Rain Bird 6-Zone System: No Water Despite Controller Countdown

Controller counts down all stations but no water flows. Manual bleed on valves works for all but one zone. Solenoid replacement didn't help. One valve cannot be located.

Key Insight

Manual bleed working means water supply and valve bodies are functional. The issue is electrical: controller not sending 24VAC, or wires not delivering it.

Diagnostic Steps

1. Verify all valve wires secure at controller AND solenoid
2. Check voltage at solenoid when zone active (should be 22-26 VAC)
3. If no voltage at solenoid → trace wire for cuts
4. Missing valve: Use wire toner/tracker (~$150 rental) to follow wire from controller

Master Valve Confusion

"Master cutoff" = manual shutoff valve. "Master valve" = automatic valve with blue/white wires. If system has master valve, it MUST open first. Check its solenoid and wiring.

Valves are typically grouped—dig carefully around known valve box locations.