No Gaps Setting
Overview
Section titled “Overview”What is the “No Gaps” setting and where do I find it?
Section titled “What is the “No Gaps” setting and where do I find it?”No Gaps is a toggle in the irrigation program settings, under the “Scheduling” settings menu for many sprinkler setups. By default it is unticked (meaning gaps between sprinklers are allowed). Tick it when you want sprinklers to run back-to-back with no gaps.
| Scenario | No Gaps Setting | mm/day Active? |
|---|---|---|
| Staggered runs with gaps to control application rate | Unticked (default) | Yes |
| Back-to-back runs, fastest possible cycle | Ticked | No |
| Overlap between consecutive sprinklers | Ticked + Overlap value set | No |
Default Behaviour (No Gaps Unticked)
Section titled “Default Behaviour (No Gaps Unticked)”What happens when No Gaps is unticked?
Section titled “What happens when No Gaps is unticked?”The scheduler introduces gaps between each sprinkler run. The size of those gaps is determined by two settings working together:
- Target application depth (mm)
- Maximum application rate (mm/day)
The scheduler stretches the zone cycle out so the total run time matches the ratio of those two values.
How is the total zone run time calculated?
Section titled “How is the total zone run time calculated?”The formula is:
Total run time (hours) = (Target Depth ÷ Max Application Rate) × 24
For example: 8 mm target depth ÷ 4 mm/day × 24 = 48 hours.
Does “mm/day” mean each sprinkler applies that much water per day?
Section titled “Does “mm/day” mean each sprinkler applies that much water per day?”No. It applies to the entire zone, not individual sprinklers. Setting 4 mm/day with an 8 mm target means the whole zone cycle spans 48 hours, with gaps distributed between sprinklers to fill that time.
Does the number of selected sprinklers affect the target run time?
Section titled “Does the number of selected sprinklers affect the target run time?”No. The total zone duration is set purely by the depth and mm/day settings, regardless of how many sprinklers are active:
- Fewer sprinklers = bigger gaps between them
- More sprinklers = smaller gaps
- Too many sprinklers to fit = gaps effectively become zero
What if sprinklers take longer than the calculated run time?
Section titled “What if sprinklers take longer than the calculated run time?”The scheduler cannot shorten actual valve run times. If the sprinklers need more time than the target window, gaps reduce to zero naturally — no artificial shortening happens.
Can I use mm/day to coordinate gaps across multiple zones?
Section titled “Can I use mm/day to coordinate gaps across multiple zones?”No. Zones are entirely independent. Each zone starts at the same time and has no awareness of other zones. Running gaps in three zones simultaneously will likely result in multiple sprinklers from all three zones overlapping at the same intervals, not a clean rotation.
No Gaps Ticked
Section titled “No Gaps Ticked”What happens when No Gaps is ticked?
Section titled “What happens when No Gaps is ticked?”Sprinklers run strictly back-to-back with zero gaps. The zone cycle ends exactly when the last sprinkler finishes. No hidden logic — it’s exactly as labelled.
Does the mm/day setting still apply?
Section titled “Does the mm/day setting still apply?”No. The mm/day maximum application rate is ignored entirely when No Gaps is ticked.
Does “Maximum Concurrent Sprinklers” still work?
Section titled “Does “Maximum Concurrent Sprinklers” still work?”Yes. If you set a maximum of 2 concurrent sprinklers, it will run 2 at a time, back-to-back, until the zone completes.
Overlap Setting
Section titled “Overlap Setting”What is the Overlap setting and when should I use it?
Section titled “What is the Overlap setting and when should I use it?”The Overlap setting is only available when No Gaps is ticked. It starts the next sprinkler at a set amounts of seconds before the current one finishes.
Use overlap when you have diaphragm valves that close faster than they open, or any other reason where sprinkler overlap would be needed. Without overlap, there can be a brief moment where both valves are closed simultaneously, causing a pressure spike on the pump. Anywhere from 2-60 seconds is typical for varying use cases.
Common Installer Gotchas
Section titled “Common Installer Gotchas”I clicked Cancel in zone settings — why did it navigate away instead of discarding changes?
Section titled “I clicked Cancel in zone settings — why did it navigate away instead of discarding changes?”How do I configure the zone to run for a specific number of hours?
Section titled “How do I configure the zone to run for a specific number of hours?”Work backwards using the formula. For a 25-hour cycle with a 4 mm/day application rate:
25 ÷ 24 × 4 = 4.17 mm target depth
Enter that as the depth, keep No Gaps unticked, and the zone will run for approximately 25 hours.
A client reported two sprinklers running at the same time when Max Concurrent was set to 1 — what happened?
Section titled “A client reported two sprinklers running at the same time when Max Concurrent was set to 1 — what happened?”This is the known last-sprinkler scheduling bug described above. When the actual valve run time exceeds the target window, the scheduler incorrectly shifts the last sprinkler back in time, potentially overlapping it with an earlier one. Log it against the site and flag for resolution in the next code update.