Conventional Wire Nonproprietary Spec

Conventional Wire Specification

Table of Contents

PART 1 - Wire Specifications

1.1Conventional Wire Specifications

PART 2 - Connectors

2.1Direct Bury

2.2Connector Installation Details

PART 3 - Powered Decoders (12/24)

3.1Specifications

3.2Wiring and Installation

PART 1 - Wire Specifications

1.1Conventional Wire Specifications

1. The wire shall be laid between valve boxes and installed without damage including nicks, cuts, or abrasions to the outer jacket. There shall be a 24-inch (61cm) slack loop at every valve box for making connections.
2. The wire shall be tested before solenoids are installed.
3. A single valve wire from one typical solenoid shall be connected to each terminal and all commons shall be connected to the appropriate common terminal.
4. The distance from the controller to the end of any one wire run shall not exceed the maximum distance specified for the gauge of wire in the chart below.

PART 2 - Connectors

2.1Direct Bury

1. All two-wire connectors shall be a DBR/Y or equivalent direct bury splice, made for full submersion proof and shall effectively seal moisture from two or more conductorsand installed per manufacturer’s specifications, and as specified herein.
2. All twist connectors shall be a steel spring, metal shell, flame retardant PVC insulator.
3. The outer tube shall be made of polypropylene.
4. The internal gel shall be silicone electrical insulating gel.
5. The voltage rating shall be a minimum of 600 volts.
6. The operating temperature shall be -40°F to 221°F (-40°C to 105°C).

2.2Connector Installation Details

1. All connectors shall be installed per manufacturer’s specifications
2. The installer shall make all connections per manufacturer’s specifications.
3. The installer shall verify that no loose, unshielded wiring shall touch the ground, water or other copper conductor causing a leakage of current to the ground or a short circuit across wires.
4. The installer shall make all connections fully submersion proof.
5. All splices shall be made inside a valve box.
6. The installer shall score the outer jacket 6 to 10 inches(15.24 cm to 25.4 cm) from each end without scoring conductor insulation.
7. The installer shall strip 1 inch (2.54 cm) of insulation from conductor without scoring the conductor.
8. Installer shall bundle like conductors, twist them together, and trim off ½ inch(1.27cm) of conductors.
9. Installer shall twist a wireconnector in a clockwise direction,and then place a fully submersion-proof DBR/Y tube over the top making sure connector is fully seated at the top of the tube. Snap the cover completely closed.
10. Installer shallensure that all connections are mounted in a vertical orientation to eliminate standing water inside the connector.
11. Installer shall provide a strain relief to eliminate pressure on connector (for example, a loop knot in wire or a tie wrap).
12. All splices shall be made inside a valve box.

PART 3 - Powered Decoders (12/24)

3.1Specifications

1. Powered decoders shall be available in 12, 24, 36, or 48station units.
2. Powered decoders shall be installed as specified herein.
3. The powered decoders shall come as an option, installed in the high capacity wall mount controller cabinet in 12, 24, 36, or 48 station units.
4. The powered decoders shall come as an option, installed in the pedestalcontroller enclosure in 12, 24, 36, or 48 station units.
5. All powered decoders shall come with 2 additional terminals labeled for master valve and/or general valve.
6. The powered decoders shall becapable of integrating both a two-wire path and conventional wire valve circuits.
7. The powered decoder shall have signal collision detection on the two-wire and be able to resend messages if a collision occurs.
8. Each terminal on the powered decoder, including the master valve and/or general use terminals, shall have a zone number address that can be assigned and modified from the two-wire controller.
9. The powered decoder shall be capable of self-identifying to the two-wire controller and will report preconfigured unique serial numbers and zone addresses for each terminal and detected moisture sensor.
10. The powered decoder shall come with 2 sensor-over-valve-wire terminals per 12 stations. The powered decoder shall be able to communicate with 1 soil moisture sensor connected on each of these 2 terminals.
11. Each sensor-over-valve-wire terminal on the powered decoder shall have an indicator LED that will indicate proper electrical connection and communication activity to a moisture sensor connected on that terminal.
12. The powered decoder shall come with a test button used to verify electrical connection and communication of moisture sensors on all sensor-over-valve-wire terminals.
13. The powered decoder shall, from time to time, verify proper sensor-over-valve-wire communication and set indicator LEDs accordingly.
14. The powered decoder shall be capable of activating any irrigation solenoid(s) and/or reading a soil moisture sensor over the same existing field common and station wires when connected to a sensor-over-valve-wire terminal.
15. Each terminal on the powered decoder shall have the capacity of .56 amps at 24 VAC, and can support up to 2 typical solenoids.
16. The powered decoder shall be capable of connecting to a two-wire controller by use of a two-wire path.

3.2Wiring and Installation

1. The powered decoder shall be connected to the two-wire path from the controller and shall be mounted per the manufacturer’s specifications. Connect all the red two-wire terminals to red conductors, and black terminals to black conductors.
2. The maximum wire run between powered decoder and the controller shall be the same as stated in the manufacturer’s two-wire specifications. Themaximum distance between the controller and the decoder is 8000 feet(2438.4 m).
3. The powered decoder shall come standard with a 120 VAC transformer, and shall have sufficient output capacity of 40 VA to operate 2 master valves and up to 2 typical solenoids simultaneously per 12 ports.
4. The powered decoder shall require a 110-120 VAC (115 VAC nominal) power source with a minimum of a 5 amp breaker.
5. A single valve wire from onetypical solenoid shall be connected to each terminal and all commons shall be connected to the appropriate common terminal.
6. A moisture sensor shall be connected with one wire connected to the sensor-over-valve-wire terminal and the other wire connected to the common terminal. Electrically, the moisture sensor shall be connected in parallel with the valve solenoid.
7. All connection points along the wire path out to the soil moisture sensors shall be DBR/Y or equivalent.
8. All connections shall be made in a valve box according to the manufacturer’s specifications.

REV 11.29.2018

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