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Caltino

Unregistered

1

Friday, April 12th 2013, 7:18pm

Esp 12 lx plus not coming on at all

I am a total layman about this so I have a very basic question.

My rainbird esp-12 lx plus system is totally unresponsive. Screen on the controller is blank. The system had worked at one point but it has been almosta year since we used it.

I could look inside a bit and saw that the 1.5 amp bulb had burned out. I replaced it with a spare. I also replaced the battery in case it may help. There is still nothing on the display. I checked that the outlet it is plugged into and it does have power. The plug seems a bit blackened to me but maybe it is just old dirt.

Any suggestions? These things generally require an expert or a replacement but since the only thing I tried was the fuse, i figured I should ask for advice. I would appreciate any thoughts.

Thanks in advance.

Wet_Boots

Supreme Member

Posts: 4,102

Location: Metro NYC

2

Friday, April 12th 2013, 8:57pm

Simple check - see if the power transformer is warm.

Caltino

Unregistered

3

Friday, April 12th 2013, 9:34pm

Tips

Simple check - see if the power transformer is warm.


Which is the power transformer? Sold I unplug before touching?

If it is cold, is it something that can be replaced or would it mean replace the whole thing?

Thanks.

Wet_Boots

Supreme Member

Posts: 4,102

Location: Metro NYC

4

Saturday, April 13th 2013, 10:36am

do you have the owners manual?

Caltino

Unregistered

5

Monday, April 15th 2013, 3:54pm

Broken?

do you have the owners manual?


I read the manual. For not working at all, it does nor really give much to try.

I touched the transformer. It was warm. Does that lead to anything? Or does that mean the circuitboard is shot?

Caltino

Unregistered

6

Monday, April 15th 2013, 4:14pm

RE: Broken?

By the way, i called the tech support and the rep told me to change the transformer. I unplugged it but I do not know if transformers keep power for a while, so I will wait to remove it. I am planning to go to radioshack for a new one, or is it a specialty item? Also there are a few wires coming out. Two orange one green i think and one of them is attached to a spot that seems to be under some cover, while the others are attached to spots clear to unscrew. I do not know if that means anything.

Wet_Boots

Supreme Member

Posts: 4,102

Location: Metro NYC

7

Monday, April 15th 2013, 4:31pm

if you want to handle controller issues, and electrical issues on your sprinkler system, you need a multimeter, to check for voltages and wiring resistance. Without one, you are playing expensive guessing games.

By the way, if the display is blank, and you know the controller is plugged in, the only suggestion they provide is a reboot. Unplug the controller. Remove the battery. After five minutes, replace the battery, and plug in the controller.

If what you called a "spare bulb" is a replacement glass fuse, the fact that the original was burnt out brings up the possibility of a voltage surge. They can kill a controller. Sometimes they just fuddle it, and a reboot brings it back to good working order.

This post has been edited 1 times, last edit by "Wet_Boots" (Apr 15th 2013, 4:41pm)


Caltino

Unregistered

8

Tuesday, April 16th 2013, 10:37am

Shot

I spoke to another tech and he said if replacing the battery does not get the display to come on and show some error messages, probably the whole unit is shot.

Who would I call to replace the system? Are there people who know how to do this and will come to your home? How would they be listed in yellow pages and such? Or do I need to do it myself?

Wet_Boots

Supreme Member

Posts: 4,102

Location: Metro NYC

9

Tuesday, April 16th 2013, 11:52am

If there are electrical issues beyond the controller, replacing it doesn't get you a working system. This is especially true in locations that receive a lightning strike.

Caltino

Unregistered

10

Tuesday, April 16th 2013, 1:31pm

Lightning

If there are electrical issues beyond the controller, replacing it doesn't get you a working system. This is especially true in locations that receive a lightning strike.


If there was lighning, and i think there was, does that mean wires going out to the field are burnt? So this may be a large scale operation to get it fixed?

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