18 Oct 2020

In maintaining the lush countenance of a healthy lawn, steady and ample watering is a crucial aspect of its needs, particularly during the warmer times of the year. Sprinkler timers are a fortunate-to-have convenience for this purpose, as they not only allow one to schedule irrigation periods within a specific framework of time on multiple days, but simultaneously save on water by the very merit of how they can be optimized to automatically switch on at ideal periods in the early morning. Even with this practical device, however, all may not always function as properly as it should – in cases like these, it is beneficial to have the knowledge on-hand to continue the smooth operation of one’s sprinkler controllers.

In one example, the cause of the malfunction may stem from the very source that powers the system. Generally, each sprinkler timer operates from different sources of power, like a battery, electrical cords, or hard-wiring. Sporadic, irregular flashes of power to the timer naturally results in erratic irrigation, and is caused by a broken or pinched cord. Ideally, these are also plugged into their own dedicated circuit, away from other electrical equipment and devices. When it comes to batteries, they should be properly secured within the device, or replaced with a fresh battery.

Alternatively, another problem that could arise in the sprinkler timer system may have to do with shorts and fuses. Wire coils are used by valves to channel electrical power while operating an attached lawn sprinkler. Should these malfunction, they often create shorts in the circuitry of the system. Timers may even display the aforementioned short within the system and can indicate which valve number is causing the issue – whether that be water in the valve box, or the wire coil itself. Internal fuses are also components of a timer, and can be blown, rendering the timer unserviceable. In this case, the timer’s fuse box is to be checked, and any faulty components are to be replaced.

The issue may even lie in the programming itself. Oftentimes, depending on the model of timer, the installation of the device will set a factory default watering setting. Lawns can be, and are, very different to one another, and the general default setting may simply be inaccurate to the needs of the particular landscape in question. It may result in waterlog in the lawn, or drought conditions in certain underwatered areas. Aside from this, many models make use of seasonal adjustment settings to maintain irrigation between extreme weather conditions – hot summers, cold winters, or otherwise. It should be verified that the adjustment is functioning properly for whatever the current season is, before looking at other parts that may be malfunctioning themselves.

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