Re: lawn sprinkler control unit repair

["BruceR" <brNOSPAM@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Sounds like you have one bad solenoid. To be sure, you can take a 24 vac
power supply and attach it to the soleniod leads and see if it works. If
it doesn't, disconnect quickly. As for the wiring, to check for a short,
disconnect both ends of the wires and don't let the ends touch each
other. At either end put one test lead on the common and then use the
other lead to test each of the other wires. You should see infinity (or
no tone if using the tone function). If you get a tone between any two
wires you have a short.  You can also test between the colored wirs to
make sure there's no short there.  If you find a short you'll have to
either find and repair the point that's damaged or replace the cable.

From:pak
eckerpw@xxxxxxxxx

> OK,  becasue all connections in valve box looked very old and worn, I
> undid all them.
> 1) tested each of the five solenoids, all but one read between 22-24
> ohms, so I assume they are good. The fifth read infinity, so I assume
> that one is bad, correct?
> 2) At the vavle box cheched each of five colored wires to the common,
> each read 0-2 ohms, not sure what that means? Help
> 3) Then measured each colored wire terminal at control box to the
> common terminal, each read 0-1ohm. See aboverequest at item 2.
>
> I am learning a great deal in this project and really appreciate your
> ongoing help.
>
> Paul
>
>
>
> On Sun, 24 Apr 2005 23:03:59 GMT, "BruceR" <brNOSPAM@xxxxxxxxxx>
> wrote:
>
>> Yes, just unscrew the black soenoid from the valve body if it indeed
>> needs to be replaced.  If you disconnect the solenoid wires from the
>> wires going back to the panel, you then put your meter across the two
>> solenoid wires and see if theres a short.  Next, put the solenoid
>> wires aside and put the meter across the common and the other wire
>> going back to the panel and see if there's a short.
>>
>> From:pak
>> eckerpw@xxxxxxxxx
>>
>>> Bruce- hate to keep asking questions, but ....just want to be sure I
>>> understand
>>> 1)  unscrew the solenoid from the valve body?
>>> 2) re: your last sentence, how do I check solenoid and wires after
>>> they are disconnected?
>>>
>>> On Sun, 24 Apr 2005 22:18:28 GMT, "BruceR" <brNOSPAM@xxxxxxxxxx>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> No, check for shorts with the power OFF!  Changing the solenoid is
>>>> simple. Clip the wires and just unscrew it (turn the water off).
>>>> The new one (available at your local home center) just screws in
>>>> and you hook up the wires (it's 24 VAC so there's no polarity to
>>>> worry about).  If the same brand as your valve is not available,
>>>> that's OK as they're interchangeable. Rainbird, Toro, Orbit, Lawn
>>>> Genie, etc. all use the same thing. Bring the old one with you
>>>> just to be sure. Remember, if you find a short from the panel it
>>>> might be the wiring rather than the solenoid. If you find a short,
>>>> disconnect the wires to the solenoid and check the soleniod and
>>>> the wires to see where the problem is.
>>>>
>>>> From:pak
>>>> eckerpw@xxxxxxxxx
>>>>
>>>>> Understand, one more question or two, if I find that there is a
>>>>> short in the solenoid, is it  best to replace the  valve or can I
>>>>> repair? Does the control unit need to be powered up to check for
>>>>> shorts?
>>>>>
>>>>> On Sun, 24 Apr 2005 20:47:23 GMT, "BruceR" <brNOSPAM@xxxxxxxxxx>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> The gelcaps are plastic tubes filled with a waterproof gel. You
>>>>>> stick the wirenutted connection into the gel and close the top.
>>>>>> That keeps water out of the connector. There may already be
>>>>>> corrosion in the wirenuts so replacing them (cutiing back the
>>>>>> wires beyond the corrosion) will give you a clean, tight
>>>>>> connection.
>>>>>> To check for shorts from the control box, put one test lead on
>>>>>> the common terminal and then touch the other lead to each screw
>>>>>> terminal. If you read 0 ohms there's a short in a solenoid.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> From:pak
>>>>>> eckerpw@xxxxxxxxx
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> OK, got the valve box all cleaned out. There are 5 valves, each
>>>>>>> with a colored wire and a black wire which I guess is the
>>>>>>> common. All the connections in the valve box that were under
>>>>>>> dirt are just connected with wire nuts, but all wires seem
>>>>>>> intact and still connected. The fuse in the control box is
>>>>>>> blown.
>>>>>>> The advice here  was to check all connections and then
>>>>>>> waterproof with gel caps. Can some one explain how gel caps
>>>>>>> work or what I do with them? are wire nuts sufficent for this
>>>>>>> application?
>>>>>>> Also George suggested " measure that solenoid at the control box
>>>>>>> to verify that the resistance is comparable to the other
>>>>>>> solenoids, I think in the range of 20-50 ohms. (Put ohmeter
>>>>>>> between
>>>>>>> common and valve when watering is not active.)
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Could you explain that a little further? I assume all the
>>>>>>> control valves are soleniod operated. Not sure how to measure
>>>>>>> soleniod at control box. Am I looking to see if one of the
>>>>>>> valves has shorted out? Need a little more qdvice on the
>>>>>>> trouble shooting path.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Thanks
>>>>>>> Paul
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Sat, 23 Apr 2005 18:53:51 -0700, "AZ Woody"
>>>>>>> <Reply@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> I saw one (don't recall the brand) that would also go
>>>>>>>> completely brain dead if the backup battery went bad.  But it
>>>>>>>> sounds like you should clean out around the values as a first
>>>>>>>> step...
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> "pak" <eckerpw@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>>>>>>>> news:d0ll61hgdvlb5qoagpu3cft9r6jefkca31@xxxxxxxxxx
>>>>>>>>> it's a Hydro Rain HR 6000-1, not sure how old
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> On Sat, 23 Apr 2005 22:55:01 GMT, "Jack Ak"
>>>>>>>>> <akjack@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> What is broken?  A device model number might be needed along
>>>>>>>>>> with failure symptoms.  My local OSH store carries parts
>>>>>>>>>> for the Lawn Genie controller.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> "pak" <pak.ecker@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>>>>>>>> news:24gl61d0gcnnrpalfsb0m3jo7pf0alhmdh@xxxxxxxxxx
>>>>>>>>>>> Wondering if this is the right group to ask questions about
>>>>>>>>>>> automatic sprinkler system control unit repair?