SPRINKLER TALK FORUM - You Got Questions, We've Got Answers

I'm not sure what happen, my sprinkler system works

I swap the zone 2 solenoid to zone 1 (I suspect zone 2 solenoid is damaged, just testing if it works on zone 1). Then I turn all the solenoids to clockwise position manually. Turn on station 1 on the controller, Wahlah! It works. Turn on station 2 working, station 3, and 4 working perfectly.

BUT ...

I setup timing to turn on at night 7pm, each station for 10 minutes duration. At night, I come out and check, the station 1 turn on ok. When it finishes, station 2 turn on but station 1 stay on. When station 2 finishes, station 3 turn on and now all three stations are on. What the ......

In the morning, I rotate each solenoid and turn to clockwise position again. Turn on the controller, everything is working in order !!

This means it is time to change all the solenoids

Guess I gave out the wrong answer.. Somehow I missed that you have a pump..

Well the pump has the same principal as the master valve. You don't get charged water to the valves unless the pump is turned on.

So yeah, like boots said. Just below the solenoid there is that little black screw type deal ontop of the body. That is the bleed, make sure that is fully tight and your solenoid is as well. What you should do is turn the controller on with no valve wires hooked up ( Only the pump wire and common wire plugged in) and then turn on a zone.. This will crank on the pump- if any zones come on now then you know either you have it manually turned on or it is stuck on.. If you take it apart and inspect the body for debris and then the diaphram too.. If the diaphram is any kind of warpness to it, knicks n dings, or it seems very very flimsey/ brittle .. Then the diaphram is shot

That's the older version of the irritrol 2400.. Everything is interchangable except for the threading collar to tighting the valve down compared with the newer verson.

Irritrol 2400 valves can be manually opened by way of the bleed screw, or by counter-clockwise movement of the black lever directly beneath the solenoid.

Hi,

This is my valve connection pictures, may be you have some ideas what wrong with my system.

http://home.iprimus.com.au/kevincheong/

Thanks again.

You are right, in my controller next to the Common, is Pump common and Pump both connected to a white wire, I think is connected to my underground bored water.

For the solenoid, there is no bleed screw. Only can turn left or right cannot take off to see the inside component.

not unless you over tighten the solenoid.

When you turn the solenoid to the left, no water will come out because that master valve is preventing water from flowing through.

You can turn the master valve on manually or at the controller. Make sure all the valves solenoids are taught to the right

Hi Mitchgo

If I turn on station 2 on the controller, while it is on then I manually try to turn the solenoid to shut off the valve, will it damage the valve?

Thanks.

Thank you Mitchgo for your detail explanation. OK I will take a few picture of the valves connection, this way you can help me to solve this problem easily.

I also suspect the zone 2 and zone 3 valves cause the problem, I did turn the solenoid left and right but it didn't turn on the valve manually? No water come out from the sprinklers. I think my valve is the Orbit Female BSP Jar Top Valve. Do you think is the solenoid mess up? I just bought a multimeter and will test the wires tomorrow.

Talk to you again tomorrow. Thanks again.

Or I could be slightly wrong

You could have only 2 zones with a master valve. Either way you have a master valve with a stuck /open zone

After re-reading your previous thread..

I'm pretty sure is issue is this

You have a master valve and the 2 OUT OF 3 zones are manually turned on and or stuck on

Turn the valves off by turning the solenoid until it is taught ( DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN) Tighten down the bleed screws/ flip switches. take a picture and we can help out out.

Also... You think you have 4 zones... But you only have 3... You have a Master valve with 3 zones. The master valve is IN SERIES with the main line pipe.. There are 4 valves. But only 3 are zones. If you have a MV it's setup like this

Irrigation Shut off>> electronic Master valve ( In series) >> Main Line pipe which branches out to the 3 zone valves>> Sprinkler heads that water the yard per zone.

on the controller, The first port after the common should be a MV / pump terminal

By disconnecting the wires from the valves , your enlimating that valves ability to turn on electronically... It's impossible because it's not connected... But when you turn on a different valve from the controller and the one you have is disconnected turns on.. It means you have a master valve and the valve thats disconnect turns on , is either manually turned on or stuck on internally

I have a 4 stations system. I disconnect all the wires from the controller and disconnect all the wires and common from each valve. Then I only connect zone 1 wire to the controller and the valve.

I turn on station 1 on the controller, station 1, 2 and 3 turn on at the same time. But station 2 and 3 without any wire connection on the controller or the valve, why there are on as well? What will be the problems??

Thank you for your advice in advance.