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Tripped Breaker Interrupts Sprinkler Cycle

elfinowl

Starting Member

Posts: 1

1

Tuesday, May 25th 2004, 4:34pm

Tripped Breaker Interrupts Sprinkler Cycle

My Orbit controller is plugged into a Ground Fault Interrupt outlet in my garage. Almost every time my sprinklers run, the GFI trips the breaker during Zone 3, stopping the sprinkler cycle. The solenoid in Zone 3 was replaced, the zones work perfectly with manual operation, but the breaker tripping problem persists. Do I need a sprinkler technician or an electrician? What could be causing this?

bobw

Advanced Member

Posts: 101

Location: Canada

2

Tuesday, May 25th 2004, 6:12pm

Wow..interesting problem. A couple of things I would check.

1) double check the connections at the controller for a loose wire
2) double check the wires in the valve box for a loose wire (esp. zone 3!)
3) check the solenoid to see if it is drawing too much power. I'd wire the solenoid to a different zone and see if that zone now trips your GFI... likewise, move a solenoid to zone 3 and see if it trips as well.

I'm betting on #2, but almost anything is possible.

BSME

Advanced Member

Posts: 67

3

Monday, May 31st 2004, 6:03am

What I normally do is.... find zone 3 valve in the valve box... if the color of the wire in the valve box isn't the same as in the timer just keep turning them on manually until you find zone 3... cut the wires to the solenoid on zone three and go turn it on by the timer... if the fuse doesn't blow anymore I assume the wire is good and the solenoid is bad...
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