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

I think adding a small peice of wire sounds resonable if you need longer wires. If this is indoors then I would use a small wire nut and if it outdoors then use the waterproof type again.

I am not sure what they would have used if it was hard. When you say black rubber peice I am not sure what you are referring to. Can you explain that more?

Unfortunately I can't move the controller any closer. Do you think splicing the wires is out of the question? I'd hate to cause more of a problem than I already have but as they are continuing to come loose I don't know what else to do. There seemed to be some sort of hardened glue-like substance like from a glue gun or something in the black rubber piece that houses all of the wires together but when I took the wires out, I had to remove most of it to get them out. Do you know what kind of goop might have been in there? That would probably help for the common wire problem. Thanks again for your help!

Glad to help. Can you move the controller a little closer to the wires? That may be the easiest solution.

Woo hoo! Thanks for your help! I got waterproof caps and re-stripped and twisted all of the wires and voila....we have liftoff! Unfortunately, the common wire is so short it keeps coming undone. Plus one of the other valve wires is also so short it has had a piece added to it to make it reach. That was part of the problem. The waterproof caps have some sort of grease or something in them which isn't helping matters. Any tips for lengthening wires without re-doing the whole thing? You guys have been great! By the way...Mel is for Melissa. I'm a she, not a he. :-) Thanks for all your help!

it might be your common wire for some valves. Does each valve have two wires connecting to it. If not you have to take the other wire that is not connected from each valve and twiat them all together around this white wire (just the one wire from the valve, thats not already in use) try that!

It sounds like it is the nuetral to the back I would try connecting it to the neutral slot. Do you have another white wire that would be for the front?

OK....now none of the four zones in the back work. I don't remember seeing that white wire dangling before so am quite sure that is the cause. I just don't know where it is supposed to go. Help!

OK....I'm finally getting back to this project. I have re-twisted and secured the uncovered wires at the valves. Now I notice that there is an extra wire coming from the controller that is not attached to anything. It is the white wire (not the fat one, the small one). Where is that supposed to be attached? I'm gonna try another test run and see if it is working at all at this point. I'll post my results. Thanks

We now know that your controller is fine and the problem is either the valve or the wire. Looking at the situation though (2 zones stopped working after fixing a head) I am still betting on a cut wire.

The next thing I would do is re strip the exposed wires and re twist. Then use a waterproof wire nut to cover it. Over time corrosion will inhibit conduction and that splice will fail. I would do this because it should be done at some point and it is fast and easy. Let us know what happens.

its possible though also he broke the wire in half somewhere in the garden, leading to the controller!