What is an index valve?

Index valves are a single valve that feeds multiple water lines.  Each time water is fed to the index valve, it indexes to the next water line.  Because it indexes each time, the controller must index through all positions each time it runs, otherwise the next time it goes to start the water, the wrong area may be watered.

How do I hook up an index valve?

The master valve or pump feeding the index valve should be attached to the master/pump terminal on the Spruce controller.  Each time the system starts a valve, the master or pump will turn on and active the index valve.  Refer to the Wiring support article for further instruction on wiring.  Refer to the next section for configuration.

How do I configure Spruce to water with the index valve?

Configuring and operating the index valve is somewhat different than using individual valves.

1. Install the master valve or pump to the Master/Pump terminal and common terminal
2. Enable a Zone for each index of the valve in the Controller Settings, identify how many zones are in use:
   • Check the specifications for you valve
   • Turn Zone 1 on and off, counting each new index.  Each index will result in a new area of the yard receiving water
3. Setup each Zone with the same Nozzle, Soil and Landscape types
   • The zone settings must be the same so that a zone group can be created which will ensure the index valve always cycles through all index’s of the valve each time
4. Create a zone group that includes all the zones
   • Optionally assign a Spruce Sensor to the zone group
5. Create a Connected Schedule
   • With all zones in 1 zone group, the connected schedule will run through all the zones each time
6. Optionally, create a Basic Schedule
   • All zones must have a time assigned on any given day.  For example, if Zone 1 is set to run for 10 minutes on Monday, all other zones must have a time entered for Monday.  This time can be any value, but must be entered.
   • All cycles must be set to the same value

How do I turn on an individual Zone?

Activating an individual Zone will not result is the specified zone turning on, instead the next zone in the index will turn on.  Use the Run All Zones option instead!

Activating a single valve is difficult as the index valve requires indexing through to the specific zone, and then indexing back to the 1st zone to ensure the schedule runs correctly.  Because of these limitations, we recommend setting up Manual Schedules or using the Run All Zones options opposed to using the individual zone on and off buttons in the app.

Setting up a Manual Schedule for an Index valve

• All zones must have a time assigned.  This time can be any value, but must be entered to keep the index order correct.
• All cycles must be set to the same value

Run All Zones

• Use the Run All Zone option to keep the index order correct