Toro ECx User manual

ECx OutdoorTimer Features:
• Weather-Resistant Cabinet
• Easily Expandable Up To 12 Zones
With 2-Zone Plug-In Modules
• 3 Watering Programs With:
- Calendar, Interval and Odd/Even Days
- 1 Min. to 4 Hrs. Valve Run Time
- 4 Start Times Per Program
• Battery Back-Up
• Automatic Pump Start
• Seasonal Run Time Adjust
• Rain Delay
• Rain Sensor Ready
• Snap-In Wire Connectors
Automatic Outdoor Sprinkler Timer
User’s Guide
R
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ECx Introduction and Set Up
■Timer Components.........................................2-5
■Sprinkler System Basics....................................6
■Watering Program Basics..................................7
■Watering Program Details ..............................8-9
■Planning Your Watering Schedule...................10
■Filling Out the Watering Schedule Form.....10-11
❚Watering Schedule Form ..............................12
■“Remote” Programming...................................13
■Installing the Battery........................................13
■Selecting Optional Control Features................14
❚24-Hour Clock Mode.....................................14
❚15-Second Run Delay ..................................14
❚Odd/Even Watering Days .............................14
■About the ECx Memory....................................14
■Resetting the Timer Memory ...........................15
❚To reset the Permanent Memory ..................15
❚To Clear the Memory ...................................15
Programming the Timer
■Setting the Current Time and Day or Date ......16
■Setting the Watering Day Schedule............17-19
❚Setting a Calendar Schedule ........................17
❚Setting an Interval Schedule.........................18
❚Setting an Odd/Even Schedule ....................19
❚Turning Off a Program .................................19
■Setting Program Start Times ...........................20
■Setting Valve Run Times.................................21
Installation
■Preparing the Cabinet for Installation ..............22
■Installing the Cabinet.......................................23
■Connecting the Valves.....................................24
■Connecting a Pump Start Relay ......................25
■Connecting a Toro Rain Switch.......................25
■Connecting the Power Source.........................26
Timer Operation
■Automatic Operation.....................................27
■Manual Operation ..........................................28
❚Starting Programs/Stations Manually............28
❚Watering Control Features............................29
❚ To Pause Watering.....................................29
❚ To Resume Watering..................................29
❚ To Cancel Watering....................................29
❚ To Skip Zones.............................................29
❚ To Adjust the Valve Run TIme....................29
■Turning Off the ECx.........................................30
■Using the Rain Delay Feature..........................30
■Using the Season Adjust Feature....................31
Service and Specifications
■Replacing the Fuse..........................................32
■Adding a Zone Module.....................................32
■Troubleshooting...............................................33
■Specifications...................................................34
■FCC Rules.......................................................34
■Warranty .........................................................34
Table of Contents
1

Timer Components
ECx Introduction and Set Up
2
PROGRAMS
BCA
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%
31
2

Timer Components
The following are brief descriptions of the ECx compo-
nents and display elements. Each of these items will be
explained in further detail within the appropriate pro-
gramming, operating and installation sections of this
guide.
1 - LCD Display
A - “Start Time”symbol –Alarm clock is displayed
when setting the program start times.
B - Program start time identification numbers 1–4.
C - Main display of various time values and prompts.
D - Program A, B and C identifiers.
E - “Watering On”symbol –Water droplet indicates a
watering zone is running. Droplet flashes if water-
ing is paused.
F - “Watering Off”symbol –Water droplet with slash
indicates all watering activity is Off.
G -“Power Off”symbol –Displayed when main power
is disconnected and timer is on battery power only.
H - “Low Battery Voltage”symbol –Indicates low bat-
tery voltage (when transformer is disconnected).
I - Watering Zone identification numbers.
J - “Percent”symbol–Indicates the Season Adjust fea-
ture is in use.
K - Day of the week identifiers.
L - “Run Time”symbol –Hourglass is displayed when
setting the watering zone run times.
2 - Control Buttons
+/ON button –Increases the time display, scrolls for-
ward through the program information and selects
watering days.
–/OFF button –Decreases the time display, scrolls
backward through the program information and
removes watering days.
NEXT button –Advances to the next portion of pro-
gram information. Resumes watering if paused.
Advances through zones manually when watering.
MANUAL START button –Selects and starts manual
watering operations.
3 - Control Dial –Selects all timer programming and
operation controls (except Manual Start).
Control Dial Positions
AUTO/ON –Normal dial position for all automatic and
manual operations.
SET TIME/DAY –Enables clock time and day to be set.
SET WATERING DAYS –Enables watering day sched-
ules to be set and reviewed.
SET PROGRAM START TIMES –Enables program start
times to be set and reviewed.
SET VALVE RUN TIMES –Enables valve run time to be
set and reviewed.
(continued)
3

Timer Components
3 - Control Dial Positions (continued)
SEASON ADJUST –Selects the Season Adjust
feature. See page 31 for details.
OFF –Shuts off and prevents all automatic and
manual watering activity. See page 30 for details.
RAIN DELAY–Selects the Rain Delay feature.
See page 30 for details.
4 - Optional 12/24-Hour Clock Feature –Removing
this jumper selects 24-hour (military time) clock
mode.
5 - Optional Run Delay Feature –Removing this
jumper causes a 15-second delay period before a
zone starts watering.
6- Odd/Even Day Schedule Selector Feature –
Removing this jumper enables an Odd or Even
watering day schedule to be selected.
7 - Transformer –Supplies 24 V a.c. power to the
timer.
8 - Fuse –0.75 Amp, 250V Fast Blow fuse.
9 - Terminal Block –Input power wire connection
terminals.
10 - Sensor Connection Terminals –Snap-in connec-
tors for optional Toro Rain Switch control wires.
11 - Valve Common Terminal –Snap-in connector for
the valve common wire.
12 - Pump/Master Valve Connection Terminal–
Snap-in connector for the power wire from the pump
start relay or master valve.
13 - Sensor Bypass Switch –Controls input from the
optional Toro Rain Switch (if installed).
14 - Battery Select Switch –Alkaline (ALK) and
recharge (RCHG) position to select the type of
battery installed.
15 - Plug-In Zone Control Module –Each control
module has snap-in connectors for two valve power
wires. Up to six modules can be installed to control
up to 12 valves.
16 - Program Select Switch –Three position slide
switch used to select watering program A, B or C
during the programming procedures and manual
operation.
17 - 9-Volt Battery –The battery maintains the timer
memory if the main power is disconnected. Either an
Alkaline or rechargeable Ni-MH battery can be
installed.
4

5
BATTERY
MANUAL
START
ON
NEXT
OFF
PROGRAMS
BCA
Timer Components
3
4
5
7
8
9
10
11 12 13 14 15 16 17
6

The three main components of every automatic sprin-
kler system are the timer, zone control valves and
sprinklers.
The timer is the brain of the system, telling the control
valves when and how long to supply water to the sprin-
klers. The sprinklers direct and control the water applied
to the lawn and plants.
Each valve controls a specific group of sprinklers called
a watering zone. The zones are generally laid out and
installed according to the type of plant material to be
watered, the location of the plant within the landscape
and the maximum amount of water which can be sup-
plied. Each valve is connected to a numbered terminal
within the timer, identifying it as zone 1, zone 2, etc.
The timer operates the zones in order, one at a time.
In other words, one zone would water completely
before another zone would turn on. This is called a
watering cycle. The information stored in the timer
memory which determines when and how long the
zones will water is called a program.
The next section of this guide is very important. It
explains what a program is and how the ECx controls
the operation of the sprinkler system.
Sprinkler System Basics
6
MANUAL
START
ON
NEXT
OFF
PROGRAMS
BCA
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Valve 1 - Zone 1 - Parkway Lawn - Fixed Spray
Valve 2 - Zone 2 - Front Lawn - Fixed Spray
Valve 3 - Zone 3 - Front Shrubs - Flood Bubbler
Valve 4 - Zone 4 - Back Lawn - Geared Rotor
Valve 5 - Zone 5 - Garden - Drip
Valve 1
ECx Timer
Valve 2
House
Valve 3
Valve 4
Valve 5

A watering program requires three basic instructions to
operate automatically:
•What days to water –called watering days
•When to water –called a program start time
•How long to water –called valve run time
The following example illustrates how a typical watering
program could be set for the sprinkler system shown on
the previous page.
Example: The program start time is set for 5:00 AM. Lawn
zones 1 and 2 each have a run time of 10 minutes and
lawn zone 4 is set to run for 20 minutes. Note that zones
3 and 5 water shrubs and flowers and have been exclud-
ed from this program. (These zones will be set to oper-
ate on separate programs).
As shown in the watering program diagram, at 5:00 AM
the timer starts the program watering cycle. Zone 1
sprinklers run for 10 minutes and shut off. Zone 2 sprin-
klers turn on, run for 10 minutes and shut off. The timer
skips zone 3 and turns on zone 4, which runs for 20 min-
utes and shuts off. Zone 5 is skipped and the watering
cycle ends at 5:40 AM.
As you can see from this example, only one program
start time was needed to operate three different zones.
Because of variations in plant watering needs, the ECx
provides three separate programs. The programs, called
A, Band C, are completely independent of one another
–like having three timers in one housing.
Using more than one program for example, would enable
lawn zones to be watered every day on program A,
shrub zones to run on on Monday, Wednesday and Fri-
day on program B, and drip irrigation to soak the flower
beds every three days on program C.
Although the ECx offers the multiple program feature,
you may want to have all zones on one program if it
meets your needs. The other programs can remain
turned off until you need to use them.
Watering Program Basics
7
3
12
9
6
3
12
9
6
3
12
9
6
Zone 1
Program
Starts - 5:00 AM
Program
Ends- 5:40 AM
Zone 2
Zone 4
Watering Program Diagram

This section covers in detail each of the three parts of a
watering program: watering days, program start times
and valve run times.
Selecting Watering Days
The ECx provides four options for scheduling watering
days: Calendar, Interval Odd/Even and Off.
Calendar Schedule
A Calendar schedule enables you to select specific days
of the week to water, for example, Monday, Wednesday
and Friday. This is a seven-day schedule which starts on
Sunday and ends on Saturday.
This illustration shows how
a Calendar schedule would
be displayed when the con-
trol dial is in the SET WATER-
ING DAYS position.
In this example, program Ahas watering days set for MO
(Monday), WE (Wednesday) and FR (Friday).
Interval Schedule
An Interval schedule enables you to set watering days
without regard to the actual days of the week. For exam-
ple, if you want to water every third day, you would
select a 3-day Interval. Interval schedules range from
1-day (watering every day) to 7-day (watering every sev-
enth day). Once you have selected an Interval schedule,
you can choose which day of the week will be the first
day of the Interval. The number of days in the Interval
determines the available start days. For example, if you
have selected a 3-day Interval and today is Sunday, you
may choose to start the Interval today, Monday or Tues-
day.
This illustration shows how
an Interval schedule would
be displayed. In this exam-
ple, program Bhas a 3-day
Interval schedule which will
start on Monday.
Odd/Even Schedule
The Odd/Even schedule enables you to select odd or
even numbered days of the month as watering days.
This illustration shows how
an Odd day schedule would
be displayed.
Program Off
Selecting Off suspends the operation of the program
when it is not needed. Turning the program Off does not
alter or erase the watering schedule information of the
program, it simply places the program on hold until it is
needed.
This illustration shows how a
program would be displayed
if its watering day schedule
is turned Off. In this exam-
ple, program Cis Off.
Watering Program Details
8
PGM A
SU MO TU WE TH FR SA
PGM A B C
SU MO TU WE TH FR SA
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
PGM A