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How to set a 2 zone water timer

Updated: October 2026

The box is open and the outside tap is waiting. How to set a 2 zone water timer is a clean fit, a programme for each outlet, staggered starts, and one watched cycle before a holiday. This page assumes a keypad unit. Zigbee pairing sits on the [Zigbee water timer vs tap timer](/hub/garden-watering/2-zone-water-timer/sub/2-zone-water-timer-tap-vs-zigbee) page. The matrix is the [2 zone water timer comparison](/hub/garden-watering/2-zone-water-timer). Peter F. updated this on 21 October 2026. No single manual is treated as universal. A qualifying purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.

The box is open and the outside tap is waiting. How to set a 2 zone water timer is a clean fit, a programme for each outlet, staggered starts, and one watched cycle before a holiday. This page assumes a keypad unit.

Our top picks

RAINPOINT RAINPOINT ITV256 2-zone water timer

Best overall

RAINPOINT RAINPOINT ITV256 2-zone water timer
9.2/10about £59.99
View offer
Johgee Johgee 2-zone timer with brass inlet

Best value

Johgee Johgee 2-zone timer with brass inlet
8.8/10about £31.59
View offer
Insoma Insoma SGW06M-PRO-TT 2-zone sprinkler timer

Alternative

Insoma Insoma SGW06M-PRO-TT 2-zone sprinkler timer
9.0/10about £33.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Before you open the tap
  2. 2.Fit the timer without tools
  3. 3.Programme zone one, then zone two
  4. 4.Stagger the starts and watch a cycle
  5. 5.Rain delay, child lock and winter

Before you open the tap

Confirm automatic watering is allowed this week. A timer does not rewrite a Temporary Use Ban. The rules sit on the water timer hosepipe ban page. Fit fresh alkaline AA cells. One Johgee United Kingdom review says high-capacity NiMH cells were refused. Check that a flat washer sits in the inlet. Most UK outdoor taps use a ¾ inch BSP thread. Have both hoses ready so you are not twisting a live body. If there is a child lock, learn the unlock before you chase a dead screen. Keep the paper manual for your dial labels. The steps below are a sequence, not a substitute for the icons on your LCD.

Fit the timer without tools

Screw the inlet on by hand until the washer seats. Stop when resistance is firm. Pliers on a plastic collar damage nylon-neck models. If water weeps at the collar, shut off and reseat the washer before PTFE tape. Tape is a second move on a damaged thread, not the first. United Kingdom reviews on the cheaper Johgee describe short tap threads where washers did not close the gap until inlet lugs were trimmed. That is a reported field fix, not a reason to cut a new brass unit. A leak between brass and the plastic body is not fixed by the tap washer. Connect both outlets once the inlet is dry, and open the tap only for a manual test.
RAINPOINT RAINPOINT ITV256 2-zone water timer

Testsieger

RAINPOINT RAINPOINT ITV256 2-zone water timer
9.2/10about £59.99
View offer

Programme zone one, then zone two

Set the clock if your model has one, then programme outlet A: duration, then start time or interval. Only then programme outlet B. Do not copy Rainpoint’s rain-delay hours onto an Insoma menu, or assume Johgee’s 1-second minimum exists on every brand. Johgee listings claim up to 99 minutes. Insoma claims up to 360 minutes. IOB247 claims up to 3 hours 59 minutes. United Kingdom reviews on the RAINPOINT ITV256 say each zone starts only once in 24 hours. Morning and evening on that unit will not happen, however carefully you press the buttons. Manual modes can run water now without wiping the programme if you know how to exit them.

Stagger the starts and watch a cycle

Run the zones one after another so each line sees the tap’s flow. Set zone B to start after zone A ends. Confirm each outlet opens and shuts, then stay for one automatic cycle: start, run, shut-off, and a dry check at the collar and each hose joint. If outlet B stays open when set to off, a complaint in Johgee United Kingdom reviews, do not leave for a weekend. A low-battery claim is not that watched cycle. If the far bed is weak, shorten the hose or remove kinks rather than blaming the LCD.

Rain delay, child lock and winter

Rain delay pauses the schedule, then resumes: 24, 48 or 72 hours on the Rainpoint keypads here, or 1 to 15 days on Insoma. It is not a rain sensor. The ITV256 sensor port needs the separate sensor. Unlock a child lock before you call a panel frozen. Before a hard frost, shut the tap, drain the valves, and bring the timer indoors. IP65 or IPX5 is splash resistance, not frost protection. Some United States reviews warn that ice cracks a unit left pressurised. Treat that as a climate warning, not as UK star evidence. If you are still choosing hardware, use the 2 zone water timer buying guide.

Common questions

What order should I fit batteries, timer and hoses?
Batteries first, then hand-fit the inlet with a washer, then attach the two outlet hoses, then open the tap for a controlled test. Do not twist a live body while you are still finding the threads.
Why does it leak at the collar?
Usually a washer that is missing, pinched, or not seated, or a plastic collar overtightened. Shut off, reseat, and hand-tighten. A leak between brass and the plastic body is a different fault and needs a return or another model.
Should both zones start at the same time?
Prefer staggered starts so each zone gets the tap’s flow. Simultaneous starts are only useful when the listing allows it and your pressure still covers both lines.
How do I set rain delay without wiping the programme?
Use the delay function named in your manual. On these listings it pauses for hours or days and then resumes. Used as designed, it should not erase the zone run times.
How long should I test before going away?
At least one full automatic cycle, with a dry joint check afterwards. A longer stay deserves a second cycle on a different day before you treat the timer as holiday-ready.
What if my UK tap thread is short?
Seat the thickest suitable washer and hand-tighten. If the gap remains, check the listing’s thread claim and consider a brass-neck model. Do not force pliers on nylon.
When should I take the timer indoors?
Before freezing weather, and whenever you drain the outdoor tap for winter. Do not leave a pressurised plastic body through a hard frost. Remove the cells if the manual says so.

Related pages

Best 2 zone water timer UK

2 zone water timer

2 zone water timer buying guide for one outside tap

Water timer hosepipe ban UK and what it does not allow

Zigbee water timer vs tap timer for two UK outlets

Sources

Public sources used for temporary bans, backflow, watering practice and pressure at the communication pipe. Listing prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk lines saved on 21 October 2026. This is not a lab test.

  1. Water Industry Act 1991 s.76 (retrieved 21.10.2026)
  2. Water Use (Temporary Bans) Order 2010 (retrieved 21.10.2026)
  3. Water UK — hosepipe bans FAQ (retrieved 21.10.2026)
  4. Thames Water — temporary hosepipe ban legal notice (retrieved 21.10.2026)
  5. Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999 (retrieved 21.10.2026)
  6. Water Regs UK — hose union taps (retrieved 21.10.2026)
  7. RHS — watering (retrieved 21.10.2026)
  8. Ofwat — water pressure (retrieved 21.10.2026)