User Instructions
The Wireless Rain Sensor
For Irrigation Systems
I
NTRODUC TION
:
Congratulations on your purchase of the Wireless Rain Sensor. Not only is the Wireless Rain Sensor the
easiest to install rain sensor on the market today, but its rugged design will provide you with years of hassle
free service, backed up by our 3 year warranty. No special tools are required to install the Wireless Rain
Sensor, so don’t worry about having to make any last minute trips to the hardware store - you’ll be up and
running in minutes, not hours.
Please read through these instructions in their entirety before attempting to install the Wireless Rain Sensor
- this will save time and prevent mistakes. Also, if you are unsure about the proper wiring of irrigation
valve controllers or common electrical installations, please have a qualified contractor perform the
installation for you.
I
NSTALLATION
:
There are two main components supplied with your Wireless Rain Sensor, the transmitter and the receiver
(See Fig.1). Always install the receiver first - at a location in close proximity to the irrigation controller
(See Fig.2). Mount the receiver using the enclosed screws to a solid surface within the wire range of the
supplied hookup wire.
The receiver control wires (2 white, 1 blue) are used to break the 24VAC common ground circuit of the
solenoid valves or can be hooked up directly to the sensor input of the controller itself. The white/white
combination are used in 90% of installations however in the event the controller requires a normally open
sensor (such as the Toro Greenkeeper) the white/blue combination is used.
If the controller has a space on the terminal strip marked “Sensor” or “SEN” then directly wire the two
white wires to the two terminals (unless the controller requires a normally open sensor circuit in which case
attach one of the white wires and the blue wire to the terminals). Now attach the red and black wires to the
24VAC supply terminals on the controller, assuring that the red goes to the terminal marked + or POS and
the black wire is attached to the - or NEG terminal if so marked. Make sure that the antenna wire is kept
straight and that it is not touching any other wire or other metal object. Your receiver is now completely
installed!
You now should test your wiring by lightly pressing on the spindle of the transmitter and holding it down
for a few seconds - the “System Off - Rain” light should illuminate for the duration of the actuation. If the
light does not illuminate, please recheck your wiring (you may also look on the web at
www.rainsensor.com for additional help and specialized wiring configurations).
The transmitter should be adjusted prior to installation. The Wireless Rain Sensor can be adjusted to
prevent the irrigation system from starting or continuing after rainfall quantities of 1/8", 1/4", 1/2", 3/4" or
1". To adjust it to the desired shut-off quantity, rotate the cap on the switch housing so that the pins are
located in the proper slots (See Fig.4). Do not use excessive force to twist the cap as this may break the
pins. The time that it takes the Wireless Rain Sensor to reset for normal sprinkler operation after the rain
has stopped is determined by weather conditions (wind, sunlight, humidity, etc.) These conditions will
determine how fast the hygroscopic discs dry out, and since the turf is also experiencing the same
conditions, their respective drying rates will roughly parallel each other. So when the turf needs more
water, the Wireless Rain Sensor is already reset to allow the sprinkler system to go at the next scheduled
cycle.
The best location to mount the transmitter should be as close to the receiver as possible to avoid structures