Is OpenSprinkler protected from valve lines shortcircuits ?

[rjalex]

Hope question is not too dumb but my electronics knowledge is zilch ! 🙂

What happens if there’s an accidents on a wire pair going from the OS to a valve and I shortcircuit it ? Will anything blow/burn ?

Can I do anything to protect the OS and/or the 24v transformer from this type of accident ?

Thanks

[Ray]

There is an 2A fuse on the 24V AC line which may trigger if the solenoid wires are shorted. In practice because most transformers are not even rated 2A, what happens typically is that a short will cause the transformer voltage to drop instantly and hence the system will restart and reset all the valves.

[austinjoe]

I have OSv1.3u. I finally (a year or two after buying and assembling the kit) installed it in the garage tonight and setup the programs. We’ll see how she does tomorrow morning!

Anyway, if I’m reading the reply correctly, the only symptom of a blown (shorted) line from maybe a blown solenoid is that the device will reboot????

I’m in Texas and a couple days without water in the summer can KILL a plant under stress already since it’s typically 100-105 for a couple hours. Usually not, but plants damaged by insects, disease, or new plants for sure could succumb.

Is there a simple way for me to add a fuse or is there some other indicator that a station is not working that I can use to diagnose when something bad is happening?

Thanks
JOe

[Ray]

Because 1.3u does not have a built-in fuse, one simple way to add a fuse is to connect it in series on the COM wire. So COM terminal -> fuse -> COM wire.

Regarding ‘an indicator that a station is not working’ — a shorted solenoid can be easily detected electrically (or at least manually by measuring the coil resistance). But there might be mechanical issues like solenoid getting stuck etc. Ultimately if there is a soil moisture sensor, that can tell you if the plant is getting the water it needed.

[Author]

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