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

I'm about 95% done with my irrigation install and my valves are now frustrating me. I can turn on my pump via the controller, but no water is going through the electric valves which makes me think something may be wrong. I've tracked all wires successfully with a wire tracker and wired everything properly to the controller and then used grease caps for the connections at the valves. I can open a zone manually and start the pump from the controller and the zone waters fine. I had an assistant actually stand near a valve to listen to it running via the controller and they verified this, but no water. I'm clueless to what's going on. To prepare to open the valves electrically, I've closed the bleed screw and the flow control and verified that the solenoid is just snug and not tight but can't get it to open with the controller. It's like this on both valves that i tried via the controller (2 zones). If anyone can help me out, i'd really appreciate it. I really need this up and running by Saturday!

There's no valve experts here? I could really use the help guys

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by bobw</i>
<br />Your best bet is to use a voltmeter at both the controller and the valve. Check at the controller end first to ensure that you are putting out some voltage (i.e. the controller is working properly, you have programmed it correctly). If this is good, go back to your valve and take off the grease caps and disconnect the wires. Test the voltage on the wires coming from your controller. If you have no voltage, then you've got a break in your wire somewhere. If you have voltage, then CAREFULLY(hey, even at 24V, it'll give you a good tingle) hold the wires from the valve to the wires from the controller. You should definitely hear a sound when the connection is made. If not, then its likely the solenoid is no good. This would seem pretty unlikly with two new valves acting this way.
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Well guys,
I found the problem to be two of the 14 gauge wires that I pulled through conduit that possibly picked up breaks in wire because of tight turns in the conduit itself. I still had about 7 spare wires to use, so it wasn't a problem. Once switched out, then the valves started operating. Here are my multi-meter tests that I did to test for correct A/C voltage (18-30v according to manuf.) if anyone was interested:

<b>Checked voltage of outlet at wall,110v - passed
Checked voltage of transformer wires - passed
Checked all ports on controller 1-9 when activated - passed
Swapped out bad wires at valves with good ones
Check voltage of new wires at valves when activated - passed
Connected everything back up </b>

The irrigation system is now up and running thanks to everyone's help here (knock on wood **). i'm sticking around this forum though because it's fun to learn of new stuff on here. I've also gone ahead and ordered this troubleshooting device from sprinklerwarehouse for any future solenoid testing e.t.c. here:
http://www.sprinklerwarehouse.com/detail.aspx?ID=813

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by drpete3</i>
<br />I am happy to hear eveything is fine. I too am not a professional but like to chat and give my opinion now and then.

How about a summary of your system?
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The system is running off a shallow well of mostly fresh water and putting out about 30 GPM according to my 'wet' test (more than enough for most heads). I have 9 rainbird 3500 series rotors for the lawn (zone 1) and seven risers with rainbird A17 spray heads for plants/shrubs (zone 2). The pump is controlled by a relay activated by my controller and i have pulled extra wires to the valve box for future expansion of the system. I also am planning on installing my wireless Hunter rain sensor before rainy season for more efficiency as well. I love to see this thing working-especially when I did most of the work.