Re: lawn sprinkler control unit repair

[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?
>