The Hunter Pro-C is the controller a lot of York Region systems were built around — it's the installer's workhorse, the one you'll find on bigger and multi-program properties because its station count expands with plug-in modules. If you've got a larger system, there's a good chance this is the box on your garage wall. Here's how to set it without the manual.
How do you program a Hunter Pro-C?
Programming a Pro-C is a short loop on the dial: set the clock, set one start time, set each zone's run time, then pick the watering days, and turn the dial back to RUN. The thing that trips people up is leaving extra start times on — that's what makes it water twice.
Because the Pro-C was built to grow — you add stations with modules as a property expands — it's also the controller most likely to have more than one program quietly set up. That's worth knowing before you start, because it's the usual reason a Pro-C waters more than you expect.
Which buttons do what?
A round dial picks what you're setting. Then three controls do the work: + and − change the flashing value, the ◄ and ► arrows move between fields, and PRG switches between programs A, B and C. On a simple lawn, you only need Program A — the extra programs exist for things like a drip zone or a back garden that should run on a different schedule.
How do I set the clock and date?
Turn the dial to Set Current Date/Time. The year flashes first — set it with + / −, then press ► to step through to the month, the day, and then the AM/PM and time. Get AM vs PM right: a 4:00 a.m. schedule entered as 4:00 p.m. waters in the afternoon heat, every day.
How do I set one start time?
Turn the dial to Set Watering Start Times. Press PRG to land on Program A, then use + / − to set the time watering should begin.
This is the bit worth slowing down on: in this position the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4 are start times, not zones. One start time runs every zone on the program in sequence, one after another — Hunter's own wording confirms it. You do not set a start time per zone.
Why does my Pro-C water several times a day?
On a Pro-C there are two causes, and a thorough check covers both:
- Extra start times on Program A. In Set Watering Start Times, move to start time 2 and minus out until OFF is displayed. Repeat for start times 3 and 4. Leave only one active.
- A second program quietly running. Press PRG to check Programs B and C. If either has a start time and zone run times set, it waters on top of A. For any program you're not using, set every zone's run time to 0:00 — a station set to 0:00 is skipped, so the program effectively does nothing.
Because the Pro-C is so often set up with multiple programs, the second cause is the one people miss. Check B and C even if A looks right.
How do I set each zone's run time?
Turn the dial to Set Station Run Times. Press PRG to confirm the program, and the station number appears. Use + / − to set how long that zone runs — up to four hours — then press ► to advance to the next station. Work through every zone you use.
How do I choose the watering days?
Turn the dial to Set Days to Water. Press PRG for the program, then use + / − to activate or cancel each day of the week. The Pro-C also does odd, even, or interval watering if your municipality runs those rules — match whichever your bylaw uses.
What's the last step?
Turn the dial back to RUN. The Pro-C only follows its schedule from the RUN position — leave it on a programming step and nothing runs automatically. That's the whole program set.
Still running at the wrong time — or losing the time after a power cut?
If you've set it cleanly and it still drifts, or the clock resets every time the power flickers, the controller is the issue, not your settings — and an older Pro-C with a tired clock will keep doing it. For the full picture, see why sprinklers run at the wrong time.
Done fighting the timer?
The lasting fix is a WiFi controller you set from your phone. A Hunter HPC-400 (Hydrawise) keeps perfect time through power outages, handles the daylight-saving change on its own, and skips watering when it has rained. It reuses your existing valve wiring and heads, so it is a swap at the controller, not a rebuild. For a typical Newmarket property that is up to $580 a year in saved water.
See the WiFi upgradeWhen should you call us?
If you're in Newmarket, Aurora, King City, Stouffville, Bolton or Woodbridge and you'd rather not fight the timer, we can program it, work out why it's misbehaving, or upgrade it — usually same-day through the in-season window across our York Region core. If the rest of the system needs attention, here's our sprinkler repair page.
Start with our AI diagnostic tool, call (905) 960-0181, or book online.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my Pro-C water twice a day?
Two possible causes, and you should check both: an extra start time left on Program A (start times 1–4 are separate run-throughs, not zones), or a second program — B or C — that quietly has its own start time and run times set. Switch extra start times to OFF and zero the run times on any program you don't use.
How do I turn off a start time on a Pro-C?
In the Set Watering Start Times position, select the start time you want gone and minus out until OFF is displayed. Leave only one start time active so the program runs its full sequence once.
How do I disable a program I'm not using?
Set every zone's run time to 0:00 in that program. A station set to 0:00 is skipped, so even if the program still has a start time it won't actually water anything.
My Pro-C lost the time after a power cut — is it dead?
Not necessarily. Reset the clock under Set Current Date/Time and your schedule is intact. But if it keeps losing the time after every outage, the backup is failing and the controller is worth replacing.