How to Troubleshoot Irrigation Boxes

Open the irrigation box and twist the irrigation controller dial to "Auto" or "Run" if the irrigation system fails to activate. With the schedule properly set, the system will fail to run unless the timer is in the "Auto" position.

Twist the irrigation dial to the "Set Watering Start Times" position, if the sprinklers fail to activate at the desired time. The watering start time might not be set correctly. Flip the irrigation box "Program" switch to the first program. If the irrigation box has buttons instead of a dial, press the buttons needed to reach the watering start times section of the timer. Press the directional buttons up or down to adjust the watering start times for each program.

Open the irrigation box panel to expose the irrigation wire terminals, if the box activates but the sprinklers fail to turn on. The wiring might be compromised. Gently pull the irrigation wires from the terminals to reset the connection. Confirm that the color-coded wires that are connected to the irrigation box are the same color-coded wires that are connected to the solenoids of the valve manifold. Confirm that each wire tip is stripped a half-inch. Insert the white irrigation wire into the "Common" terminal and the color-coded wires into their corresponding station terminals.

Twist the irrigation box dial to "Off" for three seconds if the sprinklers activate when not scheduled. The "Manual Start" button might have been pressed. When the "Manual Start" button is pressed, the valves activate automatically then and water the lawn. The three-second "Off" function cancels the function. Return the dial to "Auto" to reinstate the programmed schedule.

Twist the irrigation box dial to the "Water Duration" slot if the sprinklers fail to turn off at the desired time. The watering duration time might be greater than desired. If the irrigation box has buttons instead of a dial, press the buttons necessary to reach the "Water Duration" setting. The watering duration appears on the display. If the duration is too great, press the directional buttons to reduce the time.