Baseline Systems BaseStation 3200 V12 - Manual (Page 75)

BaseStation 3200 Advanced Irrigation Controller Manual
• Pipe Fill Time – This field represents the time that it takes to fill the pipe and achieve a steady
flow rate after a valve change. The default value is 2 minutes, but you can set it to any value
between 1 and 30 minutes. Zone changes are made at the top of the minute, and the zone is
considered stable after the pipe fill time. One minute after the pipe fill time, a valid flow is
calculated (over the last minute interval).
• Concurrent Zones by Flow – When you set up the design flow for the mainline and then set
this field to YES, the controller will use the design flow of the individual zones (or learned
flow) and will turn on zones that are waiting to water until their design flow is equal to or less
than the available flow on the mainline.
For example, with 100 GPM available, the system can run three zones at 30 GPM and a fourth
at 10 GPM at one time – later there may be two zones at 30 GPM and one at 20 GPM (the
system cannot always hit 100 GPM exactly).
• Flow Variance Settings
 High Flow Variance Alarm – You can set the high variance limit to Off or to any value
between 1% and 100%. During normal program watering, the controller compares the
sum of the design flow (or learned flow) from all running zones against the measured
flow of the flow device (or the sum of all flow devices supplying water to the mainline).
The measured flow may be higher or lower than the expected flow. When the ratio
becomes greater than the variance, then an alarm is generated. For example, if the
expected flow is 50 GPM, and the High Alarm variance is 25%, then the acceptable flow
range is up to 55 GPM.
 High Flow Shutdown – Set this field to Y (yes) to have the system shut down when the
high variance exceeds the limits. A high alarm prompts the system to determine the
zone (or set of zones) that is causing the high flow variance. The currently running zones
are marked as “suspects” and are shut off. The program continues to water with
another set of zones and one of the suspect zones. If the variance is within limits, the
zone will be marked as good and watering will continue. If the variance is out of limit,
then the zone will be marked as a failure and shut down. This method allows watering
to continue almost without interruption, while isolating the faulty zone or zones.
 Low Flow Variance Alarm – You can set the low variance limit to Off or from 1% to
100%. During normal program watering, the controller compares the sum of the design
flow (or learned flow) from all running zones against the measured flow of the flow
device (or the sum of all flow devices supplying water to the mainline). The measured
flow may be higher or lower than the expected flow. When the ratio becomes greater
than the variance, then an alarm is generated. For example, if the expected flow is 50
GPM, and the Low Alarm variance is 25%, then the acceptable flow range is down to 45
GPM.
 Low Flow Shutdown – Set this field to Y (yes) to have the system shut down when the
low variance exceeds the limits. A low alarm prompts the system to determine the zone
(or set of zones) that is causing the low flow variance. The currently running zones are
marked as “suspects” and are shut off. The program continues to water with another set
of zones and one of the suspect zones. If the variance is within limits, the zone will be
marked as good and watering will continue. If the variance is out of limit, then the zone
will be marked as a failure and shut down. This method allows watering to continue
almost without interruption, while isolating the faulty zone or zones.
Page 69