season. The main thing is the need to observe the plants and pay attention to their needs. You don't just need to install a drip irrigation system and go indoors. It is necessary to periodically check the system to make sure that it works perfectly.
Beginning of work

If this is your first time installing a drip irrigation system, we recommend trying one of the kits. Each kit contains everything you need to install a working drip irrigation system. All parts can be purchased separately to be added to the system later.
The components of a drip irrigation system are the following: controller, valves, filters (pressure regulator if pressure is over 2 bar), dripper fittings, drip line (micro tubing) (drippers) and tools such as scissors and tweezers.
. The Greentimer is a battery powered controller: it has an all-in-one design that can be hung directly on a bell or other water source. This type of controller is ideal for smaller systems in a single zone.
. The ideal operating pressure for your irrigation system is 1 bar at the drippers or 1.2 bar at the starting point of the water supply (If your pressure is over 2 bar, use a pressure regulator to reduce the high pressure).
. If you leave the 16mm polyethylene pipe in the sun, it will be easier for you to work with it.
. If you have a problem when trying to insert ½” teeth into a 16 mm pipe, after you place the pipe in warm water, the process will become easier. You can also heat the ends of the tubes using a hair dryer.
The diagram below gives a visual representation of how to assemble each type of system:
. A drip irrigation system using a bell and a battery-powered controller (timer), filter, 16 mm polyethylene pipe, 16 mm drip line with drippers inserted every 33 cm, produces a flow of 2.1 liters per hour at a pressure of 1 bar.


Note: When connecting your components, be sure to use desired thread and put some insulation on it to avoid water leakage

Wrap the insulating film around the threaded connection of the Greentimer controller

Wind the insulating film around the threaded connection of the filter

Connect coupler

Wrap the insulating film around the threaded connection of the inlet fitting.

Insert the connector into the 16mm pipe, fix the connector

Unroll the 16mm tube and cut when it reaches ground level

Connect the elbow to the other end of the 16 mm tubing and then to the drip line

Connect the Tandem dripline to your knee. Install Tandem Drip Line Along Your Plant Line

Use a T-joint to follow the lines of your plants

Close the end of the drip line by bending the tube and placing a double clamp

Planning Your System

Begin by sketching out the area you wish to water. Make sure you include the locations of trees, bushes, vegetables, and natural hiding places. Prepare a list of your plants by category, ie. natural shelters, bushes and trees. Depending on the size of the plants, their categories and density, you will be able to determine the required flow rate for drippers. Show on paper the location of the site's water resources, obstruction walls, and paved areas. To do this, you will need to measure the area that you want to water.
Planning for future use
In any project you create, leave room for future expansion. As plants mature, they may require more water. Watering times can be extended to meet this need, but in general, more drip lines need to be added to supply growing plants. In addition, new plants can be added to the landscape, so leave space in the overall design to increase the amount of available water supply capacity by 20-30%.
Setting up your system
Installing a drip irrigation system is a fairly simple process. Start by comparing your plan with the actual landscape and make any necessary adjustments to your plan to reflect actual site conditions. Start installation and assembly at the water source. If your drip irrigation system serves more than one zone, then by adding valves to each dripline branch pipe, you control each zone. If you decide to automate your system, your controller should be the first component in your build.
Installation of drip lines
Lay drip lines using fittings as needed. Don't lay the lines too tightly; leave room for expansion and contraction due to changing weather conditions. Enable plants bigger size get more water by adding more drippers (more meters of drip line). You can run a line around the tree to provide more drips.
First start of the system
Before turning on the system for the first time, leave all ends of the drip lines open, turn on the water supply and let it flow freely for a few minutes. This will flush out any dirt that may be inside the line. Close the ends of the drip line using caps. Make sure the drippers are working properly and there are no water leaks at the connection points.
Service
. Inspect the droppers to make sure they are not clogged.
. The filters should be washed and cleaned at least once a month, depending on the quality of the water. Checking the filters a week after installation will give you an idea of ​​how often to schedule filter cleaning.
. It is also necessary to periodically flush the tubes of the lines; and in this case, the quality of the water will be a decisive factor in determining the frequency of flushing.
. During cold weather, we recommend draining the polyethylene tubes or rolling them up and storing them.
. During cold weather, we recommend that you remove the battery-powered controller and, after completely dismantling the equipment (filters, valves), store them indoors.
. Once a year, remove the plugs or open the ends of the hoses to flush the line.
. As the plants grow, you may need to add, change, or remove drip lines.
For better irrigation management, you need to know:
Determination of soil type
When water is slowly applied to the root zone at one point, it is subject to gravity (downward movement) and capillary action (outward movement), creating a pattern of wet soil type and watering rate. To determine what type of soil you have in your area, take a handful of dry earth, squeeze lightly and release. Sandy (rough) soil will crumble and fall apart. Loam (medium density) will stick together, but it can be easily broken. Clay is compressed without breaking.

Each type of soil will require a separate layout. On sandy soil, water tends to seep downwards, so we recommend using closely spaced drippers or large volume drippers. In loam, the water will move slowly and spread evenly, so you can use fewer drippers with more spacing between them.
Tandem Dripline with outlets on both sides of the dripper provide faster flow and better distribution of irrigation water.

The relationship between soil and water
Capillary moisture is water held in pores by surface tension between water and soil particles. Capillary moisture is the primary force that distributes water horizontally and is the primary source of water for the plant.
Gravity water is free water in the soil that flows downwards under the influence of gravity. After the soil is saturated with water, gravity water seeps down, leaving the soil at field capacity.

EXAMPLE OF GOOD UNIFORMITY OF IRRIGATION

WASTE WATER

Field capacity is a method of measuring the volume of water held in soil in spite of gravity. If the soil is saturated with rain or irrigation and then dries freely within 24 hours, the soil is usually at field capacity.

For most plants, a soil moisture content that is at field capacity is the ideal moisture level for vegetative growth, as there is a good balance between soil moisture saturation and weathering. The soil will lose a negligible amount of water after it dries to field capacity if there are no plants on it. Plants will remove water through transpiration and reduce moisture in the soil. On hot days, plants can use water faster than the soil can supply it to the roots, or faster than the roots can supply water to the rest of the plants, and the plant will wilt. Usually, if there is enough moisture in the soil (which you can maintain with your irrigation system), the plant will recover overnight.
The persistent wilting point is the moisture content in the soil at which the plant wilts and remains wilted.

Calculation of the total volume of consumption
To determine the total flow rate in the area covered by a drip irrigation system, simply add the total number of drippers and their flow rate.
Example: You have designed a system using a 50 meter Tandem dripline with drippers every 33 cm and a flow rate of 2.1 liters per part (per dripper). 50 m divided by 0.33 m = 152 droppers times 318 liters per hour.
If you are in doubt about the capacity of your water source, measure how long it takes to fill a bucket with a known volume. For example, it takes 20 seconds to fill a 5 liter bucket, then the maximum water flow per hour is 5 liters x 3 = 15 liters per minute x 60 minutes = 900 liters of water per hour. If the system requires more water, divide the system by adding another valve. The maximum recommended flow rate for a 16 mm drip line is 800-900 liters.

StelaCables
Engineer
Irritec S.p.A

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Drip irrigation and watering timers: what is it and where and what to use?

Drip irrigation- this is the most perfect way to water plants in the beds in small doses, while:

• 🏜️ without washing away the soil, without creating soil erosion
• 🌿 without nourishing weeds, water is supplied only to the grown plant
• 💦 saving water
• 🌊 without creating an excess of moisture
• 💪 saving your arms, shoulders, back - after all, you no need to wear watering cans

What is drip irrigation and its automation in simple words

• take a barrel of water
• place it above 80 cm above ground level
• connect a timer to it (to water not all day, but on schedule)
• and to the timer - a special hose for drip irrigation
• spread this hose between your plants
• pierce the hose near the plant sprouts, make a layer to the plant and insert the dropper.

and that's it!

You just have to add water to the barrel ( better pump) and weeding.

Where did drip irrigation come from and how it is used:

drip irrigation in modern world is considered an invention of Israeli farmers who still manage to supply vegetables and fruits from their arid greenhouses around the world(including Russia). Although, the type of irrigation appeared much earlier, just a sample contemporary work Israeli specialists has become a role model for many other manufacturers.

The essence of the simple operation of drip irrigation is described above, but it is important to understand that its use is so universal that it is suitable for the entire garden: from watering strawberries to open field to greenhouse plantations.

Optional:

★ At the same time, everything is from one barrel.
★ "Spontaneous".
★ With a specified interval.
★ C control, soil and whether it has rained.

Price and types of irrigation systems

By source of water supply:

• drip- from a water source (under pressure, "passive system": from a barrel by gravity) through a main hose with outlets to plants through "droppers"

Scheme of assembly of drip irrigation "Beetle" (below)

1. Water tank
2. Hose-level hanger
3. Transparent hose - level
4. Fitting 1/2”
5. supply hose
6. dropper
7. Plug for main hose
8. Large tee (for main hose)
9. Main hose 1/2”
10. Barrel fitting
11. Fine filter
12. Angle for main hose
13. Tee small (for supply hose)
14. Clamp for main hose
15. Awl for main hose

Drip irrigation kit prices

Please note that for starters, the price depends on the length of the main hose and the number of outlets with droppers: from 10 to 18 m (for 30 or 60 plants).

Such sets cost from 1000 to 2000 rubles. There are also additional kits to expand the standard configuration, for example, "AquaDusya +12".

Drip irrigation kit Beetle for 30 plants from capacity

set for drip irrigation "Greenhouse" for 30 plants (1 bed of 6 meters) in a box.

Buy

1 130

Expansion kit AquaDusya for drip irrigation systems +12

designed to expand standard irrigation kits

Buy

AquaDusya drip irrigation set + 60

everything you need to organize non-automatic watering of 60 plants

Buy

1 800

And when and how "automatic irrigation is turned on" and options for its application?

Yes, what matters is WHEN to start watering. It’s not for you to walk around with a watering can or a hose for watering, but simply after a few days of absence from the dacha, come and see that all the plants and trees are watered.

First you need to solve a few simple calculations:

• how many zones for watering on your suburban area you choose
  Example: you have 2 beds of 6 meters, 1 greenhouse with 2 beds of 6 m, a lawn for irrigation, 2 fruit tree for watering. So you have 4-5 irrigation zones
• how much moisture is needed for irrigation
  With "gravity" from the barrel (and this, depending on the height of the barrel with water above the ground, can be from 0.5 to 2 atm) with drip irrigation per 1 dropper (per 1 plant) for 80 minutes. on average, 2-3 liters of water are consumed. Depending on what kind of plants you have and the given mode of watering them, the choice of how much water for irrigation will depend.

For example, in the norm of irrigation according to GOST, it is 3-6 liters depending on the soil, and on a hot day - 10 liters per 1 sq.m.

DETAILS
Question: What height should I choose to install the barrel for "gravity flow"?
Answer: In most cases, for a barrel of 200-250 liters, a lifting height of 80 cm to 1.5 m above the height of the watered area is enough.

• decide on a watering timer

IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW :
such irrigation automation devices are divided into " timers" and to "programmers", although they are most often referred to as "irrigation timers".

The difference is that the timers simply "cycle", most often set the watering interval on a daily basis per week (eg 2 days in hours) and with a watering duration (eg 60 minutes). A programmers (controllers) are able to set both interval and duration up to date and time.

What watering timers are

1. Eat watering timers that are just included in the kit drip irrigation kit. For example, in the BEETLE drip irrigation kits for 30 and 60 plants.

1. Eat separate timers, for example, the well-known Israeli brand Green Helper and the Russian brand Termovent (both brands made in China)

1. Eat watering timers and programmers, which include many useful features (sometimes included, and sometimes additionally connected): rain sensors (soil moisture), several service areas for irrigation, built-in pumps, more than 10 irrigation programs, etc.

Green Helper Automatic drip irrigation kit GA-010

Watering frequency from 1 time per month to 10 times per day. Watering time from 1 to 99 seconds

Buy

Automatic irrigation systems, such as drip irrigation or sprinkler irrigation, save farmers a lot of time. And even better, when the systems turn on and off by themselves, without the presence of a person. The inclusion is controlled by a timer for watering from various gravity systems or from a barrel. Which timer to choose? Electronic or mechanical? Features of both types of timer - in this review.

Benefits of using a timer

Many summer residents dream of making their work easier and freeing up free time thanks to automation. A drip irrigation system or sprinkling system is a great helper for a farmer, because he no longer needs to water the beds with a hose or a bucket. The system does it for him and much better than him.

Benefits of using a timer:

1. Watering is carried out according to a precisely verified plan. There are almost no crashes.
2. Installing the controller does not take much time, and the benefits are significant.
3. It is possible to program a separate watering for each type of plant.
4. Vegetables, berries or flowers form a clear water regime. They receive moisture every day at the same time, and exactly as much as they need. mode promotes best growth and development of plants.
5. Profitability. Thanks to the timer, you can reduce water consumption.

What should the controller do?

To decide if you need a timer, you need to know exactly what tasks it can perform:

• the controller controls the entire system;
• starts and stops water;
• provides several lines of watering at the same time;
• monitors the operation of the motor;
• can turn on (or not turn on) independently, without a set time program, determining the humidity level using a special sensor. For example, when it rains, the device will turn off watering.

Types of timers

Before buying a controller, you need to decide how much you want to automate the process. Will it be completely independent, or partially manual? To do this, you need to understand the types of timers. They are:

• mechanical;
• electronic (automatic) with mechanical control;
• electronic (digital programmable) with program control;

Moreover, each of these types, despite the mass of functions performed, is quite simple to install. They can be connected to any pipe, even a garden hose, using fittings.

Features of mechanical timers

The mechanical controller is the simplest of its counterparts. You need to turn it on manually, but the timer can turn off on its own, after a time specified by the owner. The minimum can be set to 1 minute, the maximum to 120 minutes. The device runs on batteries. The timer functions with ball valve which controls the flow of water.

Timer benefits:

• low price;
• long service life.

• only a person can turn it on.
• You can't connect any additional equipment to it.

Electronic controllers with mechanical control

Electronic timers are more complex devices, and they can perform more functions than mechanical ones. A feature of the controller is fully automated watering. The device can turn on and off by itself, it runs on batteries. Run when you need and how much you need. The owner can set the work plan for a long time. Possible humidification period - from 1 min. up to two hours.

Timer benefits:

• acceptable cost;
• ease of programming.

• it is not possible to connect additional equipment.

Electronic timers with program control

Electronic timers are ultramodern equipment on which you can set 16 programs at the same time! Devices monitor all irrigation processes, the presence of a person is not needed here. They also run on batteries.

Timer benefits:

• high manufacturability;
• a large number of functions;
• the possibility of connecting additional equipment.

• significant cost;
• operating the device requires certain skills.

The principle of operation of timers and a multi-valve device

All of these controllers work on the basis of one of two mechanisms, the principles of which are different. It is: solenoid valve or ball valve.

Timers with valves are used in the presence of a central water supply. They work within 0.2 atmospheres.

Ball electronic timers operate at low pressure (from 0 to 6 atmospheres) in gravity systems and from a barrel. Suitable for irrigation with medical droppers.

Multi-valve devices are devices that allow you to organize several irrigation lines at the same time. They are connected to the electrical network. These features must be considered when choosing a timer.

Practical secrets of setting the timer

When setting the timer for time, you need to remember a small but important detail. When a summer resident moistens the beds with a hose or a watering can, he sees that the earth after saturation is wet. And the peculiarity of drip irrigation is the dry topsoil and moisture inside, near the roots. Practitioners say that with drip irrigation, you want to turn on the water more often, because all the time it seems that the soil is dry.

To avoid flooding plants, you need to dig the soil with a shovel and look at the condition of the earth in the root zone of the plant. If it is wet, then the timer is set correctly. If swampy, it is necessary to reduce the time of watering.

With each of the devices you can automate any area of ​​​​irrigation. Several hectares of a garden, a 6-meter greenhouse or one plant. Of course, the drip system is already good, but without a timer, it loses its main function - freeing the farmer from the mandatory presence on the site. And with controllers, you can safely come to the dacha once a week, and know that the plants will thrive even in your absence.

Electronic watering timer - video

The average rainfall in July in middle lane Russia - 95mm, which approximately corresponds to 100 liters of water per 1 m2 per month, or 3 liters per day. Since you can grow an average of 5 plants per 1 m2, each plant receives up to 0.6 liters per day when irrigated with precipitation only. But this is if it were summer weather ideal for plants with night thunderstorms and a bright Sun during the day. What if it's dry? Or plants planted in a greenhouse? Or do you have plants that need more moisture? This is where the Signor Tomato automatic drip irrigation system comes to the rescue. The following are guidelines for setting up the system for watering your plants.
1. Irrigation settings for the Signor-Tomato system - Automatic drip irrigation, using watering hoses, which can be purchased.
"The Easy Way"
When installing the system on 50-70 droppers for 10 minutes of watering, each dropper receives up to 400 ml of water. The system allows you to turn on the pump 3 times a day and the duration of the pump is up to 10 minutes. Accordingly, if you set the watering to the maximum time, you will get up to 1.2 liters per day per dropper, which is more than a good summer shower. For example, this is the same as pouring a 7 liter garden watering can onto 6 plants, only the efficiency of drip water supply is higher, since the soil is not eroded, but “soaked” with moisture.
"Engineering Way"
In this case, several conditions must be met:
1.1. The system must not include a gravity-blocking dripper installed above the drum.
1.2. If you have implemented adding water through the “toilet” float, then the water inflow should be less than the flow through droppers (the water inflow must be adjusted experimentally). If the refilling is implemented via a timer, you do not need to worry about the flow of the incoming water.
1.3. It must be remembered that the gravity flow will stop only when all the water leaves the barrel, or the barrel is empty to the level set by the dropper blocking the gravity flow (it is installed in the water column at the level necessary to stop irrigation).
If all these conditions are met, then you can set up to pour as much water into the system as you see fit - then the pump does not have to be started for 10 minutes, 1 minute once a day is enough to start gravity flow.
2. Settings for irrigation with cold water through the Faucet-timer with LCD indicator (must be used in conjunction with the system Without Automatic +60 and / or Repair Kit +12)
"Heat loving plants"
Even heat-loving plants can be watered through the LCD timer tap with water from the water supply. To do this, you need to set up watering in very short portions - 1-3 minutes each, then cold water will not have time to cool the soil under the plants, as it will be fed in very small portions. Such watering should be carried out every 1-2 hours, in order to daily rate water per 1 dropper was sufficient for normal plant growth. The duration and frequency must be selected experimentally by substituting a two-liter dropper under one of the droppers. plastic bottle and measuring the amount of water per day.
"Cold resistant plants"
Everything is simple here - adjust the watering with the required frequency and duration, just enough to moisten the soil. Be sure to check if you are overwatering your plants. The soil should be moist, but the water should not stand on the beds.
3. Watering indoor plants.
"Only not by itself!"
You can assemble the Signor Tomato system in the variant for watering indoor plants while you are on vacation or in the country.
3.1. Collect a container of water sufficient to water your plants while you are away.
3.2. Install this container below the level of the plant pots - for example, on the floor if the plants are on the windowsill. This is necessary to exclude gravity, which will not please your neighbors from below.
3.3. Set the pump to water once a day with a short interval - from 3 to 10 minutes - depending on the number of droppers and the size of the plant pots - determine the duration experimentally, since you need not only to water the plants while you are not at home, but also not to flood them .
3.4. Install the solar cell on the most illuminated part of the window. Remember that the system, when the battery is fully charged, can turn on the pump for no more than 40 minutes without recharging from the Sun! If desired, the system can be powered from a household power outlet through a conventional 9V or 12V adapter.

Today, for endowment of plant care are used various systems irrigation, they make it possible to control the amount of water for each type of plant, apply drip irrigation or sprinklers. Water is saved, the most favorable conditions for development are created for plants. The only drawback of such systems is the need for constant monitoring, switching on / off is done manually. This is a rather unpleasant task, the duration of watering, depending on the type of plants, climatic conditions and a specific system can reach two hours. In order to solve this problem, you should install a watering timer for gravity systems.

First, you need to explain the concept of "gravity-flowing systems", otherwise in some sources you can find funny explanations of the principles of their operation and a complete misunderstanding of hydrodynamics.

Automatic garden watering systems - diagram

There are connoisseurs who claim that irrigation timers for gravity systems are so good that they can work with water pressure from 0 to 6 atmospheres. They will work at zero pressure, but nothing will be watered. Gravity is not a physical concept, but a purely domestic one. And it means not the absence of pressure, but the absence of permanently operating water pumps. In gravity systems, the pump supplies water only to the storage tank, which is located at some distance from the ground. Due to the height difference between the upper level of the water and the place of its exit, pressure is created, it is this pressure that makes the water flow move.

Why are timers used in most cases for gravity systems? Because they cannot work at high pressures, their closing valves are too fragile and their drive mechanism is weak. For most devices, the maximum water pressure cannot exceed 0.5 atm. For such a pressure, the water container must be at a distance of five meters from the ground. At absolute majority irrigation systems, storage tanks are located much lower.

Types of timers

There are currently three types of timers available:

• mechanical. The simplest, refer to semi-automatic control systems. Switching on is carried out manually, they turn off automatically after a specified period of time (up to 120 minutes). Does not require power sources, the closing valve is actuated by a spring. Advantages - low cost and high reliability. Disadvantages - it is impossible to do without the presence of people during switching on;

  

• electronic with mechanical control. Watering modes are fully automated, watering schedule can be adjusted for a seven-day period, watering duration up to 120 minutes. Advantages - relatively low cost, ease of programming and management. Disadvantages - the inability to connect additional equipment;

  

• electronic with program control. The most modern devices have the ability to set up to 16 special functions. Disadvantages - high cost. In addition, it can be difficult for untrained users to install programs.

  

Mechanical timers are rarely used, most often irrigation systems are controlled by one type of electronic device. The water supply is regulated by a solenoid (electromagnetic) valve or a ball valve.

Watering timer for 2 lines, mechanical "Expert Garden"

1. Solenoid valve. At a certain time, power is supplied to the electromagnetic coil, under the influence of an electromagnetic field, the core is drawn into the solenoid and blocks the water flow. If the power is interrupted, then the core is pushed up by the spring and the pipe lumen opens. In timers, the principle of operation can be reversed - without voltage, the valve closes with a spring, and when a strong magnetic field occurs, it opens. Due to this principle of operation, battery power is saved. It is possible to distinguish the operation of the solenoid valve by a characteristic click during opening / closing.
2. Ball valve. Opening/closing is performed by a gearbox, which is driven by an electric motor. To save charge, it is also constantly in the closed position, it opens only for the period when the system is turned on for irrigation. During the operation of the timer with a ball valve, a short noise of the operation of the electric motor and gearbox is heard.

Important. As soon as there are risks of frost, the timer must be turned off. Why? During start-up, large currents appear in the stator windings, as soon as the rotor starts to rotate, the current strength drops to operating modes. During frosts, the ball valve may freeze a little, the power of the electric motor is not enough to tear it off. This means that starting currents will flow through the windings for a long time, which will inevitably lead to their overheating and short circuit. And the gearbox itself is not designed for significant efforts; the drive gears may fail. Such malfunctions require complex repairs or complete replacement devices.

Electronic timers with mechanical control (toggle type)

Very easy to operate, reliable and durable devices. To select the operating modes of the irrigation system, do the following:

• unscrew the top transparent plastic cover. You need to work carefully, do not lose the sealing gasket, it may fall out;
• use the left toggle switch to set the frequency of turning on the system, the maximum period is 72 hours;
• use the right toggle switch to set a specific watering duration, a maximum of 120 minutes.

Important. The initial countdown time of the electronic device starts from the time the timer is turned on. This means that if, for example, you want watering to turn on periodically at five in the morning, then the first timer setting must be done at the same time. In the future, the time of switching on the irrigation system will not change.

Manufacturers complete with a timer implement a complete set of fittings for connection plastic pipes or flexible hoses of various diameters. The timer is powered by two AAA 1.5 V batteries.

Watering timer - photo

Electronic timers with program control

More modern devices, have greatly enhanced functions. The package includes adapters for connecting pipelines and flexible hoses of various diameters. Program control setting is done as follows:

• remove the plastic cover. It is quite tightly twisted at the factory, you will have to make considerable efforts;
• press the Time button, the program installation parameters will appear on the electronic display. Set the current time and day of the week, the action must be confirmed by pressing the Set button;
• go to each day of the week in turn, select the time and duration of the electronic timer. These parameters will be saved for the entire period of use;
• if desired, up to 16 different programs can be configured on the device. To do this, press the Prog button and then configure the desired number of programs. All entered data must be confirmed by pressing the Set button.

A rather capacious capacitor is installed inside the device. It is designed to signal a critical battery discharge and switch the timer to self-powered mode. When the batteries are low, a warning signal will appear on the display. From the time of its introduction, the batteries can still work for 2-3 days, depending on the frequency and duration of the irrigation system.

In a fully autonomous mode, the capacitor can ensure the operation of the timer for 3-4 days. If the batteries are not replaced within this time, the timer will turn off. After that, all previously set irrigation modes will be erased from the memory, you will have to repeat the installation steps from the very beginning.

In standby mode, the timer consumes no more than 1.2 mA; during operation, the current consumption increases to 350 mA. These are very small values ​​that allow the device to operate on batteries alone for at least a season. Manufacturers deliberately left this time, during the annual routine inspection of the irrigation system before starting, it is recommended to install new batteries.

There are models of timers designed to work on large and complex irrigation systems. They have several valves, which allows you to control the watering modes of several separate zones, each of them has its own parameters. Multi-valve devices can be powered by 220V or have up to eight AAA 1.5V batteries.

What data should be taken into account when configuring sensors

The conditions for growing plants largely depend on the correct setting of the timer program. What should be taken into account?

Breakdown of the irrigation area into separate zones, taking into account the types of crops. Each of them has its own requirements, in some cases you will have to buy multi-valve timers.

Hydraulic calculation for maximum water consumption. The operation of the timers must take into account the total capacity of the drives. If there is no automatic pumping, then you need to independently control the presence of water and, if necessary, fill the containers.

Analysis of the tracing of the laying of irrigation systems. A large difference in height of individual irrigation lines can have a significant impact on their performance. When setting up, you should keep in mind not only the watering time, but also the amount of water that is supplied to the plants during this time.

After completing the installation of the timer, it is recommended to check the operability of the system. For this, minimum switching periods are set, and the correct operation of the valve actuators is checked. If the timer is running normally, specific programming can begin and the system can be set to automatic mode.

The process of installing the timer program will be much easier if additional sensors are purchased with it.

Additional features of timers

Electronic timers for watering with sensors can perform several additional functions, which further simplifies the process of growing crops in greenhouses or outdoors.

1. Rain sensor. Such equipment is used during the installation of irrigation on open areas. The rain sensor sends a signal to electronic device about the presence of natural precipitation. The timer reacts to these signals and skips one watering that coincides with the rainy period. The sensor is adjusted in the precipitation range from 3 mm to 25 mm. This wide range allows for more precise control of watering rates based on weather conditions. The presence of the accelerated recall function allows you to stop watering after the start of rain in the shortest possible time, the devices do not require additional maintenance. Depending on the adjustment of the ventilation ring, a delay is set for the return of the cottage to the standby mode. The return time to the starting position is directly dependent on humidity and ambient temperature. This allows for significant water savings.
2. Diaphragm pump. It can be mounted together with a timer or in a separate case, it monitors the water level in storage tanks. When the amount of water drops below a critical level, the pump automatically turns on to replenish supplies. After filling the tanks, the pump is switched off.
3. Radio channel soil moisture sensor. Most modern appliance, greatly facilitates the care of plants. It is installed in several places in the beds, blocks the timer command for watering in case of high soil moisture. The most modern devices increase crop yields by at least 10%.
4. Water purification filter. Performs high-quality water purification, significantly increases the operating time of the timer.

Additional monitoring and control devices can be purchased as a set with a watering timer or separately.

Video - Irrigation timers for gravity systems