Hardie HR6100 Timer Watering Seconds Instead of Minutes

A Hardie HR6100 controller waters for seconds instead of programmed minutes (e.g., 13 seconds instead of 13 minutes) across all five stations. The owner considers entering 780 to get 13 minutes (780 seconds).

Likely Cause: Programming Mode Switch

Many controllers have a small microswitch or jumper that toggles between hours/minutes and minutes/seconds programming modes. If this switch was accidentally flipped, the controller interprets entries as seconds.

Solution

1. Consult the HR6100 manual for the switch location.
2. Look for a tiny slide switch or jumper pins on the circuit board, often labeled "H/M" or "M/S".
3. Set it to the desired mode (hours/minutes for typical residential use).
4. Reprogram the stations.

Do not use the 780-second workaround; it complicates scheduling and may exceed maximum run-time limits. Correct the mode switch instead.