BCS and Smart Clock CIT Report

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Executive Summary:

The Center for Irrigation Technology conducted independent tests of the Alex- Tronix model BCS-10 (battery control system) irrigation system controller. The tests evaluated battery life and limits of control wire length at reduced voltages and elevated water pressure.

These bench tests utilized three BCS modules attached to three two-way latching DC solenoids and wired to a BCS controller. A second system utilized three, three-way DC latching solenoids. Four, nine volt lithium batteries in the controller power the valve control circuits. The results are summarized as follows:

Both circuits functioned satisfactorily after a continuous operation of 365 hours representing 16,423 individual valve off-on cycles at 60 psi. Assuming an average of 2000 valve cycles per year this is the equivalent of over eight years of operation.

Using a fixed resistance to simulate 14 gauge control wire length, a battery voltage of 29.6 volts to simulate eight years of operation, and elevated pressures of 150 psi (static) and 130 psi (operating), the two-way solenoid functioned satisfactorily with a loop length of 39.0 miles. In a similar test using a battery voltage of 26.9 volts, the three-way solenoid functioned satisfactorily with a loop length of 9.8 miles.