Sprinkler line and wire repair

[rundrave]

how would you go about tackling this job?

I hit it with a trencher, I knew it was a possibility just didn't know exactly where it was. 

The water line will be an easy fix, will probably just splice it like so:

I am not sure exactly how to go about the wires though. Is there a kit or something that I could use to splice and then wrap? Whats a good way to go about water proofing?

[RebelSS]

Slide a 6" long piece of shrink-fit tubing on the wires; strip ends, solder; coat with liquid tape, slide shrink-fit down over mend, and shrink 'er down with heat source. That's what I'd do. 

[delcecchi]

There are a bunch of different underground waterproof splice connectors available.  Check amazon or Menards...

 

Is this power like UF or some other kind of cable ? 

This is a picture of one for uf.

Gardner Bender HST-1300 Underground Cable Splice Kit for waterproof splicing of #14 - #8 AWG UF Copper Wire

by GB Electrical

[Moon Lake Refuge]

Just a heads up, my water line in my yard had to much pressure for regular hose clamps, I had two on either side heated on and they still blew.  Sprinkler guy in my neighborhood had me pick up some one ear clamps(right next to the standard clamps, and a 6 dollar crimper to tighten them up.  They work fantastic.

[rundrave]

I finally found someone local to sell me a section of hose by the foot and need to get it fixed yet. Thanks for the note on the clamps I will have to take a look. 

I still have all the wires exposed I havent found any good solutions locally to repair them I may have to look some more online. Will any type of wire work if I just splice color to color? and then get it all sealed up?

[Moon Lake Refuge]

10 minutes ago, rundrave said:

I finally found someone local to sell me a section of hose by the foot and need to get it fixed yet. Thanks for the note on the clamps I will have to take a look. 

I still have all the wires exposed I havent found any good solutions locally to repair them I may have to look some more online. Will any type of wire work if I just splice color to color? and then get it all sealed up?

Just pop into menards or Depot and let them know what you need to fix, they will get you a splice kit and it shouldnt be more than a 15 minute job.  Not in conduit so get wire rated for burial.  You can buy multiple spools to match colors if you want but if I was doing It I would probably just slap one color on each wire to save cost.  Solder or get a splice that you screw together, and heat shrink your tube on.  They will walk you through the whole thing.

Depending on how wide your cut is you will probably need two splices on either side of your new wire, also I would double up on hose clamps on either side of each fitting.

[jmd1]

You can get heat shrink at auto parts house too.  even can get butt connectors crimp style with solder in them and heat shrink on the connector too.  

https://www.amazon.com/Shrink-Solder-Sleeve-Crimpless-Connectors/dp/B00IEFOCRK

Edited June 13, 2016 by jmd1

[rundrave]

so update on this conundrum. I got the water line all sorted and it doesn't leak so I am good there. Still have issues with the wires. I just went and bought a section of sprinkler line and wired in the matching wires. I stripped all the wires back and heat shrinked them really well. Was going to then cover them in another larger layer but wanted to make sure everything worked first.

when this line was cut the main control box was not plugged in so there was no power at the time and there was no water turned on yet either in the system.

Well now that things have started to dry up around here I wanted to get this sorted out so I got it all wired and now I got water but when I put it in manual mode and manually switch to each zone I get more than one zone on at a time. For example when I manually select zone 1, zone 1 comes on and works fine. Manually switch to zone 2, it comes on but 1 stays on. Manually switch to zone 3 it comes up but 1 goes off and 2 stays on with 3 and so forth. When I completely unplug the control unit the last zone or in this case 2 zones 5 and 6 stay running and do not turn off even with the main control box unplugged from wall outlet. I have to then go turn off the water valve that my sprinkler system runs off that I turn off each winter.

I have checked and double checked all my new wire connections, all colors match and have a good heatshrink holding each connection. Is it possible I have another issue in the system or is my new wiring not as good as I think it is?

[Moon Lake Refuge]

If it was just one zone constantly staying on I would think something else but since they rotate being stuck on it almost sounds like a programing or wiring issue.  

[delcecchi]

Is this a new system?  Did it ever work right?  

[rundrave]

no its about 15 years old. worked fine last fall and then I turned the water off and got the lines blown out. Hadn't touched it this spring until I hit it with the trencher.

[delcecchi]

Then I got nothing....

[jmd1]

It sounds like the solenoid is hanging in the irrigation box.  I have to replace mine every 5 yrs or so.  If you take all the wires off the timer, manually cycle zone 1 on then hook the first wire up, making a map of what wire controls what, you can see if this stops the solenoid.  My dogs ate my wire where it comes to the garage, this was the only way i could figure out what was what.  Good luck.

[delcecchi]

Ah, the old "problem 1 has nothing to do with problem 2" trick...

[rundrave]

On 6/22/2016 at 7:24 PM, delcecchi said:

Ah, the old "problem 1 has nothing to do with problem 2" trick...

Ding we have a winner kind of

Called the pros they came out and we did some trouble shooting. should have been another valve box somewhere in the yard. I knew of only one and he was adamant there should have been another. Got out his locator and he connected to my splice and we went hunting. sure enough we found the other valve location. ironically it was a low spot in the yard that cost me an a-arm on my rider 6 years ago when I first moved in to this home. I filled the low spot full of dirt and planted some grass and never thought twice about it. 

well ironically that was the location of the missing valve box. turns out I had 2 bad valves full of rocks so we got those taken care of and everything is up an running. his guess was when I hit the line it got some rocks in it and that caused the issue when it got spliced back together.

works like a charm. before I celebrate he scoffed at both of my splices in the water and the wire line so he redid those. In my defense the hose clamps didnt leak but it only took him about 30 seconds to use the correct clips so took care of that as well. He also wasnt a fan of my shrink wrap job for direct bury even though i told him I was going to tape it all up good once I knew it was all working.

So lesson learned for this DYI'er. I admitted defeat and called the pros. I just wont show the wife the bill when it comes hehe.