K,

Take it step by step to gain more specific info. What is the model number of the RB controller? Can you use the controller to cycle through the zones manually and each zones shuts off when the zones time is expired? Place a battery in the controller and reset the controller to the factory settings, then reconfigure your program in the controller. Do you have ten year warranty on your house as some new homeowners have? Aloha

RB controller: ISM-4

Can you use the controller to cycle through the zones manually?
Yes

zones shuts off when the zones time is expired?
manually yes, they shut off. but with timer next one starts, from 1-4, then back to 1 and goes to 4 again. like a loop.

Place a battery in the controller and reset the controller to the factory settings?
Battery i will get that in tomorrow, also how do i reset it, i left if unplugged all night.

Do you have ten year warranty on your house as some new homeowners have?
how do i check/know. the house was built in 2002, but i bought it off of foreclose in Jan 2010

the clock will not allow you to set all 4 zones to turn on at the same time. You need to go to program A, set the zone run times then set one start time. If you try to set multiple starts at the same start time it will run thru one program then start the next one.

K,

If the electricity is off with no battery the controller will reset to the factory settings and you will have to reprogram your time. If you were not the original owner, your probably not protected under the warranty. The warranty paperwork would be in your closing documents. Here is a link to the RB ISM on-line manual:

http://www.rainbird.com/documents/diy/man_ISMseries.pdf

The manual says when battery and power are disconnected for 10 seconds, it will erase all programs. The manual also says that you need to install the battery for the short circuit detection to operate and as backup if a short power failure. The manual has a RB phone # for problems.

Mike's comments are the most knowledgeable in this forum. Are your start times the same within a program(A time 1,2,3,4) or with different programs(A,B,C).

after following all these steps system still cycling. should i change the rain-bird main board( controller)

the early espm series did have some main circuit board problems, and the ism's may have the same type of problem. if you call the rain bird number and give them the model and date of manufacture which you should find inside the clock, they may have a warranty fix.

yea, they warranty it for 3yrs, this model was made on 2/07. if I'm gonna replace it should i buy same-one, or is there different model within reasonable price that will not die this fast. i found the ISM-4 for 20Bucks, but again i rather get something that will last me in long-run.

I would recommend the esp4m, it costs a bit more but is reliable and should last ten to fifteen yrs. at least.