Step-by-Step Guide
A program overrun message indicates that a program was still running when its next scheduled start time arrived. The message displays the following information:
- Message type: Program Overrun
- Program number: The specific program affected (e.g., Program 1)
- Date and time: When the overrun occurred
- Priority level: Medium
- Description: "A program was running when a start time was hit"
What Happens During a Program Overrun
When a program is still running and its same start time comes around again, the following occurs:
All zones in the affected program will stop immediately and enter a waiting status. These waiting zones will resume where they left off when the next start opportunity becomes available. This means the zones did not complete their full watering cycle before being interrupted.
Common Causes of Program Overruns
Program overruns typically occur due to one of two scheduling conflicts:
More than 24 hours of program time scheduled: The total run time for all zones in the program exceeds the time available between start times.
Restricted water window: Water window restrictions limit when watering can occur, and there is more watering time scheduled than time allowed within the permitted watering window. In short, there is more watering time scheduled than there is time allowed to complete it.
Identifying the Affected Program
The message clearly identifies which program experienced the overrun and which zones were impacted. Focus your troubleshooting efforts on the specific program mentioned in the message, as this is where programming changes need to be made.
Why Troubleshooting Is Important
Addressing a program overrun is critical because this cycle of excess watering time will continue until you make a programming change. The problem will repeat at every scheduled start time until resolved.
Troubleshooting Options
Since reducing the program run time is unlikely to be desirable, consider the following solutions:
Review water window restrictions: Examine any water window restrictions currently in place that may be limiting when watering can occur.
Increase concurrent zones: Increasing the number of zones that can run at the same time can help resolve the issue by allowing more watering to occur within the available time window.
Adjusting Settings in BaseManager
1. Navigate to the Schedules tab in BaseManager.
2. Locate the water window settings. Water windows define periods when watering cannot occur. For example, a water window may be closed between 6 AM and 9 PM, meaning no watering can occur during that time. Reconsider whether these restrictions need to be adjusted to allow sufficient watering time.
3. Review the Concurrent Zone Operations settings, which control how many zones can run simultaneously.
Configuring Concurrent Zone Settings
There are two concurrent zone settings to configure:
Program Concurrent Zones: This setting controls the number of zones that can run at the same time within a specific program. For example, setting this to 4 allows four zones to run simultaneously in that program.
Controller Concurrent Zones: This setting controls the total number of zones that can run at the same time across all programs on the controller. For example, setting this to 15 allows up to 15 zones to run simultaneously across the entire controller.
When you set program concurrent zones to 4 and controller concurrent zones to 15, this configuration allows four zones to run at the same time in the affected program, plus another 11 zones across all other programs, for a total of 15 zones running simultaneously for the entire controller. This increased concurrency helps complete watering cycles within the available time window.
Video Walkthrough
Video originally published June 2021.
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.