Table of Contents
1 – INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................ 1
How to Read this Manual ................................................................................................................................ 1
How to Irrigate Efficiently ............................................................................................................................... 1
Soil Moisture Content ..................................................................................................................................... 2
How to Use Soil Moisture Sensors Successfully ............................................................................................... 3
Choosing the Primary Zone for a Scheduling Group ......................................................................................... 4
Choosing the Sensor Location........................................................................................................................... 5
Dealing with Slopes and Berms .................................................................................................................... 5
Optimal biSensor Placement for Slopes and Berms ..................................................................................... 5
Burying the biSensor ......................................................................................................................................... 5
Turf Grass ..................................................................................................................................................... 6
Newly Seeded Turf Grass or New Sod .......................................................................................................... 6
Trees and Shrubs .......................................................................................................................................... 6
Installing biSensors with New Trees ............................................................................................................. 7
Shrubs and Other Ornamental Plants ........................................................................................................... 7
Gardens and Crop Plants .............................................................................................................................. 7
Watering Strategies ........................................................................................................................................ 7
Root Depth and Plant Water Efficiency ........................................................................................................... 8
Understanding Soak Cycling ............................................................................................................................ 9
Precipitation Rates vs. Infiltration Rates........................................................................................................... 9
Precipitation Rates for Common Sprinkler Types ......................................................................................... 9
Estimated Infiltration Rates for Common Soil Types .................................................................................... 9
Distribution Uniformity ................................................................................................................................. 10
2 – SYSTEM COMPONENTS ............................................................................................................... 11
Cabinet Options ............................................................................................................................................ 11
Remote Communications Options ................................................................................................................ 11
BaseManager .................................................................................................................................................. 11
BL Commander ............................................................................................................................................... 12
Two-Wire Devices ......................................................................................................................................... 12
Total Supported Devices and Limits ............................................................................................................... 13
Maximum Concurrent Valves ..................................................................................................................... 14
Maximum Wire Distances for 3200R and 5200R Series biCoders .............................................................. 14
Installing the BaseStation 3200 Enclosure ..................................................................................................... 14
C-series Wall Mount Cabinets......................................................................................................................... 14
Connecting Power and Ground .................................................................................................................. 15
X/XS-series Wall Mount Cabinets ................................................................................................................... 15
Connecting Power and Ground .................................................................................................................. 16
Remote Connection Modules and Antennas .............................................................................................. 16
P-series Pedestal Cabinets .............................................................................................................................. 16
Mounting the Pedestal to a Concrete Platform ......................................................................................... 16
Remote Connection Modules and Antennas .............................................................................................. 17
3 – WIRING GUIDELINES ................................................................................................................... 18
Conventional Irrigation Wiring Installation ................................................................................................... 18
Conventional Wiring Modules ........................................................................................................................ 18
Connecting Valve Wires and Moisture Sensors over Valve Wires .................................................................. 19
BL-5200 Series Powered biCoder Wiring Example with One biSensor ....................................................... 19
Expanding with Two-Wire ............................................................................................................................... 20
Connecting to BL-5200R Series Wall Mount biCoders .................................................................................... 21
Example Wiring Diagram ............................................................................................................................ 21
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