sprinkler help please

[sniper7]

I have a hunter XC system. 8 zones. 1 zone (3) will not turn on unless I do so manually by turning the solenoid to on, then the heads pop up and it waters like normal.

Today I swapped solenoids from zone 1 and 3 thinking it was a solenoid. Nope. Zone 1 still worked with the zone 3 solenoid but nothing for zone 3 still.

Valve?
Electrical?

What say the experts?

[Caithford]

I have a hunter XC system. 8 zones. 1 zone (3) will not turn on unless I do so manually by turning the solenoid to on, then the heads pop up and it waters like normal.

Today I swapped solenoids from zone 1 and 3 thinking it was a solenoid. Nope. Zone 1 still worked with the zone 3 solenoid but nothing for zone 3 still.

Valve?
Electrical?

What say the experts?

Probably the activation relay for the solenoid.

[Lurch]

Are you using all eight zones? If not just switch the wires over to another zone and see it that works.

[hghclsswhitetrsh]

Check for voltage at the valve. If you don't have a meter disconnect wires from a zone that does work and try to turn it on at the controller.

[ChuckNorris]

Check the connection of the wire at the clock.
Make sure there is time on zone 3 at the clock.
See if another zone will fire up when you touch that wire at the clock to another zone at the clock.

[sniper7]

Trying those now

Yes I use all 8 zones

[sniper7]

Swapped wires for zone 2 (yellow wire) and zone 3 (brown wire). Brown wire was the problem at zone 3 and when on zone 2 it won't run zone 2. So it seems I have a wiring issue.

How might I got about fixing that?

[JohnTRourke]

electrical

check continuity at the clock. (#3 to common)
turn the station on and check for voltage at the clock (24V #3 to common) then check for voltage at the valve

if you have voltage at the valve, it's that solenoid (not likely if you did what you say you did) on that valve
if you have voltage at the clock and not at the valve, you have a break in the wiring somewhere and you probably got no continuity.
if you have no voltage at the clock, it's the clock

residential installs always use the cheapest shit possible, and shitty multi-strand wiring doesn't survive being the ground for long, it always goes to shit, along with crappy non underground rated connections.

solenoids used to rarely fail, but when they all went to made in china crap they just die and short out at about the 10 year mark. Luckily it's an easy fix.

[Lurch]

Do you have any spare wires? If not you are going to have to run a new wire or run two zones at once if you have enough water pressure.

[sniper7]

No way of buying a single wire and connecting it at the clock then pulling it through to the valve box?

[JohnTRourke]

Swapped wires for zone 2 (yellow wire) and zone 3 (brown wire). Brown wire was the problem at zone 3 and when on zone 2 it won't run zone 2. So it seems I have a wiring issue.

How might I got about fixing that?

told you so
is it multi-strand wire or direct burial 14ga single strand?

[JohnTRourke]

No way of buying a single wire and connecting it at the clock then pulling it through to the valve box?

oh sure, that works, but if it's multi-strand there are almost always extra strands, and any GOOD installer usually puts in an extra wire (it's usually blue). Anything you can do that involves less digging is always a good solution.

or you can just direct bury another one and hook it up,
Use DBY's to make the connection in the ground.

[sniper7]

There is an extra orange for a rain sensor I Dont have. I'll see if that goes to the same box.

[hghclsswhitetrsh]

Yup. Or wire two zones together.

[hghclsswhitetrsh]

Yup. Or wire two zones together.

I know it's ghetto... Buuuuuuht you do live in Brighton...

[JohnTRourke]

I know it's ghetto... Buuuuuuht you do live in Brighton...

that never works, there is never enough pressure to run both

however, they do make a product (I forget the name) that flips back and forth between each one. In a homeowner situation I'd put new wire in, in a bit street scape I've used the flipper.

[hghclsswhitetrsh]

It depends. If the house has enough pressure and if it is coming off of two different feed lines it will. I have the capability of doing it if I wanted.

[Boadie30]

Just making sure; Do they turn on using the manual cycle on the box? Or are you saying that you can't turn them on from the box using manual or programmed setting?

[sniper7]

I can turn them on manually.

Checked wires and there are a couple extra in the box but not at the panel. The spare wire at the panel goes to the other box for the front yard....grrr.

I will see if I can get 2 zones running at the same time.

I do have a trickle zone that runs the front yard plants on a drip system. I imagine my pressure would be fine on that, any issues you guys see with running a regular sprinkler zone with a drip system?

[Bitter Clinger]

Shoot me a pm if you can't make it work. My uncle is a sprinkler guru. He will give free advise. And if it still don't work, he is the best most fairly priced in the state.

[Boadie30]

I can turn them on manually.

Checked wires and there are a couple extra in the box but not at the panel. The spare wire at the panel goes to the other box for the front yard....grrr.

I will see if I can get 2 zones running at the same time.

I do have a trickle zone that runs the front yard plants on a drip system. I imagine my pressure would be fine on that, any issues you guys see with running a regular sprinkler zone with a drip system?

If you replying to me stating that you can turn them on manualy from the box (computer) hanging on the wall then my guess is that you have the daily occurances all turned off on zone 3.

[sniper7]

No, manually is turning the solenoid by hand. Zone 3 doesn't work at all from the panel.

[Boadie30]

Allright.. switch the solenoids from the working valves to the non-working.. but first clean the contacts at the bottom of the solenoids and try...

[Boadie30]

If you have the older valves where the contact is external on the bottom of the solenoid.. if you have the newer internal contact replace solenoid or like everyone else... wiring problem.. I guess I am assuming you also have hunter valves.. I know I am all over the place on instructions.. if you want to call 7202993325.. I have worked on more the my fair share..

[Wulf202]

If all else fails they make individual timers

[Boadie30]

Ugh... meaning just because your showing voltage at the the solenoid if the contact at the bottom of the solenoid or on the top of the valve is nasty what I normally find.... no work

[JohnTRourke]

I can turn them on manually.

Checked wires and there are a couple extra in the box but not at the panel. The spare wire at the panel goes to the other box for the front yard....grrr.

I will see if I can get 2 zones running at the same time.

I do have a trickle zone that runs the front yard plants on a drip system. I imagine my pressure would be fine on that, any issues you guys see with running a regular sprinkler zone with a drip system?

people do this all the time, but they shouldn't
But
how long are you going to stay in the house????

sticking a wire 6" in the ground isn't all that hard as long as it's not going 400 feet.

also, if there are extra wires in the box, they may be in a junction box just below the clock. (pretty common not to bring them all the way in, or fold them back as they get in the way when wiring the clock, but they are actually there)

[sniper7]

Yeah there was a couple extras in the back yard box and several in the front yard box.

The one wire that goes from the front box to the controller I am considering moving, but I will see if the two extras I saw in the back yard problem box are anywhere near being able to be run to the controller or folded back somewhere.

Boadie, not sure you are seeing where I am at, but solenoids are all fine it's a wiring problem. Controller is working fine. Valve is working fine. Just not getting power to the solenoid from the controller.

[Boadie30]

Yeah there was a couple extras in the back yard box and several in the front yard box.

The one wire that goes from the front box to the controller I am considering moving, but I will see if the two extras I saw in the back yard problem box are anywhere near being able to be run to the controller or folded back somewhere.

Boadie, not sure you are seeing where I am at, but solenoids are all fine it's a wiring problem. Controller is working fine. Valve is working fine. Just not getting power to the solenoid from the controller.

Ok, sorry... hope it eventually works out.

[Wulf202]

sticking a wire 6" in the ground isn't all that hard as long as it's not going 400 feet.I have about 5 acres at work done this way. ugh.

[sniper7]

Found where the wiring goes out of the house to the boxes. If I have time tomorrow I'll see if I can figure out on of the extra wires. If not it will be a couple weeks.

[BPTactical]

John T Rourke hit the troubleshooting very well, you must have done this before Brian.
Testing for output voltage is essential at the clock AND at the solenoid. What if you go through all the hassle of pulling new wire only to discover that particular output at the clock is dead?
As noted, you should have 24V DC between your outputs and common.
Adjust your solenoids. Too many people crank down the solenoids and forget them. Ideally you want to snug it down until the zone shuts off, then no more of a quarter turn further.

[JohnTRourke]

John T Rourke hit the troubleshooting very well, you must have done this before Brian..

super sprinkler man
did repairs for years and installs for one. Repairs are much more interesting (ya never know what you might find) but you dig a lot more than installs (installs you have a crew).

even thought this was years ago, nothing really changes. Most residential installs are still done like shit. (low bidder and all that). but you pay for it in the long run.

[JDF]

Pull a new wire or buy an "Add a Zone" this will allow you to run two seperate zone with only one good wire.