hi, I'm just getting started on this project, I have hydrosys basically working so I'm starting on the actual irrigation layout.
I'm baffled with solenoid valves and hoping someone can help.
I'm on my third type, all purchased from Bunnings, and all have the same problem. I'm using the 25mm 24VAC non-latching type, I tried Holman, K-Rain and now Pope and they all have the same problem – when de-powered they won't block water flow.
Am I doing something wrong? These things are pretty simple I thought – apply 24VAC to open, power off to close. I connected them to my water pipe: power off, turn on the water and no water flow – great, as expected. Power up - water flow, great, as expected again. Power off again and still water flow, it won't block or turn off!
The Pope is the worst, you wouldnt even know its off, K-Rain was better it blocked maybe 90% of water, Holman in between.
I tried reducing the water pressure at the tap as well, no change.
Before I resort to the latching type (which I understand aren't supported here?) I'm hoping someone can tell me I'm doing something wrong. Is there an extra step I'm missing?
Thanks for any advice,
Will.
I'm not a big fan of the non-latching valves, I think they are intrinsically less safe than the other type.
Anyway as for your suggestion, I'm not going to say that they are not supported :).
The system can support pulses with minimum length of 1 second.
If I understood your idea correctly you should have:
1) One GPIO (A) controlling the polarity.
2) Another GPIO (B) controlling the valve activation.
3) To open the latching valve, activate the GPIO B for few seconds.
4) To close the valve, activate GPIO A , activate the GPIO B for few seconds, deactivate GPIO A.
Anyway there is a feature you can use. Let's say GPIO B is associated to relay1, if you go to Hardware setting and edit the line of relay1, you can modify the fields MIN and MAX and set them to 2. At this point if you set a pulse on relay1 for example of 40 seconds, the relay1 will be activated for 2 seconds, then deactivated, then after 38 seconds will activate again for 2 seconds.
This would still require manual synch of GPIO A and GPIO B which is not ideal.