1. Irrigation Troubleshooting:

2. What does it take to be an “Irrigation Troubleshooter”?
An Electrician
A Plumber
An Electronics Technician
An Irrigation Technician
A Laborer
ALL OF THE ABOVE
Plant Water Requirements
What kind of plant is it? Do different plants have different water needs?
Scheduling Requirements
What kind of soil is it? Do soils absorb water at different rates?
Application Specifics
Differing ways to apply this water (spray heads; rotors; drip, etc.) based on the “targeted” plant type.

3. The 7 components of an irrigation system that we need to be concerned with:
• Water Supply
• Backflow Preventer
• Main Line
• Electric Valves
• Lateral Lines
• Heads
• Controller
Hybrid controls… the best of both worlds

4. When a customer comes in or calls with an irrigation problem, what do you do?

5. Ask Questions What is malfunctioning?
Is it the controller, valves, heads, sensors, etc.?
Has anyone been working in the area other than you?
Have there been any storms lately?
Can you manually turn on the system?
Has the pressure been reduced in the area?
Etc.

6. There are two main divisions of an irrigation system
There are two main divisions of an irrigation system. This will be the first question of your Troubleshooting Plan.
Is the problem
Electrical or
Hydraulic?

7. Electrical Troubleshooting

8. Two-wire technology for large systems
Traditional systems require at least one wire per valve, plus common ground wires.

9. Direct Burial Connectors
Two Wire
Direct Burial Connectors
DBY/DBR- 30v Max
DBY/DBR v Max
DBR/Y 600v Max

10. Cut us some slack… 5 feet slack wire, per splice Always in a valve box
At decoders, and at T splices
Always in a valve box
Stake decoder upside down (recommended)
Up to 150 feet from decoder to solenoid (shorter is better)

11. Electrical Terminology
Alternating current (AC) – Standard household current. Most irrigation systems use AC current.
Amperage (AMPS) – Quantitative measurement of flow of electricity, similar to Gallons per Minute in irrigation.
Circuit – In irrigation terms, the electrical wiring path from the station output terminal to and through the solenoid back to the common terminal.
Connection – Connection of one wire with one or more wires inside of an approved wire nut or other connecting device.
Direct Current (DC) – Directional flowing electricity: i.e. current flowing from the positive terminal of a battery through a device and back to the negative terminal.
Field Wiring – the wiring between the controller and any device/valve installed in-ground.
Ground – In electricity, it is always earth ground
Multimeter (Volt OHM-Meter) – Digital or analog testing device for measuring electricity’s characteristics (voltage, amperage, resistance).

12. Electrical Terminology
OHMS/Resistance – The resistance encountered by electricity in wiring or devices on a circuit, similar to friction loss in irrigation terms.
Open Circuit – Term given to a circuit when the pathway for electricity has been severed or is not completed.
Primary Side – The side of the transformer that is connected to the 120vac supply.
Secondary Side – In the irrigation industry, it is the 24vac output side of the transformer.
Short Circuit – Term given to a circuit where electricity bypasses the intended and goes directly from the hot to the common wire.
Short To Ground – the electricity has a direct path from the wire through the insulation to ground.
Solenoid – an electrical device on valves that when electrified creates a magnetic field that pulls a metallic plunger.

13. Electrical Terminology
Terminal Strips – A collection of terminals numbered to differentiate zones.
Terminals – The connecting device on the panel of the controller that the field wires are attached into. There are station output terminals and common terminals.
Voltage (VOLTS) – Quantitative measurement of the power of electricity, similar to water pressure (PSI).
Zone – Irrigation term used to differentiate one circuit from another: i.e. zone 5 or zone 12.
Zone Wire VS. Common Wire – The zone wire is the wire connecting a station output terminal on a controller to a solenoid or device. The common wire is the wire connecting the solenoid or device to the common terminal.

14. Digital Multimeter (Volt-ohm meter)

15. Using The Multimeter Know what you are measuring
Volts……AC or DC voltage?
Amps
Ohms
Set the meter to the proper scale
BE SAFE! Call a certified electrician if you
watch “Home Improvement” regularly

16. Voltage Controller power specifications
120 VAC ± 10% ( VAC)
Does my controller require a dedicated breaker?
If a high amperage device like an irrigation pump is powered on the same branch circuit as the controller, the answer might be--YES.
Why? The high amperage demand of the pump causes a severe drop in voltage.

17. Measure Transformer Voltage

18. Current Must be measured in-circuit 120 VAC supply
Controllers use approximately 0.25 amps
Add 0.12 amps for each solenoid
Refer to the manufacturer’s specifications

19. Resistance Most useful of all measurements in the field
Used to test for bad:
Solenoids
Field wiring
Transformers
Shorts to ground

20. DO NOT MEASURE RESISTANCE WHILE THE POWER IS ON!!

21. Resistance Terms Open Circuit Short Circuit
Think of an “open” drawbridge
Turning off the light switch at home = open
Indicates no connection
Station will not work
Short Circuit
The common wire is touching a station wire
Internal solenoid wires touch-- too soon
Result? The fuse or circuit breaker opens, or……
The diagnostic circuit breaker “skips” the station

22. Electrical Troubleshooting Summary
Check the outlet that the controller is plugged into. Make sure it has 120 volts and that the outlet is not connected to a switch or is not part of a ground fault circuit.
Is the controller putting out 24 volts? Test the terminal strip with a multimeter to determine output voltage.
Is there continuity through the solenoid?
Hybrid controls… the best of both worlds

23. Electrical Troubleshooting Summary
If not, then test the ohms on that station. A high reading (over 60 ohms) indicates an open circuit.
If the circuit is open, is the problem a solenoid or a cut wire? Go to that valve box, disconnect the solenoid from the valve wires. Take the ohm reading of the solenoid. If this reading is high, then replace the solenoid.
If the solenoid is normal, then we have a wiring issue. Here we will turn to specialized equipment for tracking wire.

24. Common Valve Problems Check resistance on the solenoid.
Check to be sure the flow control is not all the way closed.
Check for trash inside the valve.
Check to make sure bleed tube is not clogged.

25. Solenoid Resistance Acceptable range: 20 - 60 ohms
More than 60 ohms is considered open
Less than 20 ohms is considered shorted

26. Solenoid Ohm Resistance Values
Asco (Bermad/ClaVal) ohms
Champion ohms
Greenlawn ohms
Griswold ohms
Hardie/Irritrol ohms
Hunter ohms
Imperial ATTV ohms
Nelson ohms
Orbit ohms
RainBird A series coil ohms
RainBird B series coil ohms
RainBird DV series ohms
Superior ohms
Toro 1” /- 28 ohms
Toro ¾” /- 23 ohms
Weathermatic ohms

27. Electronic Tracking Equipment
Progressive Electronics 521
508
Pulse toner
Station master
2003 Fault Finder

28. Hydraulic Troubleshooting

29. Hydraulic Troubleshooting
Pressure - 2 Kinds:
Static (Hydrostatic)
Dynamic (Hydrodynamic)
Check using a pressure
gauge on the backflow,
hosebib, and heads.
Static (Hydrostatic) Pressure:
water at rest, experiencing no friction or pressure losses due to no movement
Dynamic (Hydrodynamic) Pressure:
As water moves through pipe, fittings, valves, etc, it experiences losses in pressure due to friction.

30. Hydraulic Troubleshooting
TIP – always begin at the beginning.
Start at the beginning of the water system. Make sure all irrigation water valves are open.

31. Hydraulic Troubleshooting
2. Is the backflow working properly?
Dual Check – you can’t
tell by looking at it.
PVB – check the bonnet
and poppet assembly
for cracks or warpage.
Also check the o-ring.
RPZ – look in both
check valves for trash or cracks.
Check the o-rings.
Check the overflow valve.
Backflow Preventers…prevent water from passing backwards into the supply line; eliminates contamination of the “supply”.

32. Hydraulic Troubleshooting
Is the mainline holding water pressure? A pressure gauge comes in handy here.
Are the electric valves opening and closing properly? Obstructions around the diaphragm can cause problems. Check the flow control valve for proper opening position. Is it installed backwards?
Does the lateral pipe have any breaks or kinks in it? Could be trash from a previous (BAD) repair, tree roots, etc.

33. Hydraulic Troubleshooting
If there is no break in the pipe, the valves are operating properly, or there are no problems with the backflow preventer, and a sprinkler head is still not working properly; what would you do? Check the screen and/or nozzle in the sprinkler head first for clogging.
Sometimes rocks and debris can get stuck in the spiral elbow or the swing pipe gets kinked. You must dig up the head to get at these headaches.
Finally, when all is checked including last head pressure, the only answer may be in the design itself. Make sure that the zone requirements do not exceed the water source.

34. Tools Needed to Troubleshoot
A multimeter
A 4in1 screwdriver
12” channelock pliers
A pressure gauge
Formerly “specialized” areas of focus…smaller 1-2 crew operations
Now, wide ranging areas of specialized services …”full service” contracting
Increased availability of “non-typical” plant material and landscape accessories

35. Irrigation Troubleshooting
Any Questions?