Rain Bird SST-600in Simple To Set Timer

Introduction

This document provides instructions for setting up and operating the Rain Bird SST-600in Simple To Set Timer. It covers installation, programming, manual operation, and troubleshooting.

Installation

Tools and Supplies Needed

• Phillips screwdriver
• Wire stripper
• Hammer
• Valve wire: direct burial, color coded multi-strand (not included) - 18 gauge for runs less than 800 feet, 14 gauge for runs greater than 800 feet.
• Watertight splice connectors (not included)

Step 1: Mount Timer

Mount the SST timer in an accessible location. SST indoor timers are for indoor use only; SST outdoor timers can be used indoors or outdoors.

• For indoor installation, choose a location within 5 feet of an AC power outlet and at least 15 feet away from major appliances or air conditioners.
• Drive a screw into the wall, leaving an 1/8" gap between the screw-head and the wall (use supplied wall anchors if necessary).
• Locate the keyhole slot on the back of the unit and hang it securely on the screw.
• Remove the wiring bay cover at the bottom of the unit and drive a screw through the center hole as shown (use supplied wall anchors if necessary).

Step 2: Connect Power

⚠️ WARNING: DO NOT plug in or apply power to the timer until you have completed and checked all wiring connections.

Indoor Timer Installation

Attach the transformer connector to the 24VAC POWER pin connection on the terminal strip.

⚠️ WARNING: Do not attempt to link two or more timers together using a single transformer.

Outdoor Timer Standard Installation

The SST outdoor version comes with a power cord and 24VAC transformer already connected.

Outdoor Timer Hard-wire Installation

⚠️ WARNING: Disconnect or shut off the external power source before connecting or disconnecting wires to the timer.

1. Remove the wiring bay cover at the bottom of the unit.
2. Locate the wiring compartment in the lower left-hand corner of the unit and unscrew the wiring compartment front cover using a screwdriver.
3. Unscrew the wire-nuts from the three wires connecting the power cord to the timer.
4. Remove the metal bracket holding the power cord to the back of the wiring compartment and pull the cord out through the bottom of the cabinet.
5. Route the three wires from an external power source into the wiring compartment.
6. Using wire-nuts, connect the external power wires to the internal connection wires inside the wiring compartment. Ensure the color-coded external wires match the color-coded internal wires:
   • Black wire (power)
   • White wire (neutral)
   • Green wire (ground)
7. Verify that all wiring connections are secure, then replace the wiring compartment cover.

Step 3: Connect Valve Wires To Timer

Valve Connections

• Use direct burial cable to run wiring from the timer to valves in the field.
• Connect a color-coded wire from the direct burial cable to either wire on the valve.
• Connect the remaining wire on each valve to a "common" wire which then connects to the timer.

NOTE: Use water-tight connectors for all wire splice connections. Depending on your landscape setup, you may need to run extension wires for the power and common connections.

Timer Connections

1. Use a wire stripper to strip away approximately 1/4" of insulation from the end of the valve wire.
2. Push the exposed end of the color-coded wire from each external valve (or zone) into the corresponding zone number on the terminal block.

NOTE: To insert or remove a wire, use a screwdriver to press down on the connection release.

⚠️ WARNING: To prevent damage to the timer, connect only ONE valve to each open zone slot on the terminal block.

3. Connect the common wire to one of the COMMON slots on the terminal block.
4. Check that all wiring connections are secure.

NOTE: Do not remove the yellow jumper wire on the terminals marked RAIN SENSOR unless you are connecting an optional rain sensor. See "Rain Sensor" on page 3 for more information.

Step 4: Verify System Operation

Battery Pull Tab

To activate the internal battery, grasp the yellow pull-tab on the side of the timer and pull it out.

NOTE: If the timer doesn't have AC power for more than a week, the time needs to be reset. This conserves battery power for future outages. Program details are kept in long-term non-volatile memory and are not lost even after long power outages.

Apply Power

Indoor Model

Plug the transformer into a wall outlet.

Outdoor Model

Turn on main power supply or plug the power cord into a waterproof receptacle.

NOTE: Do not plug the timer into a socket controlled by a secondary ON/OFF light switch or GFI outlet.

Test Watering

1. Turn the dial to the ZONE 1 position.
2. Press the WATER 1 ZONE NOW button. The zone will start watering for the default run time of 10 minutes, and the green LED corresponding to the WATER 1 ZONE NOW button will turn on.
3. To stop watering before time is up, press the WATER 1 ZONE NOW button a second time. The green LED will turn off.
4. Repeat these steps until all connected zones have been tested.
5. Replace the wiring bay cover on the front of the unit.

Optional Accessories

Rain Sensor

Connect an optional Rain Sensor to the Timer:

1. Remove the wiring bay cover at the bottom of the unit.
2. Remove the yellow jumper wire from the terminals marked RAIN SENSOR on the terminal block.

NOTE: Do not remove the jumper wire unless connecting a rain sensor. The timer will not function if the jumper wire is removed and a rain sensor is not connected.

3. Connect the two wires from the sensor to the RAIN SENSOR terminals.

Master Valve Or Pump Start Relay

SST timers support the use of a master valve or pump start relay. A pump start relay connects to the timer the same way as a master valve, but connects differently at the water source.

1. Using a direct burial cable, connect one of the wires from the master valve (or pump start relay) to the timer terminal marked MSTR VALVE.
2. Using a direct burial cable, connect the remaining wire from the master valve (or pump start relay) to one of the timer terminals marked COMMON.

Additional instructions for connecting a pump start relay:

To avoid possible pump damage, connect a short jumper wire from any unused zone terminal(s) to the previous terminal, continuing back to the nearest zone terminal in use.

For example, if a 4-zone model timer is in use with only two zones connected, route the terminals for zones 3 and 4 to the nearest active terminal (zone 2 in the example).

⚠️ WARNING: Make sure that the total draw of the master valve (and/or pump start relay) plus the draw of the valve does not exceed 650mA at 24VAC, 60hz. Note that the timer does NOT provide main power for a pump.

Controls and Indicators

• AUTO RUN: Set dial here to run all programmed settings.
• OFF: Turns off all watering.
• RAIN DELAY: Delays watering up to 72 hours.
• SEASONAL ADJUST: Adjusts watering % as seasons change.
• ZONES: Select individual zone to program (6 zone model shown).
• WATER ALL ZONES NOW: Sequentially waters all scheduled zones.
• WATER 1 ZONE NOW: Manually waters an individual zone.
• SET TIME: Set the current time.
• SET DATE: Set the current date.
• DISPLAY SCREEN: Shows current time, date, zone status, and programming information.
• RUN DAYS: Select which week day(s) a zone is watered.
• ZONE OFF: Turns off watering of a selected zone.
• WATERING TIMES: Select how many times per day a zone is watered.
• ODD/EVEN DAYS: Select only Odd or Even days to water by pressing twice. Pressing multiple times switches between ODD and EVEN day cycles.
• CYCLIC WATERING: Select watering interval from 1-29 days.
• UP/DOWN ARROWS: Use UP/DOWN arrows on left or right keys to set time, date, run time, etc.

Setting the Timer

Step 1: Set Time

Turn the dial to the SET TIME position.

Press the UP/DOWN arrow keys to set the time (verify AM/PM setting is correct).

Example display: Current Time 9:30 AM

Step 2: Set Date

Turn the dial to the SET DATE position.

Press the LEFT UP/DOWN arrow keys to set the year.

Press the RIGHT UP/DOWN arrow keys to set the month and day.

Example display: Year 2016, Month 10, Day 3

Step 3: Schedule Watering

Turn the dial to select the desired ZONE (from 1 to 12).

Set Start Time and Run Time

Press the Left UP/DOWN arrow keys to set the Start Time.

Press the Right UP/DOWN arrow keys to set the Run Time (duration).

Example display: First Start Time 8:00 AM, Run Time 10 MIN for Zone 1.

Multiple zones having the same start time will run in sequence by zone number. For example, if zones 3 and 4 are both set to run for 10 min. at 8:00 AM, zone 3 will run first at 8:00 then zone 4 will run afterwards at 8:10.

Select Run Days

Press the RUN DAYS buttons to select which days to water. Active watering days will show lights illuminated.

By default, ALL days are lit. Press the button(s) to turn off the days you don't want to water.

Select specific days of the week or select ODD/EVEN DAYS or CYCLIC WATERING.

• When ODD/EVEN DAYS is pressed: The first press shows Odd Days on the screen; the second press shows Even Days.
• When CYCLIC WATERING is pressed:
  • Press the LEFT UP/DOWN arrow keys to increase or decrease the number of days between watering (EVERY XX DAYS).
  • Press the RIGHT UP/DOWN arrow keys to adjust the Cyclic Watering start date.

When Odd Days or Even Days is first pressed, it will flash a few times on the screen and then stay illuminated.

Select Watering Times Per Day

Press the TIMES PER DAY buttons to schedule the number of times per day to water.

Press the LEFT UP/DOWN arrow keys to set the Start Time.

Press the RIGHT UP/DOWN arrow keys to set the Run Time (duration).

Repeat Step 3 for remaining zones.

Turn the dial to AUTO RUN.

Optional Features

Multiple Start Times

After selecting a time per day, the screen will show that time, "First", as an example.

Press the LEFT UP/DOWN arrow keys to set the start time.

Press the RIGHT UP/DOWN arrow keys to set the duration.

Repeat to set additional watering times, up to 4 per day.

If a second, third, or fourth watering time is scheduled earlier in time than a previous time, the timer will automatically reorder the times sequentially the next time the dial is turned to that zone #.

Seasonal Adjust

Adjust for seasonal weather variation.

Turn the dial to SEASONAL ADJUST.

Press the UP/DOWN arrow keys to adjust the percentage. For example, a +50% adjustment means 10 min. becomes 15 min.

NOTE: Adjustment applies to ALL watering run times (durations) for all zones.

Rain Delay

Suspend Watering.

Turn the dial to RAIN DELAY.

Press the UP/DOWN arrow keys to set the delay time for up to 3 days (72 hours).

NOTE: Any scheduled watering that falls within the delay period will not occur.

Normal Operation

While set to AUTO RUN, one of the following screens will be displayed:

• Not Watering: Screen displays the current time, the zone scheduled to be watered next, and the date and time when watering will occur.
• Watering Now: Screen displays the zone currently being watered and the number of minutes remaining for that zone.
• Rain Delay: Screen displays the current time and the number of delay hours left until regularly scheduled watering resumes.
• Seasonal Adjust: Screen displays the percentage adjustment for all zones.

Error Detected

If an error is detected, the affected zone is displayed.

Example: Error - Check Wiring Zone # 02

Important! Always return the dial to AUTO RUN when programming is completed. The timer will not run automatically unless the dial is set to AUTO RUN.

Manual Operation

Choose from two Manual Watering options:

• WATER ALL ZONES NOW: Turn the dial to AUTO RUN. Press the WATER ALL ZONES NOW button to start watering. The screen displays which zone is being watered and the number of minutes remaining for that zone. To stop watering the active zone and skip to the next zone, press the WATER ALL ZONES NOW button again. To stop manual watering, turn the dial to OFF, wait until watering is stopped, and then turn dial to AUTO RUN.
• WATER 1 ZONE NOW: Turn the dial to select a ZONE. Press the WATER 1 ZONE NOW button to start watering (default run time of 10 minutes). Press the UP/DOWN arrow keys to adjust the run time. To stop manual watering, turn dial to OFF, wait until watering is stopped, and then turn dial to AUTO RUN, or press the Water 1 Zone Now button a second time.

Troubleshooting

Watering Issues

Electrical Issues

Contact Information

Rain Bird Corporation
6991 East Southpoint Road
Tucson, AZ 85756 USA
Tel: (520) 741-6100
Fax: (520) 741-6522

© 2016 Rain Bird Corporation. Registered trademark of Rain Bird Corporation.

For questions, call 1-800-RAIN BIRD (800-724-6247) or visit www.rainbird.com.

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