Battery operated timer

[SprinklerGuy]

here is the situation:

Existing Rainbird DV valves...2 of them.....using Rainbird battery operated timers...new sod.....programming of these timers is pathetic....I can't control them like I want....I want to syringe this sod several times per day and the best I can do with these battery timers is 2x in 24 hours....familiar with these timers?
http://www.rainbird.com/landscape/pr...s/easyrain.htm

I want to use the Hunter SRC timer..it can control both of these valves with one timer..but I don't want to change the valves

Do you think they will work with the Rainbird DC latching solenoids ? Cut off the Hunter solenoids that come with it?

Should right? No warranty at that point of course..but it should work right?

TBOS is another option...but not cheap once you buy the transmitter...

I hate the idea of having 2 separate controllers..one for each zone....there is no way to get power here....

thanks...

[PurpHaze]

When we were first considering switching from TBOS to Hunter WVC (pretty much same as SRC) the Hunter rep told me that we could use their controller to fire any valve with a DC solenoid. However, my concern was two-fold: (1) tired of getting on my knees to attach TBOS infrared cable and (2) after market solenoids for Irritrol Century Plus valves.

I ran across my first Rainbird valve with solid DC solenoid. It was fired by a TBOS and the TBOS also worked with our former Irritrol valves with after market solenoids so I imagine the Hunter will do the same. We in the profession mix and max all the time so I imagine that battery operated would be no different.

Here's a pic of the Rainbird valve with DC solenoid operated by TBOS.

[Dirty Water]

How about mounting a timer where there is power, and temporarily running some multistrand to the valves on the ground (and across the road or whatever), until the sod takes root.

Should only take about two weeks.

Then you could go with the EasyRain.

[Wet_Boots]

Nelson SoloRain stuff could work for you, with the appropriate Nelson/Rainbird adapter. Definitely more than two cycles per day.
http://www.nelsonturf.com/products/subcats.cfm?CAT=3

[PurpHaze]

Originally Posted by Wet_Boots

Nelson SoloRain stuff could work for you, with the appropriate Nelson/Rainbird adapter. Definitely more than two cycles per day.

SoloRains have actually worked great for us in a very specific situation. We have a historical theater on one of our high school sites that has very isolated raised planters. There was no way to inexpensively get power to each planter nor could we use a multi-valve system like TBOS or WVC for the same reason. We've had exactly one of them go bad but that was due to vandalism.

Here's the model we used.

[PurpHaze]

Speaking of SoloRain here's the actuator system we tried prior to the TBOS system. It is absolute JUNK in my opinion.

I still have the programmer and about eight actuators somewhere.

[Wet_Boots]

Nelson also makes a couple of the operators that take their programming from a separate device you keep with you. That would make the operators less tempting to steal, since they can't be reprogrammed on their own. Wireless ones, too.

[Wet_Boots]

What happened with that other programmer/actuator combo? I wonder if it's their first attempt at the battery-powered stuff (being that it runs on 9V batteries, instead of lithium cells)

[Oxmow]

If ya want the sod watered say 4 times a day and you can only get the RB battery unit to water 2 times in 24 hours...get another one and hook it up to the valves as well. Now ya got 4 times a day till you don't need it and then take one of them off.

[sheshovel]

Sorry sweetie your gonna have to change the valves to get the control you want..Check out Dig Irrigation controllers