Landscape Addiction ~ Why Is One of My Valves Not Coming On

Why Is One of My Valves Not Coming On

		Why Is One of My Valves Not Coming On
		You will need the following tools:
		Volt Meter Wire Strippers Water Proof Wire Nuts
1.		You need to check you wires for a good connection.
	a.	Go to the wires.
	b.	Look at them make sure they don’t look corroded. If they do no worries.
	c.	Remove the wire nuts from the HOT and COMMON wires coming from the controller.
	d.	With your wire strippers cut the corroded copper.
	e.	Remove ½ to ¾ of an inch of insulation with the wire strippers. Do this to the wire coming from the controller and the valve. You only have to strip the wires that are connected to the valve that you are having trouble with.
	f.	Push them into the water proof wire nut and twist it about 1 and ¼ full turns.
	g.	Try the station on a manual run and see if it is fixed
2.		You are going to check for continuity (see if your wires are not cut or damaged).
	a.	Go to the controller and turn the dial to Manual On and turn on the station that controls the valve that is not working.
	b.	Go to the valve. Remove the wire nuts. Turn on the volt meter and turn the dial to Volts. Connect the red wire from the volt meter to the colored wire coming from the controller, connect the black wire from the volt meter to the common wire coming from the controller (usually the white wire is common)
	c.	You should get 23 to 24 Volts. If you don’t get anything then you have bad wires or a dead station on the controller.
	d.	Go to the controller and change the wire on the station that is not working to one that is working. Repeat steps 1a – 1c. If you still don’t get 23 to 24 volts then you have bad wires. This can be tricky to repair, if you have a long distance between the controller and the valve you will want to rent a wire tracer this will make the repair a lot easier. You can rent a wire tracer at your local rental yards. Here is a suggestion of a wire tracer that I have had a lot of success with in the past, 521 by Progressive Electronics.
	e.	When you find the break then you can repair it with some water proof wire nuts. Make sure that you put the repair in a box so you are able to locate the wires in the future.
3.		You are going to check the solenoid.
	a.	Go to the valve.
	b.	Remove the wire nuts on the hot and common wire.
	c.	Untwist the wires that are connected to the valve that you are having trouble with.
	d.	Take your volt meter and turn the dial to ohms (it looks like a horse shoe).
	e.	Take the wires coming from the solenoid and twist them in to the tips of the wires coming from the volt meter. Pinch them with your index finger and your thumb, this will make a better connection.
	f.	You should have 35 – 45 ohms. If you have a low or high number you need to replace the solenoid.
	g.	Turn the water off because this will turn your valve on manually and your sprinklers will be on for as long as the solenoid is off of the valve.
	h.	Unthread the solenoid and take it with you to your local irrigation house. (Horizon, Ewing, John Deer Landscapes, Home Depot, Lowes or your local hardware stores). They will give you the correct one.
	i.	Take and thread the solenoid back onto the valve.
	j.	Push the wires into the water proof wire nut and twist it about 1 and ¼ full turns.
	k.	Turn the water back on.
	l.	Test it with the controller.