What could cause a zone not to turn on in an irrigation system?

A zone in an irrigation system not turning on can often be attributed to issues within the electrical or control components. A faulty controller or broken wire can disrupt the electrical signals necessary for the system to activate that particular zone. The controller is responsible for sending power to the valves that control the flow of water; if there is a malfunction, the signal may not reach the valve, resulting in the zone remaining off.

In addition, a broken wire within the circuit can also prevent power from reaching the valve. This could occur due to wear and tear, damage during maintenance activities, or animal interference. As a result, checks should be performed on the wiring and controller to ensure they are functioning properly to restore operation to the affected zone.

In contrast, while excess water in the area, high water pressure, or clogged sprinkler heads can affect the overall efficiency and performance of an irrigation system, they typically would not prevent a zone from activating altogether. Excess water might cause the system to activate more sporadically, high pressure could damage components but wouldn’t inhibit activation, and clogged heads would affect water distribution after the zone is turned on, rather than preventing it from turning on in the first place.