Rain Bird PC 506 Series Installation guide

PC 506 SPRINKLER TIMER
Installation, Programming, and Operation Guide
RAIN BIRD IRRIGATION CORPORATION
Technical Services: 800-247-3782 • http://www.rainbird.com

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CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION .............................. 1
Features & Benefits ............................... 1
Timer Stations ........................................ 2
Controls & Indicators ............................. 3
INSTALL TIMER ............................... 4
Select a Location ................................... 4
Mount Timer ........................................... 5
Install Battery ......................................... 6
Connect Field Wiring ............................. 7
Connect Transformer ........................... 13
PROGRAM TIMER .......................... 15
Set Current Time and Day ................... 16
Basic “Dial” Programming ................... 17
Custom Programming ......................... 23
OPERATING THE TIMER ................ 30
Manual Operation ................................ 30
Manual Cycle ....................................... 30
Other Timer Features ........................... 32
WINTERIZING THE SYSTEM .......... 33
TROUBLESHOOTING ..................... 34

English
Page 1PC-506 Series Sprinkler Timer
INTRODUCTION
Thank you for choosing a Rain Bird PC-506 Series
Timer. PC-506 timers provide simple programming
and flexible schedules to meet your watering needs.
This manual describes how to install, program, and
operate your timer. Read this manual carefully and
keep it handy for future reference.
If you have any problems with your PC-506 Timer,
please call the Rain Bird Technical Assistance
hotline at 800-247-3782. You may also find helpful
information on the Rain Bird Web site:
www.rainbird.com.
Features & Benefits
The PC-506 Sprinkler Timer is an electronic clock
that controls when your sprinkler system turns on
and how long the sprinklers run. The PC-506 timer
offers several advanced features, including:
•Separate schedules for each station with just a
turn of the dial
•12 popular schedules to choose from, or set
your own custom schedule
•Ability to water up to six zones
•Exclusive “new lawn” watering cycle for lawn
seed germination or sod
•Large, easy-to-use dials save your schedules
even during power outage
•Automatic watering up to three times per day, up
to three hours per zone (ideal for drip watering)
•Large, easy-to-read LCD screen for setting time
of day, watering start times, and custom
schedules
•“Pause” feature to interrupt watering schedule for
yard activity
•Pump start output standard (pump relays sold
separately)

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PC-506 Series Sprinkler TimerPage 2
Timer Stations
Most sprinkler systems divide the yard into
“stations” (also called “zones”). You can program
each station to water for a different length of time, so
the amount of water fits the different plant types, soil
conditions, and sunny/shady areas in the yard. The
PC-506 Timer can control up to six stations.
Each station has an irrigation valve that runs several
sprinklers. An electric signal from the timer opens
the first valve, which turns on the sprinklers
connected to it. When these sprinklers have run for
their programmed time, the timer closes the first
valve and opens the second valve.
For example, this illustration shows that station 1 is
currently watering. When station 1 finishes, the timer
will shut it off and start station 2. When station 2
finishes, station 3 begins, and so on.

English
Page 3PC-506 Series Sprinkler Timer
Controls & Indicators
This illustration shows the programming controls on
the face of the PC-506 Timer. These controls include:
On/Off button
Pause button
Set Time/Day button
Review Station button
Set Start button
Manual Cycle button
Set Custom button
LCD display
Up/Down arrow buttons
➓Station dials (6 sets, each with a Schedule and a
Duration dial)

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PC-506 Series Sprinkler TimerPage 4
INSTALL TIMER
Before installing your PC-506 Timer, make sure you
have the following tools and equipment:
• Two #10 screws and mounting anchors
• Screwdriver
• 9-volt battery
• Color-coded, multi-strand, direct burial wire (18-
gauge for runs of less than 800 feet; 14-gauge for
longer runs)
• Wire strippers
Select a Location
NOTE::
::
:The PC-506 Timer is for
INDOOR use only. If you must install it
outdoors, use a water-resistant cabinet,
such as the Rain Bird Model TC-2 Timer
Cabinet. The TC-2 is a heavy-duty,
weather-resistant plastic case that lets
you convert any indoor-only timer to
outdoor use.
Select a convenient indoor location within 6 feet
(1.9 m) of a 120-volt AC electrical outlet. The
mounting location should be completely protected
from moisture, direct sunlight, and freezing
temperatures.

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Page 5PC-506 Series Sprinkler Timer
Mount Timer
Before securing your timer to the wall, make sure
that there is enough room on the left side for the
door to swing open.
Screw two #10 screws into the wall 315/16 inches
apart, leaving about ¼ inch of each screw head
protruding from the wall. Use plastic anchors to
secure the screws to plaster or masonry walls.
Hang the timer on the screws using the keyhole
slots on its back.
OPTIONAL: To further secure the timer, remove
the lower access cover by gently prying it out of
the slots on the lower left and right corners. Then
drive screws through the lower three mounting
holes.

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PC-506 Series Sprinkler TimerPage 6
Install Battery
During a power outage, the battery preserves your
programmed watering schedules. A newly installed
battery will hold information for up to 24 hours.
If the power is out for more than 24 hours, or if the
battery fails, the timer will revert to the pre-set start
times of 6:00 a.m., 6:00 p.m., and 12 noon. Stations
set for custom programs A and B will start once a
day in a cycle beginning at 6:00 a.m. The time of
day, all custom start times, and any A or B custom-
program schedules will have to be re-programmed.
NOTES: The battery serves as memory
back-up only. You can program the timer
on battery power, but the system will not
water without AC power.
Replace the battery once a year. If power
outages occur frequently, you may need to
change the battery more often.
When replacing the battery, DO NOT
unplug the transformer or you will lose all
programmed information.

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Page 7PC-506 Series Sprinkler Timer
To install the battery, remove the timer’s lower
access cover by gently prying it out of the slots
on the bottom corners of the timer.
Place a 9-volt alkaline battery, with the “+” side
facing up, in the slot directly below the fuse. DO
NOT use a rechargeable battery.
Replace the cover, or connect the field wiring as
described in “Connect Field Wiring.”
NOTES::
::
: DO NOT let the battery
contact the timer’s terminal strip.
For your convenience, there is a spare
0.5 amp fuse on the inside of the cover.
Connect Field Wiring
If you have not done so, remove the timer’s lower
access cover. On the bottom right-hand corner of
the timer, near the battery compartment, you will see
a row of small, black switches. These are the
terminals where you will connect the field wires.

English
PC-506 Series Sprinkler TimerPage 8
Select Proper Wire
For wire runs of less than 800 feet, use 18-gauge
color-coded, multi-strand, direct burial wire. For
longer runs, use 14-gauge wire of the same type.
Choose wire that has one strand for each valve in
your system, plus one for the common wire. For
example, use five-strand wire if you have four
valves, seven-strand wire for six valves, etc.
Tape off spare wire strands for future system use or
troubleshooting. Wire that is buried underground
must have watertight connections (use grease caps)
and be code-approved for underground use. Avoid
placing underground wire in places where it may be
damaged by digging or other activities.
Connect Valve Wires to Timer
Each valve connects to the timer with two wires: a
“hot wire” of its own, and a “common wire” that it
shares with the other valves.
Remove the timer’s lower access cover by
gently prying it out of the slots on the bottom
corners of the timer.

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Page 9PC-506 Series Sprinkler Timer
NOTE::
::
: Make sure all wire connections
are tight and in firm contact with the
terminals. Use watertight splice
connectors to prevent corrosion and
avoid short circuits.
Make sure ½” of wire extends from each
strand. If not, use wire strippers to cut ½”
of insulation from each strand.
Splice together one wire from each valve
(usually the white strand) to create a single
common wire. Connect the common wire to the
terminal marked “COM:”
a. Open the terminal by pushing the
switch up.
b. Insert the end of the wire into the
terminal.
c. Close the terminal by pushing the
switch back down.
Connect each valve “hot” wire to the numbered
terminal for the corresponding valve station:
a. Open the appropriate terminal (terminal
#1 for valve #1, terminal #2 for valve
#2, etc.) by pushing the switch up.

English
PC-506 Series Sprinkler TimerPage 10
b. Insert the end of the wire into the terminal.
c. Close the terminal by pushing the
switch back down.
CAUTION: DO NOT connect more than
one valve wire to each terminal; this will
damage the timer. If using more than one
timer, DO NOT share the “common” wires
between them.
If any terminal does not connect to a valve, turn
the corresponding Duration dial to “Manual Off.”
NOTE::
::
: To save water and money, you
can also use a rain sensor, such as Rain
Bird’s RS-1 Rain Shut Off. The RS-1
measures rainfall and stops unnecessary
watering.

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Page 11PC-506 Series Sprinkler Timer
If Using a Master Valve or Pump
Start Relay
(Optional)
NOTE::
::
:Complete this section only if your
system requires a master valve (an
automatic valve installed on the mainline
pipe upstream from the station valves) or
a pump start relay. The timer does not
provide the main power for a pump.
PC-506 Timers allow a master valve or pump start
relay to operate whenever a station valve is on.
Some systems use a pump to draw water from a
well or other source.
If you are activating a pump from the timer, you must
use a Pump Control Relay, such as Rain Bird’s
PCR-1. The PCR-1 offers solid-state reliability and
can activate most 120- or 240-volt pump motors up
to two horsepower.

English
PC-506 Series Sprinkler TimerPage 12
Connect the color-coded “hot” wire from the
master valve or pump start relay to the timer
terminal marked “MV.”
Connect the common wire from the master
valve / pump start relay to the common wire
coming from the station valves. This wire
connects to the timer terminal marked “COM.”
NOTE::
::
: Make sure that the total draw of
the master valve or pump start relay plus
the draw of the valve does not exceed
0.650 Amps at 24 VAC, 60 Hz.
To avoid possible pump damage, connect a
short “jumper” wire from any unused station
terminal(s) to the nearest terminal in use. For
example, if you have a six-station timer with only
four stations in use, jumper stations five through
six to the nearest active station (four).

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Page 13PC-506 Series Sprinkler Timer
Connect Transformer
After installing the battery and connecting the field
wires, you are ready to connect the timer’s
transformer.
CAUTION: DO NOT plug in the
transformer until you have completed and
checked all wiring connections. Also, do
not attempt to link two or more timers
together with a single transformer.
If you have not done so, remove the timer’s
lower access cover.
Turn the On/Off button to “Off.”
Insert the two ends of the transformer wire into
the transformer terminals marked 24 VAC.
a. Open the transformer terminals by
pushing the switches up.
b. Insert the end of each transformer wire into
one of the terminals. It does not matter
which wire you connect to which
transformer terminal.

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PC-506 Series Sprinkler TimerPage 14
c. Push the switches back down to
hold the wire in place.
NOTE::
::
: If the display does not come on,
verify that the battery is new and securely
connected.
Plug the transformer into an electrical outlet.
Turn the On/Off button to “On.” This completes
the installation and wiring process. You are now
ready to program your timer.

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Page 15PC-506 Series Sprinkler Timer
PROGRAM TIMER
Programming is the process of telling the timer when
and how long you want to water each station. When
you set a program, you schedule three things:
Watering days — the specific days of the week
on which watering takes place (for example, every
third day).
Start time — the time(s) of day that watering
begins. This is the time the first station in the
program begins watering; all other stations then
follow in sequence.
Watering duration (run time) — the number
of minutes that each station runs.
When programming, you can only change the field
that is flashing in the LCD display. To change
something else, press the appropriate button until
the item you want to change flashes. For example, to
change the minutes, press “Set Time/Day” until the
minutes field is flashing.
There are two ways to program your timer:
The “basic dial” program lets you set watering
days, times, and durations just by turning two
dials for each station. These dials offer several
watering cycles, such as “every day” or “every 3rd
day.” To learn about using the basic program,
see “Basic Dial Programming” on page 18.
The “custom programs A and B” option lets you
select specific days of the week rather than the
cycles on the dials. You can also program a set
of start times to use with the new cycles. To learn
more about setting custom programs, see
“Custom Programming” on page 24.
Before you program your watering schedule, set the
current time and day on the timer.

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PC-506 Series Sprinkler TimerPage 16
Set Current Time and Day
You must set the current time and day the first time
you program the timer, and after any power
interruption.
Turn the “On/Off” button to ON.
Make sure nonenone
nonenone
none of the Duration dials are set to
“manual on.”
Press the “Set Time/Day” button once. The hour
digits will flash in the LCD screen.
Use the Sand Tbuttons to set the current hour.
Keep scrolling until the desired time, including
the AM/PM indicator, appears.
Press “Set Time/Day” again. The minute digits
will flash in the LCD screen.
Use the Sand Tbuttons to set the minutes.
Press “Set Time/Day” again. A day of the week
will flash in the LCD display.
Use Sand Tbuttons to select the current day.
Press “Set Time/Day” to exit this function.

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Page 17PC-506 Series Sprinkler Timer
Basic “Dial” Programming
On the front of your PC-506 timer, you will see six
pairs of dials, numbered 1 through 6. Each pair of
dials represents a watering station (or “zone”) in your
irrigation system.
NOTE::
::
:For more information about
stations, see “Timer Stations” on page 2
of this manual.
The two dials for each station are:
•Schedule Dial — To select what days and
how many times per day to water.
•Duration Dial — To select the length of each
watering (“run time”).