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

Sorry, if this sounds like a dumb question, but it is my first installation DIY sprinkler systems. I have a 15 zone, 3 valve boxes/stations (in different locations), 5 zone per box that I need to run a wire to the controller/timer.

1. I understand that the common wire will be connected in each valve box connecting all the valves using a water-proof silicon connectors.
2. Each zone/valve will then be wired to a non-common wire back to the controller.
3. I have an 18-16 direct buiral wire for the connections
4. After stripping the outer black jacket off to expose the multiple coloured wire strands, I cut and strip the white common-wire plus the necessary wires needed for wiring all valves within that valve box, while leaving the other wires untouched.

My questions is what is the best way to connect my system with minimum wire exposed?
What do I do with the 5 wires that terminates at, say, valve box #1? valve box #2?

Thanks for your answers.

I am intrigued by the 3 separate bundles of 7 wires idea. A follow-up to that idea would be how to connect the common wire? That is would the controller require 3 separate connections of common wire? I plan to use the Hunter Pro-C (15 zones) controller