Solar powered programmable valve and methods of operation thereof

A solar operated control comprising:

• a latching actuator;
• an enclosure sealed against the intrusion of moisture having:
• a solar panel for converting solar power incident thereto from outside the enclosure to electrical energy;
• a capacitor coupled to the solar panel for storing electrical energy from the solar panel;
• a microcontroller powered by the capacitor and coupled to the latching actuator to provide current pulses thereto to latch and unlatch the latching actuator;
• a display viewable from outside the enclosure, powered by the capacitor and responsive to the microcontroller to present prompts to a user;
• first and second magnetically sensitive switches coupled to the microcontroller;
• and
• a magnetic wand for actuating the first and second magnetically sensitive switches.

A solar operated valve and control comprising:

• a valve;
• a latching actuator coupled to the valve for controlling the valve;
• an enclosure sealed against the intrusion of moisture having:
• a solar panel for converting solar power incident thereto from outside the enclosure to electrical energy;
• a capacitor coupled to the solar panel for storing electrical energy from the solar panel;
• a microcontroller powered by the capacitor and coupled to the latching actuator to provide current pulses thereto to latch and unlatch the latching actuator;
• a display viewable from outside the enclosure, powered by the capacitor and responsive to the microcontroller to present prompts to a user;
• first and second sensors coupled to the microcontroller and each responsive to the presence and the absence of a sensor stimulus outside the enclosure and adjacent the respective sensor;
• and
• a user operable device to controllably provide the sensor stimulus outside the enclosure and adjacent each of the sensors.