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mv problems me thinks
I bought an older home with a Toro sprinkler system and have been repairing it. Ive replaced many sprinklers and had everything working as I wanted it to. Then about a week ago I turned the system on to water some newly planted zoysia and nothing. None of the systems (9 total) would work. I started investigating and found I had a main valve coming off the main water source. I figured it had to be a soleniod bad on the main valve because none of the systems worked. So I ordered a new valve and replaced the solenoid but it still doesnt work. I replaced the rain gauge with an Orbit model from lowes. Still no worky. The valve is a Toro 250-06-04. Just like that one day it worked the next it didnt. Im getting pretty p.o.ed. Also is there a way to manually open this valve? Ive also replaced the battery and checked the fuses in the controller and all is fine. I can hear some water coming by the valve when I turn it on but no water comes out the systems not even a trickle.
Can anyone point me in the right direction im at me wits end.
Thanks
This post has been edited 1 times, last edit by "tenman" (Apr 22nd 2010, 10:04pm)
the Toro 250 series valves can be manually opened by way of a 'bleed screw' on the top center of the valve
Similar Issue
I have similar issue. My system was working before the winter. I tried to operate it yesterday and none of the zones out of the four zones is working when I put my Rainbird controller in test mode or manual mode.
1) Controller has power and I can program it.
2) Rain sensor is clicking when I press the pin at the top and I have opened the sensor to 1" and we have had no rains in a month.
3) I opened the control valves manually and the sprinkler heads started spraying.
Not sure where the issue is. All four valves couldn't have gone bad or the wiring for them for that matter.
As a side note: During the winter my backflow had busted because of freezing temperatures and I turned the backflow valves off but forgot to turn off the Rainbird controller. So it must have been coming on according to program but no water flowing through the control valves. Not sure if that might be the cause for failure.
Please help!
wet boots the bleed screw is the thing with the needle like thingy on it right? Do you just back it out a bit? I have what I think is the flow control (round knob) turned all the way counterclockwise. The bleed screw fits into the center of it correct? If it is opened manually I should have water to the whole system. If that doesnt work the next thing must be the controller right?
Sorry for my technical jargon "needle like thingy"
I'm an idiot
Yes, the Toro valve will have a long 'pin' as a part of the bleed screw. Loosen the bleed screw just enough for the valve to open. Whenever you can't get results with the controller, you can confirm that the water is 'on' by manually opening the electric valves.
ok i opened the valve manually and still have no water to sprinklers.
This sucks!!! One day it works perfectly now nothing. what do I check
now? im stuck
Go back to square one and confirm that the water is actually turned on. This is all mechanical - no controller involved.
the water is definatley on. there is a shutoff valve right before the
main valve and it is working the only other thing before the City's
meter is the backflow preventer. I'm pretty sure im getting water to the
main valve. the other valves 9 total are buried throughout the yard who
knows were. I have taken the bleed screw out and I get water shooting
out. So should i start to diagnose the controller?
Sounds like the ground wire tenman. Try bypassing the rain sensor wire. If that' not it, it could be disconnected someplace. Possibly between the controller and the closest valve. Done any digging lately? Any big tree roots that may have broke a wire? Try running a wire above ground from the common terminal to any valve in the yard. Hook it up to the solenoid where the common wire is. It's probably a white wire.
---
Ok tenman I just re-read your post. You haven't tested the controller yet. Simply turn on station number one and see if it's putting out approx. 24 volts. If it is the controller's working. If not it needs resetting or a new fuse.
Come back with the results. No need to tell you more right now.
Okay, with water escaping the bleed screw from the master valve, you would proceed to a zone valve and manually open it, and know that there is actual full flow.
-
An electrical check of the system comes next. Looking for 24 volts AC at the clock outputs is a start. After that is confirmed, you have to check the system wiring for resistance. All the zones lost at once points towards the common wire.
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