Richdel, Inc.

Richdel Div. of Garden America Corp.

Dale C Firebaugh

Myrl J Saarem

Donald E Lovelace

Dale F Soukup

A solid state electronic controller for electrically-operated water sprinkler valves in an irrigation system. The controller is constructed to control a number of different water sprinkler valves in each of a number of different watering zones, for successive time intervals at one or more preset time periods during each day of the week. The controller includes a liquid crystal display which exhibits instruction words and numbers to facilitate the programming of the controller, for monitoring the operation of the controller, and also for exhibiting malfunctions in the system.

Solid state electronic irrigation controller

A valve module is provided which finds particular utility in a domestic solar water heater system. The solar water heater system includes a collector, a storage tank, and a circulating pump. The system also includes a solid state electronic control module which automatically stops the circulating pump when the temperature of the water in the collector drops below the temperature of the water in the storage system, so that water is circulated through the system only when solar heat is available to heat the water to a temperature above the temperature of the water already stored in the storage tank. The valve module, upon a signal from the control module, causes the water to drain out of the collector when the temperature of the water in the collector falls to freezing temperatures so as to prevent damage to the collector. The control module also serves to stop the pump, to close the valve module, and to drain the collector when the temperature of the water in the storage tank reaches a predetermined maximum temperature.

Solar heat system

A solid state temperature regulator is provided for a solar heating system for use in conjunction with a swimming pool, or the like. The solar swimming pool heating system includes the usual components, namely, a pump, a filter, and a collector, and in which the pump serves to circulate the water from the pool through the filter and collector and back into the pool. The system also includes additional components, namely, temperature sensors for the collector and for the circulated pool water, appropriate valves, and a solid state control circuit. The solid state control circuit responds to predetermined temperature differences sensed by the sensors to cause the pool water to be circulated through the collector so long as the collector is at a higher temperature than the circulated pool water, and which causes the circulated pool water to by-pass the collector when the temperature of the collector drops below the temperature of the circulated pool water. The control circuit also has a high temperature cut-off control which activates the valves to cause the circulated pool water to by-pass the collector when the temperature of the circulated pool water exceeds a particular threshold. The control circuit also includes a mode switch which may be actuated to reverse the action of the system, causing the pool water to be circulated through the collector when the collector temperature is lower than the pool water temperature, for example, at night following a hot day, in which the collector radiates to the black sky, whereby the collector can be used to cool the water in the pool.

Solid state differential temperature regulator for a solar heating system

A domestic solar water heater system is provided which includes a collector, a storage tank, and a circulating pump. The system also includes a solid state electronic control module which automatically stops the circulating pump when the temperature of the water in the collector drops below the temperature of the water in the storage system, so that water is circulated through the system only when solar heat is available to heat the water to a temperature above the temperature of the water already stored in the storage tank. The system also includes a valve module which, upon a signal from the control module, causes the water to drain out of the collector when the temperature of the water in the collector falls to freezing temperatures so as to prevent damage to the collector. The control module also serves to stop the pump, to close the valve module, and to drain the collector when the temperature of the water in the storage tank reaches a predetermined maximum temperature.

A solid state timing valve control system and unit is provided which may be battery operated, and which has particular although not exclusive utility for controlling a water lawn sprinkler system. The control unit of the invention may be coupled to a water control valve in the sprinkler system, and it acts automatically to turn the valve on at the start of each of a succession of preset watering cycles, and to turn the valve off after a preset watering time at the completion of each such cycle. The control unit includes a latching-type solenoid for controlling the water control valve. The unit also includes a solid state miniaturized electronic system for introducing a turn-on pulse to the solenoid at the start of each preset watering cycle, and for introducing a turn-off pulse to the solenoid at the completion of each cycle.

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Carson City, NV, United States of America

Dale C Firebaugh