Were valve station program settings okay, including master valve on if needed? Try reprogramming if it's messed up. Voltage spikes can scramble some memory settings. Also try single station operation with the timer controls.

Another thing you can do is test that the valves do work electrically, bypassing control circuitry. The timer is, after all, just a fancy switch for 24 volt AC power. If you can't measure the transformer voltage output, let's assume it is okay to get started.

I do not have an example in front of me, so will have to wing it a little. The transformer may have three output wires or just two. If three, one is an intermediate connection in the transformer winding and does not influence output to the valves. It is apt to be a different color from the other two.

With the (other) two, there is 24 volts between them. One is arbitrarily made the "common" and either one of the two wires from all the valve coils also connects to common. Hence the name. The OTHER transformer lead is the one that is switched, to the other wire of individual valve coils. It may be labelled "test" on the circuit board where all the wires connect.

One at a time, loosen the wire to the numbered station terminal for each valve. Touch or attach it to the test terminal and see if the valve opens. What happens if you connect to the wrong 24 volt terminal? Nothing, it's just both valve coil wires to common and no voltage.

If all the valves work with this test at the controller, everything external to the controller (wiring and coils) is okay. Therefore, the controller is not okay.

If nothing works, that is inconclusive by itself. Either the transformer is bad or, more likely, the external common wire is broken/disconnected in the run between timer and first valve group. Skipping partial functionality for now.

Even an inexpensive multimeter can be useful in diagnosing these problems, by the way.

irri guy, Thanks. Just did the electrical test....all valves work, so it must be controller. Have reprogrammed...still no go. Guess I have to replace...unless you have another idea. You sure saved me alot of trouble. Thanks

RJ,
You can try to re-boot the controller by removing all power to the controller as you would a computer. That would include the transformer as well as any battery backup. Leave the power off for about 5 mins. then plug the transformer back in. You will have to reprogram the controller, but it may reset itself and work fine. If not, it sounds as if you'll need to replace the controller. Also, make sure that your rain sensor isn't preempting the controller from operating.

All Wet
Texas Licensed Irrigator #1897 since 1984

Good points from All Wet. I tend not to think about rain sensors here. 95% of our rain is outside the growing and irrigation season.

All Wet, irri-guy. Thanks for all your help! The system is up and running. I kinda ruled out the rain sensor for three reasons: 1. I never saw one in the system 2. As I drive around the neighborhood in the rain, I see plenty of sprinklers running...makes me think they aren't standard equipment here. 3. SRC has a "by pass sensor" position...and that made no difference. So, I went out and bought a little Orbitz controller, hooked it up..and eveything runs fine. Thanks again for the troubleshooting help!

Forgot to mention...reboot was a no go. SRC even has a reboot function....disconnect all power, wait a few minutes, depress + - & > keys and reconnect. Nothing helped.

great, now go buy a rain sensor.

I have a hunter SRC. All zones work except for two..... I can hear them running when controller is on those zones. But there doesn't seem to be a charge in the lines.... One of my junction boxes has two manual solenoids as well as electric ones...another has one..... The faulty zones box has just the electric ones.... Hopefully I didn't confuse anyone.. I know I am with this....please help.. Thank you in advance

Hi Draught,

Change out the solenoids in the faulty ones. Have you had a break in a line recently. I have never heard of a manual solenoid. Describe what you think is the solenoid, please. Hand turn the non-working zone solenoids and let me know if the water in that zone comes on. Aloha

I recently tried to turn on box manually because I had it unplugged and it doesn't work. Was working fine last week all of a sudden shows no signs of life. Any ideas out there...

j4g,

What do you mean by turning the box on manually. Describe what the box is. Please describe what you did specifically. Aloha

My sprinkler system was working fine last week. Now all of a sudden no water is coming out -I can hear the stations running but no water - Please help

SB,

Check the main water supply valves to the auto-valves. Make sure they are working and not jammed closed. Listen for water movement in the pipes that are exposed. Manually turn on the sprinklers by rotating the solenoids counterclockwise just enough to start the zone. It is a blocked main line or broken valve. JMHO Aloha