Help with strange electrical problem - on a lawn sprinkler system

[njedpx3]

I think this probably is the best place to ask this question. This isn't directly related to HT or Audioholics, but there are a lot of really smart forum members here that have a diverse wealth of knowledge, so I though I would at least ask.

I am having avery strange problem with my lawn sprinkler system. I regularly maintain all of it including replacing valves, solenoids, water valves and sprinkler heads.

I have one zone that turns on okay (solenoid opens water valve and sprinkles the area). When the cycle finishes it trips the ground fault circuit breaker into which the transformer of the sprinkler timer/eletronics is plugged.

The 5 other zones work fine. And if I disconnect the faulting zone there is no problem.

I checked the wiring of the particular control valve and can not see a problem. Since the solenoid is working I didn't think it was that. However, I tried relpcing with a brand new on and the same circuit breaker trip occurs. The trip seems to occur at the end of the cycle when the solenoid shuts off.

I tried further to isolate and actually connected the failing zone to another good zone. Both work correctly , but at the end of the cycle the circuit breaker trips.

I really don't want to run a new wire, but right now that seems like the solution. It would be a lot easier to solve if it didn't work well enough to water the zone. The partial working and partial failure isfrustrating.

Thanks to all who read this and respond!

Peace , Good Sound , Good Video and effcient running sprinkler systems

Forest Man

 

[TLS Guy]

I think this probably is the best place to ask this question. This isn't directly related to HT or Audioholics, but there are a lot of really smart forum members here that have a diverse wealth of knowledge, so I though I would at least ask.

I am having avery strange problem with my lawn sprinkler system. I regularly maintain all of it including replacing valves, solenoids, water valves and sprinkler heads.

I have one zone that turns on okay (solenoid opens water valve and sprinkles the area). When the cycle finishes it trips the ground fault circuit breaker into which the transformer of the sprinkler timer/eletronics is plugged.

The 5 other zones work fine. And if I disconnect the faulting zone there is no problem.

I checked the wiring of the particular control valve and can not see a problem. Since the solenoid is working I didn't think it was that. However, I tried relpcing with a brand new on and the same circuit breaker trip occurs. The trip seems to occur at the end of the cycle when the solenoid shuts off.

I tried further to isolate and actually connected the failing zone to another good zone. Both work correctly , but at the end of the cycle the circuit breaker trips.

I really don't want to run a new wire, but right now that seems like the solution. It would be a lot easier to solve if it didn't work well enough to water the zone. The partial working and partial failure isfrustrating.

Thanks to all who read this and respond!

Peace , Good Sound , Good Video and effcient running sprinkler systems

Forest Man

This is a tough one we won't solve at long range. However at shut off there is a leak to ground, and it does not take much of a leak to trip the GIF.

Make sure you have a good neutral, as if there is a bad neutral then the circuit must discharge to ground and trip the GIF. I would bet on a bad neutral connection some place on that circuit.

 

[Rickster71]

Is the GFI located outside, is the problem zone wetting the area near the outlet?

Does it trip only when the solenoid shuts off, or only as the ground and gets wetter?
You may have to experiment a bit, and shorten that zone's time and verify that it's the function of the solenoid, or a wet connection that's tripping the GFI.

If system is working OK otherwise, a solution to rid yourself of nuisance GFI trips;
replace that outlet with a single dedicated standard outlet. (Not a duplex outlet), but a one plug single dedicated outlet.

 

[gkaste]

Do you have one GFI hooked into another GFI?

 

[njedpx3]

Is the GFI located outside, is the problem zone wetting the area near the outlet?

Does it trip only when the solenoid shuts off, or only as the ground and gets wetter?
You may have to experiment a bit, and shorten that zone's time and verify that it's the function of the solenoid, or a wet connection that's tripping the GFI.

If system is working OK otherwise, a solution to rid yourself of nuisance GFI trips;
replace that outlet with a single dedicated standard outlet. (Not a duplex outlet), but a one plug single dedicated outlet.

Rick,

Nice feedback. It does not appear to trip when the are gets wetter. I checked the control valve eltrical box which is about 30-40 feet from zone and it doesn't get wet.

Also, another update the transformer is inside the garage and the sprinkler control station is fused and the fuse never blows.

I was thinking along the same lines. There are multpiple outlet circuits inthe garage and I could plug it into a non-GFI dedicated outlet.

Thanks and Peace,

Forest Man

 

[njedpx3]

Do you have one GFI hooked into another GFI?

I don't think so. There is basically a whole house surge protector and then a lot of individual GFI circuits. It was installed buy the builder to meet code about 7 years ago.

Thanks,

Forest Man

 

[njedpx3]

The problem gets stranger

I think my trouble zone has some kind of bare contact that is enough to trip the GFI or this one GFI is not wired correctly.

I put the sprinkler on a separate non-GFI and the sprinkler system works fine and doesn't blow a fuse or trip a circuit breaker. However the GFI that trip before still trips even though nothing is connected to those outlets.

ARRG!

Later and Peace,

Forest Man

 

[Taven Ronnie]

I think only an expert can solve your problem.You should consult one who does sprinkler repair before it becomes a much bigger issue.Sometimes the source of your problem may be lying unnoticed and if it can it revealed at close examination?So just consult an expert.Good luck!!!

 

[Nestor]

I think this probably is the best place to ask this question. This isn't directly related to HT or Audioholics, but there are a lot of really smart forum members here that have a diverse wealth of knowledge, so I though I would at least ask.

I am having avery strange problem with my lawn sprinkler system. I regularly maintain all of it including replacing valves, solenoids, water valves and sprinkler heads.

I have one zone that turns on okay (solenoid opens water valve and sprinkles the area). When the cycle finishes it trips the ground fault circuit breaker into which the transformer of the sprinkler timer/eletronics is plugged.

The 5 other zones work fine. And if I disconnect the faulting zone there is no problem.

I checked the wiring of the particular control valve and can not see a problem. Since the solenoid is working I didn't think it was that. However, I tried relpcing with a brand new on and the same circuit breaker trip occurs. The trip seems to occur at the end of the cycle when the solenoid shuts off.

I tried further to isolate and actually connected the failing zone to another good zone. Both work correctly , but at the end of the cycle the circuit breaker trips.

I really don't want to run a new wire, but right now that seems like the solution. It would be a lot easier to solve if it didn't work well enough to water the zone. The partial working and partial failure isfrustrating.

Thanks to all who read this and respond!

Peace , Good Sound , Good Video and effcient running sprinkler systems

Forest Man

Can you start and stop the problem zone manually? Try just that zone, if it works okay, then your timer may be the problem.

If the output relay controlling the timer doesn't let go before the next zone is started, two zones will be energized at once and may overload the cct.

If it's a mechanical timer, it's likely the timer.

 

[its phillip]

Nestor, this thread is over 3 years old. It got bumped by the spammer in the post above yours

 

[Nestor]

*forehead slap*