# What are these wires for?



## Chrisholmes02 (Jan 19, 2019)

I just installed my new Rachio unit and it got me thinking about what these wires could be for. They have always been wrapped up around this PVC since I moved in the house. The old unit was a Hunter control box. As you can see in the pics they exit the house and go into the ground. They are along side the wires for the valves in the other PVC pipe. I do not have any unknown boxes in the ground, at least not that I've found anyway. Any ideas on what they could be for and why they weren't hooked up to the old control unit? The old system had a wireless rain sensor, but maybe these were for an older wired one? Anyway of finding out? I was thinking I may have to rent one of those things where you hook power to the wires and listen for the sound on the headphones and chase the wire. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

Landscape lighting?


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## HoosierLawnGnome (Sep 28, 2017)

Old sensor wires?


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## Ylli (Sep 24, 2018)

Too thin for landscape lighting. Must be from an old sensor or solenoid/valve.


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## Chrisholmes02 (Jan 19, 2019)

Ylli said:


> Too thin for landscape lighting. Must be from an old sensor or solenoid/valve.


Would that be a rain sensor? If so, do you think it would have ran up the wall to a sensor on the gutter? Would they have ran it underground to somewhere out in the yard?

If it is for an old valve any ideas why it would have been separate from the rest of 5 valves throughout the yard?

I'm not sure it's actually worth investigating since everything is working as it should but my curiosity is starting to get the best of me.


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## Ylli (Sep 24, 2018)

Got a multi-meter? Check for any DC or AC voltage on the wires. If there is none, then check the resistance between the two wires. Check it in both directions. Check it on a dry day, check it on a rainy day. Check it on a hot day, check it on a cold day. You could try applying 24 VAC to them and see if anything happens, but if the load isn't a 24 volt rated value, you may burn out whatever is out there. Start with the voltmeter/ohmmeter readings.

Oh, and short them together and see if your garage door opens.


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

My money is on rain sensor


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## Timbo3985 (Mar 19, 2019)

They look very similar to an electric dog fence. Any chance there is one installed but the controller was removed?


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## tblood (Aug 7, 2018)

The fact that they are twisted says underground fence. Anywhere the wires are twisted is where the fence in meant to NOT shock the animal.


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## Timbo3985 (Mar 19, 2019)

tblood said:


> The fact that they are twisted says underground fence. Anywhere the wires are twisted is where the fence in meant to NOT shock the animal.


Bingo


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## Chrisholmes02 (Jan 19, 2019)

Timbo3985 said:


> tblood said:
> 
> 
> > The fact that they are twisted says underground fence. Anywhere the wires are twisted is where the fence in meant to NOT shock the animal.
> ...


I looked that up and it looks like you are correct, sir. I'm guessing previous owners had a dog. Since I don't I'll just ignore them.

Thanks everybody for your help on this.


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