How do I program my Rain Bird ESP-9V battery-operated controller for automated watering?

[McLily]

Setting up your Rain Bird ESP-9V controller for automatic irrigation involves a few key steps. First, understand that the controller initially copies settings from Zone 1 to the others. Any adjustments you make afterward will affect only the specific zone you're modifying. Here's a step-by-step guide:

1. Set Date and Time: Press MODE until you see the Set Date & Time screen. Use the + or - buttons to adjust the time format, hour, minutes, year, day, and month.
2. Set Irrigation Schedule: Press MODE to reach the Set Irrigation Schedule screen. Select your zone using + or - and define the Run Time in minutes.
3. Set Zone Watering Start Times: Adjust start times for each zone in 10-minute intervals. You can schedule up to six start times per zone.
4. Set Zone Watering Days: Choose which days of the week each zone will water. You can also select Cyclic Days, Odd Days, or Even Days for more flexibility.
5. Auto Run Mode: In AUTO RUN mode, the controller will automatically water each zone based on the programmed schedule. Overlapping zones will be queued.
6. Utilize Special Features: Make use of features like Delay Watering to postpone watering, Manual Watering for immediate irrigation, Seasonal Adjust to change run times, and Rain Sensor Bypass to manage sensor settings. These features can be found in the user manual for your Rain Bird ESP-9V.