BaseStation 3200 User Manual - Baseline Systems

C h a p t e r 1 – G e t t i n g S t a r t e dInstalling Standard AccessoriesRain Switches and other Normally Closed Sensing DevicesAll BaseStation 3200 controllers are compatible with industry standard Normally Closed (NC)sensing devices such as rain switches. These devices can be directly connected to theappropriate terminals on the 3200, or can be connected using Pause biCoders to the two-wirepath. The pause behavior of the unit, and the associated messages and alerts generated, will bedifferent if the NC device is connected to a Pause biCoder than if it is directly connected to asensor terminal on the 3200. Normally Closed sensing devices, such as a rain switch, that are directlyconnected to the 3200 cannot be overridden. Watering will be stopped forall programs until the switch re-connects (i.e., the rain switch dries out.)Pause devices including rain switches can be connected to Pause biCoders,which can be associated with (or ignored by) specific programs. See theappropriate programming section below for more details.Connecting a Rain Switch to the BaseStation 3200Normally Closed RainSwitchPAUSE |RAIN |FLOW |COM BLACK RED BLACK RED| AC+ | AC- | PAUSE |RAIN |FLOW |COM BLACK RED BLACK REDStandard 3200 Connection ModuleSpecific watering behavior is different for each of the different ports:Rain Sensor Port: on activation, all watering is stopped, and all active programs are terminated.No new irrigation will be allowed to start until the rain switch deactivates (dries out). Baselinerecommends that rain switches connected this way are set to the shortest possible delay setting.Smart irrigation using soil moisture sensors will automatically account for all rainfall whichpenetrates into the soil, which is often quite different that the amount of total rainfall asmeasured by a rain switch.Flow Sensor Port: on activation, all watering is stopped, and all active programs are terminated.No new irrigation will be allowed to start until (1) the flow sensor input is cleared (no longeropen), and (2) the flow alert is cleared in the controller. The flow alert can be cleared remotelyusing BaseManager central control, but requires user intervention. Manual intervention isrequired to protect against landscape damage caused by broken pipes or valves.Pause Port: on each activation (open circuit), all irrigation will temporarily be paused for 4 hours.All active programs and scheduled watering will resume after the pause period has ended. If thepause port is activated again during the pause period, the 4 hour pause period will be restarted.Page 17Baseline 3200