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PAR+ ControllerOperation Manual

ContentsIntroduction ............................................. 1

Controls and Indicators .........................1

Programming the Controller ................... 3

Programming Checklist .........................3

Power-Up the Controller ........................4

Clock Status Mode ..................................4

Control Modes ........................................5

Set the Clock (Day & Time) ....................6

Select Start Day Method .........................6

Set Watering Start Days ..........................7

Set Schedule Start Time(s) ..................... 9

Set Station Run Times ..........................10

Optional Station Switches ....................11

Controller Operation ............................. 12

Set Water Budget ...................................12

Schedule Monitor .................................13

Manual Operation ................................14

Special Controller Functions ................. 16

System Information ..............................16

Circuit Breaker Tripped Mode .............27

Adjust LCD Display Brightness ...........27

PAR+ Operation Manual 1

IntroductionCongratulations on purchasing a Rain Bird PAR+irrigation controller. The PAR+ controller electri-cally controls up to 48 watering stations. Eachstation can control from one to four valves.

The PAR+ lets you program six different wateringschedules (A, B, C, D, E, and F) for automaticoperation. Schedules A through F operate theirassigned stations in numerical order. Eachschedule can have up to 12 start times per day.

The PAR+ also has two Manual schedules (M1and M2) that offer additional convenience andwatering flexibility.

All eight PAR+ schedules can run simultaneously,but a maximum of ten valves (including a mastervalve) can operate at one time.

Controls and IndicatorsThis illustration shows the controls and indica-tors on the front panel of the PAR+ controller.

System Controls! Control Mode LEDs — Show the controller’s

current operating mode.

• Off — Controller off; no operation

• Manual — Allows only manual operation

• Local — “Stand-alone” operation mode;controller responds to automatic ormanual starts

• MAXI — Controller set to respond to acentral control unit

" Control Mode button — Used to select thedesired controller operation mode.

# Start / Advance button — Manually starts aschedule or advances to the next station insequence.

$ Cancel / Clear button — Cancels operationof a schedule in progress or clears the timedisplay.

% Schedule LEDs — Light to indicate which ofeight possible schedules is being pro-grammed or monitored.

& Schedule button — Selects a schedule tostart, program, or monitor.

' LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) screen —Displays controller information and promptsuser for input. Displays data for the functionbeing programmed or monitored.

( Display Control buttons — Allow the user toselect or enter data for the function beingprogrammed.

2 PAR+ Operation Manual

Programming Controls) Station Run Times button — Used to select

stations and enter their desired run time.

➓ Start Times button — Used to program orview a schedule’s start time(s).

!11 Start Days button — Used to program orview the days on which a schedule waters.Works in conjunction with the Weekday /Cycle button.

!12 Water Budget button — Used to program orview a schedule’s water budget percentage.

!13 Weekday / Cycle button — Used to selecteither a 7-Day Cycle or a Variable Cycle for aschedule.

!14 Copy Store button — Stores displayed datainto memory.

!15 Copy Paste button — Pastes a stored valuefrom memory into the function being pro-grammed.

Operating Controls

!16 Clock Status button — Used to view theClock Status screen.

!17 Schedule Monitor button — Used to moni-tor the operation or status of a schedule.

!18 Multi-Manual button — Used to select andoperate stations in Multi-Manual mode(schedules M1 and M2).

!19 Set Clock button — Used to set the control-ler clock’s day and time.

!20 System Information button — Used to setvarious controller options, such as LCDdisplay language, valves per station, satellitechannel IDs, and other special functions.


Programming the ControllerThe PAR+ controller offers six automatic water-ing schedules (A through F). The MSC+ also hastwo Manual schedules (M1 and M2) that can bemanually started at any time.

These schedules let you customize your water-ing to meet the needs of different types of plants,soil conditions, slopes, sunny or shady areas,watering windows, etc.

Programming is the process of telling the con-troller exactly when and how long you want towater. The controller opens and closes eachstation’s remote control valves according to theinformation you program into each schedule.

You will need to understand the following termsto successfully program your PAR+ controller.

Watering day cycle — The period of days inwhich the controller repeats the watering sched-ule you set. The PAR+ offers two different water-ing day cycles:

• Variable method — Waters on a daily inter-val from one to nine days (e.g., every thirdday, every fifth day, etc.) Watering alwaysoccurs on the last day of the selected water-ing cycle.

Programming Checklist! Select control mode.......................

! Set clock (day & time) .................... Page 6

! Select start day method................. (7 day week or variable cycle) ...... Page 6

! Select schedule (A-H) .................... Page 6

! Set watering start days .................. Page 7

! Set schedule start times ................ Page 9

! Set station run times ..................... Page 10

! Adjust water budget (optional) .... Page 12

! Set special functions...................... (as required) ................................... Page 16

Programming ChecklistTo program a schedule on your PAR+ controllerfor the first time, we recommend that youcomplete the steps shown at right in order. Foryour convenience, a check-off box (❑) is pro-vided for each step.

• 7 Day Week method — Waters on the days ofthe week you select. A 7 Day Week cycle letsyou set a custom watering cycle in which anyday(s) of the week can be a watering day.

Watering days — The specific days of the weekwhen watering takes place.

Start time(s) — The time(s) of day that theschedule begins. This is the time the first stationin the schedule begins watering; all other sta-tions then follow in sequence.

NOTE: The term “start time” refers tothe time that the schedule starts, not tothe time that each individual stationbegins to run.

Run time — The number of minutes (or hoursand minutes) that each station runs.


Power-Up the ControllerVerify that the PAR+ controller has been properlyinstalled (consult the PAR+ and MSC+ ControllerInstallation Manual for installation and powerwiring details).

! Make sure the PAR+ is connected to a work-ing AC power source of the correct voltage.

" Remove the pedestal front door and turn thecontroller’s power switch (located on the topright hand side of the OSM module’s mount-ing bracket) to the ON position.

# The front panel LCD will display “PAR+,” thetotal number of stations installed, the type ofMAXI interface (if any), and “System SelfTest” immediately after applying power.Each front panel LED briefly lights in se-quence during the power-on self test.

$ The PAR+ verifies that it is operating prop-erly and enters Clock Status mode, display-ing the Clock Status LCD screen after com-pleting its power-on self test.

Clock Status ModeClock Status is the PAR+ controller’s reset anddefault LCD display mode. The LCD displayalways returns to the Clock Status screen when-ever power is reapplied, or after ten minutes ofinactivity on the front panel buttons.

! To reach the Clock Status screen at any time,press the CLOCK STATUS button.

" The Clock Status screen appears, with line 1of the display showing the controller type,the total number of stations installed, andthe MAXI interface mode (e.g., two-wire, orlink). Line 2 displays the current day andtime (in 24-hour format; e.g., 14:00 = 2 PM).

NOTE: If no MAXI interface module isinstalled, the MAXI interface mode willbe blank, indicating it is a stand-alonecontroller.

# The Schedule LEDs (A – M2), if on, indicateschedule(s) that are currently active.


Control ModesThe Control Mode button lets you select any ofthe PAR+ controller’s four operating “modes.”! Press the CONTROL MODE button to select

the desired Control Mode." The selected Control Mode LED lights indi-

cate which Control Mode is currently active.# Off Mode: Off Mode prevents all watering.

The controller will not respond to any starts;automatic, manual, or from a central controlunit. Turning the controller OFF will alsostop any schedule currently watering (afterthe LED flashes for five seconds). You can useOff Mode to suspend watering during rainyperiods, for system maintenance, or forseasonal shutdown.

$ Manual Mode: In Manual Mode, the control-ler responds only to manual starts, and notto any automatic schedule starts or centralcontrol system (MAXI) commands. Sched-ules M1 and M2 are not programmable forautomatic starts, but M1 can be pro-grammed to retain station run times. M1 andM2 can run up to 10 stations simultaneously(including a master valve). Additional sta-tions will “stack.”• Schedule M1 lets you program up to 10

valves (including a master valve) withautomatic station run times and storethat program in memory.

• Schedule M2 does not allow you toprogram automatic station run times.Run times for each station must beentered separately each time youactivate schedule M2.

% Local Mode (stand-alone operation):“Stand-alone” means the controller will notrespond to any commands from a centralcontrol system. If you place the controller inLocal Mode, it will respond to automaticschedule starts (A – F) or manual starts (M1& M2), but not to any central control systemcommands.

& MAXI Mode (Central Control): If the MAXILED is solidly lit, the controller is in commu-nication with the central control system andwill respond to central control commands. Itwill also allow manual starts in MAXI Mode.If the MAXI LED is blinking, the controller isNOT receiving communication from thecentral control, and will behave as if in LocalMode until communication is established.


Set the Clock (Day & Time)! To set the controller’s internal clock, press

the SET CLOCK button. The LCD displaysthe “Set Clock” screen.

NOTE: The clock displays all times in24-hour time format (e.g., 1 PM = 13:00,4 PM = 16:00, etc.)

" To set the current day of the week, press theUP or DOWN arrow buttons until the displayshows the correct day.

# To set the current hour, press the RIGHTarrow button. Then press the UP or DOWNarrow buttons until the display shows thecorrect hour.

$ To set the current minute, press the RIGHTarrow button again. Then press the UP orDOWN arrow buttons until the displayshows the correct minute.

% When the display shows the correct day andtime, press the CLOCK STATUS or the START/ ADVANCE button within 10 minutes toaccept the time shown. You may press CAN-CEL / CLEAR to cancel the time change andreturn to the “Clock Status” screen.

NOTE: The new time will not affectschedules currently watering, or anystacked schedules. All subsequentschedules will run based on the newtime.

Select Start Day MethodThe WEEKDAY / CYCLE button lets you set theStart Day method for schedules A through F(manual schedules M1 and M2 cannot startautomatically). The Start Day method deter-mines the type of watering day cycle for a sched-ule.

To select the schedule you want to program,press the SCHEDULE button until the desiredschedule LED lights.

Each schedule can operate in one of two avail-able Start Day methods:

• Variable Cycle — Waters on a daily intervalfrom one to nine days (e.g., every other day,every third day, etc.) Watering always occurson the last day of the watering cycle.


• 7-Day Week Cycle — Waters on the days ofthe week you select. A 7-Day Week Cycleallows you to set a custom watering cycle inwhich any day of the week can be a wateringday (For example, Monday, Wednesday,Friday, or Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, etc.)

! To select a Start Day method, press theWEEKDAY / CYCLE button. The Schedule ALED lights. Press the SCHEDULE button ifyou want to program a different schedule.

" With the desired schedule displayed, pressthe UP / DOWN arrow buttons until thedesired Start Day method (Variable Cycle or7 Day Week) appears in the display. You cannow program watering days for the selectedschedule according to the Start Day methodyou selected.

Set Watering Start DaysThe Start Days function selects the days onwhich a schedule will water. If you selected the7-Day Week Cycle, you may choose any or alldays within the week. If you selected the VariableCycle, the schedule will water every day, everyother day, etc.; up to every ninth day. Follow theprocedure for the Start Day method you se-lected.

7-Day Week Method! Press the START DAYS button. The Schedule

A LED lights. To select a different schedule,press the SCHEDULE button.

" The display shows the active days of theweek (days when irrigation occurs). Line 1 ofthe display alternates between listing thescreen title, and stating whether the selectedday is ON or OFF. In line 2 of the display, thecursor shows which day of the week is se-lected. When a day is turned OFF, that day nolonger appears in line 2.

# Press the LEFT / RIGHT arrow buttons andthe cursor will scroll from Sunday throughSaturday.

$ Press the UP / DOWN arrow buttons to turneach day of the week ON or OFF.


% If you want to use this same combination ofwatering days in another schedule, pressCOPY / STORE to store the information inmemory. Then press the SCHEDULE buttonto select a schedule and press COPY / PASTEto paste the information into the otherschedule.

Variable Cycle Method! Press the START DAYS button. The Schedule

A LED lights. To select a different schedule,press the SCHEDULE button.

" The display shows the current day of thecycle and the total number of days in thecycle (the reset default is “DAY 1 of 1 Days.”

# For a Variable Cycle, you must designatewhich day of the cycle “today” is. Press theUP / DOWN arrow buttons to scroll between1 and the total number of days in the cycle.Remember, irrigation always occurs on thelast day of the cycle.

$ Press the LEFT / RIGHT arrow buttons toselect the total number of days in the cycle.

% Press the UP / DOWN arrow buttons tochange the number of days in the cycle.

& If you want to use this same combination ofwatering days in another schedule, pressCOPY / STORE to store the information inmemory. Then press the SCHEDULE buttonto choose another schedule and press COPY/ PASTE to paste the stored watering daycycle into the new schedule.


Set Schedule Start Time(s)The start time determines when each schedulebegins watering. You may assign up to 12 starttimes per day to schedules A through F (manualschedules M1 and M2 do not accept automaticstart times).

Multiple start times let you run a schedule morethan once each day. For example, in an area witha steep slope, you may use several starts per daywith short station run times to help preventrunoff and lessen erosion.

If the start time of one schedule overlaps anactive (currently watering) schedule, the secondschedule will be “stacked” to begin watering assoon as the first schedule finishes.

NOTE: The PAR+ controller alwaysplaces start times in chronological order(from earliest to latest), regardless of theorder they were entered.

! To enter a start time for a schedule, press theSTART TIMES button. The Schedule A LEDlights. To select a different schedule, pressthe SCHEDULE button.

If no start times are programmed for thatschedule, line 2 of the display will read “Start1 @ —: —”. If the selected schedule has startsprogrammed, line 2 will show the first pro-grammed start time, and line 1 will alter-nately display the total number of start timesset.

" Press the UP / DOWN arrow buttons tochange the start number. Start numbersscroll from start number one to the firstunprogrammed start.

# To reach the time display, press the LEFT /RIGHT arrow buttons. Press the UP / DOWNarrow buttons to change the start time. Starttimes are set in hours and minutes, using 24-hour time format (e.g., 1 PM = 13:00). Toaccept the start time, press the LEFT orRIGHT arrow button.

$ You may continue entering start times foradditional cycles of operation, as needed. Ifyou want to use the same start time for otherschedules, press COPY STORE. This storesthe start time currently on display intomemory. To paste the start time into anotherstart, press the SCHEDULE button to selectanother schedule. Then press the UP /DOWN arrow buttons to choose the starttime number. Then press COPY PASTE.


% To delete a start time, bring up the unwantedstart in the display as described in Step 2.Then press CANCEL / CLEAR to remove it.The PAR+ reorders the start times whenevermode or schedule changes occur, so therewill be no skipped start numbers and starttimes will always be in chronological order(from earliest to latest).

Set Station Run TimesYou may set permanent station run times forschedules A – F and M1 (schedule M2 does notaccept permanent run times). You can set eachstation to run from one minute to a maximum oftwo hours.

! Press the STATION RUN TIMES button. TheSchedule A LED lights. To select anotherschedule, press the SCHEDULE button.

" Station 1 flashes in line 2 of the display. Toprogram a different station, press the STA-TION RUN TIMES button (or the UP /DOWN arrows) until the desired stationnumber appears in the display. After select-ing a station, press the RIGHT arrow buttonto move to the time display.

# Press the UP / DOWN arrows to enter thestation run time in hours and/or minutes(up to a two-hour maximum). Press theRIGHT arrow button to accept the run time.

$ To enter start times for other stations, pressthe STATION RUN TIMES button (or theUP / DOWN arrows) to select a station. Thenpress the RIGHT arrow button to move to thetime display. Enter and accept the station’srun time as described in Step 3.

% If you want to use the same run time forother stations, press COPY STORE. Thisstores the run time in memory. To paste therun time into other stations, select thestation and press COPY PASTE.

& To manually start a selected schedule at anytime, press START / ADVANCE (the control-ler switches to Schedule Monitor mode).


Optional Station SwitchesStation switches are an optional feature avail-able on the PAR+ controller. Station switchesgive you the option of turning individual sta-tions ON or OFF, or letting them water automati-cally, depending on watering needs.

Station switches are numbered consecutively(1 – 8) from the top of the first Output Stationwith switches Module (OSM-S). The secondOSM-S controls stations 9 – 16, and so on. Eachswitch number is imprinted on the OSM-S (tothe left of the switch).

! To run stations automatically, place theswitch in the AUTO position. The stationswitch LED remains out and the station willwater for the run time programmed intoeach schedule.

" To prevent a station from watering, place thestation switch in the OFF position. Thestation switch LED remains out and thestation will not water, even if it has run timeprogrammed into any schedule.

# If a station needs extra watering, place theswitch in the ON position. The station switchLED lights and the station begins wateringimmediately. The station will continuewatering until you move the switch back tothe AUTO or OFF position.


Controller Operation

Set Water BudgetThe water budget feature lets you increase ordecrease the run times of all stations on a sched-ule by a selected percentage. You can set thepercentage from 0 to 200%, in 10% increments.Each schedule can have a different water budgetpercentage.

You can use water budgeting to cut back water-ing during cool winter months, or to increasewatering during warmer weather, withoutreprogramming station run times. You can alsouse the 0% setting to temporarily shut off aschedule.

Water budget percentages are calculated on thenormal programmed run times for each station.For example, if a station is programmed to runfor 10 minutes, and you set the water budget to80%, the station will run for 8 minutes (80% of10 minutes). If you set the water budget to 120%,that same station would run for 12 minutes(120% of 10 minutes).

! Press the WATER BUDGET button. TheSchedule A LED lights. Press the SCHEDULEbutton to select the schedule whose waterbudget percentage you want to view orchange.

" The display shows the water budget percent-age for the selected schedule (the default is100%). Press the UP / DOWN arrow buttonsto change the water budget percentage in10% increments (from 0 to 200%).

# If you want to use the same water budgetpercentage in another schedule, press COPYSTORE. Then press the SCHEDULE button toselect the desired schedule and press COPYPASTE to enter the percentage into the otherschedule.


Schedule MonitorYou can use the Schedule Monitor function tomonitor the status of watering schedules. InSchedule Monitor mode, you can start inactiveschedules, change station run times, stop theoperation of active stations, and delete orchange the run times of manually started sta-tions.

! Press the SCHEDULE MONITOR button. TheSchedule A LED lights. Then press theSCHEDULE button to select the scheduleyou wish to monitor or change.

" If the selected schedule is not currentlyrunning, “No stns active” appears in thedisplay. To start an inactive schedule (exceptM2) press the START / ADVANCE button.

NOTE: All automatic schedules (A – F)operate their stations sequentially,Schedules M1 and M2 operate up to 10stations simultaneously.

# If you select a schedule that is currentlywatering, the active station and its remainingrun time appear in the LCD. The current runtime can be changed by using the UP /DOWN arrow buttons (this does not affectthe permanently programmed run time).

$ To stop the operation of an active station andbegin operation of the next station in se-quence, press the START / ADVANCE button(if no stations are waiting to water, all sched-ule activity will stop).

% If you select a multi-manual schedule (M1 orM2) that is watering, the first active stationand its remaining run time appear in thedisplay. Use the UP / DOWN arrows to seerun times for all active stations. To change astation’s run time, press the LEFT / RIGHTarrows to move to the time display. Thenpress the UP / DOWN arrows to change thestation’s run time (this is not a permanentprogramming change).

& If multiple schedules are active, their corre-sponding LEDs will all be lit. The selectedschedule’s LED will be solidly lit. FlashingLEDs indicate active schedules that are notcurrently shown in the display.

' Pressing the CANCEL / CLEAR button whilein Schedule Monitor mode stops operationof all stations on the currently selectedschedule, including any stacked stations.


Manual OperationThe Multi-Manual function lets you operate upto 10 valves or solenoids simultaneously (includ-ing the master valve). Assuming one valve perstation, and no master valve, a maximum of 10stations can operate at one time. If you assignmore than one valve per station, the number ofstations that will operate simultaneously dropsaccordingly.

Run times for schedule M1 are permanentlysaved, but M2 run times will always default backto three minutes. This provides two options forrunning manual schedules.

For manual operation, you must select eachindividual station, enter the desired run time,and then press START / ADVANCE. The stationwill begin watering immediately.

Once 10 valves are in operation, additionalstations entered will be stacked. The newlyentered stations will wait until an active stationhas finished watering before the new stationbegins.

! Press the MULTI-MANUAL button. Thenpress the SCHEDULE button to select eitherM1 or M2.

" Station 1 appears in the display (indicated bythe flashing number “1”). To select anotherstation, press the MULTI-MANUAL button(or the UP / DOWN arrows) until the desiredstation number appears in the display.

# To set the station’s manual run time, pressthe RIGHT arrow button to move to the timedisplay. Then press the UP / DOWN arrowsto set the station’s run time (up to two hoursmaximum). If you want to clear the dis-played time, press CANCEL / CLEAR.

$ You must now begin manual irrigation of theselected station. Press the START / ADVANCEbutton to begin watering. The station willdisplay briefly as “Waiting,” and then as“Active.” The display will not show the runtime, or “count down” as the station runs(the run time will be displayed when thestation finishes).

NOTE: If you press START / ADVANCEwithout entering a run time, the stationwill water for the default run time ofthree minutes.


% You may continue to enter run times foradditional stations, by repeating Steps 2 & 3.Remember to press START / ADVANCE afterentering the run time for each station.

NOTE: If you start more than 10 valves,the additional stations will “stack”behind the original 10 and will wait foran active station to finish wateringbefore they begin.

& The Copy Store function is a quick way toenter the same run time into more than onestation. Press COPY STORE to save thedisplayed run time in memory. Select thedesired station and press COPY PASTE. Thenpress START / ADVANCE to begin watering.The stored run time can be pasted into asmany stations as desired.

NOTE: Once you start a manual sched-ule, you can only delete or change astation’s run time by using the SCHED-ULE MONITOR function. PressingCANCEL / CLEAR in Multi-Manualmode will stop operation of ALL sta-tions on the active selected schedule.

NOTE: Water budgeting does not applyto manual run times. All manuallystarted stations will water for the fullrun time you set.


Special Controller Functions

The System Information function also lets youaccess diagnostic tests described in the “Produc-tion Tests” section.

Press the SYSTEM INFORMATION (“I”) buttonto cycle through all of the available functions.The selected function appears in the display. Thedisplay shows the function and you use theDisplay Control arrows to enter or change infor-mation.

Revision InformationThe Revision Information functions shows youwhat software version your controller has for itsmain logic board and interface board, and thetype of central control interface present.

! Press the SYSTEM INFORMATION button todisplay the “Revision Info” screen.

" The “Revision Info” screen shows the follow-ing information for your controller:

• ML = Main logic board software version

• IF = Interface board software version

• TY = Type of central control systeminterface:

– TY = 0 — Controller in standalonemode; no central control systeminterface

– TY = 1 — Controller connected toa MAXI or Links Master 2-wireinterface

– TY = 2 — Controller connected toa central control system via awireless interface

System InformationThe System Information function displaysinformation about the controller’s softwareversion and type of interface. It also allows youto set certain controller options, such as satellitechannel ID numbers, the number of valvesinstalled per station, LCD display language, rainsensor system status, and the station limit(number of stations that can be turned onwithout tripping the circuit breaker).


Valves Per StationThe Valves Per Station function lets you enter thenumber of valves installed for each station (thedefault is one; the maximum is four). If yoursystem uses a master valve, assign it only onevalve.

NOTE: This information determineshow many stations can safely be turnedon without tripping the circuit breaker.Make sure to enter this informationcorrectly.

CAUTION: Depending on your system,installing too many valves per stationmay cause premature pipe wear due towater hammer impact caused by shut-ting down several valves simulta-neously.

! From the “Revision Info” screen, press theSYSTEM INFORMATION button.

" The “Valves / Station” screen appears, with“Stn 1” flashing. Press the UP / DOWNarrows to select the desired station. TheMaster Valve appears at the end of the sta-tion sequence as “MV.”

# Press the RIGHT or LEFT arrow to move tothe valves display.

$ Then press the UP / DOWN arrows to set thedesired number of valves for the selectedstation (the default is one valve per station).Repeat steps 2 - 4 to assign valves to addi-tional stations.

% To activate the Master Valve, assign it a valueof one (the default is zero).

NOTE: For every increment of one youassign to the Master Valve, you lose thecapacity to run a valve.

& If you want to assign the same number ofvalves to multiple stations, press the COPYSTORE button. Then press the UP / DOWNarrows to select the desired station and pressCOPY PASTE to enter repetitive valve-per-station data.


Satellite IdentificationThis function lets you program the PAR+ torespond to channel ID numbers so it can beused as a satellite by a MAXI central controlsystem. To do this, the PAR+ must be pro-grammed to respond to channel ID numbers(each 24 stations on the controller is called a“channel.” There are two channels, A and B.Channel A controls stations 1 – 24. Channel Bcontrols stations 25 – 48.

Both channels are programmed the same way,except that each channel must be assigned aunique [different] ID number. Available IDnumbers scroll from 1 through 28.

NOTE: Channel B is not visible in thedisplay until you have assigned an IDnumber tochannel A.

The PAR+ can also be programmed to respond toa Links Master unit. To do this, set channel A to“LM” for a central unit, or “LMX” for an expan-sion unit (LM and LMX appear at the end of the1 - 28 ID number sequence).

NOTE: For the PAR+ to be used as asatellite by a central control unit, theControl Mode must be set to MAXI. Inany other mode, the PAR+ will notrespond to commands from a Rain Birdcentral control or Links Master unit.

For Use with a MAXI! From the “Valves / Station” screen, press the

SYSTEM INFORMATION button. The “Satel-lite ID” screen appears, displaying the chan-nel number(s) on line 2. The default channelsetting is 0 (inactive).

" To set channel A, press the UP / DOWNarrows until the desired ID number (1 – 28)appears in the display. The controller willnow respond to this ID for channel A. Also,channel B will become visible in the display,separated from channel A by a slash (/).


# To set channel B, press the RIGHT arrowbutton. Then press the UP / DOWN arrowsuntil the desired channel B ID number (1 –28) appears in the display (you must select adifferent ID number for channel B than youchose for channel A). The controller will nowrespond to this ID number for channel B.

$ For each channel, the PAR+ will respond tothe MAXI unit’s corresponding Group Con-trol Modules.

NOTE: The MAXI software handleschannels A and B as if they are twoseparate satellites, even though there isjust one PAR+ controller physicallypresent.

For Use with the Links Master! From the “Valves / Station” screen, press the

SYSTEM INFORMATION button. The “Satel-lite ID” screen appears, displaying the chan-nel number(s) on line 2. The default channelsetting is 0 (inactive).

" To set channel A, press the UP / DOWNarrow buttons until the desired ID number(LM or LMX) appears in the display. If youwant the controller to respond to a LinksMaster central unit, set the ID to “LM.” If youwant the controller to respond to a LinksMaster expansion unit, set the ID to “LMX.”In either case, channel B will not be visible.

# Satellite schedules A, B, and C respond tocentral unit group control modules 1, 2, and3 respectively, as follows:

• When the central unit gives the controlleran “Irrigation” start, the correspondingsatellite schedule will water for the timeprogrammed on the satellite controller.

• When the central unit gives the controllera “Syringe” start, the correspondingsatellite schedule will water for the timeprogrammed on the central unit.


Change LCD Display LanguageThis function lets you change the language usedin the PAR+ LCD display (the default is English).Other language choices include Spanish, French,Japanese, Italian, Dutch, German, and Portu-guese.

! From the “Satellite ID” screen, press theSYSTEM INFORMATION button. The “Dis-play Language” screen will appear.

" Press the UP / DOWN arrows to scrollthrough language options until the desiredlanguage appears in the display. All LCDmenus will then appear in the selectedlanguage.

Relay Board (Output StationModule) TestThis function tests the output station modules(OSMs) and displays the number of OSMsdetected. This helps isolate any problem withthe OSMs.

! From the “Display Language” screen, pressthe SYSTEM INFORMATION button. The“Relay-Board Test” screen appears.

" Line 2 of the display reads “Push Start.” Pressthe START / ADVANCE button to begin thetest. The display will show all OSMs (boards)the controller has detected.

# The display will identify the boards bynumber. Starting at the top of the controller,the boards are numbered from 1 through 6.Board #1 controls stations 1-8, board #2controls stations 9-16, and so on.

NOTE: If the controller has Relay Out-put Modules (ROM8s) installed (mixedwith OSMs or only ROM8s), the LCDwill scroll “*Error * Incompatible OSMsinstalled.” In this case, you cannot usethe OSM Test Screen to help diagnoseOSM problems. (This applies to allcontrollers manufactured after August,2001).


Internal Self-TestThis function tests the controller’s internalmemory, hardware, and power-up display.

! From the “Relay-Board Test” screen, pressthe SYSTEM INFORMATION button todisplay the “Self Test” screen. (If the displayreads “Relay-Board Test Found 1,2...” pressthe SYSTEM INFORMATION button TWICEto access the “Self Test” screen.

" The display reads “Push ‘START’ to begin.”Press the START / ADVANCE button to beginthe self-test. The controller will automati-cally run through the test procedure andshow any failures in the display. Then thecontroller will return to Clock Status mode.

Note any failure message and contact yourRain Bird distributor for assistance.

Sensor SelectThis function lets you select the status (ON orOFF) and installation type (NC for NormallyClosed or NO for Normally Open) of any rain ormoisture sensor connected to your PAR+.

! From the “Self Test” screen, press the SYS-TEM INFORMATION button. The “SensorSelect” screen appears.

" Line 2 displays the sensor status (ON orOFF). Press the UP / DOWN arrows to selectthe desired status. If the sensor status is OFF(the default), the controller will ignore allsensor input. Sensor status ON means thecontroller will respond to sensor input.

NOTE: If the rain sensor activates, thecontroller will cancel any schedule(s) inprogress , and the Clock Status screenwill flash a “Sensor Active” message.

# When sensor status is ON, line 2 will alsodisplay the sensor installation type (“NC” fornormally closed or “NO” for normally open).

$ Press the RIGHT / LEFT arrows to move tothe sensor type. Press the UP / DOWNarrows to select the proper sensor installa-tion type (NC or NO) for your system.


Set Satellite Group ID! From the “Sensor Select” screen, press the

STATION INFORMATION button. The “SetSatellite Group ID” screen appears.

" Press the UP / DOWN arrow buttons to setthe satellite group ID number from 0 (thedefault) to 8.

Station LimitThe PAR+ controller can operate as many as 12solenoids at one time (each station can operatea maximum of four solenoids). The station limitfunction lets you limit the maximum number ofsolenoids the controller can turn on simulta-neously to a number less than 12.

The maximum number of solenoids can be setbetween 7 and 12, based on the controller’spower frequency (50Hz or 60Hz). This numberdetermines how many stations can safely beturned on without tripping the circuit breaker.The PAR+ displays its power frequency in theLCD display during Self Test mode.

! From the “Set Satellite Group ID” screen,press the STATION INFORMATION button.The “Station Limit” screen appears.

" Press the UP / DOWN arrow buttons tochange the station limit number. The follow-ing power frequencies control different valveranges:

• 50Hz — from 7 to 10 valves

• 60Hz — from 7 to 12 valves


Production TestsThe Production Test function lets you run sixspecial diagnostic tests that can help identifyproblems with the controller’s keypad, LCDdisplay, and other functions.

NOTE: Production tests are designed tofacilitate controller production and fieldtesting and are not used for day-to-dayoperation. It is not normally necessaryto perform these tests unless you expe-rience a problem with the controller.

! To enter Production Test mode, access the“Self Test” screen (as described on page 21)and press the START / ADVANCE button tobegin the test. Then immediately press theSYSTEM INFORMATION button.

" The “Key Pad Test” screen appears. (To cyclethrough the production tests to reach an-other test, press the SYSTEM INFORMATIONbutton additional times).

# After entering a production test, press theSTART / ADVANCE button to activate thattest.

CAUTION: The only safe way to exitProduction Test mode and retain allprogrammed schedules is to “WarmStart” the controller (as shown on page26). DO NOT perform a “Cold Start”(page 27) unless you want to erase allprogrammed schedule information andreset all controller functions to factorydefaults.


Key Pad TestThe key pad test verifies the proper operation ofthe controller’s front panel overlay key pad.

! From the “Key Pad Test” screen, press theSTART / ADVANCE button to begin the keypad test.

" Press each key on the front panel key pad.The name of the key will appear in thedisplay. If any key name fails to displayproperly, contact your Rain Bird distributorfor a service referral.

# After completing the test, press the SYSTEMINFORMATION button to exit and advanceto the display test.

Display TestThe display test checks the proper operation ofthe PAR+ Liquid Crystal Display screen.

! From the “Display Test” screen, press theSTART / ADVANCE button to begin thedisplay test.

" The LCD display will show all the pixels foreach digit (for approximately 10 seconds). Itwill then display all the pixels at the sametime. Watch the screen and verify that thedisplay is operating properly.

# When the test is complete, the LCD willreturn to the “Display Test” screen. Press theSYSTEM INFORMATION button to exit andadvance to the LED test.

LED TestThe LED test checks the proper operation of theLight Emitting Diodes (LEDs) on the PAR+’sfront panel.

! From the “LED Test” screen, press the START/ ADVANCE button to begin the LED test.The front panel LEDs will turn on one at atime (no relays are activated). Each LED willlight for about one second.

" Watch the LEDs and verify that they areworking properly. The test cycle will con-tinue indefinitely until you press theSYSTEM INFORMATION button TWICE toexit and advance to the relay test.


Relay TestThe relay test checks the operation of the PAR+station output relays.

! From the “Relay Test” screen, press theSTART / ADVANCE button to begin the relaytest.

" The station output relays will turn on one ata time (the Master Valve relay will remain oncontinuously). Each station will be on forabout two seconds.

# Visually verify that all outputs become activeand are correctly wired to the output termi-nal board.

$ The relay test cycle will continue indefinitelyuntil you press the SYSTEM INFORMATIONbutton TWICE to exit and advance to theinput port test.

Input Port TestThe input port test verifies proper rain or mois-ture sensor input to the PAR+ controller.

! From the “Input Port Test” screen, press theSTART / ADVANCE button to begin the inputport test. The display should show “InputPort = 0.”

" The technician must then provide a drycontact closure for the input between thesensor input and sensor common.

# As the shorted contact is supplied to theinput, the “0” in the display should change to“1”.

$ After completing the test, press the SYSTEMINFORMATION button to exit and advanceto the ROM checksum test.


ROM Checksum TestThe ROM Checksum test checks the internalMain Logic Board ROM firmware checksum.

! From the “ROM Check Test” screen, press theSTART / ADVANCE button to begin the test.The software adds together all byte locationsin the ROM, truncates that value to the leastsignificant byte, and displays that byte valuein two hex digits in the display. This calcu-lated value must equal the stored value inthe last ROM location. It is used to verifyEPROM integrity during the power-up test.

NOTE: Hex digits are numbers to thebase 16 (i.e., 1 through 9 and A, B, C, D,E, and F).

" After completing the test, press the SYSTEMINFORMATION button TWICE to exit theROM Checksum test and advance to the“Warm Start” screen which allows you to exitProduction Test mode.

Warm StartNOTE: The Warm Start is the only safeexit from Production Test mode (otherthan turning the power off ) that will noterase all programming from thecontroller’s memory and reset all pro-gram variables to factory defaults.

! From the “Warm Start” screen, press theSTART / ADVANCE button to begin the WarmStart. The watchdog timer will activate andautomatically reset the PAR+.

If you wish to perform a “Cold Start” anderase all controller memory, press the SYS-TEM INFORMATION button to advance tothe “Cold Start” screen.

" During power-up, the PAR+ will perform aself-test and then return to Clock Statusmode.


Cold StartCAUTION: Performing a “Cold Start”clears the controller’s memory andresets all program variables back tofactory defaults. DO NOT begin theCold Start procedure unless you want toerase the controller’s memory andreprogram all schedules.

! From the “Cold Start” screen, press theSTART / ADVANCE button to begin the ColdStart.

" The software will clear out the controller’sinitialized memory and reset the watchdogtimer. Also, during the power-up test, thePAR+ will perform a “New System Setup.”

NOTE: If you reach the “Cold Start”screen and do NOT want to erase allprogram memory, press the SYSTEMINFORMATION button until you cyclethrough the production tests back tothe “Warm Start” screen. (You can alsoturn the controller power switch OFFand then back ON). When the controllerpowers-up it will return to Clock Statusmode with its memory intact.

Circuit Breaker Tripped ModeThe PAR+ goes into circuit breaker tripped modewhen excessive current on the station outputstrips the circuit breaker. When the breaker trips,the LCD displays a “Breaker Tripped” message,and you must reset the circuit breaker.

NOTE: All controller functions andbuttons are inactive until the circuitbreaker is reset.

! To reset the circuit breaker, press the circuitbreaker button. The circuit breaker is locatedon the upper right side of the Power Inter-connect board cover (at the top of themounting plate assembly inside the control-ler pedestal.


! After resetting the breaker, the LCD displayshould clear. If the breaker continues to trip,it means there is a problem with the stationoutput wiring or with the number of sole-noids (valves) per station. The problem mustbe identified and corrected to prevent thebreaker from tripping repeatedly.

" Check the total number of solenoids (valveson each station), and make sure the correctnumber has been entered in the SystemInformation / Valves per Station function.

CAUTION: DO NOT hold the circuitbreaker in if it continues to trip. Thiswill damage the breaker. Instead, findand repair the cause of the trip.

Adjust LCD Display Bright-nessIf the LCD display is too dark to read, you canbrighten it by turning the potentiometer on theback panel of the main logic board.

# Remove the four long screws from the face ofthe control panel and lift out the controlmodule.

! Remove the four short screws on the back ofthe control module to expose the main logicboard.

" The potentiometer is as small, white slotteddevice located halfway down the right side ofthe logic board. Use a screwdriver to turn thepotentiometer and adjust the display con-trast. Then reinstall the screws and replace

P/N 633250D© 2001 Rain Bird Sprinkler Mfg. Corp.® Registered trademark of Rain Bird Sprinkler Mfg. Corp.

Rain Bird Irrigation CorporationGolf Division970 W. Sierra Madre Ave.Azusa, CA 91702www.rainbird.com

Warning: This equipment has been testedand found to comply with the limits for aClass A digital device, pursuant to Part 15of the FCC Rules. These limits are designedto provide reasonable protection againstharmful interference when the equipmentis operated in a commercial environment.This equipment generates, uses and canradiate radio frequency energy and, if notinstalled and used in accordance with theinstructions, may cause interference to

radio communications. Operation of thisequipment in a residential area is likely tocause harmful interference in which case theuser will be required to correct the interfer-ence at their own expense.

Changes or modifications not expresslyapproved by Rain Bird Sprinkler Mfg. Corp.could void the user’s authority to operate theequipment.

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