Baseline Systems BaseStation 1000 - Manual (Page 110)

BaseStation 1000 Irrigation Controller Manual
Troubleshooting with a Milliamp Clamp Meter
1. Wire a solenoid in line with the red wire of the two-wire
path right after the controller as illustrated here.
2. Use the milliamp clamp meter to take a milliamps ac
reading on the red wire (two-wire) that is connected to
the controller. Write down this reading, which will be
referred to as the “over-current reading.”
3. Go to the first wire splice and use the milliamp clamp
meter to take a reading on all red wires (two-wire). As you
take the readings, look for a number that is close to the
over-current reading.
Note: The reading does not have to be identical.
4. Continue testing all red wires on the two-wire path,
looking for the over-current reading until you isolate a
wire segment or device that is generating that number.
5. Remove the suspected device from the two-wire path, and
then check the controller again.
6. Perform one of the following actions:
 If the Over Current message persists, check the two-wire in that stretch for damage.
 If the Over Current message goes away, remove the two-wire path and connect the
device directly to the controller. If the Over Current message returns, the device is faulty
and will need to be replaced.
Troubleshooting Manually
If you do not have a millamp clamp meter, you can manually break the two-wire connections in a
systematic manner to isolate a wire segment or device that is generating the Over Current
message.
1. Determine the approximate halfway point of the two-wire path, and then break the
connection at that valve box.
2. Check the controller again. Perform one of the following actions:
 If the Over Current message persists, the problem is in the half of the two-wire that is
still connected to the controller. Find the halfway point of that segment and start at step
1 again.
 If the Over Current message goes away, the problem is in the disconnected half of the
two-wire path. Reconnect the two-wire path, and then disconnect at the halfway point
of the problem section. Start at step 1 again.
3. When you have isolated the device or the stretch of two-wire where the problem seems to be
originating, remove the two-wire path and connect the device directly to the controller. If the
Over Current message returns, the device is faulty and will need to be replaced.
Page 104