SPRINKLER TALK FORUM - You Got Questions, We've Got Answers

I have a seven years old Hunter SRC system with six zones. I live in San
Antonio, so winters are mild. The system has been working fine until this year.
Now the system works only when the temperature is above 75 degrees or so. When
it is colder than that, it does not come on at all.
Even when I try manual start for a single station, or for all stations, it does
not come on.

I do not have a weather sensor (but I do have a rain sensor) with the system. I checked the connections at the controller and at all valve boxes. They are secure.

All the information on the control panel are normal (date, time, programs,
start times, etc...).

Any ideas?? Any help would be greatly appreciated...

1. Do the valves get power when the controller is on? If not try disconnecting the rain sensor.

I believe they do. Sometimes when I try to start the system manually, the sprinkler heads briefly pop up and then go back down. Of course when it is warm enough, they all work fine.

BTW, how do you disconnect the rain sensor (is it just by shorting the two wires going to it?)
2. Are the valves above ground and in a box?

Valves and valve boxes are in the ground.

4. Is the controller outside or inside and does it get direct sunlight?

The controller is in the garage. It does not get any direct sunlight.

I have a customer who likes to keep his anti-syphon valves in a box above ground. The box gets direct sunlight. I'm constantly having to change a diaphragm in his Superior 800's. Some lasting only 6 months. The sun heats up the box which heats up the diaphragm which expands thus clogging a port keeping the valve from opening. I doubt that's your issue because none of your valves work. Never know though. I had one job long ago where every single diaphragm was bad on valves that were only about 5 years old.

"The Hunter miniclik should have the inside parts replaced every couple of years."


Miniclik? Is that the outside gadget (sensor) where you can adjust the amount of rain that would turn the system off?

"Turn the main SRC dial one click to the right, and you will bypass the rain detector, assuming it is wired into the controller, and not spliced into the field wiring."

Thanks. I just tried that on manual and automatic. Was really hoping it would work, but it did not

I suppose that means the problem is not with the rain sensor.

Thanks to all who tried to help with this problem.

I finally replaced the control panel with a Rain Maker panel. Everything is working like a charm!

Seems the old panel had an internal malfunction, even though on the display all seemed normal...