You are not logged in.

problem with wiring/ valve

Dear visitor, welcome to SPRINKLER TALK FORUM - You Got Questions, We've Got Answers. If this is your first visit here, please read the Help. It explains how this page works. You must be registered before you can use all the page's features. Please use the registration form, to register here or read more information about the registration process. If you are already registered, please login here.

turtlejumper

New Member

Posts: 2

Location: Athens GA

1

Wednesday, June 22nd 2011, 5:20pm

problem with wiring/ valve



I have an odd problem. I have 7 zones in a new system. 4 are in the front yard and are on one buried bundle of 16 gauge wire, attached to a basement rainbird controller. The 3 zones in the back yard are on a separate bundled cable of wires. Only one of the zones in back has sprinklers, other 2 are drip. All are attached to a rainbired 9 zone STPi , easiest controller I have ever seen to set up.

Front zones function flawlessly, identical function with manual or electronic turn on. Sprinkler zone in back works fine manual (1/4 turn on the solenoid) but works @ about 40-50% when turned on electronically.
I tried changing solenoid-No change. Electrician and local watering supply suggested voltage drop due to the length of wire to the box (>200 ft) Before I tried to bury a second wire in a better position, I took the controller off the wall in the basement and put it in the back, connected the valve to the controller with <50 ft of wire, NO CHANGE in the function of the valve.

SUGGESTIONS or EXPLANATONS welcome.

Thanks

Mitchgo

Supreme Member

Posts: 502

Location: Seattle

2

Wednesday, June 22nd 2011, 5:37pm

Grab a multimeter and ohm out the wires. Touch the common wire and the particular zones ( one by one) and post your readings. You should be getting 20-60 ohms depending on the valve. If it's much higher then this then you probably have a bad wire splice . If lower then the solenoids ( even the new ones?) are possible shot and or nicked wire
Some idea's come to mind

( Voltage drop from the ' long ' wire run is NOT one of them )

* Bad wire splice/ nicked wire that's grounding out the zones.-- Check all the connections at the controller, re-splice the connections at the valve box. If you know of any other splices- check them too.

*Could be a possible bad controller. Try swapping these zone wires to the zone ports that irrigate the front and see if it's doing the same thing.

* The system could be running completely fine and your not paying attention that it is.. How do you know it's only working 40-50% of the time. Are you out there Every Time when it's supposed to come on and it doesn't?

*Programming error.. Are you on a single program or do you have multiple programs setup?

Best thing to do right now is to grab your mutlimeter- check for ohms, check proper voltage output at the controller ( When turned on the zones) and then at the valve box. . Check ohmage at the valve box too.

Similar threads

Rate this thread