Rain Bird ESP-LXD Installation, Programming & Operation Manual (2024)

Rain Bird ESP-LXD Installation, Programming & Operation Manual (1)

ESP-LXD Controller

Installation, Programming & Operation Guide

Rain Bird ESP-LXD Installation, Programming & Operation Manual (2)

Symbols

NOTE: Symbol is intended to alert the user to important operating,

functionality or maintenance or installation instructions.

WARNING: Symbol is intended to alert the user to the presence

of electricity within the controller which may constitute a risk of

electronic shock or other hazard.

CAUTION: Symbol is intended to alert the user to important

instructions or conditions that could seriously aect irrigation

eectivity or controller operation.

DIAL: Symbol indicates that the user is required to turn the dial

on the controller to the appropriate setting in order to follow

subsequent instructions as described in that section.

REPEAT: Symbol indicates that a repetition of previous steps

or actions may be required in order to continue or complete the

controller programming process.

Safety Information

WARNING: A circuit breaker or cuto switch must be provided

in the xed wiring to isolate the controller.

WARNING: The current date and time on the controller is

retained by a long-life lithium battery, which must be disposed of

in accordance with local regulations.

Regulatory Information

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits

for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These

limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful

interference in a residential installation.

This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy

and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may

cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is

no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation.

If the equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television

reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment o and

on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by the

following measures:

Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver.

Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit dierent from

that to which the receiver is connected.

Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

Changes or modications not expressly approved by Rain Bird

Corporation could void the users authority to operate the equipment.

This product was FCC certied under test conditions that included the

use of shielded I/O cables and connectors between system components.

To be in compliance with FCC regulations, the user must use shielded

cables and connectors and install them per instructions.

For technical assistance contact Rain Bird at 800 RAINBIRD (1-800-724-6247) U.S. and Canada

Visit us on the web at www.rainbird.com

Rain Bird ESP-LXD Installation, Programming & Operation Manual (3)

I

ESP-LXD Controller

Contents

Section A - Introduction & Overview ................... 1

Welcome to Rain Bird ....................................................... 1

ESP-LXD Controller ..........................................................1

Controller Features ..................................................................................1

Controls, Switches and Indicators ....................................................2

2-Wire Path Overview .......................................................3

Star Pattern ..................................................................................................3

Loop Pattern ...............................................................................................4

Decoders ......................................................................................................5

Types of Decoders ...............................................................................5

Field Decoder Addresses ..................................................................5

Basic Operation .........................................................................................6

Programming Overview ................................................... 7

Irrigation Controller Definitions ........................................................7

Programs ..................................................................................................7

Watering Days .......................................................................................7

Watering Start Time ............................................................................7

Station Run Time ..................................................................................7

Programming Guide ...............................................................................7

Fill Out Programming Guide ..........................................................7

Apply Decoder Address Labels .....................................................8

Storing the Programming Guide ..................................................8

Remote Programming ...........................................................................8

Programming Checklist ........................................................................9

Set Up Hardware ..................................................................................9

Set Up Programs ...................................................................................9

Set Up Programs (Optional) ............................................................9

Review Setup .........................................................................................9

Optional Setup ......................................................................................9

AUTO ...............................................................................10

Automatic Operation ..........................................................................10

Alarm Conditions ..................................................................................11

Decoder Address Alarms ...............................................................11

FloWatchTM Alarms ............................................................................11

Review Alarm Messages ................................................................11

Resetting the Controller ....................................................................12

Optional Features ...........................................................12

Station Expansion Module (ESP-LXD-SM75) ............................12

Section B - Basic Programming .......................... 13

Set Current Date & Time .................................................13

Program Select Switch ...................................................14

Select Program .......................................................................................14

Setup Wizards .................................................................14

Valve Types Setup .................................................................................14

Master Valves Setup .............................................................................16

Weather Sensors Setup ......................................................................18

Set Up Decoder-Based Weather Sensors ...............................18

Weather Sensors Bypassed/Active Switch ............................19

Local Weather Sensors ...................................................................19

Custom Pause Sensors ...................................................................19

Custom Prevent Sensors ...............................................................19

Station Setup ...........................................................................................20

Flow Sensors Setup ..............................................................................22

Set Up Rain Bird Flow Sensor ......................................................22

Set Up Custom Flow Sensor ........................................................23

Set Watering Start Times ................................................25

Select Days to Water .......................................................26

Station Run Times ...........................................................27

Rain Bird ESP-LXD Installation, Programming & Operation Manual (4)

II ESP-LXD Controller

Section C - System Diagnostics .......................... 29

Test All Stations/Check System ......................................29

Confirm Programs .................................................................................29

Program Summary ...........................................................................29

Review Program .................................................................................30

Program Run Time ............................................................................33

Station Run Time ...............................................................................34

Test All Stations ......................................................................................35

2-Wire Path Diagnostics .....................................................................36

Short Finding ......................................................................................36

Decoder Test ........................................................................................38

Line Survey ...........................................................................................40

Ping Decoders ....................................................................................42

Weather Sensor Status ........................................................................44

Master Valve Status ..............................................................................45

Section D - Advanced Programming .................. 47

Seasonal Adjust %..........................................................47

Adjust Individual Program ................................................................47

Adjust By Month ....................................................................................48

Select Months to Adjust ................................................................48

Select Programs To Adjust ............................................................49

Delay Watering ...............................................................50

Rain Delay .................................................................................................50

Calendar Day Off ...................................................................................51

Water Windows ......................................................................................52

Set Up Water Window .....................................................................52

Watering Cycles ..............................................................53

Watering Cycle Definitions ...............................................................53

Custom, Odd, Odd no 31st, Even ..................................................53

Cyclical Days ............................................................................................55

Station Settings ..............................................................56

Set Up Cycle+SoakTM ...........................................................................56

Set Up Station Delay ............................................................................57

Set Up SimulStationsTM ......................................................................58

Set SimulStationsTM for Program ................................................58

Set SimulStationsTM for Controller .............................................59

Station Sequencing ..............................................................................60

Section E - Options & Special Features .............. 61

Backup and Recall Programs .........................................61

Store Default Programs ......................................................................61

Recall Default Programs .....................................................................62

Delayed Recall ........................................................................................63

Programming Backup Cartridge (PBC-LXD) ..................64

PBC-LXD Features .................................................................................64

Barcode Scanning Feature ................................................................64

Installing a PBC-LXD ............................................................................65

Backup Programs to PBC-LXD .........................................................66

Restore Programs from PBC-LXD...................................................67

Decoder Barcode Scanning ............................................68

Install Barcode Scanning Pen ..........................................................68

Set Up Barcode Scanning Pen ........................................................70

Test Barcode Scanning Pen ..............................................................71

Scan Field Decoder Addresses .......................................................72

Special Features .............................................................74

Set Language ..........................................................................................74

Set Hours Mode .....................................................................................74

NOMV Cycling .........................................................................................75

Section F - Flow Management ............................ 77

Introduction to Flow .......................................................77

FloZonesTM Overview...........................................................................77

ESP-LXD Flow Management Features .........................................77

FloManagerTM Overview ................................................................77

FloWatchTM Overview ......................................................................77

Set Flow Units .........................................................................................78

FloManagerTM .................................................................78

Set Up and Use FloManagerTM .......................................................79

Enable (Or Disable) FloManagerTM ...........................................79

Set Flow Rates Manually ....................................................................80

Set Station Rates................................................................................80

Set FloZoneTM Rates .........................................................................81

Rain Bird ESP-LXD Installation, Programming & Operation Manual (5)

III

ESP-LXD Controller

FloWatchTM .....................................................................82

Set Up and Use FloWatchTM .............................................................82

Enable (or Disable) FloWatchTM .................................................83

SEEF and SELF Settings and Actions ............................................84

Set Up and Configure SEEF and SELF ......................................84

Learn Flow ................................................................................................87

Learn Flow Automatically (All Stations) .................................87

Learn Flow Automatically (Custom Stations) ......................88

View and Clear Flow Alarms .............................................................90

View Station Flow Alarms .............................................................90

View FloZoneTM Flow Alarms .......................................................91

Clear Flow Alarms .............................................................................92

View Flow Rates .....................................................................................93

View Flow Rates for Stations ........................................................93

View Flow Rates for FloZonesTM ................................................94

View and Clear Flow Logs .................................................................95

View Current Flow .................................................................................96

Clear Flow Rates .....................................................................................97

Section G - Auxiliary Operation ......................... 99

Module Status ................................................................99

Smart Module Status ...........................................................................99

Check Station Module(s) ...............................................................99

Clear Programs .............................................................100

Clear Individual Program ................................................................ 100

Clear All Programs.............................................................................. 101

Restore Defaults .................................................................................. 102

Manual Watering ..........................................................103

Start Station Manually ..................................................................... 103

Start Program Manually .................................................................. 104

MV Water Window.............................................................................. 105

Set Up MV Water Window .......................................................... 105

Manually Opening a MV ............................................................ 107

Test All Stations ................................................................................... 108

OFF ................................................................................110

Adjust Display Contrast ................................................................... 110

Turn Off 2-Wire Path .......................................................................... 110

Close Master Valves ........................................................................... 112

Section H - Installation .................................... 113

Install the Controller ....................................................113

Installation Checklist ........................................................................ 113

Check Box Contents .......................................................................... 113

Select Location for Controller ...................................................... 114

Gather Installation Tools ................................................................. 114

Access Controller Cabinet .............................................................. 115

Open or Remove Controller Front Panel ............................ 115

Mount Controller ................................................................................ 116

Install Modules .................................................................................... 117

Install LXD Decoder Module .................................................... 117

Install Station Expansion Modules ........................................ 118

Connect Field Wiring ....................................................118

Connecting the 2-Wire Cable ....................................................... 118

Connecting Power to the Controller ............................120

Connect Ground Wire ...................................................................... 120

Connect Power Source .................................................................... 120

Complete Installation ...................................................122

Programming Under Battery Power ......................................... 122

Connect Decoders to Field Wiring ................................123

Wire Splices ........................................................................................... 123

Field Decoder Connections........................................................... 124

Master Valves and MV Decoders ................................................. 124

Surge Protection and Grounding ............................................... 125

Install Lightning Surge Protectors (LSP-1s) ....................... 125

Decoder Managed Flow Sensors ................................................ 126

Connect Flow Sensors ................................................................. 126

Decoder Managed Weather Sensors ........................................ 126

Local Weather Sensors ..................................................................... 127

Connect Local Weather Sensors ............................................. 127

Verifying Field Installation ............................................................. 127

Appendix ......................................................... 129

Electrical Requirement Code of Magnetic Solenoid ........ 129

Master Valve and Pump Set-up Tips .......................................... 130

Using a Field Decoder With a Pump Start Relay ............. 130

Rain Bird ESP-LXD Installation, Programming & Operation Manual (6)

this page intentionally left blank

Rain Bird ESP-LXD Installation, Programming & Operation Manual (7)

1

ESP-LXD Controller

Section A - Introduction & Overview

Welcome to Rain Bird

Thank you for purchasing your new state-of-the-art Rain

Bird ESP-LXD controller.

For over seven decades Rain Bird has led the irrigation industry in

meeting water management needs by providing the highest quality

products and services available.

ESP-LXD Controller

Your new Rain Bird controller is designed to provide years of

highly manageable irrigation control.

The ESP-LXD is an irrigation controller designed for commercial use. It

accommodates up to 50 stations and through the addition of Station

Modules can easily be expanded to address up to 200 total stations.

Controller Features

The ESP-LXD controller has a variety of advanced features to help you

manage water eciently, including:

Flow, power, and priority management

2-Wire and controller-based diagnostics

Large variety of user-congurable irrigation program options to

meet the most demanding irrigation needs while still addressing

municipal mandates and restrictions

Upgrade features including Station Modules, Programming Backup

Cartridge (PBC), IQ Central Control Communication and ET Manager

Cartridges.

Supports one local and three decoder-based sensor inputs.

Outdoor-rated plastic cabinet which can be upgraded to the

optional metal cabinet (LXMM) and pedestal (LXMMPED).

UL and CE certied.

Rain Bird ESP-LXD Installation, Programming & Operation Manual (8)

2ESP-LXD Controller

D

Display

Displays time of day during normal operation; shows commands

during programming; shows active station and remaining run

time during watering

E

Programming Buttons

Press buttons to enter and change program information.

Press and HOLD buttons to accelerate settings for hours,

minutes and seconds, dates or percentages.

F

Alarm Light

Illuminates to indicate various types of alarm conditions. See

Alarm Conditions for more details on how to review and clear

alarms).

Controls, Switches and Indicators

Key operational features of the ESP-LXD Controller front panel:

A

Programming Dial

Used for programming and to turn the controller on and o.

B

Weather Sensors Switch

Set the controller to obey or ignore input from optional sensors.

See Section B, Weather Sensors Setup for more details.

C

Program Select Switch

Select watering Program A, B, C, or D. See Section B, Program

Select Switch for more details.

ESP-LXD Controller Front Panel Features

1

2

3

4

5

6

Rain Bird ESP-LXD Installation, Programming & Operation Manual (9)

3

ESP-LXD Controller

2-Wire Path Overview

The ESP-LXD controller with 2-Wire path has some key

advantages over traditionally wired controllers.

In a traditionally wired system, separate wires are required for each

valve which can be no further than a few hundred yards or meters from

the controller.

The ESP-LXD utilizes a 2-Wire electrical path, upon which decoders can

be attached at any location. This allows greater design exibility and

signicantly greater distances to be supported. Valves in a two wire

system can be managed using up to 3.3 miles (5.5 Km) of total wire

path. Two types of 2-Wire path designs are supported:

Star Pattern

A Star Pattern allows branching as often as necessary without ever

looping the wire back to the controller.

This generally allows more design exibility but at the expense of some

distance. The distance from the controller to the farthest decoder is

known as the critical path; the greatest distance supported with 14

AWG cable is 1.65 miles (2.66 Km).

NOTE: The ESP-LXD controller has 8 connections for up to four

separate 2-Wire paths.

2-Wire Path Star Pattern Design

Valve Boxes (Typical)

2-Wire splice at branch

take-offs allow easy

breaking of loop for

troubleshooting

Decoders

(Typical)

ESP-LXD Controller

Critical Path

Distance from farthest

decoder back to

controller (maximum

1.65 miles (2.66 Km)

using 14 AWG cable)

First

2-Wire

Path

Second

2-Wire

Path

Branches

Rain Bird ESP-LXD Installation, Programming & Operation Manual (10)

4ESP-LXD Controller

Loop Pattern

A Loop Pattern supports the greatest distance from controller to

decoders.

However the Loop Pattern requires that the 2-Wire path loop back and

return to the controller. The critical path for a Loop design is determined

by calculating the distance around the loop to the farthest decoder

and back to the controller. For both the Star and Loop designs, dierent

distances can be supported with larger gauge cable.

Maximum Critical Path Lengths for 2-Wire Paths

Nominal Wire

Size

Ohms per 1000’ or

Ohms per Km (per

conductor)

Max. Length For Critical Path

Star Loop

Km Miles Km Miles

2.5 mm2 7.5 Ohms/Km 3.00 1.86 12.00 7.46

14 AWG 2.58 Ohms/1000’ 2.66 1.65 10.63 6.61

12 AWG 1.62 Ohms/1000’ 4.23 2.63 16.93 10.52

10 AWG 1.02 Ohms/1000’ 6.72 4.18 26.89 16.71

2-Wire Loop Pattern Design Decoders and Valves

Valve Boxes (Typical)

2-Wire splice at branch

take-offs allow easy

breaking of loop for

troubleshooting

Decoders

(Typical)

ESP-LXD Controller

Critical Path

Total cable length of

the loops critical path

(maximum 6.61 miles

(10.63 km) using

14 AWG cable)

Branch #2 Loop

Main Trunk Loop

2-Wire

Loop

Branch #1 Loop

Rain Bird ESP-LXD Installation, Programming & Operation Manual (11)

5

ESP-LXD Controller

Decoders

The ESP-LXD controls your irrigation system using decoders.

A decoder is a device which attaches to the 2-Wire path and performs

a task such as opening a valve for irrigation. Some, such as sensor

decoders can be used to provide weather sensor status to the controller.

Typically a controller has several decoders connected, each with one or

more valves attached. Valve outputs at the controller are called stations

and are numbered sequentially. ESP-LXD controller is designed to keep

track of your decoders so that once installed and set up all you have to

do is manage irrigation for the various stations.

Types of Decoders

Field Decoders

Used to open and close valves for irrigation, these are the most

commonly used decoders.

Master Valve (MV) Decoders

Used to open and close master valves. Both Normally Open master

valves (NOMVs) and Normally Closed master valves (NCMVs) are

supported. The ESP-LXD controller can manage up to ve Master Valves.

Weather Sensor Decoders

Used to provide an interface between the weather device and the

controller. The ESP-LXD controller can support up to three weather

sensor decoders.

Local Sensor

The ESP-LXD controller can also interface to a local sensor, such as a rain

shuto device. The local weather sensor connects directly to the ESP-

LXD-M50 module via a separate wired or wireless connection rather

than through a Sensor Decoder connected to the 2-Wire path. The ESP-

LXD controller supports one Local Sensor.

Field Decoder Addresses

Field decoders have unique ve digit address identiers. Decoder

addresses can be reprogrammed if necessary, using the Rain Bird DPU-

210 Decoder Programming Unit.

Rain Bird Field Decoder Models

Decoder

Model

Number of

Addresses

Per Decoder

Maximum

Number Of

Solenoids

Per Address

Maximum

Addresses

Operating At

Once

FD-101 1 1 1

FD-102 1 2 1

FD-202 2 2 2

FD-401* 4 1 4

FD-601* 6 1 4

* Decoder includes Line Surge Protection.

Some decoders can support more than one valve. For example, an

FD-102 decoder has a single address, but can control 2 dierent

valves. However both valves would always have to open and close

simultaneously since the FD102 only has a single address. An FD-401

could manage four valves, each independently since four addresses are

available.

NOTE: The ESP-LXD controller also supports setup by scanning

decoder barcode labels using the optional Programming Backup

Cartridge (PBC-LXD). See Section E for more details.

Rain Bird ESP-LXD Installation, Programming & Operation Manual (12)

6ESP-LXD Controller

The ESP-LXD lets you set a delay between stations. For example, if you

set a one minute delay, station 1 will run until nished, followed by

a one minute delay. Then station 2 will run, followed by another one

minute delay, and so on. See Section D, Station Delay for more details.

The order in which stations are selected to operate depends on the

following settings:

Station Sequencing settings

Station priorities

Station run times

Station program assignment

Station ow rate (FloManager)

POC ow rate (FloManager)

SimulStation settings

NOTE: When using Station Sequencing by priorities, set station

priorities higher for stations you want selected earlier in a program

and lower for stations you want selected later in a program.

Valves (Stations)

Valves (or stations) operate at times as specified by irrigation programs.

The controller sends signals to the appropriate decoder, powering

the valve solenoid to open or close. When additional stations are

scheduled, another signal is sent to the next decoder and the cycle

continues. For example, the controller sends the rst decoder a signal

to open it’s valve, allowing irrigation. When nished, the controller

signals the decoder to shut o its valve and then signals the second

decoder to open the valve. Then when the second station is nished,

the third station will begin watering and so on.

NOTE: The ESP-LXME’s SimulStations feature allows you to operate

multiple stations at the same time. See section D for more details.

NOTE: The ESP-LXD’s Cycle+Soak feature may delay valve

operation. See Section D, Cycle+Soak for more details.

Typical Decoder and Valve Operation

2-Wire

Path

ESP-LXD Controller

2nd Decoder

3rd Decoder

Valves

1st Decoder

Sprinklers

Rain Bird ESP-LXD Installation, Programming & Operation Manual (13)

7

ESP-LXD Controller

Programming Overview

Irrigation Controller Definitions

Programs

The process of telling the controller exactly when and for how long

you want to water. The controller opens and closes the remote control

valves according to a program you set.

Each program contains:

Watering Days

The days of the week or calendar dates on which irrigation is allowed.

For example, specic days such as Monday, Wednesday and Friday

could be designated as your “watering days”. Or else cyclical, such as

every third day, or perhaps only on even or odd days of the month.

Watering Start Time

The time(s) of day that irrigation begins; this is the time that the

rst station in the program begins watering; all other stations in the

program then follow in sequence.

NOTE: The term “start time” refers to the time that a program

starts, not to the time that each individual station begins to run.

Station Run Time

The length of time (in hours and minutes) that each individual station

is programmed to run.

Programming Guide

Before you begin programming, ll out the Programming Guide. See

the Programming Guide instructions for more details.

A

Locate the Programming Guide that came with the ESP-LXD

controller.

1

Fill Out Programming Guide

B

Follow the instructions to enter information about your

system hardware and settings in the appropriate elds on the

Programming Guide.

2

Continued on next page...

Rain Bird ESP-LXD Installation, Programming & Operation Manual (14)

8ESP-LXD Controller

Apply Decoder Address Labels

C

Follow the instructions to apply station, master valve, ow and

weather sensor decoder address labels in the appropriate elds

on the Programming Guide.

3

Storing the Programming Guide

Return the Programming Guide to a permanent, safe location when

youre nished working with it. We recommend hanging it on the hook

inside the controller cabinet door as shown below.

Remote Programming

The ESP-LXD controller can be programmed while operating under

battery power.

This feature is useful if the controller is installed in an area that is not

easily accessible. It also lets you enter program information before

installing the controller at the job site. See Section H, Programming

Under Battery Power for more details.

Rain Bird ESP-LXD Installation, Programming & Operation Manual (15)

9

ESP-LXD Controller

Programming Checklist

When programming the ESP-LXD controller for the rst time, it is

recommended that you complete the following steps in order.

For your convenience a check-o box is provided for each step.

Set Up Hardware

Install LXD decoder module ..................................................... Page 117

Install SM Station Modules ....................................................... Page 118

Fill out Programming Guide (see Programming Guide instructions)

Apply decoder address labels (see Programming Guide instructions)

Clear program information....................................................... Page 101

Set language .................................................................................. Page 74

Set time ............................................................................................ Page 13

Set date ............................................................................................ Page 13

Set up valve types ........................................................................ Page 14

Set up master valves ................................................................... Page 16

Set up weather sensors (optional) ......................................... Page 18

Set up stations and decoders .................................................. Page 20

Set up ow sensors (optional) ................................................. Page 22

Set Up Programs

A B C D Select program (A, B, C or D) ............................. Page 14

Set watering start times ..................................... Page 25

Select watering days * ......................................... Page 26

Set station run time(s) ......................................... Page 27

* See Watering Cycles dial position for Odd, Odd31, Even and

Cyclical watering cycles.

Set Up Programs (Optional)

Set seasonal adjust ............................................................. Page 47

Create a water window ..................................................... Page 52

Set up a station delay ........................................................ Page 57

Set up Simulstations .......................................................... Page 58

Review Setup

Conrm program ......................................................................... Page 29

Test stations ................................................................................... Page 35

Check 2-Wire setup ..................................................................... Page 36

Check installed modules ........................................................... Page 99

Optional Setup

Check weather sensor status .......................................... Page 18

Schedule calendar days o .............................................. Page 51

Create a MV manual water window .............................. Page 105

Set Cycle+Soak ..................................................................... Page 56

Set ow units ........................................................................ Page 78

Activate FloManager .......................................................... Page 78

Activate FloWatch ............................................................... Page 82

Set up SEEF and SELF actions ......................................... Page 84

Set controller to AUTO ............................................................... Page 10

Rain Bird ESP-LXD Installation, Programming & Operation Manual (16)

10 ESP-LXD Controller

AUTO

Automatic Operation

The controller will operate automatically with the controller dial set

to AUTO.

If you forget to return the dial to AUTO, the controller will automatically

continue to run programs, unless the dial is set to the OFF position

when all irrigation is canceled.

Turn the controller dial to AUTO.

A

The Auto screen is displayed with the current day and time shown.

B

When a program is running in AUTO mode, the station number will

display on the screen. Press the + or – buttons to add or subtract

minutes from the run time for the currently running station. To

advance to the next station in a program, press the Adv button.

1 2

To cancel a currently running program, turn the controller dial to

OFF for three seconds and then return the dial to AUTO.

Rain Bird ESP-LXD Installation, Programming & Operation Manual (17)

11

ESP-LXD Controller

Alarm Conditions

An alarm condition can occur when programming omissions or other

issues prevent normal irrigation.

Decoder Address Alarms

The controller will alarm if duplicate decoder addresses are entered

for one or more weather sensors, ow sensors or stations. To clear the

alarm, enter a dierent decoder address for one of the decoders. Only

the rst two duplicates will be shown, so you may need to repeat this

process until all duplicate addresses have been cleared.

FloWatchTM Alarms

The controller will alarm for certain ow conditions if you have FloWatch

set up. See Section F, Flow Management for more details.

Review Alarm Messages

A

When an alarm condition is detected, the alarm light on the

controller front panel will illuminate.

1

Turn the controller dial to AUTO.

B

When an alarm condition is present, the Alarm button label will be

present on screen. Press the Alarm button to view alarm details.

C

Any present alarm conditions will then be displayed. Press the

Next button if necessary, to advance to the next page.

bc

NOTE: Take the appropriate action to address each alarm

condition. When all alarms have been addressed, the alarm light

on the front panel will no longer be illuminated.

Rain Bird ESP-LXD Installation, Programming & Operation Manual (18)

12 ESP-LXD Controller

Resetting the Controller

Sometimes you may want to reset (or reboot) the ESP-LXD controller.

Using the controller’s reset feature does not change or delete the

programs you have loaded into the controller.

Turn the controller dial to AUTO.

A

Open the controller outer cabinet door and inner front panel.

B

Locate the RESET button on the back of the front panel.

1

2

C

Use a pen or pencil to depress the RESET button.

D

The “Rain Bird” screen appears, conrming reset.

3 4

Optional Features

Station Expansion Module (ESP-LXD-SM75)

The ESP-LXD controller comes standard with 50 stations available. This

can easily be expanded by adding one or two optional ESP-LXD-SM75

Station Modules. Each station module adds 75 additional stations to

increase capacity to 125 or 200 stations.

ESP-LXD-SM75 Station Expansion Module

Rain Bird ESP-LXD Installation, Programming & Operation Manual (19)

13

ESP-LXD Controller

Section B - Basic Programming

Set Current Date & Time

Turn the controller dial to Set Current Date and Time.

A

The Set Date and Time screen appears. Press the + and – buttons

to set the current hour; then press Next.

NOTE: Be sure to set the hour correctly to either AM or PM.

Press and HOLD buttons to accelerate settings for hours and

minutes.

B

Press the + and buttons to set the current minute; then press

Next.

1 2

C

Press the + and – buttons to set the current day; then press Next.

D

Press the + and buttons to set the current month; then press

Next.

3 4

E

Press + and – to set the current year.

5

Rain Bird ESP-LXD Installation, Programming & Operation Manual (20)

14 ESP-LXD Controller

Program Select Switch

Always begin programming by setting the Program Select

switch to the desired program.

Four independent Programs, A, B, C and D are available in the ESP-

LXD controller. Multiple programs allow you to set watering schedules

to meet dierent requirements for plant materials, soils, slopes, and

shady or sunny areas. Programs can operate simultaneously with

the only limitation being the number of stations you program to run

simultaneously.

Select Program

On the controller front panel, slide the Program Select switch under

the A, B, C, or D, then begin programming.

Program

Select

Switch

NOTE: When programming the controller, any program-specic

information you enter, such as start times or watering days, will

aect only the selected program.

Setup Wizards

Setup Wizards take you through each step for setting up your

hardware in the ESP-LXD controller.

Its most eective to use the Setup Wizards in the order they appear

on the screen: Valve Types, Master Valves, Weather Sensors (if present),

Station Setup, and nally Flow Sensors (if present).

Valve Types Setup

The Valve Type Setup Wizard tells the ESP-LXD controller what types

of valves are used by your irrigation system.

Up to ve dierent valve types are supported by ESP-LXD, set up as V1,

V2, V3, V4, and V5.

NOTE: Its not necessary to set up additional valve types if youre

only using one or two types of valves at your job site.

Turn the controller dial to Setup Wizards.

Rain Bird ESP-LXD Installation, Programming & Operation Manual (2024)

FAQs

How many stations can LXD run at the same time? ›

The ESP-LXD has a standard capacity of 50 stations and is expandable to 125 or 200 stations increments using the ESPLXD-SM75 75-station modules.

Can you run two programs on a rain bird? ›

If you want to assign a station to run on both the “A” program and on the “C” program, you can assign different amounts of run time for the same station. The PC-200 timer can start watering the "A" or "C" programs once, twice or three times per day, at any hour you select.

How many VMs can run at the same time? ›

It is not advisable to overload your computer with too many VMs as it can cause a major slowdown to your system. This depends on your computer's resources, but usually, you can keep an average of 3-5 VMs running simultaneously without seeing any performance degradation.

How should I program my sprinkler system? ›

How To Program a Sprinkler System
  1. Start by selecting the program you want to set (A, B, or C).
  2. Select the “schedule” function, which sets the days to water. ...
  3. Select “start-time” to specify when you want the sprinklers to start. ...
  4. Select the “run time” or “station time” and specify the run time for each valve.
Jan 8, 2024

Why is my Rain Bird running twice? ›

A common reason why a program is repeating is that you have a second start time set. The start times control the exact time your ESP-Me timer will begin to water and they also control how many times a day your timer will water. The ESP-Me allows you to set up to 6 start times per program.

What does "cyclic" mean on a Rain Bird? ›

Watering frequency options include watering on Odd days, Even Days, Custom days, or Cyclic Days. An example of Custom Days is above, where you choose the specific days each week that will water. An example of Cyclic Days is below. This is where you water every “blank” number of days, and you choose how often that is.

What is the Rain Bird controller password? ›

The controller password is restricted to letters and numbers, 4-8 digits in length. No special characters. If you use a special character it will not be registered in the password. As an example, if you typed in 1234@, the password would be stored as 1234.

How do I sync my Rain Bird controller? ›

Your WiFi controller and the Rain Bird app synchronize automatically when your mobile device connects to the controller, and then when changes are made in the app and the “Done” button is selected. There are no additional steps required to synchronize the two.

How to set a water sprinkler timer? ›

Most electronic sprinkler systems have two watering schedules labeled by numbers or letters. Set the run times by turning the master dial under the desired zone. Then, set the time by using the “+” or “-” keys to adjust the sprinkler time.

How many tube trains run at the same time? ›

London Underground, better known as the Tube, has 11 lines covering 402km and serving 272 stations. The Tube handles up to five million passenger journeys a day. At peak times, there are more than 543 trains whizzing around the capital.

How big is the LXD VM disk? ›

I covered how to create an Ubuntu LXD Virtual Machine in June 2022. Unfortunately, the default disk on a LXD VM image is only about 10GB. This tutorial leverages skills in the last video “Linux Disk Drives” to enlarge a LXD VM disk drive. “bridgeprofile” is a profile to bridge the container to the main LAN.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Edmund Hettinger DC

Last Updated:

Views: 5526

Rating: 4.8 / 5 (78 voted)

Reviews: 93% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Edmund Hettinger DC

Birthday: 1994-08-17

Address: 2033 Gerhold Pine, Port Jocelyn, VA 12101-5654

Phone: +8524399971620

Job: Central Manufacturing Supervisor

Hobby: Jogging, Metalworking, Tai chi, Shopping, Puzzles, Rock climbing, Crocheting

Introduction: My name is Edmund Hettinger DC, I am a adventurous, colorful, gifted, determined, precious, open, colorful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.