Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
How to Fix a Short in a Sprinkler System
How to Fix a Short in a Sprinkler System. Sprinkler systems rely on a series of special wires that send an electric signal from the timer to the valves. This signal turns the valves on and off, controlling the flow of water to individual sprinkler zones. These wires are color coded for ease of use, and are generally waterproof. If a wire becomes...
Sprinkler systems rely on a series of special wires that send an electric signal from the timer to the valves. This signal turns the valves on and off, controlling the flow of water to individual sprinkler zones. These wires are color coded for ease of use, and are generally waterproof. If a wire becomes frayed or damaged, it can short out the connection on that line. Repairing a shorted sprinkler line requires you to install a new wire in its place.
Things You'll Need
Sprinkler wire
Screwdriver
Set your timer to the "test" position to run each zone for 30 seconds. Watch the sprinklers to see which zone does not turn on properly. This is the zone requiring repair.
Set the sprinkler timer to the "off" position, and then unplug the timer from the alternating current outlet.
Open the sprinkler control timer to expose the series of colored wires connected inside. Each zone relies on a single white wire for the ground connection, and a single colored wire for each zone. The zone numbers are marked next to each colored wire.
Place a screwdriver into the screw that is holding the damaged wire for the zone number observed as broken. For example, unscrew the red wire from zone 1 if the first zone did not turn on properly.
Remove the wire from the damaged zone.
Open the sprinkler manifold box outside the house. Unscrew the cap from the same colored wire as the one removed from inside the timer control unit. Pull that wire out of the connection cap.
Run a new sprinkler wire, preferably with the same colored line, from the sprinkler timer to the manifold box. Follow the path of the previous wire bundle for easy access from end to end.
Place one end of the sprinkler wire into the empty slot on the timer, and turn the screw clockwise until tight to lock it in place.
Place the other end of the new wire into the connection cap from which the old wire was removed, and twist the connection back together.
Plug in your sprinkler timer back into the AC outlet and set the dial to the "test" position to check the new connection.
Tips & Warnings
Always use electrical wire specifically marked for in-ground sprinkler use.
Never work on a timer plugged into an AC outlet.
