Step-by-Step Guide

Understanding When to Use This Guide

This guide covers flow configuration for irrigation systems with more complex hydraulics, specifically sites with multiple water sources or multiple main lines. If your site has simple hydraulics—one water source and one main line—refer to the separate guide for that configuration instead.

Sketching Your Site Hydraulics Before Setup

Before beginning any configuration, create a simple sketch of your site hydraulics. This sketch should document all water sources, master valves, flow sensors, and main lines, including their sizes and how they connect to each other.

For example, a typical multi-source site might include:

• Water source 1: A 3-inch water meter with a 2-inch master valve and a 2-inch flow sensor
• Water source 2: A 2-inch water meter with an inch-and-a-half master valve and an inch-and-a-half flow sensor
• Both sources connected to the same 3-inch main line

Since there are many different possible combinations, having this sketch prepared will significantly simplify the setup process.

Accessing BaseManager

1. Open a web browser and navigate to baselineapps.net.

2. Log in using your username and secure password.

3. Locate the BaseManager icon on the left side of the screen and click it.

Verifying Device Assignments

Before configuring flow settings, verify that all flow devices are properly assigned to the system.

1. Click on the Devices tab.

2. Look for all of your master valves in the assignment list. They should all appear here.

3. Check the pumps section if your system includes pumps. If you don't have pumps, this section will be empty.

4. Verify that all flow meters appear in the list. Each flow sensor on your project should be visible.

At this stage, confirm that all devices are accounted for based on your site sketch—all master valves, flow sensors, and any pumps should be present in the assignment list.

Configuring Water Source 1

1. Click on the Flow Setup tab.

2. Select Water Source 1 from the list.

3. Click Edit in the lower right corner.

4. Add a description to the water source that reflects its location or purpose. This makes the water source easier to identify later.

5. Verify that the water source is enabled. Water source 1 is enabled by default, so no change should be necessary.

6. Leave the default water source priority setting for now. You'll revisit water source priorities later in the configuration process.

7. Associate this water source with the appropriate control point. In the example configuration, water source 1 is associated with control point 1. Note that there are seven other control points available for assignment.

8. Set a monthly water budget if desired. In the example, a monthly budget of 100,000 gallons is set.

9. Select Shutdown if you want the system to disable this water source when it exceeds the monthly budget. When more than the specified gallons have passed through this water source in a month, the system will alert you and then disable or shut down the water source.

10. Press Save before exiting the water source configuration.

Configuring Water Source 2

1. Select Water Source 2 from the list.

2. Click Edit.

3. Name the water source with a description that reflects its location, similar to how you named water source 1.

4. Enable this water source by checking the appropriate box.

5. Leave the water source priority at its default setting for now.

6. Assign or associate this water source with the appropriate control point. In the example configuration, water source 2 is associated with control point 2.

7. Click Save before proceeding to control point configuration.

Configuring Control Point 1

1. Navigate to the control points section within flow setup.

2. Open Control Point 1 and select Edit.

3. Name the control point to reflect its location or purpose.

4. Verify the main line association. The control point should already be associated with the appropriate main line (in the example, mainline 1), though you can associate it with different main lines on more complex systems.

Setting Flow Limits for Control Point 1

1. Set the Design Flow based on the size of your control point. In the example, the design flow is set to 100 GPM. This value should be determined by consulting a pipe friction loss chart based on your pipe size. If you're unsure how to find this information, contact your Baseline distributor or Baseline representative for assistance.

2. Set the High Flow Limit. A common approach is to add approximately 20 percent to the design flow. In the example, the high flow limit is set to 120 GPM.

3. Select Shutdown for the high flow limit if you want the system to shut down when this threshold is exceeded. The design flow represents the flow rate that's acceptable to run continuously all day long, but if flow ever exceeds the high flow limit, the system will alert you and shut down.

Configuring Pressure Limits

If your project includes pressure transducers, set pressure limits in this section. If you don't have pressure transducers, leave this section unchanged.

Setting Unscheduled Flow Parameters

Unscheduled flow is flow that runs without the controller knowing about it. Examples include someone using a quick coupler or manually bleeding a valve—both activities that pull water from the main line without the controller's knowledge.

1. Set an unscheduled flow threshold. In the example, this is set to 20 GPM.

2. Decide whether to select Shutdown for unscheduled flow. If you don't select shutdown, the system will send an alert whenever someone uses more than the specified GPM of water, but it won't shut down the system.

Assigning Devices to Control Point 1

1. In the devices section of the control point, locate the flow meter dropdown. Since devices were already assigned under the device tab, available flow meters will appear in this dropdown.

2. Select the correct flow meter serial number from the list. It's critical to match this with the serial number you documented during installation to avoid mixing up devices.

3. Verify that the pulses per gallon and K value automatically populate. This happens automatically for Baseline flow sensors. If you're using a different flow sensor with a flow biCoder, you'll need to manually input your own K value to ensure accurate flow readings.

4. Select the correct master valve from the dropdown menu. If your system has multiple master valves, ensure you select the one that corresponds to this control point.

5. Configure the master valve type. If the master valve is normally closed, leave the Normally Open box unchecked. Check this box only if you have a normally open master valve.

6. If your system includes a pump or pressure sensor, select them from the available options in this section.

7. Click Save before proceeding to control point 2.

Configuring Control Point 2

1. Open Control Point 2 and select Edit.

2. Name the control point following the same naming convention used for other components.

3. Ensure the control point is enabled.

4. Assign or associate control point 2 with the appropriate main line. In the example configuration, control point 2 is also assigned to mainline 1, since it's the only main line on the site.

Setting Flow Limits for Control Point 2

1. Set the Design Flow based on the size of this control point. In the example, control point 2 is smaller and has a design flow of only 60 GPM.

2. Set the High Flow Limit approximately 20 percent higher than the design flow. In the example, this is set to 75 GPM.

3. Select Shutdown if you want the system to shut down when flow exceeds the high flow limit of 75 GPM.

4. Set the Unscheduled Flow threshold. In the example, this is set to 20 GPM, matching the setting used for control point 1.

Assigning Devices to Control Point 2

1. Select the correct flow meter from the dropdown menu, matching the serial number to your installation documentation.

2. Select the correct master valve from the dropdown menu.

3. Click Save before leaving control point 2.

Understanding Water Source Priority Settings

Water source priority determines how the system uses multiple water sources. The priority system allows you to designate a primary water source and backup sources, or to use multiple sources simultaneously.

In the example configuration, water source 1 is a 3-inch source that can supply 100 GPM, while water source 2 is smaller and can only supply 60 GPM. The preference is to use the larger 3-inch source on a regular basis and use the smaller one as a backup, switching to the backup water source before water rates increase.

Configuring Water Source Priority for Sequential Use

To set up water sources to be used sequentially (one at a time, with automatic switchover):

1. Navigate back to Water Source 1 and select Edit.

2. Change the Water Source Priority to a higher priority number than the backup source. In the example, water source 1 is changed to priority 4, which is higher than priority 5.

3. With this configuration, the system will use water source 1 exclusively until it's disabled or shut off.

4. When water source 1 reaches its monthly budget limit (100,000 gallons in the example) and shuts down, the system will automatically switch over to water source 2.

5. Click Save before exiting.

Configuring Water Source Priority for Simultaneous Use

If you want both water sources to be used at the same time, leave both water source 1 and water source 2 at priority 5. This configuration is common at sites that need all water sources running simultaneously to meet irrigation demands.

Configuring Main Line 1

1. Navigate to the Main Lines section under flow setup.

2. Open Mainline 1 for editing.

3. Add a description to the main line that reflects its location, following the naming convention used for other components.

4. Set the Design Flow based on your main line size. This value represents the main line capacity.

Configuring Flow Stabilization Settings

Flow stabilization settings help prevent false high flow alerts that can occur when main lines initially fill up.

1. Review the default flow stabilization setting. Normally, the system starts taking flow readings after one minute of pipe fill time.

2. If you're experiencing high flow errors during startup, increase the fill time. In the example, the setting is changed to 2 minutes of pipe fill time.

3. With this setting, the system will ignore high flow readings for the full duration (2 minutes in the example), which will likely eliminate excessive flow alerts during startup.

Note that there's no need to change this setting unless you're experiencing high flow errors during system startup.

Enabling Manage by Flow Settings

The manage by flow feature enables the controller to run multiple zones simultaneously, up to the design flow limit.

1. Enable the Manage by Flow setting.

2. The system will automatically find combinations of zones that stay under the design flow limit. For example, with a 100 GPM design flow, the system might run two 50 GPM zones, or three 33 GPM zones, all while staying under the design flow limit.

3. After enabling this feature, go back into your programs and increase zone concurrency settings to ensure they work as intended.

Configuring Basic Flow Variance Settings

1. Set the Flow Variance limit as a percentage. In the example, this is set to 20 percent.

2. Select Shutdown if you want the system to shut down when flow variance is detected.

3. With shutdown enabled, if the actual flow runs 20 percent above or 20 percent below the expected flow, the system will alert you and then shut down.

4. If you don't select shutdown, the system will only send an alert without shutting down the irrigation.

Configuring Advanced Flow Variance Settings

Advanced flow variance allows you to set different variance tolerances based on flow ranges, which is particularly useful for systems with a wide range of flow rates.

1. Check the Use box on the right side of the advanced flow variance section. This will override the basic flow variance settings configured above.

2. Configure variance ranges based on expected flow rates. In the example configuration:

• For flows 300 GPM and above: 5 percent variance tolerance
• For flows between 125 and 300 GPM: 10 percent variance tolerance
• For flows 25 GPM or less: 20 percent variance tolerance

3. Configure separate shutdown behavior for high flows versus low flows. You can choose to shut down for high flows but only receive alerts for low flows without shutting down. This is useful when getting some water applied is better than shutting down and getting none.

4. Be prepared to experiment with these settings to find the right values for your specific system.

Managing Zone Assignments

The zone assignments section shows all zones assigned to each main line.

1. Review the zone assignments under the main line configuration. If you only have one main line, all zones will be assigned to that main line.

2. If you have two different main lines of different sizes, distribute zones appropriately—assign some zones to mainline 1 and some zones to mainline 2 based on your system design.

3. Note the Design Flow column in the zone assignments. This column will be populated with flow values after you complete the learn flow process.

Manually Inputting Flow Values Without a Flow Sensor

While having a flow sensor provides real-time flow data and is more accurate, you can still use the manage by flow feature without one.

1. If you don't have a flow sensor yet, manually input flow values for each zone in the design flow column.

2. Be aware that this method is time-consuming and not as accurate as using actual flow sensors.

3. Despite the limitations, manually inputting flow values will allow you to use the manage by flow feature until you can install flow sensors.

Assigning Booster Pumps to Specific Zones

If you have a booster pump that needs to run only with specific zones, toggle on the booster pump assignment for those zones in the zone assignments section.

Saving Main Line Configuration

After completing all main line configuration, click Save before leaving the main line setup. Your flow setup is now complete.

Completing the Learn Flow Process

After finishing the flow setup configuration, you must complete the learn flow operation. This is a critical final step in the flow setup process.

1. Perform either a Program Learn Flow or Zone Learn Flow operation.

2. This operation can be completed either at the controller itself or through BaseManager.

3. Do not skip this step—the learn flow operation is the final piece required for proper flow setup on the BaseStation 3200.

Understanding BaseStation 3200 Capacity and Getting Help

The BaseStation 3200 controller can accommodate up to eight water sources, eight control points, and eight main lines. This capacity allows for a wide range of configuration options that are difficult to cover comprehensively in any single guide.

If you need help with complex flow setup, contact Baseline for assistance. Before reaching out, gather your site information and prepare a sketch of your hydraulics. Having this information ready will make the support process much more efficient.

Video Walkthrough

Video originally published October 2020.

If you have questions, here are 3 ways to get answers:

1. Search within this Baseline knowledgebase

2. Visit the Baseline support page

3. Call 866-294-5847 or email support@baselinesystems.com, hours are from 6:00 am to 7:00 pm Eastern Time or 4:00 am to 5:00 pm Pacific Time.