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Interesting Find

9K views 42 replies 17 participants last post by  Sprinkus 
#1 ·
Went on a job yesterday afternoon where the sprinklers wouldn't come on.

Well system so i verified water by bleeding a few valves.

Hydraulics eliminated i went to the controller. No response on manual single station.

118 vac in 28.2 out.

Continuity on all stations but no tone on 3 stations. Those 3 stations made my meter buzz or hum during the test.

I began to isolate the system and test each path a number of ways.

There were 8 stations in use, 1 & 2 were 14 ga single strand (one of which was stranded wire) with 14 ga common. 3 runs of 18 ga multi strand with only 2 commons in use.

Stations 1 = 25 ohms, 2 = 52 ohms.

I measured the number 1 common against the remaining stations to pair them up, here is what i got.

3-99, 4-27, 5-13, 6-25, 7-100, 8-100

Next i measured common 2 against all of those stations.

3=54, 4=18, 5=58, 6=71, 7=57, 8=58

When i left the system was working in both manual and in a test program that i set up.

This was a thought twister, what do you think i found?

My money is on Sprinkus, maybe Boots figuring this out in a hurry.

:)
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#6 ·
i think at valve 2 as well, common. I found something like that recently, on a new system i installed. Had no common making it to valve one and mv, at the end of the wire.
 
#8 ·
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Don't just sit on the fence and wait for an answer, draw a number from the hat and give us your best shot. This is a learning moment for all of us.

Even though they don't speak up much, there are some top notch troubleshooter's on this forum (even Boots) and i would like to hear what they think.

I would like to let this ride for a couple days, that way maybe Sprink, BCG, Waterlogged, Dana, Hosk, Txirrigation, Irrigation Contractor, A1, Boots, irritation and ML will chime in too. :)

You lurkers toss out a theory, you might be right, you might not.

I just thought this was a little more of a challange than we usually see.

The numbers are there, take a shot.
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#9 ·
ive only been doing irrigation for 2 years now, so i'm still learning a lot, especially when it comes to electrical...i learn a LOT from this site, and think threads like this one are the most helpful, we should do more of these more often...i've got one for you guys after this one gets cleared up...

my initial thought was zones 4, 5, and 6 were giving you trouble...i'll give this one some thought tomorrow morning and see what i can come up with...i'm still a little confused on the wiring coming into the controller tho
 
#15 ·
Any zone with over 60 ohms tell the wiring is faulty. If there are 3 commons all connected in the field my guess with out being there 1 of them must be bad at some point causing the 100+ohms.

Last week I was working on an old system that thad 128 ohms for the first 4 valves I was working on, turned out that the splice on the old wire was a partial connection.. It was that wire that was corroded and when you spliced it in the nut broke.. Not cutting the entire connection, keeping continuity but just poorly..The splice box @ clock was non waterproof nuts inside an old 600 body duct taped direct buried into ground not a few feet from the indoor clock kept outside..

poor common connection, did you do a short to earth?
Thats my guess..
 
#22 ·
A diagram with the valve boxes and cable pathways might help some folks with a diagnosis.
X2!...i'm still confused on the multi-strand, why there would be multiple multi-strand, unless i'm reading it wrong...

Kiril has a great answer...my only question would be is this a new install that someone else did? because you would think the original installer would have at least had the system running before he left...and if it's not a new install, then why would the wires be switched? which would make you think that it's something else
 
#23 ·
X2!...i'm still confused on the multi-strand, why there would be multiple multi-strand, unless i'm reading it wrong...
It is a very confusing situation to say the least. The multiple multistrand is not uncommon anywhere i have worked. Note that there were only 2 of the 3 commons used at the controller.

Kiril has a great answer...my only question would be is this a new install that someone else did?
Chief is on track but his number is off. Not a new install, prolly 70s/80s.
if it's not a new install, then why would the wires be switched? which would make you think that it's something else
Numerous repairs by numerous people would be a good reason.

I did have a little edge as i located 3 valves last winter here.
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#26 ·
3,5,7,8 use one of the commons and the other valves use the second common. May have been a large obstacle and they had to horse shoe the system, or added zones at a later date. Usually instead of running two commons guys splice in at a valve box.
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i think this is hot on topic
 
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