ULB Installation Instructions

Universal Lightning Board Installation and Operating Proceedures

CONGRATULATIONS ON THE PURCHASE OF YOUR NEW LIGHTNING AND POWER SURGE PROTECTION BOARD. THIS BOARD WILL SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE THE POSSIBILITY OF DAMAGE TO YOUR SPRINKLER CONTROLLER FROM LIGHTNING STRIKES AND POWER SURGES. INSTALLATION OF YOUR NEW BOARD IS VERY SIMPLE AND CAN BE DONE IN A FEW SHORT STEPS. NOTE: YOU WILL NEED AN 8-10 FOOT COPPER GROUND ROD, WIRE CLAMP, 6 TO 10 GAUGE COPPER WIRE, DRILL WITH A 5/32 OR 3/16 INCH DRILL BIT, DEPENDING ON DRILL TEMPLATE, HAND TOOLS, AND STRANDED HOOKUP WIRE 18 TO 22 GUAGE.

STEP 1. WITH THE MANUAL FUNCTION OF YOUR CONTROLLER, TEST ALL THE ZONES AND VERIFY THE PROPER WORKING CONDITION OF YOUR SYSTEM. THIS WIIL BE IMPORTANT TO KNOW IF THE ZONES DO NOT WORK AFTER THE NEW OUTPUT BOARD HAS BEEN INSTALLED.

STEP 2. POWER DOWN THE SYSTEM BY UNPLUGGING THE 24VAC TRANSFORMER OR SHUTTING OFF THE 110VAC SUPPLY. DISCONNECT ANY BACKUP BATTERIES.

STEP 3. DISCONNECT THE ZONE WIRES, COMMON WIRE(S), AND 24VAC WIRES. MAKE SURE ALL THE WIRES ARE LABELED AS THIS WILL ENSURE QUICK AND ACCURATE RECONNECTIONS.

STEP 4. REMOVE THE CONTROLLER FROM THE ENCLOSURE. WITH THE TEMPLATE PROVIDED, DRILL THE SIX CORRESPONDING HOLES INTO THE ENLOSURE. IT IS RECOMMENED TO MOUNT THE LIGHTNING BOARD AS CLOSE TO THE BACK(OR TOP DEPENDING ON HOW YOU ARE LOOKING AT IT) OF THE ENCLOSURE AS POSSIBLE. THIS WILL ALLOW ENOUGH ROOM FOR THE INCOMING ZONE WIRES. PUSH THE SIX BOARD SUPPORTS INTO THE HOLES. THEN PUSH THE LIGHTNING BOARD ONTO THE SUPPORTS, SECURING IT INTO PLACE.

STEP 5. IN A LOCATION AS CLOSE TO THE CONTROLLER AS POSSIBLE, INSTALL THE GROUND ROD INTO THE GROUND PER GROUND ROD INSTRUCTIONS. RUN THE 6 TO 10 GAUGE COPPER WIRE FROM THE GROUND ROD TO THE TERMINAL LABELED GROUND ROD. THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT STEP AS THE LIGHTNING BOARD WILL NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY WITHOUT A PROPER, DEDICATED GROUND, GROUND ROD ASSEMBLY SHOULD MEG OUT 5 OHMS OR LESS. IN ADDITION, IF THE ENCLOSURE WAS PREVIOUSLY GROUNDED, RUN A WIRE FROM THE XFMR GND TERMINAL TO THE ENCLOSURE. IF THE COMMON WAS PREVIOUSLY GROUNDED RUN A JUMPER WIRE FROM THE XFMR GND TERMINAL TO THE COM TERMINAL. IF YOU ARE NOT SURE IF THE COMMON OR ENCLOSURE IS GROUNDED, USE YOUR OHM METER AND MEASURE FROM THE XFMR GND TERMINAL TO THE ENCLOSURE CHASSIS AND TO THE COMMON WIRE(S). A LOW READING, 5 OHMS OR LESS INDICATES GROUNDING. AT THIS POINT IF YOU ARE STILL NOT SURE, DO NOT GUESS. A WRONG GUESS COULD DAMAGE YOUR CONTROLLER. CONNECT THE FIELD ZONE WIRES, AND 24VAC WIRES. DO NOT CONNECT THE COMMON WIRE(S) AT THIS TIME.

STEP 6. INSTALL JUMPER WIRES FROM THE BACK TERMINAL STRIP TO THE CONTROLLER TERMINAL STRIP. THE WIRE NEEDS TO BE NO LESS THAN 22 GAUGE SOLID OR STRANDED (STRANDED IS EASIER TO USE). ONE FOOT LENGTHS WORK GREAT (IRRITROL MC-18+B USE THE EXISTING CABLES). MAKE SURE TO MATCH THEM TERMINAL FOR TERMINAL. SOME CONTROLLERS MAY NOT HAVE A GROUND TERMINAL, DO NOT WORRY ABOUT A CONNECTION THERE. SECURE THE CONTROLLER TO THE ENCLOSURE. APPLY POWER BY PLUGGING IN THE TRANSFORMER OR TURNING ON THE 110VAC SOURCE. CONNECT THE COMMON WIRE(S) AT THIS TIME.

STEP 7. WITH THE MANUAL FUNCTION, ACTIVATE ALL THE ZONES TO VERIFY PROPER WORKING CONDITION. IF ALL THE ZONES ARE WORKING GOOD, GO TO STEP 8. IF NOT, VERIFY 24VAC AT THE TERMINAL STRIP, AND MAKE SURE ALL THE CONNECTIONS TO THE LIGHTNING BOARD ARE GOOD. WITH OHM METER, TEST FOR RESISTANCE OF EACH NON WORKING ZONE BETWEEN THE CONTROLLER TERMINAL STRIP AND THE FIELD SIDE TERMINAL STRIP; YOU SHOULD READ APPROXIMATELY ONE OHM. IF THERE ARE ANY READINGS OVER 2 OHMS REPLACE CORRESPONDING FUSE AND REPEAT TEST. IF ALL TESTS ARE GOOD, RETURN THE LIGHTNING BOARD FOR A NEW ONE.

STEP 8. REPROGRAM THE CONTROLLER AND INSTALL THE BACKUP BATTERY.

IF YOU HAVE ZONE THAT STOPS OPERATING, REPLACE THE CORRESPONDING FUSE AND TEST FOR OPERATION.

OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS: THE LIGHTNING BOARD WILL IN MOST CASES AUTOMATICALLY RESET AFTER A POWER SURGE. SHOULD AN EVENT OCCURE THAT RENDERS A ZONE INOPERABLE, THE FUSES LOCATED IN THE SOCKETS FMV-F18 (SMALL ULB BOARD), FMV-6, F7-F18, F19-F30, AND F31-F42 (LARGE ULB BOARD) ARE DESIGNED TO OPEN IN THE EVENT OF TOO MUCH ELECTRICAL CURRENT. THE FUSE MAY BE DISCOLORED, BURNT, OR MAY HAVE NO PHYSICAL SIGNS OF DAMAGE BUT AN OHMS TEST ACROSS IT WILL DETERMINE IF IT IS GOOD OR NOT. GOOD FUSES MEASURE 1 OHM. ALL OTHER READINGS INDICATE A BAD FUSE. USE A SET OF NEEDLE NOSE PLIES REMOVE OLD FUSE AND TO REPLACE THE NEW FUSE.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS DURING THIS INSTALLATION, CALL CONTROL TECH USA, INC. FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AT (303) 814-0307 BETWEEN 8:00AM AND 4:30PM MST.