DC Latching Solenoids

[sleeton13]

Hey folks I have not posted on here for years. I have been a licensed irrigator in south texas for years. I am working on a homeowners association property that has 35 zones. I have a toro 250 one inch valve that is not getting any power to it from the controller and I cannot locate the broken wire and the system is well over 40 years old. Is there a DC latching solenoid that will work with the toro 250 so I do not have to cut the valve out?

Thanks

 

[1idejim]

Hey folks I have not posted on here for years. I have been a licensed irrigator in south texas for years. I am working on a homeowners association property that has 35 zones. I have a toro 250 one inch valve that is not getting any power to it from the controller and I cannot locate the broken wire and the system is well over 40 years old. Is there a DC latching solenoid that will work with the toro 250 so I do not have to cut the valve out?

Thanks

Honestly, You’ve piqued my curiosity.

I’m curious what your resistance measurements are from the controller?

Many times a solenoid is shot or a mechanical issue is the problem. A few minutes spent with a multimeter saves a lot of guesswork

I wonder how many common wires are entering the controller and where the physical placement of the valve is in relation to the rest of the valves on the same common path.

Isolate the valve to the common wire which services the valve, it would have to be the last valve on a common Otherwise none of the downstream valves on the same common would work.

If the valve is not the last on a common run you are probably looking for a broken valve wire.

To locate a broken wire, follow the wire path until you lose signal, back up 6 - 10 feet, re-acquire the null, move the wand 6” to either side of the path. Parallel the wire path while listening to the peak signal until it drops off rapidly. Dig the break up and fix it.

 

[RhettMan]

Brother man,

Fix it right. Even changing to a another DC valve is sub your responsibility to the best interest of the property.

And I have faith it you.


Good luck. I highly recommend the services of a James Robertson outta Left Coast, USA

But if you wont afford the plane ticket for his travel, there are some other good guys around your area.

 

[RhettMan]

I feel it only right that I immedately add to my pompous suggestion...

that i suggest this, having done the dc/node thing before, and im disappointed in myself for early shortcuts.

i hope mostly to steer you away from these long lasting feelings.

everytime i stick with it and fix it right i feel like

 

[sjwater]

I was told there are some adapters from DIG that convert an AC valve to a DC setup. I found these online:

VDC Latching solenoid - Irrigation - DIG Corporation

DIG's S-305DC is an encapsulated, watertight, two-way magnetic latching solenoid that requires minimal power to operate.

www.digcorp.com

I have no clue if they work or not, just FYI.

 

[sleeton13]

Thanks for the advice. Been tracing wire and MAY have found an issue.

Thanks

 

[1idejim]

Thanks for the advice. Been tracing wire and MAY have found an issue.

Thanks

Feel free to call me if you want to discuss the trace.

 

[irritation]

Replace the wiring box to box.
Don't start pot-holing and checking wires, it only causes more splices.

 

[1idejim]

Replace the wiring box to box.
Don't start pot-holing and checking wires, it only causes more splices.

No reason to pot hole and check wires when you can accurately determine where the issue is and address the problem correctly.

I don’t know how accurately your 501 locates faults and opens due to its high frequency but at 84.4 kHz my tr4110 does a great job as does any of the armada 2khz locators.

 

[irritation]

I've tried an A-frame ground fault locator before on multi-strand and found it very time consuming and inaccurate at pinpointing the location.