Lawn sprinkler timer recommendations?

[Chris Padilla]

I've used cheap-o Orbit and Toro branded timers from the borg with no issues. You should be able to get one for under $20.

[Myk Rian]

Orbit has many styles. Look at HD.
We use one for vacations, that turns a hose/sprinkler on for my Wife's plants.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I have had an Toro GreenKeeper for years. It handles 6 zones. I change the 9V backup battery for the programming each spring and fall. I haven't programmed it in years. I leave it plugged in year round and just manually shut off the irrigation water at the manual waste/drain each fall when I have the sprinkler system blown out. In the spring, I just turn the cutoff valve back on.

[Larry Whitlow]

I have had an Toro GreenKeeper for years. It handles 6 zones. I change the 9V backup battery for the programming each spring and fall. I haven't programmed it in years. I leave it plugged in year round and just manually shut off the irrigation water at the manual waste/drain each fall when I have the sprinkler system blown out. In the spring, I just turn the cutoff valve back on.

I also have the Toro. Mine is called a Lawn Master which will handle up to 12 zones. I like it because of the programming options, including the ability to isolate zones. Best of all, I've never had any problems with it. I've never had an Orbit timer, but have experienced ongoing problems with the Orbit brand valves. Invariably they start leaking. I've been replacing them as they go bad. I have two left -- both are leaking and will be replaced this week.

[Rick Potter]

I have used an Orbit from HD as a temporary timer. So far temporary has been six years. No problems and it keeps time just fine.....six stations. I use it with Rainbird valves and heads, not too much luck with Orbit valves or heads. I have a nice Rainbird timer........haven't put it in yet.

Rick Potter

[Steve Rozmiarek]

I like Rainbird components, their timers tend to be really good.

[Von Bickley]

I have a Rainbird 6 zone controller at my house, and I replaced a controller at my son's house with a Rainbird 4 zone controller. I bought these at Lowe's and I am well satisfied with them. Easy to program and are very dependable.

They are "user friendly".......

[Joe Mioux]

I use Nelson in my greenhouses. They work fine. I also use a cheap little orbit in another house. The one that i have in longest service, 20 years is a Richdel.

check out hummert . com . They have a lot of info.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

www.SprinklerWarehouse.com is a good internet source for these things, I highly reccomend.

[Jim Koepke]

Now that I know this is an electronic timer, my inclination would be to call the manufacture and see if they have a fix.

Being of the technical type, if the manufacture is of no help, it might be my choice to try and adjust the clock frequency. Electronic clocks usually have a crystal and capacitor to set the clock. Some use a variable capacitor to adjust this at the factory. If not, an electronics tech could tweak the circuit to adjust the timing. It might take more than one tweaking to get it perfect unless they have a very accurate frequency counter.

Here are two examples of a timing circuit:

Crystal Oscillator.png

The parallel lines with the arrow indicate adjustable capacitors.

jtk

[Bruce Page]

Thanks for all the suggestions! For 20 bucks I went with the Orbit 57114 at HD. It had good reviews on Amazon.

[Chris Padilla]

Perfect, Bruce! I have 2 4-zone $10 Orbits that I use for my pool pump and booster pump (leaf gatherer) through contactors. They're not ideal for the situation but I got 'em to work and they've done the job flawlessly for 5 years now.