Question
Hello, I have an irragation company that replaced an older what I beleive to be "analog" type controller with levers to selct watering times and a digital clock. The unit failed and they installed a new Rain Bird ESP last summer. The ESP is approximately 1ft above a 220V service disconcircuit protection that powers a shallow self primer well pump. I started having "intermitten" issues where I would hit the manual start button to manually water a zone. Approximately 2-6 seconds after the pump started via the Hunter Pump Start Relay the pump would shut off followed. I would then hit the manual button again and it might keep running or shut off again. This does it either when the pump/motor are cold or warm? The reason why I am asking you folks is that I do not have a great deal of confidence in the skill level of service that I am receiving. It just seems to be a "shot gun" appraoch to my problem with the main focus being to grab that check and don't call me ...I will call you. Since then the company has replaced the controller, new pump/motor (Flint and Walling), 220V service disconnect. Now they are telling me that they need to replace the pump start relay which was installed only 2 weeks ago. Now I actually read my Rain Bird Installation manula which I am sure my contractor did as well and they note in caution not to install the controller within 15ft of High output EMR device such as a refrigerator or A/C. I called Rain Bird 800 number and spoke to a gentleman/Technician in Mexico/Phillipines who told me that I should not mount the controller within 15tf of the 220V Servcie disconnect box? My contractor told me that if the PSR does not solve the problem that they will relocate the Controller and PSR....? The problem tends to be on all 4 zones, but appears to be most prevelant on a higher pump demand zone....? Doea this all make sense?

Answer
Hi Todd
You are right the controller should be away from any source of interference. Since you have a new controller,pump, circuit breaker all should be fine.

But check the following: The controller should send 24V to the PSR and the PSR will send the proper voltage to the pump. check if the controller keeps the 24V to the PSR for the time the zone is active. To do this use a multimeter and put the black lead on the common (C) port and the red lead at the MV port if the pump shut off and the 24V are present the controller is fine and probably you have an issue at the PSR or the pump.

If the controller is fine check PSR. The wires from the controller should have 24V, the input voltage should be 220V and the output (to the pump) should be also 220V.(The black lead to the ground (green wire) and the red lead to each phase, probably you have two 110 phase wire, each phase should have 110V.) If the input voltage is wrong the problem is at the circuit breaker or power source. If the voltage at the output is wrong the problem is the PSR. If the voltage at the output is wright the problem is at the pump.

You note that the problem is most prevalent at the higher demand zone, on this zone the amps drawn should be close or a little bit higher than the pump max amp load or full amp load if is to high the pump overloads and stop. This value is located in one sticker on the pump or the manual. If this is your issue you have to split the zone in two zones.

Regards
Guillermo