Sprinkler valve solenoid question.

[dcuste]

I have a pretty standard commercial sprinkler setup plus a master valve to prevent water wasting if one of zone valves leak. My problem is that the control wire to the master valve intermittently opens. I haven't been able to find the open. The cable is heavy gauge, very well made and is direct burial sheath inside pvc pipe. I'm really surprised it intermittently opens, but it does. The cable runs about 100 yards and would be very difficult to replace. My thought is to buy diodes to make full wave rectifiers on each zone solenoid that will supply DC to the master when they are energized. The controller has the capacity to supple the current for two solenoids so the only issue is if I put a resister in line to to lower the DC voltage down to the master valve so it will not overheat. My max run time is 30 hours so I think if I match the DC resistance of the solenoid it should be good if the 12v will open the valve. Anybody here have any thoughts on this idea?

 

[Harald Kapp]

I haven't been able to find the open.

I would suspect the connections on either end of the cable. Unless the cable within the pipe has been severed by e.g. by someone digging or a rodent, there's no reason the cable should go open along its length.

As for your intended setup: please supply more information:

• types of solenoids used
• type of controller used
• voltages and currents required and/or supplied by valves and controller
• sketch the setup so we have a common understanding of your intention (difficult from a verbal description only)

How do you think the power from the zone valves will power the master valve, if the problem is with the cable leading to the master valve?