
First, go to the controller and turn on the zone in question and see if you have 24 Volts at the zone valve in question by touching the leads from the volt meter to the wires at the solenoid (make sure your wire nuts are tight and the connection is free from corrosion). If you have 24 volts here, then you have a solenoid or valve problem. Now, disconnect the solenoid wires from the timer wires and turn your volt meter to OHM's. Place your leads on the solenoid wires- you should get a reading of 20 to 60 ohms. If you get 0 your solenoid has a short in it and needs to be replaced. If the solenoid checks out, remove the solenoid and check the plunger in the bottom of the solenoid for dirt or debris. Also make sure the tiny hole where the solenoid screws into the valve is not clogged. If it is, poke a small paper clip into the hole to remove the debris. If this checks out, take the top off of the valve and check the diaphragm for holes or wear. If it has holes or shows signs of wear, replace the diaphragm. If it looks ok, check inside the body of the valve for rocks or debris.


3 comments:
I have a sprinkler zone where where water is backing up and trigger my backflow preventer several times during a cycle. Any advice on what might be causing the problem?
Correction: Voltmeter should be set to AC Volts, NOT DC Volts when checking the controller voltage.
This is a great reference that has helped me solve an issue! Thank you so much.
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