10 years later and this is still one of the best, clear, and concise videos on the topic of sprinkler zone troubleshooting. You covered a lot of ground in a short amount of time logically and methodically. Very well done.
10 years later and still the VERY BEST troubleshooting video and explanation for an irrigation system. I recently had a lightning strike near the house and various things on GFIs and surge protectors fried in very odd ways. Some transformers fried; some power supplies exploded; some wires fried but the end units were fine; in the case of irrigation system control/power box is fine but won't activate solenoids. This helped me troubleshoot and it turns out power wire to solenoids is fried somehow. Can't explain it but this HELPED!!! Now I need to fix it.
Thank you! As a mom of 6 and a hard working husband, I try to learn how to fix things around the house myself. This was the fix to my problem! Thank you for making it so easy!
Thanks Dave. I like how you started at the timer and systematically went through all the sprinkler zone components that could have been a potential problem. Very well done!
I took a class in irrigation and learned a lot, but we covered installation and not repair. I emailed my teacher for advice and he described what to do, which gave me the technical terminology to find videos This is exactly what I need to do and I'm pleased you have the same kind of valves, which makes it easier. Now I just have to buy an ohmmeter and not electrocute myself.
Thank you after a month and a half of calling my sprinkler guy and he never showed up I decide to google this is very problem and your video was first to show up and I'm glad I saw it because my sprinkler system is working perfectly now thank you
I was talking to some co-workers and they thought that it may be the ground as well. I will take a look at it tonight when I get home with a multi-meter and will check the panel. Thanks for the video btw. Very helpful.
great diagnostic and solution process, Ive been a professional groundskeeper for over 14 years and it really bothers me when others give inacurate suggestions on irrigation repair however this is a great example of proper troubleshooting and I really recommend this video to anyone seeking proper advise on irrigation repair,GREAT JOB!
I have some a zone not working properly. This video helped me on the troubleshooting end. Very well done. Everyone is on different levels of expertise. If you are savvy in mechanical and electrical things, it is very easy to follow. Well done Thanks
Thank you for your helpful videos! I now have enough knowledge to tackle my dead zone in my sprinkler system. Before watching your videos I had NO IDEA what I was getting into. Appreciate your help very much.
Awesome video - you've helped me a great deal, thank you!!! We moved into our new home last Fall and it has been a fun adventure figuring out how everything works inside and outside of the House. Today, after Spring blooms eternal in Minnesota and Winter fades away, I opened the valves on the outside head unit, then did the same off of the water main inside. I went to the Sprinkler Panel in the Garage and manually switched between the zones. No Water, No Sprinkling. Went next door to our new neighbors and asked if the system had worked last summer (they said, "Yes, and nice to meet you!"). Clearly, I was doing something wrong. This is where you come in -- after watching just a brief portion of your informational video I learned that I should go check the solenoid position for the valves in the yard -- sure enough, they were in the closed position. A 1/4 turn clockwise and I was in business, happily switching between zones to see what kind of water coverage I had at each zone. Thank you, again!!
+Ken Osborn No problem, thanks for the followup. If you live in a frost area, remember to carefully blow out each branch of the system, one at a time, with compressed air in the fall. It's pretty easy to do if you have a good compressor, with as large a tank as you can afford. You don't want high air pressure but you do want a good volume tank. I routinely leave all the solenoid valves open in the winter to avoid pooling of any remaining condensed water behind the valve.
This guy knows what he's talking about. Video is paced well and thorough. Well worth a watch. I'm a novice in this electrical stuff, but now want to get into this.
What a kind remark, thanks Dan. I spend my time fixing cars and there is considerable overlap as far as techniques go. One technique I refer to here is voltage drop testing, which is a critical part of automotive diagnostics. If there is a voltage drop in the wire it means there is a bad connection somewhere, and by doing the test you avoid unnecessarily replacing parts. I show how to do that in the starter motor video on my channel. As far as normal values, I found them on the 'net. Dave
Thank you. Solenoid problems are a lot more rare compared to the more mundane issues of water pressure, leaking seals, and incompletely closing valves. But if you understand how the solenoids work, everything conceptually slides into place.
Thank you, Luke. Most guys who know their way around a DVOM will have no problem with this. For others who need more help, this may not be enough. Mostly I worry about walking people down a pathway that is too difficult for their skill set. Nice to meet you.
And thank you for the reply. Electrical solenoid problems are not very common, but when you understand how they work the whole system is that much easier to understand.
Thank you. Mystery solved. The actual leak was a good 30 feet from the leaking PVC connection, actually coming up at a joint in the sidewalk. Lots of digging in the mud, the family dog enjoyed the work. On to the next home repair adventure. Thank you so much.
You make a good point, that techniques used in one situation will often find application in others. Specifically voltage drop testing principles definitely apply here. Thanks for your input!
I troubleshoot electronic control systems for a generation station so I understood your troubleshooting method. This video would be very helpful to someone that isn't familiar with electricity, meters, ohms or voltage drop. Very good video.
I'm glad you chimed in, Gregory. Yeah, you're right, and if I had a spare solenoid that would probably have been my approach as well. But for an amateur it would have meant buying a new part before deciding whether it was broken. I did consider swapping the solenoid with one of the proven ones adjacent. But that would have involved more work, and to properly test the wires it would mean completely swapping it. Thanks for your input!
Just moved into a new place and there is an existing irrigation system. Officially just moved in today. No garage though. :( I have an almost identical Pro C irrigation controller as you! One of the heads is a geyser so I went looking for videos and voila, amazing that you covered this a decade ago. Great video as always. Hope you are doing well!
Hey man, it is so nice to hear from you, after all these years. You still working on cars? I did another more recent video on how the valves work, they have an intriguing design. Around this time of year, sprinkler videos get more action, ha ha.
Nicely done. You have a pleasant manner, effective when one of us is panicking at the other end. I'm on my way to get a voltage meter--been putting it off. Thanks for your care and help.
Terrific video on troubleshooting a sprinkle system. In addition to covering the topic in depth, the explanations and camera angles are really top notch. This video should be used as an example of "how to do a you tube video". Very high quality video work and consistent audio levels. Great job Spelunkerd!
Hello I'm we doing my garden as well it looks really good I'm doing it professionally. My parents have the exact same system you just showed I know it well and the how it was built
I find it interesting to see how you have the personality to cultivate a dedicated following of viewers, soon to eclipse my subscriber list in the next couple of months. My videos on the other hand are almost all found through Google searches by homeowners who have a problem, wanting a deep dive into understanding how their system works. I admire people who are able to captivate an audience, but in any case these humble old videos still serve useful a role.
Thank you so much! I just discovered that 2 zones were not working. I followed your other video and cleaned all of the insides of the valve and still no go. I'll try this. Cheers!
Very awesome knowledge and skill with the multimeter etc. I learned a lot from your video on how it worked but then I took the lazy approached and put one solinoid from a working zone and stuck it on, ran that zone, it made my broken zone work, boom solved. Replacing the solenoid is my confirmed fix!
This explanation was great. The replacement went smoothly. The landscaping company that put in the irrigation system didn't use the waterproof wire caps, so I upgraded all of those when I replaced the solenoid. Since I live in Sacramento and we only have two seasons, summer and not summer, I covered the wire connectors in a plastic container. I scored the bottom and popped them through with the the top on of course., I can replace it as needed. Thanks!
That's a good plan. If you are looking for an inexpensive substitute for those specialized connectors, look for "dielectric grease" in any autoparts store. One tube will last a lifetime, and you'll find lots of uses for it if you do any kind of auto repair. Some technicians put it on every electrical connector they open, to prevent oxidation and electrical shorting. The grease is a nonconductive barrier to water, oxygen, and other impurities.
Very well thought out and organized. Breaks done the steps easily so the real problem can be fixed quickly and efficiently. Nice job. Because replacing the whole valve is more expensive and if the trouble is in the wires or in the timer is a waste of time and money. Thanks DM
I found the valve this afternoon. My parents just moved into a new house and we have pop up sprinklers and since I have been hear I have been trying to find this valve. But thanks to your help I found out where it was and the problem and why it wasn't working. Thank you so much
I dont have sprinklers but your systematic methods are A1 mate :-) Hey you cant make videos if your life is complex or nothing much happens so never worry about us tubers, its your channel and your not contracted to make videos for us :-) Washing machine water input solinoids often go the same way.
Thanks for the video. I've replaced the solenoids before but just did it by trial and error. I really appreciated the meter readings for troubleshooting electronically. Haven't been able to find that any where else. Thanks again!!
Oh, this is a riot: I've just finished a big hardscaping/remodeling project involving a six zone irrigation system. My guys couldn't get it working, so I had to roll up my sleeves, bust out the continuity tester/voltmeter/line tracer and diagnose it myself. When I was probing the bad solenoid hypothesis, I pulled up THAT VERY SAME VIDEO. Seriously. About two weeks ago. I remember thinking that guy was very helpful. Turned out to be the Rain Bird controller; when you short out one of the circuits, the controller takes that zone out of service until you fix the short and reset the controller. My guys had shorted out half the circuits while thrashing around with the lines. They got them all straight, but they never reset the controller, so confusion ensued. Speaking of Bob Ross, are you aware of the whole ASMR cult? it's actually huge business on TH-cam.
Thomas Scoville spelunkerd I had the sprinkler system installed in the house I'm in right now years ago, when I was traveling. Now that something was wrong with it, I had to both familiarize myself, as well as learn the interface to my controller, remember pascals law so I could recall how these valves work, pull out my multi-meter, and remember where everything comes and goes, because in America no one marks anything (very odd). When I got to my first valve I realized I should do a quick check on the web. While I know how all of it works, it was really wonderful having someone just calmly walk through the 1 2 3 of it. So, I walked back outside, started at the controller, and followed it to its end. Of note, everything is working now, not because I did anything clever or smart, but it seemed ultimately that unscrewing the sprinkler valve assembly, and just putting it back together again made everything happy again. I'm now going to label everything, and draw arrows for water direction on the pipes.
Reichart Von Wolfsheild oh, labeling is a pathology with me. Compulsion. I have a label maker, a dozen different kinds of line tags, and fine line sharpies at the ready. You should see my work in the server room and the punch-down block. In a similar vein, you might want to check out www.reddit.com/r/cableporn. Not what you think: it's a forum for OCD server-room line jockeys. Lots of zip tie embroidery and Velcro straps and color-coding schema. We obsessives take control where we can.
Great video! Very informative and well put together. You do a great job of articulating the steps as you take them. I am going to use this to help troubleshoot my weak sprinkler zone. Thank you!
Great video - very clearly explained. I'm in the first house I've ever had with a sprinkler system, and it helped me better understand how it all works. Thanks for uploading!
I'm a quality engineer by trade which means I understand this stuff but have no clue how to do it! Thanks for a VERY simple video. Thanks to you, I root caused the issue as a bad solenoid (only 1 zone not working), replaced it, and it is working again. Total cost ~$10 instead of calling someone and paying who knows what when they get around to it. Thanks for saving me time and money. If you're ever SE Michigan, I'll buy you a beer!
Hi! I just watched your video and it helped me diagnose the problem with my sprinkler system. I just had to replace the solenoid. Great video! Thank you!
awesome job explaining! I troubleshoot my sprinkler system quite a bit and its a hit n miss way I do things....getting soaked quite often☺ Thanks for the explanations and also how to use a voltmeter! thanks n wish we were neighbours!!🌞
Appreciate this video and information, checked mine out to find it was simply a broken breaker switch, popped it and the unused sensot open swapped the broken breaker switch for a good one and presto, Zone two is Aive!
Best diagnostic and repair of sprinklers I have seen. Very thorough! Thank you so much. I would love to see a how to use a voltmeter from you or how to set it properly for each application. How do you know what the resistance or OHM ranges should be? Cheers, Dan
Finding a broken wire can be tricky if it's in a garden. There are moderately expensive tools to help do that (trace wires and find breaks), but for a big area it might be simplest to just run another wire. Before doing that double check the connections at both ends, which are always problematic areas. Good luck!
+spelunkerd luckily the wires are bundled, and we had a few redundant wires, so we just swapped in one of the unused wires at both ends and it worked like a charm.
Yesterday I was troubleshooting my sprinkler system and used this video as a guide. (great video btw). 2 of my zones weren''t coming on. After measuring for voltage and resistance, I was convinced the solenoids were bad. But was not the case. After a whole lot of head scratching, I started disconnecting and connecting wires and ultimately I determined that I had a 25 volts on each terminal of the expansion module when there should have been voltage on the 1 terminal at a time, so multiple valves were opening but the zone wouldnt work due to lack of pressure. I replaced the controller and all works now.
Great job, like mentioned in the previous comment i like the systematic methods you use as well, starting with the basics to a complete test of the system = a job well done with no worries, Thumbs up, in addition im adding you to my recommended channel list hope you don't mind. Thank you for sharing
Whenever I see a problem like that, I try to dissect it down to something understandable. If it is every zone I would have a look at the wiring, especially concentrating on the 'common' wire that connects all circuits. If there is concern that the short is at the controller, you could carefully disconnect the controller and test the distal wiring to look for continuity. That might help to tell if the short is at the controller or in distal wires. Take photos so you can retrace steps.
great video first off, I have a issue with one of my zones. the problem I'm having is when I leave my lawn to work off the timer the pressure at the sprinklers are low but if I manually do it at the diaphragm the pressure is fine.
Some systems have a manual control that will adjust how much the valve opens with the solenoid, I would look for and try that first. Make sure the solenoid is tightened all the way down, and I would remove it carefully and clean the seat. If that fails you could temporarily swap a neighbour solenoid to see if it works better. If it does, then it's time to replace the solenoid, they aren't very expensive.
I love your videos and want to thank you for thorough, clear explanations of the problem as well as the solutions. My understanding and confidence have improved from viewing your videos. I no longer freak out and wonder how to shut off the water and wonder whom to call. Again, thank you.
You twist the plastic control arm below the solenoid counterclockwise to get water. If you don't get water with that, but you do get water in all the other zones, look for a supply problem, either an obstruction OR a leak within that zone. If a leak causes a fall in pressure, the heads won't spray. Look for a leak, and if no leak take heads off, one at a time, and flush the line. You may need to clean the valve. Look for kinked supply lines. Good luck!
I have one of the Hunter systems, installed in about 2003. Residential. I used to manually turn on the zones, 6 zones. Now, the controller will show the sprinkler activated, but not one of the sprinklers will actually come on. What is likely my problem?
Think of the goofy problems first, like forgetting to turn on the water, blown fuse, forgetting which way open is for the valves, or a software issue. Remember the valves need to be manually all closed for the each individual solenoid to work, otherwise you just get leaking from all and pressure that is too low to lift sprinklers. If I found nothing there, I'd open one valve and see if you get a fountain of water when the valve top is removed. No water out an opened valve means either a leak or a kink/obstruction higher up.
@@spelunkerd Thanks....I am using a Hunter Pro-C controller, I have 6 zones, and.....I have one solenoid in my little green box. I don't have 6 solenoids. Should I have 6 solenoids? - When I turn each zones on manually, none of them work. The controller screen shows active zone and timer. But, none of the 6 sprinklers work when I select them, individually.
@@atvirotechinc6115 The system has a shutoff valve, often in the basement of the home. Check to be sure that is open. None of the zones will work if water isn't getting to the solenoids, or if there's a leak in the main supply line. If you have only one solenoid in a box, check around the garden for another box. Make sure all the solenoids are closed, since more than one valve open at a time will prevent any from working.
@@spelunkerd yes, in my case, I am in Texas and do not have a basement My shutoff is on the inside of the garage. It is on the 'On' position It worked just fine in 2020 On Sunday, I will try the 1/4 turn test to see if the come on Again, I have only one solenoid, 6 stations
I hoped Google would find people like you (and me), analytic thinkers who have the curiosity to understand how things work. Thanks for the feedback, it worked!
Kerry, thank you, for taking the time to view this. As you know, I consider your channel a great resource for irrigation and landscape work, so your compliment means a lot to me. Dave
They are usually under a cover of some type, in a central area, grouped together. Wander around the yard and look for a round or rectangular cover plate at ground level. Some solenoids that are fitted with backflow preventers have to be vertically higher than all their sprinkler heads, so for that type look in the higher garden beds, often concealed by shrubbery.
Hahaha too funny my friend. I am troubleshooting my system and diagnosed it is a restriction on the line to the zone (water pressure at the valve is normal and higher than at the first sprinkler head UNLESS all the heads in the zone are capped and then it equalizes). My challenge now... how do I find the exact location of the root without digging up the whole yard? This led me to your video and of course, I had to watch it!! ANy ideas, Dave? I wonder if there is some kind of radio or sonar tracing device I can feed in the line? I am not sure how they find exact locations on pinched lines.
Hi, Matt! The parallels to voltage drop testing in automotive circuits are surprising. Of course line pressure can be low because of a leak anywhere in the zone (high flow) or because of proximal restriction (low flow). Unfortunately we don't have easy access to flow meters, so it can be hard to tell the difference. Interestingly in sprinkler systems a leak is more common, anywhere in the zone. I usually start by leaving the line on for a few hours, then walk on the grass where I think the line would run to look for a wet patch. All it takes is one bad head, sometimes hard to find because it doesn't spray. Common spots would be where gardeners use a shovel, and where lines meet elbows for sprinkler heads, since cracks at connections points are surprisingly common. On the other hand, new systems use much thinner tubing, and that tubing can kink at bends, causing a pressure drop across the kink similar to a voltage drop across a source of resistance in a circuit. Also your remark that pressure is normal when you cap the other heads makes a leak a little less likely. Sometimes system zones are designed with too many heads that draw too much water, causing a drop in system pressure until you cap a couple of heads to limit consumption. Too bad we don't have a noninvasive way to assess line pressure. One thing worth doing is to flush the line, especially at end devices like sprinkler heads where bits of calcium can plug off flow. You may get useful clues if you remove an end device, one at a time, and flush, since flow is only reduced distal to a restriction. Sometimes lumps of calcification can rock back and forth, held back by the valve, so I always flush the valve inlet at some point. I did a better video of how the valve works if you want more detail of that, including the adjustment screw that limits flow through the valve. Never forget to think of the forehead slapping obvious solutions. If you really are convinced that the problem is restriction, you could prove that by trying to flush it forward or reverse with water or compressed air. A borescope might be useful if you have access close to a sharp bend. Also I have a very long 75' plumbers snake that has a sharp enough end to push down a sprinkler line. If there is a kink, most likely the snake will not be able to pass the restriction, so you could use it to help guess where the issue is. Good luck!
Great video thank you. With our system the landscaper set up two zones. Zone 1 is the grass in the backyard and zone two is all of the drip lines for both the front and back yards. I noticed this evening that the front yard drips are all working fine but the back yard lines have zero water. Could the diaphragm in the valve cause this or am I likely looking at a break / leak? Thanks for the help.
Could be either. Try turning on the valve manually and see if you get water. With a leak you can sometimes feel a thrill in the line, since it's a high flow situation, whereas an obstruction is low flow. If you think it might be high flow, I would leave zone 1 on for a few hours and then hunt around the garden for a wet spot. The pipe these days is so thin, it's easy to accidentally puncture with a garden spade or freeze fracture. And sometimes it's just a failed connection causing a leak at one of the sprinkler heads. That causes low pressure everywhere so none of the heads will work. If it looks like a low flow situation, I would disassemble the valve, flush the proximal line, and evaluate the diaphragm.
spelunkerd Thank you for the advice. Your videos are well put together and informative. I have never worked on irrigation systems before but I felt comfortable taking everything apart. I disassembled the valve, flushed it, and put it back together. That completely solved the problem. I had some build up on the diaphragm and inside the valve. Cleaning that up was all it took. Thanks again!
Disney Mom Sher That kind of followup helps other people who visit here looking for answers. Thanks for going through the effort to tell people how it turned out.
Yes, you make an important point that when a solenoid fails, don't forget to look at the mechanical part of how that device works. If the valve is pinched or twisted it won't move smoothly, which sets up more mechanical resistance, which in turn leads to heat and damage to solenoid windings. However in this case you will note that there is a rust stain on one of the wires leading into the solenoid. Water got in there and corroded an electrical connection. See below.
That was a good video: Constructive criticism, because this is new to me. Show the bushing and what it looks like. I have never seen one. When you were screwing it in, try to start it off where your hand is not blocking it... or at least show yourself starting it off with an unblocked view. Still Excellent...
Thanks, man, you're right. I've rarely made a video that I didn't think was glaringly amateur in some way, and especially audio has been a steep learning curve. There's a balance between showing everything and keeping viewers entertained. Showing every step is better for serious viewers, but I try to respect the time of all viewers by reducing how long they need to sit still, ha ha!
If you are not sure if it is the solenoid or the seat that the solenoid rests in, you could swap one solenoid for another and see if the problem follows the solenoid, or if it stays in the same place. They are inexpensive, but there is no point to replacing a part if it is not the problem. Thank you for watching.
Do you think they might have disrupted any of the wiring when they drilled the well? Did you check to be sure the shutoff valve wasn't closed by the technicians when they drilled the well (probably not if you get water when you open manually). I would look at the controller and see if it is turned on, they might have turned the controller off or unplugged it when working on your system. Or, maybe the clock needs to be reset if they turned the power off. I would check power to the controller.
***** Thanks, man. The first things you should check are, first, the manual shutoff valve inside the house. Then check to be sure that the solenoids are all manually closed. Over winter, most homeowners leave the solenoids manually open so that water can't pool near the valves, possibly destroying them in a freeze. That's usually done as the final stage after blowing out the circuit with compressed air in the fall. If you try to restart without closing all the solenoid valves, then every valve is left open and the water can't build up enough water pressure to drive any sprinkler head.
Thanks! So far ive had to repair a break in the line where a new main water line was installed and broke the irrigation line in two. Luckily my system is lake fed and I was able to get the pump up and running after replacing a bad relay. Ive manually opened all of the values and I have at least 1 that is stuck open and 1 with a broken solenoid line somewhere between the timer and the solenoid (fun). Sadly it was in the high 90s today so I surrendered after fixing the water break. Tomorrow's another day!
***** The broken wire problem can eat a lot of time. If you've ruled out a connector issue it's sometimes easier to run a new line. There is a device, colloquially called a 'fox and hound' tool to help hunt down a broken wire, but those can be expensive. You could make your own fox and hound set with headphones and some kind of electronic noise generator, but that would be a weekend project, too. Good luck!
Firstly, thank you so much for this awesomely clear video! 🙌 My particular issue seems to be unique to this video, and I’m praying somebody can suggest what to try next! Current situation: Zone 2 doesn’t currently turn on via the control panel Methods tried: 1. Verified that power is coming from the control panel out to the valves 2. Verified that Zone 2 does receive power from the control panel when activated 3. Replaced the solenoid for Zone 2 4. Zone 2 does turn on successfully when manually rotating the solenoid Besides replacing the whole valve, is there anything else I can try?
I did a more recent video showing how the valves work, and at that time I worked through a similar problem. I removed the diaphragm, cleaned the slime and corrosion around the diaphragm and small passageways, and on reassembly it worked fine. Check my channel for that video, I forget what the title was. Good luck!
If it won't open with manual control, I would look at mechanical issues. If all the other zones are working normally with normal pressure, your problem is between the solenoid and the sprinkler heads of that zone. One of the commonest problems is a leak distal to the solenoid, which prevents pressure from building up in the circuit enough to lift the sprinkler heads up and blow water out. Turn it on and look for a flood, then dig. Failing that you could disassemble the zone solenoid.
Very helpful video. After replacing the solenoids I still have one zone that intermittently stays on when it should turn off. Zone 6 starts watering but zone 5 has not turned off. This happens about once every 6 times the system runs. Any suggestions?
The zone 5 valve is likely sticking open, and when it does that there isn't enough water pressure to open all the sprinklers on zone 6. I would disassemble the zone 5 valve, carefully clean it AND flush the proximal line of upstream debris, then reassemble and hope the problem is resolved. If not you need a new diaphragm or a new valve. You could help to verify the above diagnosis by showing the solenoid for zone 5 is not getting power when the valve sticks open, but it can be tricky to do that and the likely culprit is the valve rather than the electronics. I did another older video showing how to do that with a very simple valve, though some systems are a little more complex. Upstream debris can intermittently lodge in the valve seat, and when you inspect it may be hard to see the debris if you forget to flush. So, even though it's a little messy to turn water on when the valve is disassembled, it's important to flush. Good luck!
10 years later and this is still one of the best, clear, and concise videos on the topic of sprinkler zone troubleshooting. You covered a lot of ground in a short amount of time logically and methodically. Very well done.
10 years later and still the VERY BEST troubleshooting video and explanation for an irrigation system. I recently had a lightning strike near the house and various things on GFIs and surge protectors fried in very odd ways. Some transformers fried; some power supplies exploded; some wires fried but the end units were fine; in the case of irrigation system control/power box is fine but won't activate solenoids. This helped me troubleshoot and it turns out power wire to solenoids is fried somehow. Can't explain it but this HELPED!!! Now I need to fix it.
Thank you! As a mom of 6 and a hard working husband, I try to learn how to fix things around the house myself. This was the fix to my problem! Thank you for making it so easy!
Thanks Dave. I like how you started at the timer and systematically went through all the sprinkler zone components that could have been a potential problem. Very well done!
I took a class in irrigation and learned a lot, but we covered installation and not repair. I emailed my teacher for advice and he described what to do, which gave me the technical terminology to find videos This is exactly what I need to do and I'm pleased you have the same kind of valves, which makes it easier. Now I just have to buy an ohmmeter and not electrocute myself.
Thank you after a month and a half of calling my sprinkler guy and he never showed up I decide to google this is very problem and your video was first to show up and I'm glad I saw it because my sprinkler system is working perfectly now thank you
I was talking to some co-workers and they thought that it may be the ground as well. I will take a look at it tonight when I get home with a multi-meter and will check the panel. Thanks for the video btw. Very helpful.
great diagnostic and solution process, Ive been a professional groundskeeper for over 14 years and it really bothers me when others give inacurate suggestions on irrigation repair however this is a great example of proper troubleshooting and I really recommend this video to anyone seeking proper advise on irrigation repair,GREAT JOB!
I have some a zone not working properly. This video helped me on the troubleshooting end. Very well done. Everyone is on different levels of expertise. If you are savvy in mechanical and electrical things, it is very easy to follow. Well done Thanks
Irvin Rogers Thanks, man!
Thank you for your helpful videos! I now have enough knowledge to tackle my dead zone in my sprinkler system. Before watching your videos I had NO IDEA what I was getting into. Appreciate your help very much.
Awesome video - you've helped me a great deal, thank you!!!
We moved into our new home last Fall and it has been a fun adventure figuring out how everything works inside and outside of the House. Today, after Spring blooms eternal in Minnesota and Winter fades away, I opened the valves on the outside head unit, then did the same off of the water main inside. I went to the Sprinkler Panel in the Garage and manually switched between the zones. No Water, No Sprinkling. Went next door to our new neighbors and asked if the system had worked last summer (they said, "Yes, and nice to meet you!"). Clearly, I was doing something wrong.
This is where you come in -- after watching just a brief portion of your informational video I learned that I should go check the solenoid position for the valves in the yard -- sure enough, they were in the closed position. A 1/4 turn clockwise and I was in business, happily switching between zones to see what kind of water coverage I had at each zone.
Thank you, again!!
+Ken Osborn No problem, thanks for the followup. If you live in a frost area, remember to carefully blow out each branch of the system, one at a time, with compressed air in the fall. It's pretty easy to do if you have a good compressor, with as large a tank as you can afford. You don't want high air pressure but you do want a good volume tank. I routinely leave all the solenoid valves open in the winter to avoid pooling of any remaining condensed water behind the valve.
This guy knows what he's talking about. Video is paced well and thorough. Well worth a watch. I'm a novice in this electrical stuff, but now want to get into this.
What a kind remark, thanks Dan. I spend my time fixing cars and there is considerable overlap as far as techniques go. One technique I refer to here is voltage drop testing, which is a critical part of automotive diagnostics. If there is a voltage drop in the wire it means there is a bad connection somewhere, and by doing the test you avoid unnecessarily replacing parts. I show how to do that in the starter motor video on my channel.
As far as normal values, I found them on the 'net.
Dave
Thank you. Solenoid problems are a lot more rare compared to the more mundane issues of water pressure, leaking seals, and incompletely closing valves. But if you understand how the solenoids work, everything conceptually slides into place.
Thank you, Luke. Most guys who know their way around a DVOM will have no problem with this. For others who need more help, this may not be enough. Mostly I worry about walking people down a pathway that is too difficult for their skill set. Nice to meet you.
And thank you for the reply. Electrical solenoid problems are not very common, but when you understand how they work the whole system is that much easier to understand.
Thank you. Mystery solved. The actual leak was a good 30 feet from the leaking PVC connection, actually coming up at a joint in the sidewalk. Lots of digging in the mud, the family dog enjoyed the work. On to the next home repair adventure. Thank you so much.
Thanks for the followup, I"m sure others will find your example useful.
I like this guy. Very straight forward, relatively easy to comprehend, and straight to the issues. Good job!
Thanks, man.
You make a good point, that techniques used in one situation will often find application in others. Specifically voltage drop testing principles definitely apply here. Thanks for your input!
That's the most meaningful compliment I've had in a while, Rick. Thank you!
This is PRECISELY what I needed! Clear, condensed, and accurate. Thank you for your help and saving me some money 👍🏻
I troubleshoot electronic control systems for a generation station so I understood your troubleshooting method. This video would be very helpful to someone that isn't familiar with electricity, meters, ohms or voltage drop. Very good video.
Very helpful. I was told my common wire may have a shortage, so this video helped me to test for bad wiring.
I'm glad you chimed in, Gregory. Yeah, you're right, and if I had a spare solenoid that would probably have been my approach as well. But for an amateur it would have meant buying a new part before deciding whether it was broken. I did consider swapping the solenoid with one of the proven ones adjacent. But that would have involved more work, and to properly test the wires it would mean completely swapping it. Thanks for your input!
Just moved into a new place and there is an existing irrigation system. Officially just moved in today. No garage though. :( I have an almost identical Pro C irrigation controller as you! One of the heads is a geyser so I went looking for videos and voila, amazing that you covered this a decade ago. Great video as always. Hope you are doing well!
Hey man, it is so nice to hear from you, after all these years. You still working on cars? I did another more recent video on how the valves work, they have an intriguing design. Around this time of year, sprinkler videos get more action, ha ha.
Nicely done. You have a pleasant manner, effective when one of us is panicking at the other end. I'm on my way to get a voltage meter--been putting it off. Thanks for your care and help.
Thanks!
What a kind remark, Will. Thank you.
Likewise, as you know I watch every one of your uploads for practical advice from a professional automotive tech.
Terrific video on troubleshooting a sprinkle system. In addition to covering the topic in depth, the explanations and camera angles are really top notch. This video should be used as an example of "how to do a you tube video". Very high quality video work and consistent audio levels. Great job Spelunkerd!
What a kind remark, you made my day!
I agree with Doug B
Hello I'm we doing my garden as well it looks really good I'm doing it professionally. My parents have the exact same system you just showed I know it well and the how it was built
I enjoyed how you explained the process !! Well done !!
I find it interesting to see how you have the personality to cultivate a dedicated following of viewers, soon to eclipse my subscriber list in the next couple of months. My videos on the other hand are almost all found through Google searches by homeowners who have a problem, wanting a deep dive into understanding how their system works. I admire people who are able to captivate an audience, but in any case these humble old videos still serve useful a role.
Thank you so much! I just discovered that 2 zones were not working. I followed your other video and cleaned all of the insides of the valve and still no go. I'll try this. Cheers!
Very awesome knowledge and skill with the multimeter etc. I learned a lot from your video on how it worked but then I took the lazy approached and put one solinoid from a working zone and stuck it on, ran that zone, it made my broken zone work, boom solved. Replacing the solenoid is my confirmed fix!
This explanation was great. The replacement went smoothly. The landscaping company that put in the irrigation system didn't use the waterproof wire caps, so I upgraded all of those when I replaced the solenoid. Since I live in Sacramento and we only have two seasons, summer and not summer, I covered the wire connectors in a plastic container. I scored the bottom and popped them through with the the top on of course., I can replace it as needed. Thanks!
That's a good plan. If you are looking for an inexpensive substitute for those specialized connectors, look for "dielectric grease" in any autoparts store. One tube will last a lifetime, and you'll find lots of uses for it if you do any kind of auto repair. Some technicians put it on every electrical connector they open, to prevent oxidation and electrical shorting. The grease is a nonconductive barrier to water, oxygen, and other impurities.
Excellent video on troubleshooting a sprinkler valve.
Very well thought out and organized. Breaks done the steps easily so the real problem can be fixed quickly and efficiently. Nice job. Because replacing the whole valve is more expensive and if the trouble is in the wires or in the timer is a waste of time and money. Thanks DM
I found the valve this afternoon. My parents just moved into a new house and we have pop up sprinklers and since I have been hear I have been trying to find this valve. But thanks to your help I found out where it was and the problem and why it wasn't working. Thank you so much
Hey, I'm glad to help. Thanks for the followup!
I'm glad you found it, and special thanks for recording your experience here.
I dont have sprinklers but your systematic methods are A1 mate :-)
Hey you cant make videos if your life is complex or nothing much happens so never worry about us tubers, its your channel and your not contracted to make videos for us :-)
Washing machine water input solinoids often go the same way.
Thanks for the video. I've replaced the solenoids before but just did it by trial and error. I really appreciated the meter readings for troubleshooting electronically. Haven't been able to find that any where else. Thanks again!!
Thank you for the kind feedback!
I don't have a system but the testing was fantastic. Thanks
Excellent video. The all in one complete sprinkler problem solutions are in this informative video.
Great tutorials thanks!
Thank you much !!! I did not know much about sprinklers, and now I do. I appreciate your time
Thanks, just fixed mine, so great that others help spread their knowledge
Thanks to your video, my problem is fixed ! Very helpful video for a person like me, who doesn't know much about this stuff. Thanks!
tomificationable You're welcome, thank you for the feedback.
Very good info and system diagnostic,now the grass will be green.
And thank you, back. I was happily surprised to be successfully using an automotive technique, voltage drop testing, on an AC system.
Very systematic approach. I totally agree with the previous comment. That's exactly what I was looking for. Well done and thank you!👌
Very nicely done video, one of the more professional on TH-cam.
You voice is so calming, you remind me of Bob Ross.
Thanks!
Oh, this is a riot: I've just finished a big hardscaping/remodeling project involving a six zone irrigation system. My guys couldn't get it working, so I had to roll up my sleeves, bust out the continuity tester/voltmeter/line tracer and diagnose it myself. When I was probing the bad solenoid hypothesis, I pulled up THAT VERY SAME VIDEO. Seriously. About two weeks ago. I remember thinking that guy was very helpful.
Turned out to be the Rain Bird controller; when you short out one of the circuits, the controller takes that zone out of service until you fix the short and reset the controller. My guys had shorted out half the circuits while thrashing around with the lines. They got them all straight, but they never reset the controller, so confusion ensued.
Speaking of Bob Ross, are you aware of the whole ASMR cult? it's actually huge business on TH-cam.
Thomas Scoville spelunkerd
I had the sprinkler system installed in the house I'm in right now years ago, when I was traveling. Now that something was wrong with it, I had to both familiarize myself, as well as learn the interface to my controller, remember pascals law so I could recall how these valves work, pull out my multi-meter, and remember where everything comes and goes, because in America no one marks anything (very odd).
When I got to my first valve I realized I should do a quick check on the web.
While I know how all of it works, it was really wonderful having someone just calmly walk through the 1 2 3 of it.
So, I walked back outside, started at the controller, and followed it to its end.
Of note, everything is working now, not because I did anything clever or smart, but it seemed ultimately that unscrewing the sprinkler valve assembly, and just putting it back together again made everything happy again.
I'm now going to label everything, and draw arrows for water direction on the pipes.
Thomas Scoville ASMR - Yes. LOL I even know people into it.
Reichart Von Wolfsheild oh, labeling is a pathology with me. Compulsion. I have a label maker, a dozen different kinds of line tags, and fine line sharpies at the ready. You should see my work in the server room and the punch-down block. In a similar vein, you might want to check out www.reddit.com/r/cableporn. Not what you think: it's a forum for OCD server-room line jockeys. Lots of zip tie embroidery and Velcro straps and color-coding schema. We obsessives take control where we can.
Great video! Very informative and well put together. You do a great job of articulating the steps as you take them. I am going to use this to help troubleshoot my weak sprinkler zone. Thank you!
Great video - very clearly explained. I'm in the first house I've ever had with a sprinkler system, and it helped me better understand how it all works. Thanks for uploading!
Thanks! I did a few other videos that homeowners might find interesting, too, including a couple on hot water tanks.
Great video and you answered all my questions and demonstrated what to do as well. Well done and it helped me diagnose a bad solenoid.
Thank you! I had a feeling the solenoid was bad, but this video confirmed to just replace it!
I"m glad it helped, thanks for the followup.
Pro-tip Marette in Canadian = wire nut in the USA. thanks for the nice video and greetings from Florida
I'm a quality engineer by trade which means I understand this stuff but have no clue how to do it! Thanks for a VERY simple video. Thanks to you, I root caused the issue as a bad solenoid (only 1 zone not working), replaced it, and it is working again. Total cost ~$10 instead of calling someone and paying who knows what when they get around to it. Thanks for saving me time and money. If you're ever SE Michigan, I'll buy you a beer!
I love remarks like this. It says I'm hitting my target audience, guys like you and me (grin).
Thanks buddy. Helped me fix one of my stations that wasn't running. Very thorough and informative!
You're welcome, I'm glad it helped.
Hi! I just watched your video and it helped me diagnose the problem with my sprinkler system. I just had to replace the solenoid. Great video! Thank you!
Great, thanks for the followup, I'm glad it helped.
awesome job explaining! I troubleshoot my sprinkler system quite a bit and its a hit n miss way I do things....getting soaked quite often☺
Thanks for the explanations and also how to use a voltmeter!
thanks n wish we were neighbours!!🌞
What a kind remark, thanks for the followup.
Appreciate this video and information, checked mine out to find it was simply a broken breaker switch, popped it and the unused sensot open swapped the broken breaker switch for a good one and presto, Zone two is Aive!
Best diagnostic and repair of sprinklers I have seen. Very thorough! Thank you so much. I would love to see a how to use a voltmeter from you or how to set it properly for each application. How do you know what the resistance or OHM ranges should be? Cheers, Dan
Thanks for the help, thanks to your video we were able to tell that the problem is in the wires. Now we just have to figure out where.
Finding a broken wire can be tricky if it's in a garden. There are moderately expensive tools to help do that (trace wires and find breaks), but for a big area it might be simplest to just run another wire. Before doing that double check the connections at both ends, which are always problematic areas. Good luck!
+spelunkerd luckily the wires are bundled, and we had a few redundant wires, so we just swapped in one of the unused wires at both ends and it worked like a charm.
Makes perfect sense! I have a bad solenoid. Will be replacing this weekend. Thanks!
Perfect! A great explanation and demo. Just what I needed to know. Thank you friend!
Yesterday I was troubleshooting my sprinkler system and used this video as a guide. (great video btw). 2 of my zones weren''t coming on. After measuring for voltage and resistance, I was convinced the solenoids were bad. But was not the case. After a whole lot of head scratching, I started disconnecting and connecting wires and ultimately I determined that I had a 25 volts on each terminal of the expansion module when there should have been voltage on the 1 terminal at a time, so multiple valves were opening but the zone wouldnt work due to lack of pressure. I replaced the controller and all works now.
Great job, like mentioned in the previous comment i like the systematic methods you use as well, starting with the basics to a complete test of the system = a job well done with no worries,
Thumbs up, in addition im adding you to my recommended channel list hope you don't mind.
Thank you for sharing
Whenever I see a problem like that, I try to dissect it down to something understandable. If it is every zone I would have a look at the wiring, especially concentrating on the 'common' wire that connects all circuits. If there is concern that the short is at the controller, you could carefully disconnect the controller and test the distal wiring to look for continuity. That might help to tell if the short is at the controller or in distal wires. Take photos so you can retrace steps.
great video first off, I have a issue with one of my zones. the problem I'm having is when I leave my lawn to work off the timer the pressure at the sprinklers are low but if I manually do it at the diaphragm the pressure is fine.
Some systems have a manual control that will adjust how much the valve opens with the solenoid, I would look for and try that first. Make sure the solenoid is tightened all the way down, and I would remove it carefully and clean the seat. If that fails you could temporarily swap a neighbour solenoid to see if it works better. If it does, then it's time to replace the solenoid, they aren't very expensive.
Hello sir thanks for the prompt response been 5 tears for this video. I'll check that. My diaphragms are the same as the ones in your video
Sounds like a good plan. I thought there might be a bypass option for those systems, but if not just letting it dry out should work.
spelunkerd
I love your videos and want to thank you for thorough, clear explanations of the problem as well as the solutions. My understanding and confidence have improved from viewing your videos. I no longer freak out and wonder how to shut off the water and wonder whom to call. Again, thank you.
You twist the plastic control arm below the solenoid counterclockwise to get water. If you don't get water with that, but you do get water in all the other zones, look for a supply problem, either an obstruction OR a leak within that zone. If a leak causes a fall in pressure, the heads won't spray. Look for a leak, and if no leak take heads off, one at a time, and flush the line. You may need to clean the valve. Look for kinked supply lines. Good luck!
very good step by step process that explains how to detect for problems and how to fix it.
Thanks!
I have one of the Hunter systems, installed in about 2003. Residential. I used to manually turn on the zones, 6 zones. Now, the controller will show the sprinkler activated, but not one of the sprinklers will actually come on. What is likely my problem?
Think of the goofy problems first, like forgetting to turn on the water, blown fuse, forgetting which way open is for the valves, or a software issue. Remember the valves need to be manually all closed for the each individual solenoid to work, otherwise you just get leaking from all and pressure that is too low to lift sprinklers. If I found nothing there, I'd open one valve and see if you get a fountain of water when the valve top is removed. No water out an opened valve means either a leak or a kink/obstruction higher up.
@@spelunkerd Thanks....I am using a Hunter Pro-C controller, I have 6 zones, and.....I have one solenoid in my little green box. I don't have 6 solenoids. Should I have 6 solenoids? - When I turn each zones on manually, none of them work. The controller screen shows active zone and timer. But, none of the 6 sprinklers work when I select them, individually.
@@atvirotechinc6115 The system has a shutoff valve, often in the basement of the home. Check to be sure that is open. None of the zones will work if water isn't getting to the solenoids, or if there's a leak in the main supply line. If you have only one solenoid in a box, check around the garden for another box. Make sure all the solenoids are closed, since more than one valve open at a time will prevent any from working.
@@spelunkerd yes, in my case, I am in Texas and do not have a basement
My shutoff is on the inside of the garage. It is on the 'On' position
It worked just fine in 2020
On Sunday, I will try the 1/4 turn test to see if the come on
Again, I have only one solenoid, 6 stations
Really well done! I took notes and will through the analysis, step-by-step. Thanks much!
I hoped Google would find people like you (and me), analytic thinkers who have the curiosity to understand how things work. Thanks for the feedback, it worked!
Awesome Video! Thanks for helping the rest of DIYers :-)
Still helpful in 2018... thanks!
Right to the point, good technique, good camera work... great video overall. Thanks
Thank you.
Excellent, well illustrated and explained very clearly.
Kerry, thank you, for taking the time to view this. As you know, I consider your channel a great resource for irrigation and landscape work, so your compliment means a lot to me.
Dave
Very helpful, thanks a bunch for taking the time to make such an informative and comprehensive video.
Thanks!
They are usually under a cover of some type, in a central area, grouped together. Wander around the yard and look for a round or rectangular cover plate at ground level. Some solenoids that are fitted with backflow preventers have to be vertically higher than all their sprinkler heads, so for that type look in the higher garden beds, often concealed by shrubbery.
Very instructive and easy to follow! Thank you
This is exactly what I needed...love the Canadian accent too ! Thank You !
Thanks, I'm glad it helped. Funny how people talk about my accent, I never noticed, ha ha.
Dude thanks for sharing. My valve ended up replacing the filter.
Hahaha too funny my friend. I am troubleshooting my system and diagnosed it is a restriction on the line to the zone (water pressure at the valve is normal and higher than at the first sprinkler head UNLESS all the heads in the zone are capped and then it equalizes).
My challenge now... how do I find the exact location of the root without digging up the whole yard? This led me to your video and of course, I had to watch it!!
ANy ideas, Dave? I wonder if there is some kind of radio or sonar tracing device I can feed in the line?
I am not sure how they find exact locations on pinched lines.
Hi, Matt! The parallels to voltage drop testing in automotive circuits are surprising. Of course line pressure can be low because of a leak anywhere in the zone (high flow) or because of proximal restriction (low flow). Unfortunately we don't have easy access to flow meters, so it can be hard to tell the difference. Interestingly in sprinkler systems a leak is more common, anywhere in the zone. I usually start by leaving the line on for a few hours, then walk on the grass where I think the line would run to look for a wet patch. All it takes is one bad head, sometimes hard to find because it doesn't spray. Common spots would be where gardeners use a shovel, and where lines meet elbows for sprinkler heads, since cracks at connections points are surprisingly common. On the other hand, new systems use much thinner tubing, and that tubing can kink at bends, causing a pressure drop across the kink similar to a voltage drop across a source of resistance in a circuit. Also your remark that pressure is normal when you cap the other heads makes a leak a little less likely. Sometimes system zones are designed with too many heads that draw too much water, causing a drop in system pressure until you cap a couple of heads to limit consumption.
Too bad we don't have a noninvasive way to assess line pressure. One thing worth doing is to flush the line, especially at end devices like sprinkler heads where bits of calcium can plug off flow. You may get useful clues if you remove an end device, one at a time, and flush, since flow is only reduced distal to a restriction. Sometimes lumps of calcification can rock back and forth, held back by the valve, so I always flush the valve inlet at some point. I did a better video of how the valve works if you want more detail of that, including the adjustment screw that limits flow through the valve. Never forget to think of the forehead slapping obvious solutions. If you really are convinced that the problem is restriction, you could prove that by trying to flush it forward or reverse with water or compressed air. A borescope might be useful if you have access close to a sharp bend. Also I have a very long 75' plumbers snake that has a sharp enough end to push down a sprinkler line. If there is a kink, most likely the snake will not be able to pass the restriction, so you could use it to help guess where the issue is. Good luck!
Do we all have Pro C systems? Lol
Excellent no nonsense, straightforward video. Thank you.
Thanks!
Great video thank you. With our system the landscaper set up two zones. Zone 1 is the grass in the backyard and zone two is all of the drip lines for both the front and back yards. I noticed this evening that the front yard drips are all working fine but the back yard lines have zero water. Could the diaphragm in the valve cause this or am I likely looking at a break / leak? Thanks for the help.
Could be either. Try turning on the valve manually and see if you get water. With a leak you can sometimes feel a thrill in the line, since it's a high flow situation, whereas an obstruction is low flow. If you think it might be high flow, I would leave zone 1 on for a few hours and then hunt around the garden for a wet spot. The pipe these days is so thin, it's easy to accidentally puncture with a garden spade or freeze fracture. And sometimes it's just a failed connection causing a leak at one of the sprinkler heads. That causes low pressure everywhere so none of the heads will work. If it looks like a low flow situation, I would disassemble the valve, flush the proximal line, and evaluate the diaphragm.
spelunkerd Thank you for the advice. Your videos are well put together and informative. I have never worked on irrigation systems before but I felt comfortable taking everything apart. I disassembled the valve, flushed it, and put it back together. That completely solved the problem. I had some build up on the diaphragm and inside the valve. Cleaning that up was all it took. Thanks again!
Disney Mom Sher That kind of followup helps other people who visit here looking for answers. Thanks for going through the effort to tell people how it turned out.
Thank you. I just fixed my neighbors problem, and made an easy $200 to boot.
Cool, thanks for the followup.
Yes, you make an important point that when a solenoid fails, don't forget to look at the mechanical part of how that device works. If the valve is pinched or twisted it won't move smoothly, which sets up more mechanical resistance, which in turn leads to heat and damage to solenoid windings.
However in this case you will note that there is a rust stain on one of the wires leading into the solenoid. Water got in there and corroded an electrical connection. See below.
That was a good video: Constructive criticism, because this is new to me. Show the bushing and what it looks like. I have never seen one. When you were screwing it in, try to start it off where your hand is not blocking it... or at least show yourself starting it off with an unblocked view. Still Excellent...
Thanks, man, you're right. I've rarely made a video that I didn't think was glaringly amateur in some way, and especially audio has been a steep learning curve. There's a balance between showing everything and keeping viewers entertained. Showing every step is better for serious viewers, but I try to respect the time of all viewers by reducing how long they need to sit still, ha ha!
I like your videos. Your explanations are so easy to follow.
nice clear step by step explanation
If you are not sure if it is the solenoid or the seat that the solenoid rests in, you could swap one solenoid for another and see if the problem follows the solenoid, or if it stays in the same place. They are inexpensive, but there is no point to replacing a part if it is not the problem. Thank you for watching.
Very helpful. Thank you so much. Mahalo.
Did not really need this video, buy saved it as a favorite....Im sure I will use it later. Amazing stuff! Thanks a billion!
+Javier Lopez Thank you.
Do you think they might have disrupted any of the wiring when they drilled the well? Did you check to be sure the shutoff valve wasn't closed by the technicians when they drilled the well (probably not if you get water when you open manually). I would look at the controller and see if it is turned on, they might have turned the controller off or unplugged it when working on your system. Or, maybe the clock needs to be reset if they turned the power off. I would check power to the controller.
Great video thanks a bunch! This should definitely help me diagnos a large non functioning system on a house I just purchased.
***** Thanks, man. The first things you should check are, first, the manual shutoff valve inside the house. Then check to be sure that the solenoids are all manually closed. Over winter, most homeowners leave the solenoids manually open so that water can't pool near the valves, possibly destroying them in a freeze. That's usually done as the final stage after blowing out the circuit with compressed air in the fall. If you try to restart without closing all the solenoid valves, then every valve is left open and the water can't build up enough water pressure to drive any sprinkler head.
Thanks! So far ive had to repair a break in the line where a new main water line was installed and broke the irrigation line in two. Luckily my system is lake fed and I was able to get the pump up and running after replacing a bad relay. Ive manually opened all of the values and I have at least 1 that is stuck open and 1 with a broken solenoid line somewhere between the timer and the solenoid (fun). Sadly it was in the high 90s today so I surrendered after fixing the water break. Tomorrow's another day!
***** The broken wire problem can eat a lot of time. If you've ruled out a connector issue it's sometimes easier to run a new line. There is a device, colloquially called a 'fox and hound' tool to help hunt down a broken wire, but those can be expensive. You could make your own fox and hound set with headphones and some kind of electronic noise generator, but that would be a weekend project, too. Good luck!
Yep im planning on running a new line. Not even gonna try to find the break lol. Thanks for all the help!
spelunkerd
Thanks so much. This helped fix my issue. Very kind of you to post this detail.
Firstly, thank you so much for this awesomely clear video! 🙌
My particular issue seems to be unique to this video, and I’m praying somebody can suggest what to try next!
Current situation: Zone 2 doesn’t currently turn on via the control panel
Methods tried:
1. Verified that power is coming from the control panel out to the valves
2. Verified that Zone 2 does receive power from the control panel when activated
3. Replaced the solenoid for Zone 2
4. Zone 2 does turn on successfully when manually rotating the solenoid
Besides replacing the whole valve, is there anything else I can try?
I did a more recent video showing how the valves work, and at that time I worked through a similar problem. I removed the diaphragm, cleaned the slime and corrosion around the diaphragm and small passageways, and on reassembly it worked fine. Check my channel for that video, I forget what the title was. Good luck!
That's good advice, thanks for your contribution to this thread.
If it won't open with manual control, I would look at mechanical issues. If all the other zones are working normally with normal pressure, your problem is between the solenoid and the sprinkler heads of that zone. One of the commonest problems is a leak distal to the solenoid, which prevents pressure from building up in the circuit enough to lift the sprinkler heads up and blow water out. Turn it on and look for a flood, then dig. Failing that you could disassemble the zone solenoid.
This video was very helpful. I will try this series of checks tomorrow.
Thanks, I'm glad it helped!
Very helpful video. After replacing the solenoids I still have one zone that intermittently stays on when it should turn off. Zone 6 starts watering but zone 5 has not turned off. This happens about once every 6 times the system runs. Any suggestions?
The zone 5 valve is likely sticking open, and when it does that there isn't enough water pressure to open all the sprinklers on zone 6. I would disassemble the zone 5 valve, carefully clean it AND flush the proximal line of upstream debris, then reassemble and hope the problem is resolved. If not you need a new diaphragm or a new valve. You could help to verify the above diagnosis by showing the solenoid for zone 5 is not getting power when the valve sticks open, but it can be tricky to do that and the likely culprit is the valve rather than the electronics. I did another older video showing how to do that with a very simple valve, though some systems are a little more complex. Upstream debris can intermittently lodge in the valve seat, and when you inspect it may be hard to see the debris if you forget to flush. So, even though it's a little messy to turn water on when the valve is disassembled, it's important to flush. Good luck!