No Zones Running

In this article, we will cover the most common reasons why your sprinklers are not running.

Topics include the following:

• Testing water supply
• Testing controller voltage 
• Test Wi-Fi on the controller
• Water trigger or sensor prevented system from running. See article here for details.

Test Water Supply

The water could be been shut off to the zone valves. Go to the zone valve and give the solenoid (where the wires are connected) a ½-turn counterclockwise. If the valves have water, the sprinklers will come on even without the controller. See the illustration below for activating the valve solenoid manually:

If the sprinklers turn on by manually twisting the solenoid, follow the next step to check for proper voltage. 

Test Controller Voltage

To confirm proper voltage is getting to the valves using a voltmeter, follow the steps below:

1. From the Home screen, navigate to the Zone Summary screen by pressing Zones.

   From the Zone Summary screen, touch the zone you wish to view. The Zone Summary screen shows the status of six zones at a time. To view the next or previous group of zones, use the Next and Previous buttons. The current range of zones that you are viewing is indicated at the top of the screen.

   From the Zone Status screen, you can manually start a zone using the Run Now button. When started, the zone will run for the zone’s default configured run length. This can be overridden by clicking on Run Time prior to manually starting the zone. When a zone is running, the Run Now button will change to Stop. This allows you to stop a running zone.

2. Use a volt meter to confirm there is 25–28 VAC at the screw terminals marked "C" and the corresponding station screw terminal (e.g., "C" and "2").
3. Next, go to the valve in question and check the same two wires connected to the valve for the same voltage.
4. If there is no voltage or low voltage at the valve, you may have a damaged wire or bad connection from the controller.
5. If you have necessary voltage (25–28 VAC) at the valve then the solenoid may need to be replaced.

If you need a new solenoid for the valve, Hunter makes our products and replacement parts available through our network of authorized distributors. Click on the following link to find an Authorized Hunter Distributor in your area: Distributor Locator

Test Wi-Fi on the Controller

If the irrigation system did not water on the scheduled day, you may have a cancellation caused by a sensor or a water trigger. Refer to this article if this is the case.

If your controller loses internet connectivity for more than one day, we'll send you an email notification. During this time, your controller will run the last synced schedule in offline mode.

If the last synced schedule was for the controller to remain off, follow the steps below to reestablish the Wi-Fi connection. 

1. Check that your wireless router and controller are powered on.
2. Signal Strength check: Settings > Wireless > Wireless Name > Select Network > Read strength (High recommended for optimal functionality).  
3. Reboot Controller: Settings > Config > Reboot Controller > Check Server Status
4. Factory Default: Settings > Config > Factory Default > Erase Config > Connection Wizard > Check Server Status
5. Reset Modem/Router: Unplug for 15–20 seconds. Then plug back three times > Check Server Status. This will refresh the connection to an extender if you have one installed.
6. Reset Extender: Reset the extender as well to refresh IP settings.
7. Check Network Settings: The following Wi-Fi requirements apply to your Hunter Hydrawise-ready controller.
   • Hunter HC controller is 802.11 b/g
   • Hunter Pro-HC controller is 802.11 b/g/n
   • Hunter HPC controller is 802.11 b/g/n
   • Bandwidth: 2.4 GHz only; not compatible with 5 GHz
   • Router channel: Set between 1–11
   • Guest networks/networks with portal page login: Not compatible
   • For Mac address, visit the support page here
8. Testing with hotspot: Depending on your smartphone, use either guide below:

   Apple hotspot

   Android hotspot

   Check server status: This test will tell you if the controller is working properly and if you need to install an extender for better connection.

Wi-Fi Extender Note: You can try to connect to the extender via hotspot. If you have connection issues here, you not getting an internet connection from the source.

If controller will not connect to the hotspot, email the Support Team:
Hydrawise Email Support