[peabodyn]

I have turned on our sprinkler system for the spring.

Here is the issue - all of the heads do pop up and spray water - at the same time, not by zone. The controller / clock does not affect the zones at all - even when I shut the controller and pull the plug.

I have disassembled each zone valve, all were clean and there was no dirt in the valve at all. I took apart each wire connection as well and cleaned the connections and put them back together. All to no avail.

I have reset the controller but that has not made a difference.

Any ideas (besides call a local sprinkler tech).?


Thanks

 

[del schisler]

I have turned on our sprinkler system for the spring.

Here is the issue - all of the heads do pop up and spray water - at the same time, not by zone. The controller / clock does not affect the zones at all - even when I shut the controller and pull the plug.

I have disassembled each zone valve, all were clean and there was no dirt in the valve at all. I took apart each wire connection as well and cleaned the connections and put them back together. All to no avail.

I have reset the controller but that has not made a difference.

Any ideas (besides call a local sprinkler tech).?


Thanks

is their a battery to keep the memory ??

 

[djlandkpl]

The controller / clock does not affect the zones at all - even when I shut the controller and pull the plug.

Does the water continue to run from the heads with the power disconnected?

 

[peabodyn]

Yes, there is a battery - I have removed it and re-inserted it and the issue remains.

Yes, the water keeps flowing even after I pull the plug on the controller.

I have also reset the clock and put in all the date and run time information, but nothing has helped.

 

[djlandkpl]

When a zone is on, the controller opens the valve by completing the circuit. If you have a voltmeter, check the valves for 24 vac. Try it with power and no power. If you get 24 vac with no power, something is feeding power to your valves.

 

[Msradell]

If the water keeps flowing even when you pull the plug on the controller something is keeping the valves from closing. Sprinkler control valves are normally closed and need power to open and since you unplugged the controller they certainly are not getting power. You could have turned in a system that is preventing the valves from closing. Another question is did you winterize the system or did somebody else? Some type of valve have a manual override and it will keep the valves open manually. If somebody else winterize the system they may have used the manual override.

 

[peabodyn]

If the water keeps flowing even when you pull the plug on the controller something is keeping the valves from closing. Sprinkler control valves are normally closed and need power to open and since you unplugged the controller they certainly are not getting power. You could have turned in a system that is preventing the valves from closing. Another question is did you winterize the system or did somebody else? Some type of valve have a manual override and it will keep the valves open manually. If somebody else winterize the system they may have used the manual override.

I had the local sprinkler tech winterize the system - blow all the water out.

So you're thinking that there may be a way of keeping the valves open, manually. - Sounds interesting. When they do the winterization, they do not have access to the controller. I shut the water off and they blow out the system from outside. I don't know how they could manually keep the valves open.

 

[djlandkpl]

Some type of valve have a manual override and it will keep the valves open manually. If somebody else winterize the system they may have used the manual override.

Great point. I'm sure it will vary by brand. I have Rain Bird valves. The valve can be manually opened by rotating the solenoid that screws into the valve.

 

[Msradell]

I had the local sprinkler tech winterize the system - blow all the water out.

So you're thinking that there may be a way of keeping the valves open, manually. - Sounds interesting. When they do the winterization, they do not have access to the controller. I shut the water off and they blow out the system from outside. I don't know how they could manually keep the valves open.

The override that I'm talking about is accurate on the valves themselves. It's just a little screw that you turn with a screwdriver and it locks the valve in the open position. This keeps water from accumulating in the valves.

 

[peabodyn]

There is a bleed screw on each valve and I typically open the screw to bleed air out of the valve. The valves are Irritol 2400T.

I'll wait until I get the solenoids in the mail and replace them although I am skeptical that all three solenoids have failed at the same time.

 

[peabodyn]

I have confirmed that the controller / clock is producing 24 volts and each one of the solenoids click when activated by the clock.

Each valve has been opened and is clean and the diaphram looks fine.

I've read that at times, air remains in the system, preventing the valve from closing.

Any advice on how to get the air out of the system to close the valves?

TIA

 

[djlandkpl]

Running the system for a few minutes should purge the air. Did you confirm the valves don't have 24 volts when the controller is running the zone.

Closing the screws and tightening the solenoids didn't work?

 

[peabodyn]

Running the system for a few minutes should purge the air. Did you confirm the valves don't have 24 volts when the controller is running the zone.

Closing the screws and tightening the solenoids didn't work?

Yes, I closed the bleed screws and tightened the solenoids.

Ran the system several times (while trying to find the issue). Left only one zone open to purge air - for each zone - still no success.

Each solenoid clicks, so voltage is there.

Will now shut two valves at a time and unscrew the furthest head of the open zone (three zones in total) to see if that bleeds the open zone.

Am close to calling the local sprinkler guy and paying $70.00 for a spring turn on.

Frustrated.

 

[peabodyn]

Found out what the problem was... it was me.

Tested each solenoid for voltage - at first couldn't get any reading, then realized that due to rain today, the rain sensor kept voltage from the solenoids. Bypassed the rain sensor - 24 volts present at all zones.

Clock still would not shut off valves. Went to sprinkler parts store and spoke with counterman. He solved the issue in an instant - I had the manual shut off valve on each zone set to "open" as I figured that was correct. Once he told me that the manual shut off should be in the "closed" position, it all made sense.

The solenoid opens the valve from the closed position from instructions from the clock. Wish I had known that earlier.

All in all a win / win situation. I now know how the system works and I avoided paying the local guy $70.

Thanks to all.