Rain Bird PAR+ES Troubleshooting guide
Contents
1. now be decreased by the amount it is turned Be sure to replace the vandal collar when finished To change the arc to a full circle Remove the internal assembly from its case Slide the vandal collar out of its groove and rotate the nozzle to the right clockwise until a strong resistance is felt It will feel as though it is locked in place Return the vandal collar to its groove Rotate the nozzle to the right clockwise there should be no resistance felt in the 360 turn Troubleshooting Stalling fast rotation Be sure that the adjustable bypass at the bottom of the internal assembly is set to match the nozzle that is installed If the bypass is set too high the drive assembly will flood and stall If set too low there will not be sufficient water and this can also cause the sprinkler to stall Cap to body leaks You might encounter cap to body leaks on some older units To resolve this we have tightened the specs on the wiper seal and also added additional spring support around the wiper seal RAIN BIRD R 70 The R 70 is a piston driven water lubricated sprinkler The R 70 was designed to emulate or mimic our impact sprinklers Impact sprinklers are considered to have the most efficient water distribution The R 70 uses only 2 of the water passing through the unit to drive the head This gives the R 70 a distinct troubleshooting advantage in that it is an excellent closed case dirty water rotor Arc Adjustment To in2. wires connected Replace the solenoid if the resistance is still above 60 ohms More than likely the solenoid will test within proper limits If this is the case then cut out the wire connectors twist the station and common wires together and re test the resistance from the controller The resistance should now read very low possibly only 2 3 ohms If the resistance is this low then the problem was a faulty wire connector Install new waterproof wire connectors on the existing solenoid and test the resistance again at the controller If the resistance is still high when the common and station wires are twisted together then there is an open somewhere between the valve and the controller Wire tracing equipment should be used to locate the problem The final test will determine shorts directly into the earth For this test the scale on the VOM should be changed to Rx1K 1K 1 000 Disconnect each of the stations wires from the controller in addition to the common still being removed Connect one of the VOM leads to a piece of wire wrapped around a screwdriver Insert the screwdriver into the ground Touch the second lead to each of the station wires and the common Each of these measurements should be above 700K 700 000 ohms If the resistance is below 700K it would indicate that a section of the wire has the insulation removed and is making contact with the earth Wire tracing equipment should be used to locate the problem 18 RAIN BI
3. Imigation Troubleshooting Guide RAIN BIRD RAIN BIRD TABLE OF CONTENTS SUBJECT Introduction Section 1 SPRAY HEADS Common problems troubleshooting Section 2 IMPACT SPRINKLERS amp MAXI PAW Operation common problems and troubleshooting Section 3 CLOSED CASE ROTORS T Bird Operation arc adjustment and troubleshooting R 50 Operation arc adjustment and troubleshooting R 70 Operation arc adjustment and troubleshooting Section 4 REMOTE CONTROL VALVES Operation common problems and troubleshooting Section 5 CONTROLLERS General troubleshooting Electromechanical troubleshooting Hybrid Solid State troubleshooting Microprocessor lockup problems Section 6 VOLT OHM METER Operation electrical terms how to measure resistance Section 7 RELAYS Relay description and operation Page 1 11 12 14 15 16 19 RAIN BIRD INTRODUCTION The following pages are a compilation of class information from the Rain Bird ASC seminar Troubleshooting an Irrigation System Its purpose is to serve as a reference manual for troubleshooting problems We hope that you keep this manual and refer to it when needed Remember you don t have to know the answer you just need to know where to look for the answer We also encourage you to share this information with your coworkers We at Rain Bird have always believed that education is the way to improve not only ourselves but also our industry RAIN BIRD SP
4. RAY HEADS Spray heads are relatively simple to troubleshoot Below are the most common problems found with spray heads Misting This is a result of excessive water pressure Reducing the pressure may be done in one of two ways 1 Using the flow control on the remote control valve or 2 Installing a pressure regulator before or on the valve Inaccurate pattern This is usually caused by some type of blockage either in the nozzle itself or in the screen Only water air or a soft bristled object should be used to clean the nozzle and water to clean the screen Leaking around the stem also known as blow by This is usually caused by debris between the wiper seal and stem A quick way to solve this problem is to step down lightly on the stem while the sprinkler is in operation This causes water to flush quickly between the stem and cap taking the debris with it If this doesn t work the cap is probably damaged and needs to be replaced RAIN BIRD IMPACT SPRINKLERS All impact sprinklers work in the same basic fashion This includes impact style rotors as well as most of the different styles or brands available today The following is a quick overview of how an impact sprinkler works Operation Water enters the bottom of the sprinkler through the bearing nipple proceeds up through the body and exits out the nozzle When the water hits the arm it is propelled out away from the sprinkler This action causes the arm to pi
5. RD 621970 Relay Description This relay has three sets of contact families called poles Terminals 1 4 amp 7 make up pole 1 Refer to figure 1 2 5 amp 8 make up pole 2 Refer to figure 1 3 6 amp 9 make up pole 3 Refer to figure 1 Each pole is electrically independent of the others This means that there are no wires that internally connect the three poles Each pole consists of three contacts a normally closed NC contact a normally open NO contact and a movable contact called the wiper Terminals 1 2 amp 3 are the normally closed contacts Refer to figure 1 Terminals 4 5 amp 6 are the normally open contacts Refer to figure 1 Terminals 7 8 amp 9 are the wipers Refer to figure 1 In addition to the three poles there are two terminals marked A amp B These terminals are connected to the coil In this relay the coil is operated by 24 VAC VAC household voltage This allows the relay to be connected to any manufacturer s controller that has a 24 VAC output Pole 1 Pole 2 Pole 3 Normally closed contacts Normally open contacts Wipers Coil Figure 1 Bottom view of the 621970 relay 19 RAIN BIRD OPERATION In its rest position within each pole the wiper is making contact with its NC contact Example Pole 1 terminal 7 is touching terminal 1 pole 2 terminal 8 is touching terminal 2 pole 3 terminal 9 is touching terminal 3 Remember the
6. This is usually caused by some type of blockage either in the nozzle or the inlet screen Cleaning the nozzle should be done with air water or a soft bristled object such as a pipe cleaner Do not use wire or a screwdriver This can scratch the nozzle MAXI PAW The Maxi Paw is a plastic impact rotor that operates in the same manner as other impacts The Maxi Paw does have one unique feature and that is an arm spring that can be changed based on pressure requirements and nozzle size It comes with the spring in the A position The A position is the farthest notch from the counterweight end of the arm refer to the figure below This spring should stay in this position if using the 8 10 or 12 regular nozzles or the 10 low angle nozzle The spring should be moved to the B position refer to the figure below when using the smaller nozzles This is especially important when used in low pressure situations Although this is an added feature if the spring is in the wrong position the Maxi Paw will not trip properly To troubleshoot a Maxi Paw sprinkler follow the same procedures that would be used with any other impact RAIN BIRD T Bird The T Bird is Rain Bird s first gear driven sprinkler It is designed to operate in the 25 60 PSI range and cover a radius of 16 30 It has a pressure compensating flow bushing resulting in matched precipitation and pressure activated wiper seal Arc Adjustment T
7. allow the arc to change The stem should also be inspected to determine if it is of current design A prior version had a slip clutch built into the stem Refer to the water distribution section for further information Water distribution The current design for R 70 nozzles are referred to as Phase I This nozzle is easily identified from previous series because a Rain Bird is now stamped on the top of the nozzle b The nozzle color coding signifying the nozzle size visible from the top Be aware that several years ago there was a different version of the stem in the R 70 The current stem has two tabs that protrude up from the top of the stem 180 apart from each other refer to the drawing below When installing the Phase I nozzles on the old style stem it is possible that as the nozzle engages the fixed left arc will change In order to correct this problem it is necessary to replace the stem with the new style The stem must be replaced before the Phase I nozzle is installed on the old stem as damage may occur to the nozzle Contact your inside sales person for more information RAIN BIRD REMOTE CONTROL VALVES The valves covered in this section will be electrically operated remote control valves RCV s All remote control valves can be separated into two different types The difference between the two is how the water enters the upper chamber The upper chamber is the area between the cover and the top side of the diap
8. crease the arc Keep in mind that the part circle R 70 is preset to approximately 180 The left edge of the arc is fixed marked by double ribs on the lower edge of the cover refer to the drawing below As the sprinkler is rotating to the right clockwise turn the adjustment screw to the adjust ADJ position using the thumbwheel Allow the R 70 to rotate to the approximate desired setting return the arc adjustment screw to the locked LKD position The rotor will continue to rotate past this point 10 15 The instant the rotor has started on its counter clockwise rotation turn the adjustment screw to the adjust ADJ position When the R 70 has reached the desired arc turn the adjustment screw to the locked LKD position Always return the adjustment wheel to the locked LKD position To decrease the arc As soon as the R 70 trips at the right edge now turning counter clockwise turn the adjustment screw to the adjust ADJ position When the rotor reaches its desired arc setting turn the adjustment screw to the locked LKD position Always return the adjustment wheel to the locked LKD position It is important that you return the arc adjustment screw to the locked position when you are finished If not the setting may change RAIN BIRD Common Problems Variable arc As stated above the adjustment screw must be returned to the locked LKD position when the arc adjustment procedure has been completed Failure to do so may
9. e will only open once the force above the diaphragm has been relieved This can happen in either of two ways the solenoid has been energized by the controller or the manual bleed has been activated Common Problems Before assuming that there is a valve problem check the obvious Is the water turned on is the controller plugged in and programmed correctly are there isolation valves that might be turned off Verify valve operation by using the manual bleed This might indicate a controller or wiring problem if the valve works properly when using the manual bleed Valve will not close There are two things that will cause this The first cause is a physical obstruction rocks or other debris preventing the diaphragm from seating When removing a physical obstruction be sure to thoroughly inspect the diaphragm assembly and valve seat area for damage The second reason is insufficient force being developed above the diaphragm Insufficient force above the diaphragm can be caused by several things RAIN BIRD The plunger is missing or stuck in the up position Remove and inspect the solenoid Diaphragm filter plugged This will prevent water from entering the upper chamber Flow control turned up too high The diaphragm can stick in the up position under low flow low pressure conditions Constant voltage from the controller The solenoid will usually be warm to the touch and a slight vibration can be felt if this is ha
10. eedle stays to the left side of the scale then the circuit is open Knowing how to operate a VOM will save considerable time when testing the wiring on a job site It is possible to inspect the solenoid and field wiring condition from the controller The procedure is as follows RAIN BIRD Resistance measurements Disconnect the common wire from the controller Set the VOM to the Rx1 scale and zero the meter Connect one of the VOM leads to the common wire not the controller common terminal Touch the second VOM lead to each of the station terminals and record the resistance readings Compare your readings to the acceptable range of 20 60 ohms If the measurements are within the acceptable range then the electrical circuit for that station is good This test only inspects the field wiring it is possible for that station to not work properly because of controller and or valve problems If the resistance range is below 20 ohms a short proceed to the valve and disconnect the solenoid from the field wires Test the resistance of the solenoid only If the measurement is still low than the solenoid must be replaced Is the solenoid resistance is acceptable then the short is in the field wiring itself 2 solenoids connected to the station can also produce a low reading Wire tracing equipment should be used to locate the problem If the resistance is above 60 ohms an open as above test the solenoid without the field
11. gn lubricant has been used or if the sprinkler is just worn out from years of use most parts are available and it is totally serviceable By simply replacing worn parts usually washers seals and springs the sprinkler will be in operation for several more years of reliable service Troubleshooting First check for the obvious Problems such as turf obstruction broken arms trips etc dirt or debris in case or nozzle foreign lubricants x excessive water pressure inadequate water pressure RAIN BIRD Common Problems The sprinkler is stuck or won t return The most common reason for this is water pressure that is too high or to low Impact sprinklers can fail under either scenario To determine what the operating pressure is a pitot tube and a pressure gauge may be used to get a pressure reading at the head This is done by placing the end of the pitot tube in the water stream as close to the nozzle as possible t is important to not place the end of the pitot tube inside of the nozzle opening This can scratch the inner wall of the nozzle as well as giving an inaccurate pressure reading If the inner wall of the nozzle is scratched the distribution pattern may be effected Any of the previously mentioned problems can result in a non rotating sprinkler The sprinkler is leaking This is normally caused by worn washers and seals They should be replaced at this time The sprinkler is not throwing as far as it should
12. hragm Once the water has entered the upper chamber there are only two paths for it to escape the manual bleed or the solenoid exhaust port Forward Flow The water inters the upper chamber through a port in the center of the diaphragm This port will normally by filtered be sure that the filter is kept clean Reverse Flow The water can enter the upper chamber in several ways Through an external tube that runs from the pressure side to the upper chamber through holes in the outer edge of the diaphragm or through ports machined in the valve body Operation A common misconception is that a valve stays closed because of a higher pressure above the diaphragm the upper chamber If there is for example 100 psi of static water pressure in the mainline how can there be more than 100 psi above the diaphragm Without a pump installed at each valve this situation would be impossible The valve will stay closed because the surface area above the diaphragm is roughly 2 1 2 times larger than the pressurized surface area below the diaphragm This difference causes a greater force above the diaphragm than there is below the diaphragm Force equals Pressure times Area Force P x A Water enters the valve on the pressure side usually the side opposite the solenoid The water will then enter and fill the upper chamber through the path detailed in the preceding section When operating properly this water is trapped in the upper chamber The valv
13. me and wait for approximately one hour If the hour dial has not moved then replace the motor Gears and clutches Note Some controllers are direct drive and have no gears The gear referred in this section relate to the RC 4 7 1230 and 1260 series only The gears transfer the rotation of the clock motor to the hour dial and station timing Try to turn the station dial and hour dial in the opposite direction of the arrows shown on the face plate Do not exert excessive force when performing this test If the dials will turn backwards then the clutch is stripped and the gears will need to be replaced Inspect the gears for missing or worn teeth also inspect the hub where the metal shaft inserts through the gear for cracking It is recommended that if either the station dial shaft assembly or the pilot shaft assembly needs replacement both assemblies should be replaced as a set 12 RAIN BIRD Advance motor This motor only received voltage and operates when the controller is changing stations and when returning the station dial to the rest position When checking to determine if the motor is receiving the proper voltage be sure that the motor is supposed to be engaged at that time It may be necessary to apply the correct voltage directly to the motor from another source to verify operation Before doing this be sure to disconnect the motor from its existing power source If the motor does not turn it will need to be replaced If it d
14. mine if your model controller uses alkaline or NICAD batteries Reinstall the correct battery in the controller and perform a final resistance test to ensure proper operation This procedure will normally resolve approximately 30 of the solid state failures 15 RAIN BIRD VOLT OHM METER VOM A volt ohm meter is an inexpensive piece of test equipment that is capable of measuring AC volts DC volts and resistance By learning how to use this equipment it is possible to troubleshoot controllers solenoids field wiring and to verify AC and DC voltage levels There are two styles of VOM s analog and digital An analog VOM is the style that has a needle that moves across a face similar to a speedometer The DMM digital multi meter has a digital display DMM s normally have additional features than are available with an analog VOM and therefore are more expensive For this reason the following instructions are designed to work with an analog style VOM Electrical terms AC volts VAC Alternating Current this is household voltage Most irrigation solenoids operate on AC voltage DC volts VDC Direct Current this would normally be from a battery DC voltage is polarized meaning that there is a positive and a negative sometimes referred to as ground The VOM must be connected properly to prevent VOM damage the RED lead is and the BLACK lead is Resistance a measurement of how difficult it is f
15. nctions If the following steps are taken the microprocessor will usually resume its normal functions It will be necessary to completely power down the controller Note This process will delete your existing program 1 Primary power It is necessary to disconnect the controller from its primary electrical source either by unplugging it from the outlet or by turning off the appropriate circuit breaker in the electrical panel 2 Battery backup Remove the battery from the controller The purpose of the battery is to maintain the information inside of the microprocessor in the event of a primary power failure By removing the battery the microprocessor is allowed to reset itself to its normal condition 3 Wait Maintain this power down condition for 5 minutes to be certain the microprocessor will reset itself 4 Primary power Reconnect the primary power to the controller 5 Function check The display should now show 12 00 A M Set the time and day to the current setting Using the manual controller function turn on several stations and observe that they operate properly If the controller now operates properly re enter your original program and continue on to step 6 If controller still will not perform correctly it will need to be repaired by a qualified facility 6 Battery replacement If the controller uses an alkaline battery it is recommended that it be replaced with a new one at this time See section to deter
16. nded that the following are checked Programming A program consists of three steps 1 Start time The time of day that the irrigation should begin 2 Run time The irrigation duration for each station 3 Days on The day that the irrigation will operate If any of these steps are missing the controller will not activate the valves Auto Off switch This switch must be in the AUTOMATIC or ON position in order for the controller to operate Sensors If the controller is equipped with a rain sensor or moisture sensor the program will not run if they have been activated Troubleshooting This section will be divided into two sections in order to give more accurate troubleshooting tips Electromechanical Hybrid Solid State RC series ISC series RC 8 series RCM series RC 11 series CRC series RC 12 18 23 series CIC series HP ESP series EZ1 series 11 RAIN BIRD Electromechanical Controllers Time and or day incorrect As long as an electromechanical controller is connected to its primary power source the correct time and day can be determined upon visual inspection If this is not the case check the following Primary power Verify that the 117 volt VAC power is on and correctly connected to the controller The acceptable range is between 105 and 129 VAC If the voltage is above or below this range contact a certified electrician Transformer The transformer output should be between 24 and 28 VAC If the
17. o increase the arc Keep in mind that the part circle T Bird comes preset at 180 Pull up on the stem and while holding the textured area rotate the nozzle until it is turning to the right clockwise Slide the vandal collar out of its groove Push down on the nozzle and rotate it to the right until the desired arc is obtained Pull up slightly on the nozzle making sure to replace the vandal collar when finished To decrease the arc Pull up on the stem and while holding the textured area rotate the nozzle until it just trips at the left stop Slide the vandal collar out of its groove Push down on the nozzle and rotate it to the left counter clockwise until the desired arc is obtained Pull up slightly on the nozzle and again be sure to replace the vandal collar Failure to replace the collar will cause the riser to stay up just a bit If it doesn t seal completely the famed sprinkler harvester comes along and eats the sprinkler Troubleshooting Over tightening the nozzle This usually occurs during the initial installation The proper way to nozzle the T Bird is to place the nozzle into the cap assembly and begin to turn it to the right clockwise After feeling the threads engage pull the stem up and grasp the area of the riser assembly this area is textured to ensure a positive grip when wet This is the most critical time of the installation process continue to tighten the nozzle only until it is snug f the nozzle is
18. oes turn then it is not receiving its proper voltage Check the primary power and transformer Micro switches A micro switch is a small switch that when activated instructs the controller to perform a certain function When there switches fail or are out of adjustment the controller will not perform as programmed To determine if the switch has failed turn off the primary power to the controller and conduct the following resistance test Using your volt ohm meter check the switches the resistance should be below 2 ohms when closed and infinite open When micro switches fail they tend to not make contact when they should be closed The resistance test will read several hundred ohms or higher when closed The switch must be replaced and readjusted The button of the micro switch should not be depressed until a program pin is locked into position to activate the switch Wafer switches The wafer switch is the distribution point for the valve voltage As the center hub turns with the station dial the valves receive their voltage one at a time normal wafer problems occur when dirt accumulates on the tab or the contacts This prevents the voltage being sent to the valves or the valves turning on and off sporadically during their operating cycle The wafer switches may be cleaned using the eraser end of a pencil being careful not to bend any of the contacts Be sure to check and clean the back side of the wafer switch To do this it will be nece
19. ond is that the force is not being released from the upper chamber There are several reasons for this to happen a Solenoid burned out A resistance test will verify if the coil is bad or not Refer to the volt ohm meter section to learn how to perform this test Replace if necessary 2 A torn diaphragm Reverse flow valve only The hole in the diaphragm will allow more water into the upper chamber than can be bled off through the solenoid port Inspect the diaphragm and replace it if necessary b Plugged ports The port below the solenoid and or the port leading to the solenoid chamber is plugged This would again prevent the water in the upper chamber from being relieved Clean the ports with a paper clip never drill out the ports c Solenoid not receiving voltage The controller is not sending the necessary voltage there are wiring problems or the wire connections are faulty Refer to the volt ohm meter section to learn how to inspect the field wiring 10 RAIN BIRD CONTROLLERS This section will describe some troubleshooting procedures that will determine if the controller is indeed the bad component in the irrigation system The controller is usually the first component blamed from an irrigation system failure Typically once the controller has been removed and taken to a repair facility a conservative estimate is that 25 are returned without a defect being found in the controller Before removing the controller it is recomme
20. onnected to terminal A The pump start wire from the controller will now be connected to terminal B When using the 621970 relay be sure that only 24 VAC is being supplied between the common and pump start terminals The black hot wire will run from the electrical service to terminal 7 the wiper for pole 1 Figure 4 uses pole 1 but any one of the three poles may be used The black wire going to the pump will be connected to terminal 4 the normally open contact of pole 1 The white common wire and the green ground wire will run directly from the electrical service to the booster pump No other connections to the relay are necessary Refer to figure 4 Common From electrical service Booster Ground from electrical service Pump Black wire to Booster Pump Black hot wire from electrical service From controller common From controller 24 VAC Pump Start Figure 4 21 RAIN BIRD When the controller is not operating the relay will not be energized The 117 VAC needed to operate the booster pump is being interrupted at the relay Refer to figure 5 As soon as the relay is energized by the controller the 117 VAC is allowed to pass through the relay to the booster pump Refer to figure 6 22
21. or the current to flow through the electrical system This would be similar to being able to actively measure the friction loss when water flows through a piece of pipe Comparisons between water and electricity Water term Electrical term Pressure psi Voltage volts V Friction Loss psi Resistance ohms Q Flow GPM Current amps A For irrigation applications a solenoid is considered to be good if its resistance is between 20 60 ohms Short when the measured resistance is below 20 ohms for a single solenoid Open if the resistance is above 60 ohms when measuring the field wiring Note when two valves are operated together on a single station the resistance will be approximately 1 2 of a single solenoid 16 RAIN BIRD Hook up Your VOM will have one jack labeled COM into which the Black lead will be inserted Insert the Red lead into the jack marked V Q A this same setup is used to measure AC volts DC volts and resistance Taking measurements AC volts Set the dial to the appropriate VAC scale For example if 117 volts is expected to be measured the dial must be set to a scale above that WARNING if the dial is set to the 50 ACV range and 117 volts is measured damage to the VOM is likely If the voltage is unknown start with the dial on the highest available setting DC volts As above the dial must be set to the appropriate scale in addition be sure that the polarity is correct DC vol
22. over tightened either the clutch will break or the omega springs or the gears inside the gear assembly will pop off In this case the old saying the tighter the better doesn t apply Common Problems Cap to body leaks Grit getting caught between the wiper seal and riser This can cause water to leak from between the riser and cap this is also known as blow by Steps have been taken to prevent this by making the wiper seal deeper and adding a tall spring support These additions make the wiper seal stronger thereby preventing grit from entering this area RAIN BIRD R 50 TROUBLESHOOTING Operation The R 50 is an internal impact sprinkler This means that there are two small stainless steel balls that act as the drive mechanism Arc Adjustment To increase the arc Keep in mind that the sprinkler is preset to approximately 180 Pull up on the stem slide the vandal collar out of its groove Push down on the nozzle slightly and rotate the nozzle to the right clockwise The arc will be increased by the amount the nozzle is turned For example if the arc was previously set for 180 and it was turned 90 while the nozzle was pushed down the sprinkler will now have an arc of 270 Be sure to replace the vandal collar when finished To decrease the arc Pull up on the stem slide the vandal collar out of its groove Push down on the nozzle slightly and rotate the nozzle to the left counter clockwise The arc will
23. ppening Leak between the bonnet and body Water will be visibly leaking where the body and bonnet are connected An open manual bleed An open external manual bleed will be very obvious An internal manual bleed system can be unknowingly activated if the valve is unfamiliar to the customer A large hole in the diaphragm Forward flow valve only Sufficient force will not build up in the upper chamber Remove the diaphragm assembly and inspect it very carefully replace it if there are any bubbles or other signs of wear The valve is installed backwards The valve is now an expensive coupling The arrows on the valve body indicate the direction of water flow through the valve Valve seeping This is usually indicated by a puddle at the lowest sprinkler head Using an automotive stethoscope may aid in determining which valve is leaking in a manifold There are two main causes for this to happen 1 2 Solenoid or solenoid seat is damaged Water will constantly leak past the plunger Replace the solenoid plunger of the seat if possible Valve seat is damaged Check the valve seat and the diaphragm seating area for pitting and small debris Replace the diaphragm if damaged It may be necessary to replace the valve body if the seat area is damaged Valve will not open There are again two main causes of this problem 1 2 The first cause is an adjustment problem The flow control stem is tightened all the way down The sec
24. primary power is correct then the transformer should be replaced This is not a Rain Bird warranty item as this is usually caused by incorrect fuse sizing Circuit breaker fuse Check the condition of the circuit breaker or fuse if it has been blown the most likely reason is a field wiring short An Electromechanical controller will stop on the station that caused the problem Reset the controller to its rest position and replace the fuse or reset the circuit breaker Manually advance the controller to station 1 and allow it to run for one minute If station 1 operates correctly then advance to station 2 and repeat this procedure until the fuse blows This will determine the problem station Once the defective station has been located disconnect the wire that operates that valve Continue the above procedure to test the rest of the stations as there could be more than one problem Once this has been completed the controller will operate all of the stations that are still connected The faulty field wiring will have to be repaired before they can be reconnected to the controller Refer to the VOM section for field wire testing Clock motor In order for the controller to maintain the proper time and day the clock motor sometimes referred to as the timing motor must constantly operate Because of this the clock motor will tend to fail before any of the others Verify the motor is receiving the proper voltage set the hour dial to the correct ti
25. ssary to remove the two mounting screws and lift the wafer switch off of its shaft When excessive wear occurs on a wafer switch it is possible for the tab to break off When this occurs the switch will need to be replaced 13 RAIN BIRD Hybrid Solid State Controllers Hybrid and solid state controllers are designed to provide the programming versatility that is needed to better protect our water resources the technology that is necessary to accomplish this makes repairs by untrained persons The following items should be checked before assuming that the controller is the problem Visible damage Inspect the controller for any visible signs of damage Check the keyboard for collapsed buttons run your finger lightly over each of the buttons a slight hill should be felt at each location If a valley is felt then the keyboard must be replaced This is not a warranty item Inspect the printed circuit board for burned components this is normally caused by lightning or other power surges Power surges are also not covered by Rain Bird warranty Primary power Verify that the primary power is within acceptable limits Contact an electrician if incorrect Transformer Verify that the transformer output voltage is between 24 and 28 VAC If the output voltage is zero and the primary power is correct then replace the transformer Circuit breaker Fuse Check the condition of the circuit breaker or fuse If it has blown the mos
26. t likely reason is a field wiring short When this happens it only interrupts the 24 volt section of the transformer The 12 volt section will remain active therefore the display will show that the station is on Press the appropriate button s on the keypad to turn the active station s off Reset the circuit breaker or replace the fuse with the valve specified by the manufacturer Manually6 advance the controller to station 1 and allow it to run for one minute If station 1 operates correctly then advance to station 2 and repeat this procedure until the fuse blows This will determine the problem station Once the defective station has been located disconnect the wire that operates that valve Continue the above procedure to test the rest of the stations as there could be more than one problem Once this has been completed the controller will operate all of the stations that are still connected The faulty field wiring will have to be repaired before they can be reconnected to the controller 14 RAIN BIRD Microprocessor Lockup Problems The microprocessor is the brains of the controller Occasionally due to electrical problems the microprocessor will freeze all of its functions The symptoms of this are Display blank the display does not show any information or Frozen display the display shows erratic information that cannot be cleared or changed from the keypad and The controller will not perform any of its programmed fu
27. tage has a positive and a negative terminal The red lead is and the black is connecting the leads in reverse can cause damage to the VOM If from the rest position the needle moves to the left the polarity is incorrect reverse the leads on the circuit that is being tested and take the measurement again Resistance mportant to prevent VOM damage the circuit power must be turned off There are several scales on the VOM usually Rx1 Rx10 Rx100 etc When changing the dial settings it is necessary to multiply the uppermost scale by the dial setting For example if the needle is pointing to 15 on the ohms Q scale and the dial is set at Rx1 then there are 15 Q of resistance 15 x 1 15 If the dial is set on Rx10 then there are 150 of resistance 15 x 10 150 If the dial is set on Rx100 then there are 1500 Q of resistance 15 z 100 1500 Whenever resistance is measured the VOM must be calibrated This is a very simple procedure Set the VOM to the correct scale usual Rx1 Touch the two probes together and use the ohms adjust wheel to set the needle to zero Keep in mind that zero ohms is on the right hand side of the scale this would indicate a short and the left side is infinite resistance indicating an open Start with the dial on the lowest setting Rx1 If the reading shows infinite change the dial to the next higher setting Keep increasing the setting until an accurate reading is obtained If the n
28. three poles are not connected to each other Refer to figure 2 When 24 volts is applied to the coil terminals A amp B the relay will be turned on or energized Once the relay has been energized the coil will develop a magnetic field This will pull the wipers in each pole away from their NC contacts and cause them instead to touch the NO contacts Refer to figure 3 Example pole 1 terminal 7 is touching terminal 4 pole 2 terminal 8 is touching terminal 5 pole 3 terminal 9 is touching terminal 6 20 RAIN BIRD RELAY USES One of the most common uses of the relay is as a pump start relay The pumps used for irrigation systems operate on 117 VAC or higher The contacts of the 621970 relay are rated at 10 amps per pole at 240 VAC If your pump or other devices has a higher current or voltage requirement then contact an electrical supply for the availability of a different relay Relays are available in a very wide range of shapes sizes and electrical characteristics The example below will explain the use of the relay to activate a 117 VAC booster pump The booster pump should operate only when the controller is activating one of its stations With most controllers when one of the stations is activated 24 volts is supplied between the common and pump start terminals There are some controllers that supply 117 VAC to the master valve terminals DO NOT use the 621970 relay in this situation The controller common should be c
29. vot away from the water stream creating tension on the arm spring When the spring tension is stronger than the force against it the arm moves quickly toward the water stream and impacts against the body This impact causes the sprinkler to turn in a very consistent manner This is where the term impact was derived from All Rain Bird Sprinklers share a common trait This common trait is very important when troubleshooting impact sprinklers All Rain Bird Sprinklers Are Water Lubricated The worst thing that can be done to an impact style sprinkler is to apply a foreign lubricant This includes oil WD 40 silicone Teflon pipe dope etc These foreign lubricants might make the sprinkler work right away but it will actually cause the sprinkler to wear out faster Foreign lubricants attract dust and debris When lubricants are applied to the bearing washers initially an oil base forms on the washers This allows the sprinkler to spin freely for a short time only Over time dust is attracted to the washers on the bearing stack This causes additional friction on the washers and causes them to wear out much faster If foreign lubricants have been applied all of the washers and seals will need to be replaced It is also a good idea to clean the brass at this time by a process called bead blasting This ability to rebuild an impact is one of its biggest advantages Impact sprinklers are totally serviceable in the field If a forei
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