Hunter Sprinklers 526200 Pro-C and PCC Controller Front Panel

My Hunter panel had the dreaded LED problem, where you couldn't read it. This made it nearly impossible to set the time or change zone settings. I delayed replacing it, which was foolish. Once I replaced it, this panel was super easy to setup and install. All the things that were hard to program (like zone water times) are much, much easier to setup when the LEDs work correctly. Also, the zone that I thought was broken was actually working, it's just the old display was broken and wasn't turning it on correctly. With this new unit, that zone now works, saving my lawn and saving me from having to call a professional. This panel was well worth the cost, as it saved me a repairman, and they would have charged almost double to replace this versus getting it on Amazon.

Last week when I tried to turn on my irrigation system to start the summer watering schedule, the controller was acting wacky. The numbers didn't make any sense when I try to adjust the number of interval days. I only could pick 4-7 before it cycled over. When I tried to adjust the date, it said the current year was 2047 and again I couldn't adjust beyond 2044 to 2047. I couldn't manually turn on the system. I tried the hard reset, replaced the 9v, etc. Nothing worked. Now I was faced with getting this repaired before the summer heat burns up my yard. I was worried that this would cost alot of money to repair. After 17 years, I guess this was bound to fail. After doing a bit of research, I realized that I was fortunate to have a pretty nice, easy to repair/maintain setup. Hunter control boxes are pretty straight forward. I realized that it's likely that the control panel just needed to be replaced and it can be done without needing to do alot of work with wires and such. It was designed as a separate item from the rest of the irrigation system which is great! This item, as it is described, is just the front control panel. You need it to communicate and control the rest of the system which sits behind this panel. The connection is done via one single ribbon cable. Given my control panel is 17 years old, I had the ORIGINAL PC-300 model (no part number) version. This item is no longer made by Hunter. And since then there has been an updated font panel PC-300 (526200; 2006 to Current). There is also a FX version. BE AWARE there is also a newer PC-400 front panel. DO NOT get this as this will not be a compatible replacement for older PC-300. I think PC-400 has a different ribbon cable. THIS newer panel (part #526200) is a 100% compatible replacement for the original PC-300. Aside from the color scheme, the only other difference is the "adjust for season" arrow buttons on the left side of the display has been replaced with a mode dial option. This panel will work with the ribbon cable. Replacement is SUPER easy. FIRST thing you MUST DO, is to TURN OFF THE POWER to the unit either via your circuit breaker or plug if it's locally plugged in. The control panel comes with warning labels saying DO NOT unplug ribbon cable when power is on. All of the online instructional videos I watched also stated to remove power to the system before replacing. I don't know what happens if you don't. Also keep in mind that the unit has a backup 9V, so when you disconnect AC power, the display will either go out OR it will flash "No AC". To completely power off the panel, disconnect the 9V batter backup. After this, simply unplug the one ribbon cable, pull down on the hinge release, replace with the new panel, and re-attach the ribbon cable. THAT'S IT!!! If your 9V is old, you can replace with a fresh one (which I did). Then turn on AC power to the unit and voila you're back in business. For me, I was able to immediately re-program everything and my irrigation is back online! It was 10 mins worth of work at most. LOVE IT!!!!!

The digits on my old face plate were garbled. I was told by my irrigation company that the front panel was no longer available and I would have to replace the whole control unit. True the EXACT panel is no longer made BUT the redesigned unit works fine. My old face plate had additional arrows on the left (for seasonal adjustment), the newer face plates do not have these buttons on the left side. Instead the seasonal adjustment is on the dial. This is not an easy unit to program but there are many youtube videos that will help you program and troubleshoot any problems you may encounter. My box would not recognize all stations after the new face plate was installed. But by doing a search there was a couple videos out there that instructed me in simple terms. By doing my own research I found this face cover and saved a couple hundred dollars by not listening to my irrigation company who wanted to install a new control box. Works perfect now!!

After I moved in my house. I found out the house had installed Hunter Pro-C sprinkler system and the control panel LED is not display properly (I live in AZ and it get 115F in the summer). I checked on the website the Hunter Pro-C outdoor sprinkler controller cost about $200-$300 for 9 stations. Once, I found this product on Amazon and I was not sure how many stations, indoor or outdoor, can this product support Pro-C 300, 600, 900 etc.. So I wrote an email to seller and they told me it will support all models. Therefore, I got one to try it out. When I received it I notice the product is different than the picture on Amazon. It does not have two triangle bottom on the top left corner (my old one had that). After I replace my panel. I found out this unit support 9 stations (I got 8 stations). And the only difference is the water pressure adjustment (the two triangle bottom on the top left corner). Other than that, everything works fine.

We purchased this praying that it would fix our irrigation system. Please note -- this is JUST the programming faceplate module -- not the whole unit. This is a REPLACEMENT part. We had a large lightning strike a week ago that sounded close -- and it must have shorted this out. After checking the electrical box and plug -- I first unplugged the transformer and removed the battery. I unscrewed the wires and tested the transformer. I was getting good 24 V AC (2 yellow wires) on my multimeter. So I ordered this -- hoping this would fix it. Thankfully -- it did. The ribbon cable easily comes out of the back -- and you use the spring to remove the programming faceplate module from the unit. I installed the new faceplate programming control, connected the ribbon. Next I connected the transformer AND the battery. It worked! I had to reprogram it (of course) -- set the date, time, watering zones, etc. As an additional measure -- I ran a yellow wire from the Ground Lug (on the back plate wire harness of the box) to the ground at the outlet. I hope this will help from having to replace it again. It will not survive a direct strike, I am sure -- but what does? Good luck to you!

My sprinkler service guy told me I had to change the whole unit, because the panel was blank. I saw youtube videos that suggest to change only the front panel. Came in 2 days and I saved $300. Easy to install, all you have to do is program your settings which is not that hard if you have done changes in the past. Works like a charm.

Excellent ,MAKE SURE that each solenoid cable plus the common line are insulated before installing. Start on station 1 always to protect the unit in case of a dead short./incorrectly connected live wire. Easy to install and program. Remember TO PRESS THE RESET BUTTON ON THE PRESSURE SWITCH after reinstalling the controller.

A power surge destroyed my unit, so I ordered the panel as a replacement. Arrived on time and was easy to install. It was better than purchasing a complete system.

Fit like a charm, works perfectly.

Replaced my module as the LCD read out was gibberish. Plug & Play. Real simple swap. Product delivered fast and was an easy fix.