Lawn Genie L60204 Operating instructions

Lawn Genie@
Dual-Program Electronic Controller
Installation and Operation Guide
b For Models L60204, L60206P, L60208P
b Please read instructions completely before
attempting to install or operate controller.

This manual explains
how to install your
Lawn Genie sprinkler
controller and program
it for the watering
schedule that's right
for you. The following
sections are arranged
to match the most
efficient installation
sequence. Refer to
them in the order pre-
sented for best results.
Introductionn
............................................................... 3
Features
...................................................................... 5
Installation
Installing the controller.. ................................................
6
Connecting the valves.. .................................................
7
Connecting the transformer and battery
...................... 8
Programming
Setting the current time................................................
9
Selecting theright Program
........................................
10
Setting thestart times................................................
11
Setting the run time and Program for each Zone.........
12
Setting the day schedules ...........................................
14
Typical program for lawn &garden
.............................
16
Additional information
Installing a pump-startrelay
.......................................
17
Special functions........................................................
19
Trouble-shooting
.........................................................
20
Wateringconsiderations............................................
21
Warranty.....................................................................
22
Zone Legend ...............................................................
24
Your Lawn Genie sprinkler
controller is the heart of
your automated watering
system. It lets you supply
different parts of your lawn
and garden with precisely
the water they require,
exactly when they require
it. All without any effort on
your part once you’ve pro-
grammed your system.
This Lawn Genie controller
gives you four waysto con-
trol how you distribute
water
to various parts of your yard.
Here’s how they work:
Zone
control
Lawns, shrubs, flower beds
and other foliage all need
different amounts of water.
You can tailor the water
delivered to different parts
of your yard by assigning
a different run time to one
or more sprinkler valves.
Each valve and the sprinklers
it controls are called a Zone.
The
L60204 lets you divide
your yard into as many as four
Zones; the
L60206P allows
up to six; and the
L60208P
permits a maximum of 8 Zones.
Programming options
Certain parts of your yard may
need water every day. Other
parts may need water only
twice a week. Dual program-
ming lets you divide your
Zones into two different
groups, and assign each
group a different interval
between days or different
specific days of the week to
water. For example, Program
A may water Zones
1,3,4
and 5 every third day, and
Program B may water Zones
2 and 6 only on Monday
and Friday. For details, see
“Selecting the right
Program” on page 10.
Start times
This controller lets you
specify up to six different
times to start watering
the Zones it controls. Start
times may be shared
between Program A and
Program B in any combi-
nation, for example, two
start times in Program A;
4 in Program
B. and so on.
Watering run time
To deliver the correct
amount of water to each
Zone, you can program
each Zone to shut off after
a specified period of time-
from 1 to 99 minutes.
Here’s how the controller connects to your system
Plug-in
Controller unit
Automatic
Automatic
transformer anti-siphon
in-line valve
;$kler
valve
(some installations)

DUAL-PROGRAM ELECTRONIC CONTROLLER
I I I I
II
q (1) Time key
For setting time of day.
q (2) Hours key
For setting current hour, start-time hour, and advancing run time in
1-minute increments.
m Minutes key
For setting current minute, start-time minutes, and advancing run time in
l-minute increments.
q (4) Manual key
For temporarily interrupting a watering cycle in progress, or manually start
ing a watering cycle at other than the programmed time.
q
em
(5) Day key
For setting current day.
On/Off key (Rain Switch)
For preventing watering during wet weather or winter, and de-activating
Zones using the Zones and Days keys.
Start keys
For setting up to six start times per day shared between Program A and B
in any combination.
Days keys
For setting watering days for each Program.
Zones keys
For programming run times for each Zone.
Display
Shows current time of day, Zone being watered and watering run time.
(11) Terminal screws
For connecting valve wires to controller.
Battery connector
For installing 9-volt battery for backup power in case of power failure.
q (13) Plug-in transformer
For converting 120-volt household current into safe, low-voltage power.
(250-volt source on 50 Hz units.)

Select the location
_
A. Choose an indoor location near a standard 120-volt
dual electrical outlet. (250-volt outlet for 50 Hz
international units.)
!
CAUTION: Don’t place the controller where
temperatures may exceed 130” Fahrenheit
(55” Centigrade), on a circuit controlled by a
switch, or on the same circuit as a high power
user (refrigerator air conditioner garage door
opener. etc.). Ma/functions may result.
A. Run valve wiring underground wherever possible.
For line runs less than 800 feet long, use 18-gauge,
plastic jacketed thermostat control wire; over 800 feet,
use 14-gaugewire. Your dealer can provide this wire in
2.3.4.5.6.7and 8-wire color-coded strands.
8. Connect a single common wire to one of the wires
from each valve.
C. Solder or join all splices with wire nuts; then seal
with vinyl or waterproof cement to assure a water-
resistant connection.
Mount the controller
A. Install the controller mounting bracket at eye level
using two screws.
B. Position controller over mounting bracket engaging
tabs into recessed slats in back of controller housing.
To lock in place, pull down on controller until tabs reach
built-in stops,
IMPORTANT The power transformer is protected
by an electronic circuit breaker Do not connect a
combination of valves requiring an inrush current
of more than
1 amp at 24 VAC. (One valve only for
regular models. Two valves for P-Series models.)
Connect the valve wires to controller
NOTE: To install controller on a plaster or masonry A. Run all valve wires up through hole in bottom of
wall, use plastic or lead shields to secure screws. controller.
Wire the valves
B. Connect the wire from valve number 1 to the terminal
screw marked 1 on the controller; the wire from valve
number 2, to the terminal 2, and so on. This allows your
controller to selectively water the Zone controlled by a
valve.
Wires to individual controller terminals
Common wire to single controller
terminal
One wire from each valve connects to
a single common wire running to
controller.
Single common
lndividual wires
C. Connect the common wire to the terminal marked C.
~$e,“$$$~~
r$$$r~$~r$
D. If using a water pump or master valve, refer to (C)terminal
page 17 for installation details (P-Series controllers only).

Connect the transformer
A. Run the power cable from the transformer up through
the smaller of the two openings in the bottom of the
controller,
B. Connect one lead to each terminal screw marked 24V
Make sure terminals at the end of the cable do not touch.
C. Plug in the transformer.
ACAUTION: Use with supplied transformer ONLY!
Connect the battery
A battery back-up system is built into your Lawn Genie
controller to maintain your programmed watering
schedule in memory in case of temporary power failure.
A. Connect a 9-volt alkaline battery (not supplied) to
the battery connector in the wiring compartment
of the controller case.
B. Place the battery in the wiring compartment by
pushing the connector end, in and under the transformer
power cable terminals.
C. Replace the wiring compartment cover,
D. Replace the battery once a year. More often if frequent
power failures occur.
ACAUTION: Do not allow the battery connector to
touch the transformer power cable, or the terminal
wiring to the right. D0 not connect or disconnect
valve wires while any Zones are in operation,
NOTE. Check local codes to ensure that wiring
and installation meet all requirements.
In the controllers display, i ,z P represents 12PM, or
noon, and ] ,z R represents 12 AM, or midnight. When
the power is first turned on, the controller always
displays a time of
‘-I 0 0 P(4:00 PM). Setting the current
time is easy.
Set the current time:
A. Press &
B. Press E and hold key down until display shows
current hour and A (AM) or P(PM).
C. Press
w and hold key down until display
shows current minute. To advance time quickly, hold
down E or ME until desired time approaches.
To advance time slowly, digit by digit, press E or
MG once for each hour or minute of advance.
NOTE: You must begin setting time within
30 seconds after pressing & Otherwise,
you must press & once again.
Set the current day number
A. Press D*y
6. Repeatedly press MG until the current day
number is displayed. Days are represented by the
following numbers.
Sunday = 1
Monday = 2
Tuesday = 3
Wednesday = 4
Thursday = 5
Friday = 6
Saturday = 7
C. Press
flM( to return to the clock mode

Divide up your yard
To accommodate the special watering needs of different
parts of your yard, You can assign Zones to two separate
watering Programs (A and
B). Each Program activates the
Zones assigned to it as a group with its own specific set
of watering days and start times.
Decide how frequently each Zone should be watered.
If, for example, Zones covering lawn areas need water
every day, and Zones covering shrubs and ground cover
need water every third day, you might assign all lawn
Zones to Program A and all shrub/ground cover Zones
to Program B.
Program A Program
B
Assign start times to each Program
Now You’re ready to select the times of day that each
Program will begin watering the Zones assigned to it.
Your controller lets you set as many as six start times
a day shared in any combination between Programs A
and B, i.e. 2 in Program A, 4 in Program
B. or 3 starts in
each Program and so on. Remember, when you enter
a start time for a program, all Zones in that program will
water in sequence one after the other.
To set the start times for Program A
A. Press
z
B. Press E and hold until display shows the desired
hour and F: (AM) or F(PM).
C. Press MG and hold until display shows the
desired minute (minutes advance in increments of 5).
D. Repeat Steps A through C to set additional start times
for all Zones in Program A.
E. Press
& to return to clock mode
I,,,,,,
10 11

To set the start times for Program B
El
NOTE: Skip this step if all Zones will be set to run
on the same day. using the same start times.
Simply place all Zones in Program A.
A. Press E
B.Press E and hold until display shows the desired
hours and A (AM) or P(PM).
C. Press MG and hold until display shows the
desired minute (minutes advance in increments of 5).
D. Repeat Steps A through C to set additional start times
for all Zones in Program B.
E. Press & to return to clock mode.
IM
NOTE: Since all Zones on a Program water
in sequence, beginning with the lowest numbered
Zone, make sure all Program start times are far
enough apart to prevent watering cycles from
overlapping. If overlap occurs, the controller will
automatically delay the next start time to allow
completion of the current watering cycle.
A watering cycle that runs past midnight will
cancel any overlapping start times before midnight.
Setting the watering run time-how long to water
Your controller gives you a wide range of run times to
provide precisely the right amount of water to each Zone.
Run times may vary from 1 to 99 minutes.
Set Program A Zones
A. Press
s once to display 10 ‘5. This indicates
Zone1 is set to run for 5 minutes on the days assigned
to Program A.
B. If you want Zone1
to remain in Program A, press Ma
until the desired run time appears. Display will increase up
to 99 minutes, and begin counting again from one minute.
C. To prevent Zone1
from watering in Program A,
press ON/OR to display ! fli’ 1’
-
D. Continue pressing s and repeating Steps B
and C until all Zones have been set to the desired run
___
times or to
U f- f-.
E. Press & to return to clock mode.
Set Program B Zones
A. Press
E once to display I c 1: F This indicates
Zone 1 is not set to run in Program B.
B. To make the Zone water in Program B instead of A,
press Ma and && until the desired run time appears.
Display will begin counting again from 1 minute after
reaching 99.
C. To keep the Zone from watering in Program B (and
leave it active in A, if so programmed), press E
D. Continue pressing s and repeating steps B and C
until all Program B Zones have been set to the desired run
times or to 0 F F
E. Press & to return to clock mode.
12
IMPORTANT You must set g I= I= all Zones that are
not connected or that you do not wish to water Do
this by pressing &$ repeatedly until each Zone
number to be set to I:r F F appears, then press E
until display indicates 0 F F Repeat this sequence
using s for all unused Zones in Program B.
13

You can program a group of Zones to water either on
specific days of the week (Sunday through Saturday)
or at specific intervals between watering days, (every
day, every 2nd day, every 3rd day, etc.). If using the dual
program option for example, you could schedule Program
A Zones to water by days of the week and Program
B
Zones to water by day interval.
To set a Program to water on specific days of the week:
E. Follow the same steps if you wish Program B to water
by day interval, using E
NOTE: If setting a day interval schedule. today is
the first watering day of that schedule, unless the
start times have already passed. For example, if
you press
E until 3appears, and today is
Monday. the program will water today and again
on Thursday
14
To change a Program from day-interval mode to
A. Press oIys*. I is displayed (representing Sunday, day-of-the-week mode, press the appropriate
see chart on pg. 9). and I:~,T Program A Zones are now set oIys* or o*ysB key three times to display 0 F F,
to water on Sundays.
Then press z once to display I I& Continue
B. If you do not want Program A Zones to water on Sundays,
programming from Step B of the “specific days of
press the
s until II! !: F appears.
the week” section, page 14.
C. Press fi to display day I? (Monday), and set to
NOTE: Your controller has a preset factory
0 fl or 0 1: !I by pushing the E key again,
program which will keep your system operating
D. Repeat the previous steps until all seven days of the in the event of a power failure and an inactive
week have been set, and
I:r !I 11 appears in the display. battery This preset program will start a watering
cycle every day beginning at 2.00 AM, and will
E. Press & to return to clock mode.
F Follow the same steps to set Program B for specific
days of the week, using fi.
water all Zones for 5 minutes.
To set a Program for intervals between
watering days:
A. Repeatedly press
o*ys* eight times until DAYS EVERY
0 F F is displayed.
B. Repeatedly press Ma until the number of days
desired between waterings appears, i.e. 1 indicates
watering every day, 2 every other day, 3 every third day, etc.
C. Press &, then repeatedly press G until todays
position in the watering interval appears, e.g. day “2” of a
3-day interval.
D. Press
& to return to clock mode.
15

Here’s an example of how you might use your Lawn Genie
controller to program a watering schedule for a typical
lawn and garden. Please refer to instructions on the
preceding pages for details on specific keystroke
procedures.
Set watering day schedule for each Program:
1. For lawn areas: assign Zones to Program A for
watering Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
2. For shrub areas: assign Zones to Program
B to water
every other day. (Note: either Program can water on an
interval or specific-day schedule.)
Set start times (up to a total of 6 per day for both
Programs combined):
I. Press to set 6:00 AM and 2:00 PM start times for
Program A. Watering cycle will start at
6:00 AM in the
lowest-numbered Zone assigned to Program A, and
progress sequentially through all other Zones assigned
to this Program. The cycle will begin again at 2:00 PM.
2. Push to set 10:00 AM start time for Program B.
Watering cycle for the lowest-numbered Zone assigned
to Program B will start at 10:00 AM and progress
sequentially through all other Zones assigned to this
Program.
Set
run times and Program assignments for each
Zone:
1. Set Zones l-4 to water lawn areas for 15 minutes
under Program A.
2. Set Zone 5 and 6 to water shrubbery for 15 minutes
under Program B.
To connect your controller to a well pump or
master valve:
If your water doesn’t come from the pipes of a standard
public water supply, you may be using a pump to draw
directly from a well, pond, or similar source. In these
cases, you’ll need to make the following wiring
connections so your sprinkler controller can activate
the pump relay.
A. Bring two wires up through the same hole in the
controller cabinet used for the valve wiring.
B. Connect one wire to the terminal marked P (PUMP).
C. Connect second wire to the terminal marked C
(COMMON).
0. For pump start relay installations, connect the two
wires to an auxiliary relay with a coil rated at 24 VAC and
a current no greater than 9 VA. Then wire the relay’s
contact to supply voltage to the pump’s contactor. A
qualified electrician can make these connections for you.
For best results, use Lawn Genie’s
L3OOOOW Pump Starter
to control a pump up to 2 HP at 240 volts.
E. For master valve installations, connect both wires to
a master valve rated at 24 VAC and a current no greater
than 9 VA.
NOTE: The controller3 pump output will turn on
whenever a Zone is watering manually or
automatically.
16
17

Manual watering- to water a selected Zone
To water a single Zone at a time, press MI\NUI\L once,
then repeatedly press E or z to advance to the
Zone number you wish to water. Press s once to
I,.
begin watering the selected Zone. The display will flash
MAN, the Zone number being watered, and the minutes
remaining. Only this Zone will water. Cancel the manual
mode at any time by pressing oN/orr
Semi-automatic watering-to water all Zones
n
A. To water all Zones in Programs A and B, press
M*NUI\L once, then E once. The display will flash
MAN, the Zone number being watered, and the minutes
remaining. Cancel the manual mode at any time
by pressing s
B. To water only the Zones in Program A, press M*NU*L
twice, then z once. The display will flash MAN, the
Zone number being watered, and count down the minutes
remaining. All Program A Zones will water once in
sequence. Cancel the manual mode at any time by
pressing &&
C. To water only the Zones in Program B, press MI\NU*L
three times, then s once. The display will flash MAN,
the Zone being watered, and count down the minutes
remaining. All Program B Zones will water once in
sequence. Cancel the manual mode at any time
by pressing E
NOTE: The controller will automatically revert to
your programmed schedule after watering has
finished in manual or semi-automatic mode.
Interrupting the watering cycle- Pause Function
To freeze a manual or semi-automatic watering cycle at
any point in the Zone’s run time, press s The display
n
will flash lSSE To resume the watering cycle, press s
again, and the Zone’s count will continue.
NOTE: If PAUSE is activated and forgotten, the
controller will automatically reset itself at
midnight and resume its normal programmed
schedule.
Turning off the system
To prevent automatic watering when no cycle is in
progress (for example if rain is expected, or during the
winter), press s once. The display will flash z 1: F,
Press ONIOA again to resume automatic watering,
(programming is automatically retained). To conserve
backup battery, do not unplug controller during extended
period in the OFF mode.
Electronic circuit breaker operation
If the controller detects a short circuit, it will
automatically turn off power to the shorted Zone’s
automatic valve. The display will alternately flash F II ‘it
and the shorted Zone’s number and run time. The con-
troller will continue to automatically water all other
Zones under the programmed watering cycles, while the
display continues flashing the Zone number with the
short circuit.
To return the controller and display to normal operating
mode after repairing the short, press & , E
START B
or m
18
19

Malfunctions aren’t common, but when they
occur, they’re often due to one of these
frequently overlooked causes.
Problem Possible Cause
One or more valves
do not water
1. Faulty solenoid
2. Poor wire connection
3. Possible break in wire
4.
Valve flow stem screwed down too far
1: I_! ‘g, and a Zone number are
alternately flashing on display
and no watering will occur
1. Faulty solenoid
2. Poor or shorted wire connection
Clock won’t keep correct time
1.
2.
Controller on circuit controlled by a switch
Controller on same circuit as high power
user (refrigerator, air conditioner, garage door
opener, etc.)
3. Power failure and no battery or dead battery
Zones turn on when they’re NOT
1.
programmed to start
2.
Total combined run times have
overlapped with another start time
Too many start times
Clock has correct time and Zones
1.
appear to be functioning properly,
2.
but no valves will turn on
3.
One Zone won’t shut off
1.
electrically
2.
One or more Zone are set to 0 F F
The common wire is not connected
Valve flow stem is screwed down too far
Faulty valve
Particles of dirt or debris are stuck in valve
WARNING: Do
not link two or more
controllers using a common
transformer
or common wire.
For additional assistance, call our Customer Service Hot-line [phone].
20
If possible, schedule watering cycles in the early morning,
when water pressure is at its highest. This allows ample
time for water to soak in while evaporation and wind drift
are low. Evening watering can leave foliage damp for too
long, leading to mildew under some circumstances.
Ask your local nursery or garden center for a schedule
suited to the special weather and soil conditions in
your area.
21

LIMITED WARRANTY
Lawn Genie warrants to the purchaser of its products for
a period of two (2) years from the date of original purchase
that any defective product proved to be caused by faulty
workmanship or faulty materials, when installed per
instructions and used in a normal manner, will be repaired
or replaced at Lawn Genie’s option at no charge, providing
the product is received at the Lawn Genie factory. or
authorized factory service center, with all transportation
charges prepaid within two Years of the date of original
purchase. This warranty does not apply to damages or
malfunctions resulting from accidents, misuse or neglect.
Lawn Genie will not pay labor or other costs of removal or
reinstallation of any so-called defective products.
NO IMPLIED WARRANTIES (INCLUDING BUT NOT
LIMITED TO) FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE,
WHERE APPLICABLE, AND MERCHANTABILITY SHALL
EXTEND BEYOND THE PERIOD OF THE EXPRESS WARRANTY
DESCRIBED ABOVE. IN NO EVENT SHALL LAWN GENIE
BE RESPONSIBLE FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL
DAMAGES TO PROPERTY WHICH MAY ARISE FROM OR
RELATE TO THE PURCHASE OF ANY LAWN GENIE PRODUCT.
Some states do not allow limitations on how long
an implied warranty lasts or the exclusion or limitation of
incidental or consequential damages, so one or both of the
above limitations may not apply to you.
This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and You
may also have other rights which vary from state to state.
To exercise Your warranty, send unit, with photocopy
of dated receipt, postage prepaid to the address on next page
22

Zone Watering Days Run lime location
Start limes
1.
(maximum total of six)
Program A or Program B
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
q LawnGenie
9455 Railroad Drive
El Paso, TX 79924
[phone]
800-231-5117
q Hardie Irrigation
AJllml Hardle company
24
200702 REV. A 1/93