How to Wire Sprinkler Systems
Automated irrigation systems turn on and off by sending 24 volt, AC power from a controller or "clock" to solenoid valves. The solenoid valves open when power is applied and close the instant that power is cut off. The controller powers one valve or "zone" at a time, for a length of time pre-programmed by the homeowner. Wiring the system involves locating and powering the controller and running lines from the controller to each valve in the system. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Wire strippers
- Screwdriver
- Waterproof wire nuts
- Cable approved for direct burial
Instructions
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1
Place the controller where it will be easy to access from your lawn, protected from vandals and pranksters, and within a few feet of a wall socket. Inside the garage, near an overhead door makes a convenient location. Mount the controller at a convenient height, with fasteners appropriate for your wall construction.
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2
Run direct burial cable from each valve manifold to the controller. Leave plenty of cable at both ends to make connections. The number of wires in the cable needs to be one more than the number of valves in the manifold. For example, if you have four valves in a manifold, you need five-wire cable. If each valve is located by itself you need two-wire cable for each valve location.
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3
Connect the white wire in the cable to one wire from each solenoid in the manifold. In the four valve manifold example, we would be connecting 4 solenoid wires with the white wire. Secure the connection with a waterproof wire nut.
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4
Connect the other wire from each solenoid to a color-coded wire from the cable and secure with a waterproof wire nut. When working on the controller end, you will need to know which color wire corresponds to which zone. Determine the order in which you want the zones to operate and note how the wire colors correspond to the desired order.
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5
Connect the white wire from the cable to the "Common" connector in the controller. If you have multiple cables coming from multiple manifolds, all white wires are connected to the same connector.
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6
Connect each color-coded wire to the appropriate numbered zone connector. Zone one will be the first to operate, followed immediately by zone two and so forth. Each zone connector must have only one wire connected to it.
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7
Connect the wires from the transformer to the power supply connections in the controller according to the controller installation instructions. In general, look for an indication in the controller with two connectors labeled "24VAC."
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8
Plug the transformer into the wall socket. Set the current date and time according to the controller instructions and test the operation of each zone to confirm that the wires are connected correctly.
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References
- Photo Credit Park Sprinkler image by Gary Ng from Fotolia.com
