Hardie Rain Dial Controller: Battery Backup & Programming

You've bought a home with a Hardie Rain Dial sprinkler timer. The clock blinks, suggesting power interruptions. You're wondering: does it have battery backup? Where's the manual? Is Hardie still in business?

Hardie Is Now Irritrol

Hardie was acquired by Irritrol (now part of The Toro Company). Manuals for legacy controllers are often available at irritrol.com or toro.com under "Support" → "Manuals."

Battery Backup Depends on Model

Older Rain Dial models (RD-600, RD-900) used a 9V battery for clock backup. Newer "Plus" and "ND" versions store programs in non-volatile memory — no battery needed. If your clock resets after every outage, check the battery compartment (usually behind the front panel).

Blinking Clock = Power Issue

Frequent blinking suggests an intermittent 24VAC supply. Check:

• Transformer output (should be 24–28VAC)
• Wire connections at the controller and valves
• GFCI outlet feeding the transformer — test and reset it