SPRINKLER TALK FORUM - You Got Questions, We've Got Answers

Quoted from "mrfixit"

Can you post a picture of the wiring at the controller? Yes, Ill upload one in the next post
Is there two white wires hooked up to the common terminals and one white to number 3? No other whites yes?
Do this, turn on number one for an hour or whatever so it doesn't turn off while you're working on it. Now put one lead to one of the white wires where they're cut. Then one to each of the red until you get a reading of 24-26V or so. That should be the common wire and the number one wire. Now try that number 1 red wire with the other two whites. Does one of them also read 24-26V? 1 Wire reads 22v and the other 2 read 28v That's the other common. The third white wire is number 3.

Once you've figured the two common wires, you can turn them on 1 station at a time to figure the other wires.
Now you know the wires leading from the controller to the break.
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All this is from the break to the valves.
Check one of the white wires with one of the red wires and look for ohms. You can determine which two white wires are the commons because they'll give you a good reading. The other white wire is number 3. Splice the white wires together before continuing. When I do this, one white reads nothing, one reads 88-89 ohm, and one 46 ohms

Now either just hook them all up and run through the timer to see what comes on. You can move the wires around at the controller to the correct numbers. Or, you can turn them on one at a time, go out to the break and touch the red wires togeher one at a time until the correct zone comes on. Or you can just leave it alone and the zones will simply come on in a different order but you'll have to reprogram the run times if they're not all the same. Like 10 min each. I got as far as thinking that I found the common, hooked it up, then hooked a red (zone wire up) and the ohms even read 46 at the controller for zone one, but nothing turned on. I did try it to multiple zones but they all didnt start the sprinklers

It really isn't that hard once you get your head around it. Read through until you get it. Or ask more questions.

1. Check for volts at the break on the controller side.
2. Check for ohms at the break on the valve side.
3. Hook up the wires. Commons first.

Once you have the commons hooked up it'll be simple.

Quoted from "mrfixit"

I should have asked for a pic right at the beginning. I knew better.

Looks like you have 13 valves and a master valve or a pump.

I see 4 white wires. Only one is hooked to the common terminal. I only see 3 white wires in the open trench. I see about 6 red wires. So you have wires going to two different locations.

You probably have two solenoids connected together on the 88. Maybe it's the pump. I'm clueless on what a pump would ohm out at. It sounds like you have Rainbird valves. Do you have a pump or is it a master valve?

This is so much simpler in person. lol

The white wire that reads nothing on ohms isn't the common wire. I'll come back later.