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Owning an automatic lawn sprinkler system makes it easy to keep your grass green without having to drag a hose around the yard. But they are not completely maintenance free, as any homeowner who has one will tell you… Sprinkler systems have their share of maintenance issues. But unless you do not mind forking over a lot of money to sprinkler repair professionals, you should learn to repair & maintain your system yourself. It is actually very rewarding to keep up your own system.

Here are the steps to troubleshooting your sprinkler system. Basically, it is the process of elimination-

1. To start with, you need a multi-meter to properly diagnose & troubleshoot various sprinkler problems. Do not let this intimidate you! Using the multi-meter is not at all difficult, & you do not need a degree in electronics to operate one. It is actually quite easy & self explanatory.

Most sprinkler systems operate on 24 Volts DC. When a zone is on, the controller should be sending 24 Volts to your zone valve. If you do not have 24 volts at the controller, there is something wrong at the controller. If you have 24 volts at the controller but not at the valve, there is something wrong with the wiring between the valve & the controller (a broken wire or bad connection). If you have 24 volts at the controller & 24 volts at the valve, there is something wrong at the valve or in the plumbing itself.

2. Valve problems are easily diagnosed. Your valves have few moving parts, & most of them work like this:

Your controller sends 24 volts to the valves solenoid. The solenoid has a plunger on it that moves up & down over a small hole. When the controller is sending voltage to the solenoid, the plunger is raised up & the hole is uncovered. Then, air rushes through the hole & into the valve & the diaphragm inside the valve allows water to pass through.

The first thing to check if you suspect a valve problem is the solenoid. Unscrew the solenoid from the valve & check the plunger on the bottom for dirt or debris. Clean the plunger. Then make certain the tiny hole in the area the plunger screws into is not obstructed. If there is something blocking the hole, use a small paper clip to get rid of it… If it still does not function properly, get rid of the top of the valve & inspect the diaphragm for wear or holes. Replace the diaphragm if it has a hole or is worn out looking. While you have the valve open, check the inside of the valve housing for rocks & debris. Worst case scenario, you may have to cut out & replace the entire valve.

3. So your valve checks out but you are still having problems with the zone. The next step is to check for leaks-

Leaks are usually pretty obvious- just look for the puddle in the yard. This is where a little manual labor comes in. After you find the leak, dig until you find the leaky pipe & repair the leak. Sometimes back-flow prevention devices leak. You can usually buy a repair kit for them, but you will want to check your local codes before working on your own back-flow device- some cities require a licensed professional to install, repair & test your back-flow for you.

4. Does your system use a pump? There a 3 common pump issues that you can narrow down-

1. A foot valve not opening, stuck open or clogged up. If your pump is loosing prime, first check your foot valve (the thing in the water at the end of the suction pipe). If it is stuck open or will not close, replace the foot valve. If the foot valve is clogged up, clean it up & make certain it is not laying in the mud or seaweed.

3. No power getting to the pump. In this case, you will want to call a licensed electrician.

So the next time your sprinkler system is having problems, do not rush to the phone to call someone. Get out there & get familiar with your system. Try to figure it out for yourself, it is not rocket science by any means. Besides, it is kind of a good feeling to know that you figured out & repaired it yourself.

This article was written by Manny Leger, author of the Sprinkler Repair blog