Melnor 3060 6-Cycle Electronic AquaTimer Digital Dual Hose Timer

This is Melnor's most advanced timer, so programming your own watering schedule (instead of using one of the five preset schedules) may take you a few minutes with the aid of the instruction manual. That said, the timer's infinite programmability and ability to water up to six times a day more than compensates for its operational complexity. The timer runs on two AA batteries (not included). Two-year limited warranty.

For large sod installations, this timer is great. If you buy a 4-1 splitter of the main pipe, then attach these timers, then a 2 to 1 splitter, you can run 8 sprinklers on alternating time patters that allow each set of sprinklers to maintain high water pressure. No more moving sprinklers around!

You can set 6 different on/off times during ONE day if you need to. Great for new sod or overseeding a yard. Keeps it wet all day. You can select which days of the week to run or odd/even. It saves 5 different schedules. There's even a schedule that only runs once.

The other feature I love is the elmination of "water hammer." With other timers, you know when it stops because of that loud THUD! This timer has a more gradual open and shutting of the valve that elimnates that loud thud in your pipes.


One of a Kind   June 25, 2001
Raptors, Inc., Heidi K. Breunig, Pres. (Phoenix, AZ United States)
10 out of 10 found this review helpful

This is the only timer that has a "Mist" feature, which allows you to set it for one long cycle per day still have it go on and off many times during that cycle. For example the cycle can start at 9 AM and end at 6PM. Using the "Mist" feature the water can go on for 2, 5, 10 or 15 minutes and off for 10 minutes during the whole cycle. This is especially useful if you have birds or animals which need to be kept cool but not soaked during the day. Our organization rehabilitates injured and orphaned birds of prey and this piece of equipment is invaluable to us for running our misting systems to keep our birds cool.


Amazing Flexibility   May 22, 2002
Garden Boy (Lake County, California, USA)
7 out of 7 found this review helpful

I love this timer. I've had many others over the years. Some require you to press a button for each 15 minutes of watering time, and then another for each hour of delay. You press, and press, and press. This timer, on the other hand, is simple and astounding to program. There are a bunch of pre-set programs. Or create your own. You enter a start time and a stop time. Because you set the day/date, you can tell it to water on Tuesdays and Thursdays, etc. It has tons of other features, and seems reasonably well made. (I confess that I would love a hose timer like this with brass couplings...)


Best I've used so far   December 23, 2003
7 out of 7 found this review helpful

I use this timer for two drip irrigation systems and it has been fantastic. You will not find this many features elsewhere for the same money. The programming is reasonably intuitive and easy to learn, and once you get the hang of it you can create a new program in seconds. I created five programs with varying watering times so that as the weather changes I can easily increase or decrease the amount of water delivered by just switching programs.

I haven't had any problems with reliability or battery usage. My timers were both running at least once a day all summer and after four months of this they were still going, so I don't know why others were having problems with this. Someone else recommended Nelson timers but I disagree - I went through nine or ten Nelson EasySet timers and they all failed (OSH took them back under warranty). Besides, the Nelsons use C batteries, which are more expensive than the AA batteries used by the Melnor.


Works great   September 26, 2005
L. Wauck (Wisconsin)
9 out of 10 found this review helpful

I have used this timer all summer. Some reviews elsewhere claimed battery life was extremely short. I have had the same batteries in it for three months without any problem. It has been completely reliable and has worked entirely as advertised. Great gadget if you have just seeded a lawn and cannot be around to keep the seedbed moist.