Question
Jim, I have a 6 zone total control controller made by Irritrol. No zones will run. The screen has an error code of "Short". When I try to run it manually on program cycle you can here zone one starting than it stops(after a few seconds)and then the screen says Short 1, then Short 2,and so on until it finishes with Short 6. I've seen a single error code for an individual zone but not for all the zones in the controller. There is no master valve or rain sensor. I've tried unplugging the controller to reset it also. The customer has had this set up for several years with no problems in the past. In the past I was told that it was a 12 zone/3 heads per zone system. It was then converted to a 6 zone,2 valves/zone system with a deeper well. It has been working fine until a few weeks ago. Do you think that the contoller is bad? I've checked the wiring and it looks solid.

Thanks, Jim.

Thank

Answer
Hey Jim, I hope this helps. The first thing I would check is if it has a relay hooked up to the controller for the pump. If you look in back of the controller, see if there is a wire hooked to the MV (master valve) terminal. If it does, unhook the wire, and see if the controller still gives you an error message. If it doesn't give you an error message, it is the relay for the pump that is shorting out. If it doesn't have a relay hooked to the controller, then go on to the next step.Un-hook the common field wire from the terminal strip in the back of the controller. Then turn on one valve at a time, and with the common wire un-hooked see if it still gives you an error message. If it still does, then you need to replace the controller. If it is not giving you an error message, then you either have a short in the field wires going to the individual valves, or the solenoids are shorting out. Let me know if I can be of further help. Thanks and have a great day.