Hybrid 3D Installation Guide

Overview Steps

In seven simple steps, you can install your Hybrid 3D on any existing conventional irrigation controller.

1. Verify quality of existing wiring.
2. Determine the “Hot” & “Neutral” of your transformer.
3. Connect the 3D wires to the host controller (EXCEPT the long Red and Black wires labeled “POS” and “NEG”).
4. Program the Hybrid 3D decoders.
5. Install the decoders.
6. Connect the 3D “POS” and “NEG” wires.
7. Perform a “Test Run”.

Step 1) Verify the Quality of an Existing Wire Path

1. Measure the current in the active station wire close to the controller. The expected range is 150-350 mA.

2. Measure the voltage at the active station valve with its solenoid connected. The expected range is 16-28 VAC.

3. Turn on the station that will be used as the transition valve. Make sure its solenoid is connected. Measure the voltage at the controller. The expected range is 22-28 VAC.

4. Disconnect the active solenoid. Make sure that you cap the wires feeding the solenoid. Measure the milliamps again like in step 2. The range must be within 0-5 mA for a “good” existing wire*.

5. Calculate* the wire resistance using the formula shown in Figure 1. The range must be within 0-15 Ohms for a “good” existing wire**.

*We provide a wire quality test calculator on our Helpdesk site for your convenience. Visit www.tucor.com for more information.

**If the values in step 4 and/or step 5 are outside the specified range, you must perform a fault tracing test on your wires.

Step 2) Determining the Hot vs Neutral Wire at Your Existing Controller

With certain control systems, the “Hot” and “Neutral” 24VAC terminals are not identified or easily known. Identifying which terminal is the “Hot” and “Neutral” terminal will allow you to properly install the 3D.

1. Measure the voltage between the Common and first 24VAC terminal

a. Record the voltage reading

2. Measure the voltage between the Common and second 24VAC terminal.

a. Record the voltage reading

3. Analyze your results. The Hot Wire terminal will read ~24-28VAC and the Neutral terminal will read 0V.

Step 3) Wiring the Hybrid 3D-6

Wiring the most of the 3D is necessary before programming decoders at the 3D. Note this step does not include wiring the Hybrid 3D-6 2-Wire lines, which will come after decoder programming and installation to prevent system short circuits and incorrect programming.

1. Disconnect the valve wire that will be used for the transition, wire (N), from the transition terminal.

2. Connect the white 3D, wire (A), to the “Neutral” 24VAC terminal.

3. Connect the orange, wire (B), to the “Hot” 24VAC terminal.

4. If using flow: connect the 3D red/white striped wire, wire (C), to the “Flow +” terminal. Connect the 3D black/white striped

wire, wire (D), to the “Flow –” terminal.

5. IMPORTANT: Do not connect the 3D 2-Wire Line(s), wire (E) and wire (F) yet. Connecting these wires before the decoders are properly programmed and installed could short the Hybrid 3D. (In essence, you are connecting the live 2-Wire directly to a solenoid, causing the short circuit).

6. Connect the green 3D wire, wire (G), to the master valve terminal.

7. Select which Controller Station you’d like to be your 3D transition valve (see About Your Hybrid 3D for more information). This will be where your 3D station wiring will start. Your 3D station wiring will always start with the Brown wire, wire (H). In Figure 1, the Controller’s Station 1 is the selected station to start the 3D station wiring.

8. Repeat adding 3D Station Wires using Figures 1 - 2. For reference, Figure 1 shows the Hybrid 3D being utilized to add 5 additional valves beginning at the Controller’s Station 1.

Step 4) Programming your Decoders

You have two options for ease of programming 3D-LD050 decoders if you have not already ordered them preprogrammed.

Note that sensor decoders (3D-FMV-M, 3DSD-100 and 3DSD-100M) are pre-programmed and do

not require programming.

At the Controller

1. Connect the decoder or master valve to the 3D programming connectors.
   1. For programming station decoders
      1. Push the “Prog.” button once. The “ST” LED light will be lit.
      2. Manually activate the desired station on the controller for at least one second, i.e. activate station 1 to assign an address/ID of 1 to the decoder.
      3. Repeat with remaining decoders.
   2. For a programming a master valve
      1. Push the “Prog.” Button twice. The “MV” LED light will be lit.
      2. Activate any station that is connected to the 3D on the controller for at least one second to assign the decoder as a master valve. If you are not using any 3D stations, you must connect the brown station wire to the MV terminal during programming.
         
   3. For either decoders or a master valve, determine the programming status by viewing the main “Act/Err” LED.

With a Handheld Programmer (HCP-100)

Step 5) Installing your Decoders in the Field

Installing a 3DLD-050

As transition valve

1. Connect the “Common Wire” of the valve and “Hot Wire” of the valve to the 2-Wire path.
2. Connect the blue wires to the Common and Hot Wire.
3. Connect the White wires to the solenoid.

 As valve decoder

1. Connect each blue wire to the 2-Wire path.
2. Connect the white wires to the solenoid wires.

 Installing a 3D-FMV-M

1. Connect each blue wire to the 2-Wire path.
2. Connect the white wires (for solenoids) to the solenoid wires (if applicable).
3. Connect flow sensor wire to (red and black) to wire of decoder to flow sensor.

Step 6) Connect the Red and Black Wires

Note: Adding power to the Hybrid 3D unit after installing the decoders prevents a short circuit/ making the 3D go into “short circuit” mode.

1. Connect the long black wire, wire (E), to the controller’s Common terminal.
2. Connect the long red wire, wire (F), to the valve wire selected for the transition, wire (N).

Step 7) Perform “Test Run”

Performing a test run verifies a correct installation and that the sensor decoder, master valve, and/or transition

valve (“TrV”) are connected and communicating with the Hybrid 3D.

1. Push the “Test” button on the Hybrid 3D interface.
2. The Test function will run until complete or until it has discovered an error and will test in the following order: Flow Sensor, Master Valve, and Transition Valve. The green LED will blink if a station is active, a red LED will blink in case of an error. Follow the “Act/Error LED Code Guide” for corresponding error messages.
3. If you found an error, press the “Test” button again once the error has been cleared to resume the test. Repeat if necessary until all three components (FS-MV-TrV) have been tested.
4. Press the “Prog.” Button to exit the Test program and resume normal operation

Note: The Flow Sensor is only checked for presence and not accuracy. If there is no FMV (flow Sensor Master Valve) decoder connected, then the Flow Sensor (“FS”) LED will blink red, whether or not the device is in Test mode.

Note: If you encounter a valve that won’t turn on, it may require higher power. See “Adjusting DIP switch for High Power Valves” for more information.