ISA 300 / 400 SPRINKLER TIMER Installation, Programming, and Operation Guide RAIN BIRD IRRIGATION CORPORATION Technical Services: 800-247-3782 • http://www.rainbird.
CONTENTS INTRODUCTION .............................. 1 ISA Timer Features and Benefits ............. 1 Timer Stations ......................................... 2 ISA Timer Controls and Indicators .......... 3 INSTALL TIMER ............................... 4 Select Location ....................................... 4 Mount Timer ............................................ 5 Install Battery ........................................... 5 Connect Field Wiring ............................... 7 Select Proper Wire ..
English INTRODUCTION Thank you for purchasing a Rain Bird ISA 300 / 400 Series Sprinkler Timer. ISA timers provide simple programming and flexible watering schedules to meet almost any landscape’s needs. These timers can be used with any 110 VAC / 60 Hz electrical outlet (240 VAC / 50 Hz for the international version). This manual describes how to install, program, and operate your timer. Read this manual carefully and keep it in a handy place for future reference.
English 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. Each station has an irrigation valve that runs several sprinklers. An electric signal from the timer opens Page 2 the first valve, which turns on the sprinklers connected to it.
English ISA Timer Controls and Indicators This illustration shows the programming controls on the face of the ISA Sprinkler Timer.
English INSTALL TIMER Before installing your ISA Sprinkler Timer, make sure you have the following tools and equipment: • Phillips screwdriver • Three #10 screws (1¼'' / 32mm) • 9-volt alkaline battery (not included) • 18-gauge color-coded, multi-strand, direct-burial wire for wire runs of less than 800 feet. (For runs longer than 800 feet, use 14-gauge color-coded, multi-strand, direct-burial wire).
English Mount Timer Screw two #10 screws into the wall 4¾'' (120 mm) apart. Leave 1 8 '' to ¼'' (3,2 to 6,4 mm) of each screw head protruding from the wall. (Use plastic mounting anchors for plaster or masonry). Place the two keyhole-shaped slots on the back of the timer over the screw heads. Then slide the timer securely down onto the screws.
English NOTE:: When replacing the battery, DO NOT unplug the transformer or you will lose all programmed information. If the battery fails during a power outage, the timer will revert to its default watering program. The default program waters each station every day for 10 minutes, starting eight hours after AC power resumes. The default program will continue until you reprogram the timer.
English Connect Field Wiring 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 strand 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.
English Remove the timer’s lower access cover by gently prying out the cover at the slots on the left and right sides of the timer. Splice together one wire from each valve (usually the white strand) to create a single “common” wire. Connect the common wire to the terminal screw labeled “COM.” NOTE:: Make sure all wire connections are tight and in firm contact with the terminal screws. Use watertight splice connectors to prevent corrosion and avoid short circuits.
English After connecting all valve wires, replace the timer’s lower access cover. NOTE:: To save water and money, you can also install a rain sensor, such as Rain Bird’s RS-1 Rain Shut Off. The RS-1 measures rainfall and prevents unnecessary watering. If Using a Master Valve or Pump Start Relay ISA 400 Series Timers allow a master valve or pump start relay to operate whenever a valve is operating. Pumps are used in some places to draw water from a well or other source.
English Connect the color-coded “hot” wire from the master valve or pump start relay to the timer terminal screw 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 screw 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.
English 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. Remove the timer’s lower access cover by gently pulling the lower access cover off using the slots on the left and right sides of the timer. Turn the dial to RAIN / OFF.
English Plug the transformer into an electrical outlet. The display flashes the hour digits and “OFF.” NOTE:: If the display does not come on, verify that the battery is new and securely connected. Turn the dial to AUTO / RUN. This completes the installation and wiring process. You are now ready to program your timer.
English PROGRAM TIMER • • Watering days — the specific days of the week on which watering takes place (for example, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for a “Custom” schedule), or a watering interval (for example, every third day). Start time — the time(s) of day that the program begins. This is the time that the first station in the program begins watering; all other stations then follow in sequence.
English 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 dial to TIME & DAY. The hour and minute digits flash in the display. Press and the day of the week will flash. Press or V until the correct day of the week appears in the display. V Press V and the hour will flash. Press or V until the current hour appears in the display.
English Select a Program (ISA Models 406 & 408 Only) ISA Timer models 406 and 408 have two programs, A and B. Each program can have its own watering schedule and start times. For example, Program A could run on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, while Program B could run on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. You can assign any station to Program A, Program B, or both. If you only plan to use one program, use Program A. The currently selected program appears in the left-hand side of the LCD display.
English Pre-Set Watering Schedules For your convenience, the ISA Sprinkler Timer has six pre-set watering schedules (“C” and 1 – 5). The pre-set schedules are already programmed into the timer and are shown in the table to the right.
English Select a Pre-Set Schedule Turn the dial to PRE-SET SCHEDULES. “C” flashes in the display. When the schedule you want appears, press to select it. The schedule number flashes, and a box appears around “SCHED” in the display. This shows that you have “locked-in” the schedule. The display also shows the watering days and the schedule’s first start time. Press or V to display the pre-set schedule you want.
English If you want the pre-set schedule you selected to water on its default days and time(s), just turn the dial to AUTO / RUN to run the schedule automatically. Now that you’ve chosen a pre-set schedule, no other programming is necessary. One of the pre-set schedules will meet most homeowner’s watering needs. However, if you want to modify the schedule, continue on to “Modify a Pre-Set Schedule.“ NOTE:: For dual-program models (ISA 406 and 408), you can select a schedule for Program B.
English Modify a Pre-Set Schedule To modify a Pre-Set Schedule, you must first “select” it as described on page 17. You can then modify the: • Watering day(s) (if you chose Custom C) • Watering interval (if you chose Pre-Set Schedule 1 – 5) • Start time • Station watering duration You must also set the schedule’s start time(s), and set each station’s watering duration. Follow the procedures below to modify the Pre-Set Schedule you selected.
English Press V to move to the next day of the week. Press or V to turn watering OFF or ON for that day. Repeat Steps 3 and 4 for each day of the week. The bottom of the display will show all ON days only. V If You Chose Pre-Set Schedule 1 through 5: Turn the dial to CUSTOM SCHEDULE — DAYS. The selected pre-set watering schedule (1 – 5) flashes at the top of the display. For example, if you locked in Pre-Set Schedule 1, “Every 1 Days” would be flashing.
English Set Schedule Start Time(s) Turn the dial to CUSTOM SCHEDULE — STARTS. Start time 1 flashes in the display. You can program up to three start times per day. You can program all three start times, or leave one or two of them turned off. At least one start time must be activated for the system to water. NOTE:: Do not confuse start time numbers with station numbers. When you are setting start times, the word “Start” appears in the bottom of the display.
English Press V and the time of start 1 flashes. Press or V to set the start time you want. You can set start times in increments of 15 minutes. To turn off a start time, advance the time past 11:45 p.m. (The OFF position is between 11:45 p.m. and 12:00 a.m.) V To set additional start times, press will flash again. Press V to advance to start 2. V and start 1 Repeat steps 2 through 6 to set start times 2 and 3, if necessary.
English To change the watering duration of any station, press or V until the desired station number flashes in the display. Then press . The watering duration minutes flash. You can set each station for a different watering duration from 1 minute to 2 hours. Press or V to set the length of time you want the station to water. To turn off the station, press to move past :01 minutes until OFF appears in the display. The OFF position is between :01 minutes and 2:00 hours.
English View Pre-Set Schedule Information If you wish, you can use this procedure to view the default watering information for any Pre-Set Schedule. The same information is shown in the table on page 16. NOTE:: You cannot modify any schedule information displayed during this step. This procedure only lets you view the schedule information. Turn the dial to PRE-SET SCHEDULES. Press or V until the display shows the schedule you want to view. V Press .
English Press . Station 1 flashes and the display shows the watering duration set for Station 1. Press V . Station 2 flashes and the display shows the watering duration for Station 2. Repeat to view additional stations. Press . The display shows the schedule number and watering frequency (for example, “Every 2 Days”). V V Repeat steps 2 through 7 to review additional schedules.
English OPERATING THE TIMER Turn the Timer On and Off To set the timer to automatic operation, turn the dial to AUTO / RUN. The display will show the current day and time, and all Pre-Set and Custom schedules will water automatically. NOTE:: The dial must be in the AUTO / RUN position to water automatically. If the dial is in any other position, your watering schedule(s) will NOT run. To turn off the timer and prevent all watering, turn the dial to RAIN / OFF.
English Run a System Test The ISA Sprinkler Timer has a built-in test program that will run each station in sequence for two minutes. You can use this program to test the proper operation of the system’s valves and sprinklers. Turn the dial to RAIN / OFF. Press and release the and V buttons at the same time. The stations will turn on, one at a time, in sequence (except those you have programmed OFF), starting with station 1.
English NOTE:: The “Sprinklers On” symbol will appear in the display whenever the system is watering (i.e., during normal operation, manual operation, or a test program). If you have a dual-program timer (ISA Model 406 or 408), only the stations assigned to program A or B (whichever appears in the display) will run during the test. To test the other program, press the Program A/ B button. Then repeat step 2. When the test is finished, turn the dial back to AUTO / RUN.
English Manually Run a Program or Single Station If an area needs extra watering, you can manually run individual stations or an entire program. Follow the appropriate procedure for manual operation. NOTE:: You cannot operate the timer manually during regularly scheduled watering times, or when the dial is in the RAIN / OFF position. Run Program(s) Manually Press the button once. The stations will turn on, one at a time, in sequence (except those you have programmed OFF), starting with station 1.
English For dual program models (ISA 406 and 408), manual operation will run the program (A or B) that appears in the left-hand side of the LCD. O To switch programs, press the Program A/B button until the desired program appears in the LCD. Then press to begin watering. Run Station(s) Manually Turn the dial to AUTO / RUN. If you want the displayed station to water, press the button. Press V to advance to the next station.
English NOTE:: To stop a manual cycle after it has started, turn the dial to RAIN / OFF for five seconds. When the “Sprinklers On” symbol disappears from the display, manual watering will stop. Then turn the dial to AUTO / RUN to resume normal operation. The first selected station will begin watering immediately. When you finish selecting the station(s) you want to water, those station numbers will flash in the top of the display.
English Adjust Watering Percentage The Watering Percentage feature (sometimes called “Water Budgeting”) lets you increase or decrease the watering duration (run times) of all stations on both programs (A and B), without reprogramming the timer. You can set the watering percentage from 10% to 200%, in 10-percent increments. Use the Watering Percentage feature to cut back watering during cool winter months, or to increase watering during hot, dry weather.
English Press the or V buttons to select the desired Watering Percentage. Turn the dial back to the AUTO / RUN position. All stations will now run at the selected Watering Percentage. V WINTERIZING THE SYSTEM In cold-weather areas, you may want to turn off your timer during winter months. Before shutting down the system for the winter, make sure to drain the water from all irrigation lines to prevent freezing damage to pipes and valves.
English TROUBLESHOOTING Symptom Electrical Issues 1. LCD display is blank, or flashes “AC OFF,” and the time. 2. Fuse blows out frequently and the display goes blank. Page 34 Cause Correction a. Burned out fuse Replace the fuse with the timer’s spare fuse (750mA for 406 and 408; 500mA for 304). b. Transformer not plugged in Make sure the two-prong connector is connected and the transformer is securely plugged in. c.
English Symptom Cause Correction Electrical Issues 3. Fuse blows as soon as the timer is plugged in. a. Faulty transformer Replace the transformer. b. Electrical short in the timer Call the Rain Bird Technical Assistance Hotline at 800-247-3782. 4. LCD display is “frozen,” and the timer will not accept programming. An electrical surge may have damaged the timer’s electronics. Unplug the timer and remove the battery and fuse. Let the timer sit for three minutes without power.
English Symptom Watering Issues 5. Automatic and Manual cycles do not begin watering. Page 36 Cause Correction a. Water source not supplying water Make sure the main water line and all supply lines are open and operating properly. b. Wires not properly connected Make sure all field wires and master valve/pump start relay wiring is connected properly. c. Wires loose or cut; corroded connections Check field wiring for broken, cut, or “skinned” wires. Replace if necessary.
English Symptom Cause Correction Watering Issues 6. Watering occurs at the wrong start times on AUTO / RUN. The wrong pre-set schedule may be “locked in” Turn the dial to Pre-Set Schedules and make sure you have selected the correct schedule. If you have a dual-program timer (ISA 406 or 408), the station(s) may be programmed to run on both programs (A and B). Check the start times for both programs. 7. Watering does not start properly during manual operation Wrong program may be selected.
English Symptom Cause Correction Watering Issues 9. A single station does not shut off after watering. Valve may be stuck open due to debris Inspect the valve and remove any debris. Dial in the wrong position Make sure the dial is in the RAIN / OFF position before pressing the and buttons. 10.
English NOTES ISA Series Sprinkler T imer Timer Page 39
English NOTES Page 40 ISA Series Sprinkler T imer Timer
NOTES ISA Series Sprinkler T imer Timer Page 41
NOTE: This irrigation timer generates radio frequency energy and may cause interference to radio and television reception. It has been type tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B computing device in accordance with the specifications in Subpart J of Part 15 of FCC Rules, which are designed to provide reasonable protection against such interference in a residential installation. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation.
