Rain sensor not connected at control panel

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stevemariap

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Hi, I have a rainbird esp 12-lx. The problem im have is trying to find out where the rain sensor is connected at. Cause its not connected at the controller main board. those connectors are jumped per the manual ( for no rain sensor ). Also the mv or (main valve) has nothing connected to it. Really the only connections are two common and 1 thru 10 for the zones. Plus the power source of course. Do you have an idea where the rain sensor is connected. Its an old hunter mini click its connected to one wire coming up out of the ground on the outside of the house pretty much in the same location as the control panel on the inside of the same wall. Thanks for your time.
 

WorthFlorida

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If it is an old sensor it could be bad, They are relatively cheap and simple and some will last years, others a year or two. The basic rain sensor is a NO and NC switch. Most are set for normally closed and when the leather washers inside the unit get wet they expand and open the circuit. Your control also has a bypass switch. After connecting it and the controller is active, not necessarily running a program, if you push on the plastic pin on top of the sensor, you can open the circuit and the controller will respond. To check the controller itself, remove the sensor strap and check the controller. It will not run. The display may read error.

See page 57;
https://www.rainbird.com/sites/default/files/media/documents/2018-02/man_ESPLX.pdf
 

stevemariap

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If it is an old sensor it could be bad, They are relatively cheap and simple and some will last years, others a year or two. The basic rain sensor is a NO and NC switch. Most are set for normally closed and when the leather washers inside the unit get wet they expand and open the circuit. Your control also has a bypass switch. After connecting it and the controller is active, not necessarily running a program, if you push on the plastic pin on top of the sensor, you can open the circuit and the controller will respond. To check the controller itself, remove the sensor strap and check the controller. It will not run. The display may read error.

See page 57;
https://www.rainbird.com/sites/default/files/media/documents/2018-02/man_ESPLX.pdf[/QUOTE
hi, i do understand what your saying. but the problem is the sensor is not connected to the controller there for the sensor bypass switch on the controller doesnt work. per the manual when not using a rain sensor leave the supplied jumper on the two sensor srews. which is in place. this sensor is connected else where besides the controller and does work cause iv hit the line running down from the sensor in to the ground with the weed eater and had to splice it back togather. at this point i want to find where the sensor is connected and do away with it completely. iv already thrown the one that was hooked up in the trash.
 

hj

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If your system does not have a "main valve" or a pump, then nothing WOULD be connected to that teminal. The rain jumper would be removed and the sensor connected to those terminals.
 

stevemariap

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If your system does not have a "main valve" or a pump, then nothing WOULD be connected to that teminal. The rain jumper would be removed and the sensor connected to those terminals.

Hi, Thanks for the advice. Not sure about the pump. But currently and since Iv lived here about 10 years, the sprinklers have always worked and the way its currently wired with nothing wired to the rain sensor connectors or the main valve. If there is a pump i sure would like to find it. I know where all the valves are in the yard though.
 

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stevemariap

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Hi, Thanks for the advice. Not sure about the pump. But currently and since Iv lived here about 10 years, the sprinklers have always worked and the way its currently wired with nothing wired to the rain sensor connectors or the main valve. If there is a pump i sure would like to find it. I know where all the valves are in the yard though.

With that pic in mind. There is a rain sensor connected to the system some where. There is one wire coming out of the ground that is spliced to the wire come from the rain sensor near the roof.
 

HudsonDIY

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The wire coming from the ground is likely the common ground going to the valve manifold. They are just using the sensor as a switch to break the ground to the valves. The timer would still operate normally but when the rain sensor is wet it will break the circuit and the valves won't open. The timer "thinks" its watering your yard but in reality the valves don't open.
 

WorthFlorida

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With that pic in mind. There is a rain sensor connected to the system some where. There is one wire coming out of the ground that is spliced to the wire come from the rain sensor near the roof.

At one time, very old controllers, there were no rain sensor connection inside the controller. Or there was one on a previous unit and the rain sensor circuit went bad. As HudsonNY stated, the common was wired in series to the rain sensor to the normally closed contacts. When wet it would open the common side (usually white wire) so no valves would operate.

Get a new rain sensor. You can get wireless unit but still need to install the sensor anywhere on your property and the received is wired to the controller. You'll need to run the common wire to the controller.
 
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