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Combining Zones ?
I purchased a home with an irrigation system running 12 zones on a fairly small lot. I don't know why it has so many zones, perhaps low city water pressure. When I purchased the home, the previous homeowner told me that he was in the process of coverting to lake water and all I needed to do was finish installing the pump, which I have now done. (And cut and capped the water rom the city.) I have lots of water volume and pressure and would like to reduce the number of zones I am running. I have tested combining zones by simply wiring two valves together. There is still great pressure and coverage.
My question is this. Can I combine zones by wiring multiple valves together ? Will this dammage the controller (Hunter Pro-C), valves, solenoids ?
Thank you for your help.
too many zones wired together will be seen by the controller as a short circuit (which then shuts off the zone) - three might be the limit
Combine the zone wires at the controller. It will save lots of headaches if you ever need to trouble shoot a bad wire or selonoid. I, too, would not exceed three zones. I have jumper wired 4 zones during blow-outs on a Pro-C and it does work, but 3 would be my limit.
Most controllers have a 1amp fuse.
Most valves have a .33 amp current sudden inrush flow. Going over 3 will push it and probably blow the fuse