# 3 of 5 Sprinkler zones won't activate on timer



## bcorner (5 mo ago)

I have 5 Zones on a Rainbird ESP-TM2 6- zone controller, professionally installed 4 years ago. 3 of the 5 zones (1,3,5) are not being triggered by the timer, Zones 4-5 are working. 
1.	Panel is getting 38VAC, and non-working zones are getting the same voltage at the same time (even when only one is selected). In other words, when any of the non-working zones are turned on manually, all 3 (1,3,5) are registering 38volts.
2.	Multimeter Ohm continuity beep test (without removing wires from panel), the working zones beep, non-working zones don't
3.	Swapped a working zone 3 wire with non-working zone 1 wire. Zone 1 now works, Zone 3 does not, so assuming it is not the panel
4.	The 3 non-working zone valves are physically located in the backyard, the working 2 are located in the front.
Any help with diagnosing this is sincerely appreciated.


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## wingless (Jan 28, 2019)

Welcome to the forum.

Several things are confusing. The system should be operating on 24VAC, not 38VAC. What voltage is measured on the left two terminals? It might be that the 120VAC to 24VAC power supply has failed to properly regulate and that the excessive voltage has damaged system components.

The numbering for the working / not working appears to be confused.

Note that measuring zone valve coil resistance is best performed w/ the wires detached from other circuitry.

Note that the controller should only be providing voltage (24VAC) to the selected zone when active, not to all or multiple zones.

If the three dead zones are all in the backyard, then measuring voltage at that valve box is a good step.

Note that if no voltage is measured in the valve box, common to numbered zone, then it is possible / likely that the white / common wire is failed. It may be that the daisy chain to get the common from the controller to the valve box has failed.


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## bcorner (5 mo ago)

My apologies for the confusion, I misstated the zones. 1,2,5 (valves located in backyard) do not work. Zones 3&4 located in front yard and a few feet from the controller are working. I measured again and the voltage is consistently reading 34-36 at the terminals on controller.


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## wingless (Jan 28, 2019)

Thanks for the update.

The Rain Bird ESP-TM2 includes an internal power supply that changes either 120VAC (or 240VAC for international models) to 24VAC.

It still sounds like that internal power supply has failed, no longer regulating to the required 24VAC and instead running (likely uncontrolled) at 36VAC.

If that is correct, then it is at least possible, if not likely, that the excessive voltage has damaged components. Those could either be within the controller, or could be the zone valves in the yard.

The diagnostics in my prior reply could also be performed to improve to failure understanding.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

Most likely you have a bad solenoid or wire at the valve box. Disconnect all the wires at the controller and check for voltage to common on each zone by manually triggering them. That will rule out the controller.


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## bcorner (5 mo ago)

My Multimeter was defective, I purchased a new one and the system voltage is now 28v.

I disconnected all wires and checked Ohms, the bad zones 1,2,5 have no reading just says OL on meter, the 2 working zones 4 & 5 have a 44 Ohm reading.

When I connect one defective zone to the panel and activate it, it reads 28v and the 2 other defective zone wires also read 28v while unconnected. The 2 working zones don't show voltage.

The defective zone valve boxes 1,2,5 are next to each other in the backyard. What kind of troubleshooting can I do at the valves to identify the cause?


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## wingless (Jan 28, 2019)

wingless said:


> If the three dead zones are all in the backyard, then measuring voltage at that valve box is a good step.
> 
> Note that if no voltage is measured in the valve box, common to numbered zone, then it is possible / likely that the white / common wire is failed. It may be that the daisy chain to get the common from the controller to the valve box has failed.


Thanks very much for the update. That now all makes sense.

My speculation remains that the white common (C) wire is a likely source for the problem.

That white wire is shared within both zone valve boxes

The common method to share is by a daisy chain connection, where it enters the first zone valve box, is connected within that box and also connected to the wires feeding the next zone valve box.

The next steps take place in the yard zone valve boxes.

Do a visual inspection of the connections. The closer zone valve box will have the common white in/out and locally used wires all connected together. Ensure that connection is solid.

Same also at the far box. The white common must have a solid connection to all the local zone valves.

That will likely fix the problem. If not, then a careful and properly documented temporary reassignment of one of the red zone valve wires to be used as a common wire will permit additional testing. Use something like painter's tape and a Sharpie to make temporary flag labels for the wires before changing things around.


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## bcorner (5 mo ago)

This is what I am looking at, 1,2,5 left to right. Zone 5 (right) has 2 whites and one B&W like the middle Zone 2, so I am assuming it starts from 5. I twisted each connector a few times but that wasn't it. So, should I remove the connectors and test voltage at each of the 3 white/red pairs? Also, what is the B&W wire?


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

I would disconnect the red from the solenoid from valve 1 and 2. Then try to turn on valve 5. If it turn on and works, then connect valve 2 and disconnect valve 5. Keep trying until you figure out if one of the 3 is not working.


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## wingless (Jan 28, 2019)

Thanks for the image.

It is difficult to follow the twisted jumble of wires. Perhaps smoothed and straightened like the center twin white, single black wire will permit visual checking of the setup.

My speculation remains that the problem is not in this 1, 2, 5 box location, but is instead that the 3, 4 zone valve box is first on the daisy chain and the white common (C) is not making it out of that location and never reaches this location.

Yes, unscrewing the wire nuts to expose the twisted conductors is a good step. There should be about an inch of exposed conductor on each wire, neatly and reasonably tightly twisted together at each connection. The center example (w/o the end ball) shows proper solid wire conductor twisting.










If cutting off and redoing the splices, then ensure the conductor is not nicked from the insulation stripping operation. Nicking the conductor makes it weak and likely to break off at that point.


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## bcorner (5 mo ago)

First of all, thank you all for the time you have taken to help me out, sincerely appreciated. Here is what I did next:
1. Checked the connections for the 3 non-working zones red and white and they appear snug. Checked the working Zone 3 that feeds in to these 3, all connections good.
2. Checked Ohm at all 3 non-working zones at valve and they all read 44 (but no reading at panel !)
3. Then disconnected red at each of the 3 non-working and tried running the rest, nothing. Red at each zone was reconnected before trying the next zone.


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## wingless (Jan 28, 2019)

YW

The tests show that the three non functional zone valves are all probably good and that the wiring from the zone valves to the controller has failed.


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## bcorner (5 mo ago)

bcorner said:


> 2. Checked Ohm at all 3 non-working zones at valve and they all read 44 (but no reading at panel !)


When I did the above it was at the terminals without disconnecting the solenoid. Does that matter or should I disconnect the valve and test the 2 solenoid wires only?


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## wingless (Jan 28, 2019)

Not required to disconnect solenoid from distribution wiring to verify that the valves test good. That existing prior resistance test shows the valves are good.

The non functional zones indicate the yard wiring is bad.

This reply details the steps to discover / repair the wiring fault and restore normal operation.


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