JPH01249153A - Water sprinkling controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To protect the subject water sprinkling controller from the danger of being struck by lightning by fixing a control circuit on the inner surface of a housing through an insulating material, and grounding the minus terminal sides of a solar cell and a battery to the housing through a surge absorbing element. CONSTITUTION:A control circuit 3 for opening and closing a solenoid valve connected to a water conduit extending from a water supply part to a water sprinkling nozzle and a battery 6 connected to the circuit 3 are housed in a metallic housing 1 which is grounded and arranged outdoors. A solar cell 7 connected to the battery 6 is provided on the outer surface of the housing 1. The circuit 3 is fixed to the inner surface of the housing 1 through an insulating member 9, and the minus terminal sides of the solar cell 7 and the battery 6 are grounded to the housing 1 through a surge absorbing element 13. Namely, the circuit 3 is isolated from the surge voltage from the outside by the insulating member 9, the solar cell and the battery are protected because the excessive surge voltage from the outside is allowed to flow to the housing by the element 13, and hence the danger of being struck by lightning can be avoided even if the housing is set outdoors.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Purpose of the invention]

(Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a water sprinkler control device that controls the operation of a water sprinkler used outdoors. (Prior Art) Conventionally, the outer surface of a casing that is installed outdoors and contains a control circuit that opens and closes a solenoid valve connected to a waterway from a water supply section to a water spray nozzle, and a battery connected to this control circuit. A solar cell connected to the battery is provided, and a control circuit controls the operation of the solenoid valve to set the timing of watering, and the battery that serves as a power source for the control circuit and the solenoid valve is charged by the solar cell. There is a water sprinkler control device. (Problems to be Solved by the Invention) On the other hand, the controller circuit is formed on a printed wiring board, and insulation measures are taken by increasing the insulation distance of the wiring patterns of this printed wiring board. However, since the solar cell must be installed in the housing for the purpose of generating electricity, there is a risk that the control circuit connected to the solar cell may suffer dielectric breakdown depending on the magnitude of the lightning strike. A similar danger exists with batteries connected to solar cells. This invention was made in view of the above-mentioned points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a water sprinkler control device that can protect against the danger of lightning strikes.

[Structure of the invention]

(Means for Solving the Problems) This invention has a built-in control circuit for opening and closing a solenoid valve connected to a water channel from a water supply part to a water spray nozzle, and a battery connected to this control circuit. In a watering control device comprising a solar cell connected to the battery on the outer surface of a metal casing to be installed, the control circuit is fixed to the inner surface of the casing via an insulating member, and the solar cell is connected to the solar cell. The battery is characterized in that the negative terminal side of the cell and the battery is grounded to the housing via a surge absorbing element. (Function) Therefore, the control circuit is cut off from external surge voltage by the insulating member. Additionally, the surge absorbing element allows excessive surge voltage from the outside to flow through the casing, thereby protecting the solar cell and battery. (Example) An example of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. Reference numeral 1 denotes a metal housing, and a metal support 2 fixed to the bottom of the housing 1 is buried in a foundation (not shown) fixed underground. A control unit 5 including a printed wiring board 4 on which a control circuit 3 is formed and a battery 6 are built into the casing 1, and a solar cell is attached to the top surface. That is, a plurality of stays 8 are fixed to the inner surface of the casing 1, and a cylindrical insulating member 9 made of synthetic resin is interposed between these stays 8 and both sides of the control unit 5. A screw 1o passing through the and insulating member 9 is screwed into the stay 8. The battery 6 is wrapped in an insulating sheet 11 and fixed to the inner surface of the housing 1. Next, as shown in FIG. 2, a photoelectric conversion element 7a that is incorporated into the solar self and converts sunlight into electrical energy, a battery 6, and a diode 12 are connected in series.
A control circuit 3 is connected to the battery 6. Although not shown, this control circuit 3 has an input section connected to the battery 6, a plurality of power output sections, and a switching circuit that sets the timing of power supply to these power output sections. The section is connected to an input terminal of a solenoid valve connected in each water channel leading from the water supply section to the plurality of water spray nozzles. Thus, the battery 6 and the negative terminal side of the solar self are connected to the housing 1 through the varistor 13, which is a surge absorption element.
is grounded. In such a configuration, the opening and closing operations of the electromagnetic valve in the waterway are controlled by the control circuit 3, thereby setting the timing of watering. Moreover, the battery 6 is charged by solar self-charging. Incidentally, although the casing 1 is installed outdoors, the control circuit 3 is cut off from surge voltages from the outside by the insulating member 9. Furthermore, the varistor 13 allows excessive surge voltage from the outside to flow through the housing 1, so that the solar self and the battery 6 are protected. Note that a Zener diode or a discharge arrester may be used as the surge absorbing element6.

【Effect of the invention】

Since the present invention is constructed as described above, the control circuit is cut off from external surge voltage by the insulating member, and the surge absorption element allows excessive surge voltage from the outside to flow through the solar cell and the casing. The battery is protected, which has the effect of avoiding the danger of lightning even though the casing is installed outdoors.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional side view, FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view, and FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram. ■... Housing, 3... Control circuit, 6... Battery, 7... Solar cell, 9... Insulating member, 13...
・Surge absorption element

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A metal casing that is installed outdoors and is grounded, containing a control circuit that opens and closes a solenoid valve connected to the water channel from the water supply to the water nozzle, and a battery connected to this control circuit. In a watering control device comprising a solar cell connected to the battery on the outer surface of the body, the control circuit is fixed to the inner surface of the casing via an insulating member, and the negative terminal of the solar cell and the battery is fixed to the inner surface of the casing via an insulating member. A water sprinkling control device, characterized in that a side thereof is grounded to the casing via a surge absorbing element.