DevilDog_RVN
New Member
We had a near miss with lightning at our house about 6 weeks ago. We lost 3 TV sets, a wireless router, a couple of FireSticks, and one desktop computer that was not behind a UPC.
That may or may not have anything to do with what follows.
A few days after the storm passed, we noticed that the sprinklers were no longer coming on. I checked for adequate water pressure past the main shut off valve for the sprinkler system and it was fine.
Perhaps the coincidence of a hydraulic failure in the valve (if that's what it is) just happened to occur simultaneously with this bizarre electrical phenomenon. That also seems very unlikely.
I suppose one could still measure 27 VAC at the valve box with a nearly severed wire that couldn't deliver enough current to adequately energize the solenoid windings, but that's kind of hard to imagine as well.
I sure hope somebody here understands these systems well enough to tell me what the hell is going on!
That may or may not have anything to do with what follows.
A few days after the storm passed, we noticed that the sprinklers were no longer coming on. I checked for adequate water pressure past the main shut off valve for the sprinkler system and it was fine.
- When I tested the overall system none of the zones would function from the controller. There was no voltage output from any of the zones.
- I replaced the aging Hunter controller with Rachio Gen 3 and tested voltage at all 6 zones. All had appropriate voltage out at the controller.
- No help. No sprinkler zones worked.
- I isolated one valve to troubleshoot.
- I removed the solenoid and activated the zone at the controller.
- The solenoid did not actuate.
- I cut the wires to the solenoid, took it to the garage, and plugged the wires directly into the controller. The solenoid functioned properly when that zone was activated.
- I then tested for voltage at the cut wires at the valve box coming from the controller. Multimeter read 27 VAC at the valve box when that zone was activated.
- I connected the solenoid (which functioned at the controller) to the wires that were shown to be hot at the valve box and the solenoid did not actuate.
- On what seems to be an unrelated issue, when I tried to manually activate the same valve by rotating the solenoid a quarter turn with the water supply turned on, nothing happened.
- I have not disassembled the valve to check the diaphragm yet because whatever is going on there can't have anything to do with the solenoid.
Perhaps the coincidence of a hydraulic failure in the valve (if that's what it is) just happened to occur simultaneously with this bizarre electrical phenomenon. That also seems very unlikely.
I suppose one could still measure 27 VAC at the valve box with a nearly severed wire that couldn't deliver enough current to adequately energize the solenoid windings, but that's kind of hard to imagine as well.
I sure hope somebody here understands these systems well enough to tell me what the hell is going on!
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