Step-by-Step Guide
Understanding Flow Metering and Its Historical Challenges
Flow metering has historically been considered a designer feature, typically only included in professionally designed irrigation systems. Even when flow sensors were specified and installed, they were often left unused—wires never connected, programming never completed, and flow values never learned. This was particularly common at sites without a dedicated professional irrigation manager.
The core problem was that flow information lived inside the controller. Without sufficient resources allocated in typical maintenance contracts, technicians couldn't be at the controller frequently enough to monitor and react to flow data. The real breakthrough came with cloud-based systems that deliver real-time alerts via email or text message. This technology effectively puts an irrigation technician on site 24 hours a day, seven days a week, providing proactive rather than reactive maintenance solutions.
Determining Which Sites Should Have Flow Monitoring
The primary prerequisite for adding flow monitoring is having a cloud-based controller system like WeatherTRAK in place first. Without the cloud component to deliver information to the right person at the right time, you risk repeating the same problems that plagued earlier flow sensor installations.
Once a site has a WeatherTRAK or similar cloud-based system, flow monitoring becomes valuable for virtually any property. The advantages are significant enough that flow should be considered for all eligible sites, particularly now that FlowLink has solved many of the installation barriers that previously made retrofit projects cost-prohibitive.
The Retrofit Challenge: Why Adding Flow Was Previously Difficult
On new construction sites, adding flow monitoring is straightforward. The process starts at the water meter, typically located at the corner of the property along city access. The backflow preventer and water source devices are installed there, while the irrigation controller is usually mounted on or in the building for easy access by maintenance providers.
When the site is still a dirt lot, trenching between the water source and the controller is relatively simple. All necessary wires for valves, master valves, and flow sensors can be installed with relative ease during this construction phase.
However, once a site is built and landscaped, the situation changes dramatically. Parking lots, retaining walls, mature tree roots, and established landscape features create significant obstacles. Trenching across a parking lot to install flow sensor wiring can cost tens of thousands of dollars—in some cases, quotes have reached $50,000 or more. Beyond the cost, many property managers cannot accommodate the disruption of shutting down parking areas for trenching and repair work.
Additional complications include navigating around large tree roots (where arborists often prohibit cutting), trees planted in narrow four-foot-wide planters with no room to go around, and the risk of damaging existing landscape features. These factors made adding flow monitoring to existing sites essentially a non-starter for most retrofit projects.
How FlowLink Solves the Retrofit Problem
FlowLink eliminates the need to trench across parking lots and through landscape obstacles by borrowing wires from an existing valve that was already wired during the original construction phase. Every irrigation system has a bundle of existing wires that already runs underneath parking lots and through landscape obstacles to reach the various irrigation valves.
The FlowLink system consists of three main components:
- A CT (Controller Transceiver) that wires into the controller
- An EXT device that intercepts the wires from an existing valve in the field
- An FXT device that connects to the flow sensor and master valve at the point of connection
FlowLink transforms a standard two-wire path that previously only managed a single valve into both power wires and communication wires. This allows the system to handle the operation and information from a flow sensor, a master valve, and still maintain operation of the original valve whose wires are being borrowed.
The only trenching required is between the existing valve (where you tap into the wire path) and the location where you install your master valve and flow sensor—typically at the base of the backflow preventer. This is often a much shorter distance than trenching all the way back to the controller.
Locating Existing Wires to Minimize Trenching
When planning a FlowLink installation, you can often reduce trenching even further by using wire tracing equipment. Tools like the Armada Pro 900 can help identify where existing wires run underground.
In most cases, the main irrigation line with its bundle of wires runs directly underneath it, and this main line typically runs very close to the backflow preventer (since that's where the main line begins). This means you can often locate and access the wire you need for the valve you're borrowing from without having to trench all the way back to that valve's physical location. Instead, you can intercept the wire bundle much closer to your point of connection, further reducing the amount of trenching required.
Understanding the Wire Communication Advantage
Traditional flow sensor installations require communication-grade shielded wire to protect against electrical interference. This specialized wire can cost upwards of a dollar per foot. Standard 12-gauge or 14-gauge solid wire used for valve wiring is not suitable for flow sensors because it's susceptible to picking up stray electricity from sources like electrical transformers or high-voltage bollard lighting.
When standard wire is used for flow sensors, electrical interference shows up at the controller as false flow readings, creating a "flow problem" that isn't actually a flow problem. Attempts to reuse spare existing wires for direct flow sensor connections often result in erratic, unreliable readings.
FlowLink solves this problem by using digital signal communication rather than the traditional electrical pulse method. The digital signal sent between the field device and the controller transceiver is immune to electrical interference, which means you can safely use existing standard irrigation wires without experiencing false readings or communication problems.
Using FlowLink as a Diagnostic Solution
If you've already installed a flow sensor using standard wire and are experiencing problems with electrical interference and bad readings, FlowLink can serve as a retrofit solution. Rather than abandoning the flow sensor or trenching in new shielded wire, you can add a FlowLink system to the existing installation. This has proven successful in eliminating interference issues in every case where it's been applied.
Extending Communication Distance
Standard flow sensor specifications limit wire runs to 2,000 feet before signal degradation becomes a problem. FlowLink more than doubles this distance—testing has confirmed successful operation at over 4,000 feet.
This extended range is particularly valuable for large properties, municipal projects, and median installations where the water source may be at one end of a very long stretch and the power source (and therefore the controller) is at the opposite end.
Installation Scenario 1: Sites with Existing Master Valve Wiring
If your site already has a master valve installed, or if you have spare wires that run directly to your point of connection, you can use a simplified FlowLink configuration that eliminates one component.
In this scenario, you only need the CT (Controller Transceiver) at the controller and the FXT at the point of connection. You do not need the EXT device because you're not borrowing wires from an existing valve—you're using wires that already run to the correct location.
1. Wire the CT into the controller according to the installation guide.
2. At the point of connection, locate the existing wires (either from the old master valve or spare wires).
3. Connect these wires along with the shared common to the FXT.
4. Wire the flow sensor and master valve to the FXT according to the wiring diagram—two wires to the master valve (white wires) and three wires to the flow sensor if using a photodiode (positive, negative, and power).
This configuration provides all the necessary power and communication to manage flow monitoring without the need to borrow wires from an existing valve.
Installation Scenario 2: Borrowing Wires from an Existing Valve
When you need to borrow wires from an existing irrigation valve (sometimes called "hijacking" the valve), you'll use all three FlowLink components in the complete system configuration.
1. Identify the nearest existing valve to your point of connection. This will be the valve whose wires you borrow.
2. Install the EXT device in the valve box with the existing valve.
3. Wire the two wires from the valve solenoid into the EXT. This restores and maintains operation of that valve—you do not lose the ability to use it for irrigation.
4. Trench from this valve location to where you're installing your flow sensor and master valve (typically at the base of the backflow preventer).
5. Lay new two-wire path in this trench.
6. Connect these new wires to the FXT at the point of connection (blue wires on the FXT).
7. Wire the master valve to the FXT (white wires).
8. Wire the flow sensor to the FXT (three wires for photodiode sensors: positive, negative, and power).
9. Wire the CT into the controller according to the installation guide.
This creates a complete network that provides power and communication from the controller, through the borrowed valve wires, to the EXT, through the new short wire run, to the FXT, and finally to both the flow sensor and master valve. All components operate properly, and the original valve remains fully functional.
When FlowLink Makes Sense Even Without Obstacles
Even when trenching is physically possible and there are no major obstacles like parking lots, FlowLink can still be the right solution based on cost analysis.
Consider FlowLink when:
- The distance from the controller to the point of connection is very long
- The cost of shielded communication-grade wire becomes prohibitive
- Trenching would disturb significant plant material or landscape features
- The total cost of materials and labor for direct wiring exceeds the cost of a FlowLink installation
Always weigh the FlowLink option against direct wiring and trenching, even when direct wiring is technically feasible. The cost savings and minimized impact to existing landscapes often make FlowLink the better choice.
Solving Photodiode Wiring Issues
FlowLink provides an additional solution for a common installation error. Photodiode flow sensors require three wires (positive, negative, and power), but installers sometimes only run two wires—the same number required for reed switch sensors.
If you discover a photodiode flow sensor that was installed with insufficient wiring, FlowLink can solve this problem without having to trench in additional wires. The FXT provides all three necessary connections for proper photodiode operation.
Compatibility with Different Controller Systems
FlowLink is designed for conventional wire controller systems. It is not intended for use with two-wire systems. If you're using WeatherTRAK Two-Wire controllers, you can add flow sensors and master valves directly to the two-wire path without needing FlowLink—that's the simpler solution for two-wire installations.
While FlowLink technology should theoretically work with non-WeatherTRAK controllers, this is not a supported configuration. Customer service teams are trained specifically on WeatherTRAK systems and would not be able to provide troubleshooting assistance for FlowLink installations on other controller brands.
Using FlowLink with Multiple Controllers
FlowLink can be used in configurations with one point of connection and multiple controllers, but the setup becomes more complex. You may need to combine FlowLink with FlowShare devices to distribute the flow information across multiple controllers.
For sites with multiple controllers sharing a single water source, OptiFlow XR provides a more elegant solution. OptiFlow XR is specifically designed to manage flow across multiple controllers and optimize water usage across the entire system.
FlowLink with OptiFlow Systems
FlowLink is fully compatible with OptiFlow systems. In an OptiFlow configuration, only the controller that directly listens to the flow sensor needs to be an OptiFlow XR controller. The other controllers in the system can be OptiFlow Pro 3 controllers with the OptiFlow upgrade key installed, making them member controllers.
Any controller that receives flow sensor information—whether through FlowLink or direct wiring—must be an XR controller. That XR controller can then share flow information with other team members, whether they're OptiFlow XR controllers or Pro 3 controllers with the upgrade key.
FlowLink Compatibility with Flow HD Sensors
FlowLink works with Flow HD sensors using the same signal type and communication method. The only consideration is that Flow HD sensors have dramatically different K-factor and offset values compared to standard flow sensors. Make sure to enter the correct values for your specific Flow HD model during controller programming.
Troubleshooting Valve Alerts with FlowLink
If you receive valve short or valve no-connect alerts on a controller with FlowLink installed, the FlowLink system could be the cause, though this is not very common and the scope is limited.
Alerts are most likely to occur on the specific valve station whose wires you've borrowed (the "hijacked" valve). For example, if your EXT is wired into station 3 and you receive an alert on station 3, one of the FlowLink connections could be the issue. However, there are multiple connection points in the wire path between the controller and that valve, and a failure at any of these points could trigger the alert.
Master valve alerts can also be related to FlowLink, since the master valve is part of the FlowLink system. A short or no-connect alert on the master valve circuit could indicate a problem with FlowLink wiring or connections.
When troubleshooting these alerts, check all connection points in sequence: the CT at the controller, the wire path to the EXT, connections at the EXT, the new wire run to the FXT, connections at the FXT, and finally the master valve and flow sensor connections.
Understanding FlowLink vs. OptiFlow
🚨FlowLink and OptiFlow serve different purposes and should not be confused:
FlowLink is a hardware device that solves a wiring problem. It enables you to get master valve control and flow sensor information back to your controller without extensive trenching. FlowLink helps you hear the flow data at the controller.
OptiFlow is a comprehensive flow management operating system that runs in the cloud. It's a much larger proposition that optimizes your available gallons per minute (GPM) or water supply across one or multiple controllers. OptiFlow manages valve sequencing to maximize pipe capacity and provides advanced flow management features. While it does require OptiFlow XR controllers (hardware), the real value is in the software-based flow management system.
Resources for Planning and Installation
Several resources are available to help you plan and execute FlowLink installations:
Flow Solutions Guide: This downloadable document is available on the HydroPoint website resources page. It provides visual walkthroughs of FlowLink applications, FlowShare applications, and various scenarios for retrofitting flow monitoring onto existing sites. The guide uses diagrams and illustrations to make complex installations easier to understand and plan.
FlowLink Tech Sheet: Available at hydropoint.com, this document contains valuable information and talking points focused on the value proposition of FlowLink. It's an excellent tool for explaining the benefits to customers and helping your team understand how to sell and implement the solution.
FlowLink Training: A comprehensive training course is available through HydroPoint's certified training program on their LearnUpon platform. This training walks you through the installation process step-by-step and helps you become comfortable with the system before your first installation. The training may also be available on HydroPoint's YouTube channel.
These resources provide the technical details, visual references, and background knowledge needed to successfully plan, sell, and install FlowLink systems.
The Value of Proactive Maintenance
One of the most valuable aspects of cloud-connected flow monitoring is the shift from reactive to proactive maintenance. The Runtime Valve Test feature, combined with cloud-based alerts, exemplifies this advantage.
Rather than discovering wiring problems when an entire zone dries out and you're in crisis mode, you receive real-time updates about valve solenoid shorts or lost connections before visible damage occurs. The system continuously monitors the health of your wiring paths and solenoids, delivering alerts to the right person at the right time across all your devices and platforms.
This proactive approach also helps with accountability. When you receive an alert about a broken wire in the morning and can get to the site the same day, you can often still see evidence of what caused the damage—whether it's a contractor digging a trench, someone installing a real estate sign, or another third party working on the property. Property managers appreciate being able to identify the responsible party and ensure they're held accountable, rather than repeatedly absorbing repair costs for damage caused by others.
The ability to show cause and effect when issues happen—to document what occurred and when—provides value that extends beyond just fixing irrigation problems. It creates a complete maintenance record and helps build trust with property managers and clients.
Video Walkthrough
Video originally published April 2021.
If you have questions, here are 3 ways to get answers:
1. Search within this WeatherTRAK knowledgebase
2. Visit the WeatherTRAK support page
3. Call 800-362-8774 or email support@hydropoint.com, hours are Mon-Fri 3:00 AM – 6:00 PM PT and Sat 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM PT.