Irritrol RD600

[ohenry]

Hello all. Hoping you can help me troubleshoot a friend's RD600 clock. It's the outdoor model.

- LCD display is dead, and unit does not funtion.

- 110 power supply coming in tests fine.

- 24vDC leads coming out of the sealed right-hand side test dead -- no voltage.

- Can't seem to access the transformer compartment behind the panel on right.

- Irritrol's web site has a manual for this model, and drawings there show a 2A slow-blow fuse on the top-right side of the circuit board. However, on this particular unit there's no fuse there -- or anywhere else that I can find.

My first guess is blown transformer, but I'd like to know if there's a fuse somewhere that I should be checking. So my questions:

Any other spots to troubleshoot?

Any tips on finding a fuse? Do some models not have them?

Assuming it's a bad transformer, is that fixable or better off replacing the whole unit?

Thanks in advance.

[Sprinkus]

I had to replace two of those controllers last Thursday.
One had an erratic display and the other had erratic voltage on the valve terminals (causing the valve solenoids to chatter).
There should be a date code behind the battery compartment door. Is the unit still in warranty?
If not I would probably replace it.

[irrig8r]

I had to look this one up, just because I don't remember seeing a fuse in them.

Lo and behold... see pages 34 and 9 of this manual:

http://www.irritrol.com/controller_m...raindial07.pdf

It shows but doesn't identify the MOVs, but apparently the fuse protects the transformer. I just went and looked at 5 old ones I have in the garage (replaced with larger units over the years, kept these as back ups) and they don't have either the large MOVS or the fuse... of course the newest one is from 2000.

And BTW, the new manual is much better written than they used to do.

[irrig8r]

Originally Posted by ohenry

- 24vDC leads coming out of the sealed right-hand side test dead -- no voltage.

- Irritrol's web site has a manual for this model, and drawings there show a 2A slow-blow fuse on the top-right side of the circuit board. However, on this particular unit there's no fuse there -- or anywhere else that I can find.

My first guess is blown transformer, but I'd like to know if there's a fuse somewhere that I should be checking. So my questions:

I'd go with the bad transformer. My recollection on those outdoor models is that the "frame" in front of the transformer pries out easily enough with a screwdriver.

But I would also (in the immortal words of Mike Leary) "ohm out" (use an ohmeter to get resistance readings) all the zones to see if there are any shorts.

Irritrol's current use of the fuse seems to suggest that shorts in field wiring have caused damage to transformers, though I don't recall running into that...

[Mike Leary]

I'd be interested in the findings; we've a lot of Irritrol product ("Total Controls") out there and I can't ever remember a transformer going south. Let us know.

[irrig8r]

Originally Posted by Mike Leary

I'd be interested in the findings; we've a lot of Irritrol product ("Total Controls") out there and I can't ever remember a transformer going south. Let us know.

Irritrol has always been popular among landscape contractors here.There are quite a few in the field. The Total Control used to be my go-to controller for years, but most installers preferred the simplicty of the Rain Dial. I was installed a few Rain Dial Plus, but they discontinued that model and just incorporated features like NVM into the Rain Dial.

As far as dead Irritrol transformers go, I have run across just a few... maybe 12 or 15 total in more than 20 years, if you include pre-Irritrol Hardie models.

[Wet_Boots]

I wonder if the dead transformers were because of their internal fuse (class 2 requirement)

[1idejim]

if the transformer shows OL, it's shot.

[AI Inc]

Just wire a new transformer ( reg indoor type ) to the taps , if it works , there is your answer.

[AI Inc]

Originally Posted by irrig8r

I had to look this one up, just because I don't remember seeing a fuse in them.

Lo and behold... see pages 34 and 9 of this manual:

http://www.irritrol.com/controller_m...raindial07.pdf

It shows but doesn't identify the MOVs, but apparently the fuse protects the transformer. I just went and looked at 5 old ones I have in the garage (replaced with larger units over the years, kept these as back ups) and they don't have either the large MOVS or the fuse... of course the newest one is from 2000.

And BTW, the new manual is much better written than they used to do.

They never had one till toro bought them out. About the same time I stopped using them.