rainbird control system wont turn on sprinklers (2025)

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Irrigation

I bought the house a couple of months ago, and I haven't been able to get the sprinkler system working. Using Rainbird ESP Modular Controller

All of the valves come on if I manually cycle through them. I checked the seasonal adjustment. It is set to 100%. All of the valves have appropriate times programmed. I'm using the cyclic setting to water every other day. The Start time is set to 6:00 AM, and I leave the dial on the 'Auto' setting. I checked the permanent days off, too, and none of them are set.

I just can't figure out why the timer won't engage the system.

I called Rainbird. There auto answer thing said "We're too busy right now. Call back later" Thanks for the great customer service.

Please help me if you have any knowledge of this controller.

Jason

• irrigirl

  10 years ago

  Are the permanent days set to OFF or ON?

• lehua49

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  10 years ago

  JC,

  Check the electrical connections to the solenoids. Redo the connections with waterproof screw caps. also recheck the connection of the wires in the controller that they are done properly and that power is getting to the controller and it is not running off a battery. Sounds like an electrical problem to the solenoids but usually one or two zones will work. If all are not working, then I hope you still have a warranty on the controller. How many zones do you have and are some working? Has any trenching or digging equipment been working in your yard? Aloha JMHO

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• irrigirl

  10 years ago

  All of his solenoids are working with timer's manual operation, so the issue has to be timer internal or with the automatic programming. I read the directions on Permanent Days Off. If they are set to OFF watering will not occur on any days. They all need to be set to ON.

  "In some areas, watering is prohibited on
  specific days of the week. If you are using
  an ODD/EVEN or CYCLIC watering cycle,
  you can set these days off so you wonâÂÂt
  violate watering restrictions.
  1. Select a program that has an
  ODD/EVEN or CYCLIC watering cycle
  (not a CUSTOM cycle).
  2. Turn the dial to the day of the week
  you want to turn OFF.
  3. Press OFF. âÂÂDAY ALWAYS OFFâ scrolls
  across the display. Watering will never
  occur on this day of the week,
  regardless of the watering cycle or
  program.
  4. To turn the day of the week back on,
  press ON.
  5. Turn the dial to AUTO."

• bmelz

  8 years ago

  Does the timer have a connection for rain sensor? if so, it might need to be jumped.

• ValRose PNW Wa 8a

  8 years ago

  ESP have multiple programs. A B C D ect. make sure all the programs except A have no start times. Each program has multiple start times. Make sure only start time 1 is set on program A and no start times 1,2,3, ect set on any other program. Sometimes you can have an odd clock conflict that will cause it not to run in AUTO mode.

  It this does not work, try resetting the controller by turning the dial to seasonal adjust and pressing the up and down button until the display shows "clear".

  The controller should now be programed in default setting meaning 10 minutes per zone on program A and start time 1 set to 8:00 am.

• PRO

  Vieczorek Natural Stone, Inc

  7 years ago

  last modified: 7 years ago

  If it rained recently it could be a rain sensor shutting the system down to protect against over watering. 1st check in the comptroler behind the control panel to see if the sensor ports have a jumper (one wire going into two ports). If not you probably have a rain sensor. Even if you don't have a jumper there you may have a sensor that does not run off the sensor ports in the comptroller (one such example is an RSD sensor)...https://www.rainbird.com/documents/turf/ts_RSD.pdf. Best advice, wait till its hot and dry and see if system resumes on its own.

• Aiken Sprinkler

  2 years ago

  If none are working from timer your wires are cut.