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

You should get some spray chalk and mark the common wire throughout the system, and in doing so, you will have marked the possible location of all the valves.

If your signal is connected to the zone wire, you should get an additional boost in the received signal at the solenoid location

and yes, you should be doing this with the wires disconnected from the controller

Thanks wet boots. I tried locating the valves in the neighboring zone with a wire locator, but didn't have any success. I was told the easiest way to locate the valve itself was to connect the locator to the common and valve wire after removing them from the timer. This would eliminate a signal from the wire itself. I'm pretty sure they aren't within 75-100' from the defective valve since its the one farthest away from the timer at the end of the line on a side strip of grass bordering a driveway. Des this help explain things?

Thanks again

Sounds like you need to spend some quality time with a wire locater, and determine where each of the zone valves are. Once you know where they are, you can better plan to deal with these situations.

One of 24 zone valves won't activate from the clock. I'm getting 24v output to the zone itself. I can activate the solenoid by connecting my Pro48 directly to it. When I connect the 48 to the common and zone wire at the timer I get an open circuit reading. I interpret this to mean there's a cut wire leading to this zone. If this is correct, can it be A) a cut in the zone wire between the timer and valve or B) a cut in the common between this valve and the valve closest to it? The bad valve is the last in line so I assume the othe 23 zones would still work if the common was cut between the next to last and last non-working valve.

I haven't had any luck finding the next closest valve so adding an "add a zone" isn't an option. Thinking about using a hunter node100 as the easiest fix.

I welcome any advice or instruction

Thanks!