Sprinkler Cycle Logic
This system controls three related water behaviours:
- the main sprinkler water path,
- the pump,
- and the shed sprinkler / shed cooling line.
The logic distinguishes between the main sprinkler cycle and the shed sprinkler cycle, because the shed may require different cooling behaviour from the main sprinkler network.
1. Main sprinkler path logic
The main water path is controlled through the pump and the recirculation/pass-through setting.
- Pump ON means the pump is being commanded to run.
- P1 ON means pass-through mode: water is sent to the sprinklers.
- P1 OFF means recirculation mode: water is not being sent out to the sprinklers but is instead recirculated.
Thus:
- Pump ON + P1 ON = pump running and water being delivered to sprinklers.
- Pump ON + P1 OFF = pump running in recirculation mode.
- Pump OFF = no sprinkler water delivery regardless of P1 state.
Where intermittent sprinkler operation is required, the logic alternates between:
- a sprinkler ON phase (pump running with pass-through), and
- a sprinkler OFF / recirculation phase (pump may continue but the system is not feeding the sprinklers).
This allows the system to conserve water, reduce pressure stress, or maintain circulation without continuously spraying.
2. Shed sprinkler logic
The shed sprinkler (P2) is controlled separately from the main sprinkler cycle.
This is deliberate, because the shed may need:
- more frequent cooling,
- less frequent cooling,
- continuous cooling,
- intermittent cooling,
- or no cooling at all,
depending on internal temperature, explicit manual settings, or timed control.
The shed sprinkler therefore has two possible sources of control:
- an explicit shed instruction, or
- a default coupling rule.
3. Explicit shed instruction takes precedence
If there is an explicit shed sprinkler instruction, that instruction wins.
Examples of explicit shed control include:
- shed cooling set to continuous,
- shed cooling set to intermittent timing,
- thermostat-driven shed cooling,
- or an explicit instruction that shed cooling is OFF.
When explicit shed control is active, the shed sprinkler follows its own logic and does not simply mirror the main sprinkler path.
In other words:
- if shed timing says ON, it is ON;
- if shed timing says OFF, it is OFF;
- if shed thermostat logic says pulse or continuous, that behaviour is followed.
4. Default coupling rule
If there is no explicit shed instruction active, the system applies a default rule so that the shed is not left dry when the main sprinklers are operating.
The default rule is:
Because recirculation OFF corresponds to pass-through, this means:
- if the pump is running, and
- water is being sent to the main sprinklers,
then the shed sprinkler is automatically turned ON.
This default behaviour only applies when there is no separate shed instruction in force.
5. Recirculation exception
The default coupling rule does not apply during recirculation.
So:
- Pump ON + P1 OFF does not automatically turn the shed sprinkler on.
This avoids wasting water during recirculation phases.
That is important because pump operation by itself does not always mean water should be sprayed. The pump may be running only to support recirculation, stabilisation, or another non-spraying state.
6. Practical summary
The logic can be summarised as follows:
- Explicit shed instruction present -> shed sprinkler follows its own instruction.
- No explicit shed instruction, pump OFF -> shed sprinkler OFF.
- No explicit shed instruction, pump ON, pass-through -> shed sprinkler ON.
- No explicit shed instruction, pump ON, recirculation -> shed sprinkler OFF.
7. Design intention
This arrangement is intended to achieve four things:
- protect the shed whenever the main sprinklers are genuinely operating,
- avoid wasting water during recirculation,
- allow the shed cooling cycle to differ from the main sprinkler cycle,
- and ensure that deliberate shed control settings always override the automatic default.
8. In short
The system does not treat the shed sprinkler as a simple duplicate of the main sprinkler line.
Instead:
- the shed sprinkler can run on its own explicit schedule when required,
- but if no separate shed logic is active, it automatically comes on whenever the pump is feeding the main sprinklers.
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