Sprinkler timer repair
Sprinkler timer repair fixes the controller that runs everything — dead display, a zone that will not stop, a program that vanishes every storm. Local & insured across the Triangle.
Sprinkler timer repair starts at the terminal strip, not the app
Sprinkler timer repair covers the controller itself: the box on the garage wall that decides when every zone runs. When it goes wrong the symptoms look like a plumbing problem — a zone that never comes on, a zone that never shuts off — which is why people dig before they diagnose.
Most controller faults fall into four groups, and telling them apart takes ten minutes with a meter. There is no power at all, which is usually the plug-in transformer rather than the controller. There is power but a dead zone, which is usually the solenoid or the field wiring rather than the board. There is a zone that runs constantly regardless of the program, which is normally a shorted triac inside the controller and is a genuine board failure. And there is the controller that forgets its schedule, which is a dead backup battery or, far more often around here, surge damage. The Triangle gets a lot of summer thunderstorms, and irrigation controllers are unusually exposed to them: the field wiring runs underground across the whole property, which makes an excellent antenna for a nearby strike. A controller that has started behaving oddly after a storm season is rarely coincidence.
We handle sprinkler timer repair for homeowners in Cary, Raleigh, Apex, Morrisville, Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina and throughout Wake County — part of our smart controller installation service.
Sprinkler timer problems we fix
Diagnosed right and fixed with genuine Hunter, Rain Bird & Toro parts.
Dead display, no power
Nine times in ten this is the transformer, not the controller. We test at the terminals before condemning a unit that is often perfectly serviceable.
One zone will not run
We read solenoid resistance at the box, then take the same reading out at the valve. Comparing the two tells us straight away whether the fault sits in the controller, in the field wire, or at the valve.
A zone runs constantly
A zone that runs no matter what the program says is usually a shorted triac on the board. It is a real controller failure and it wastes an enormous amount of water until it is found.
Schedule keeps resetting
Programs that vanish point to a dead backup battery or surge damage to the memory. We check both and tell you which one you have.
Surge and storm damage
Underground field wiring picks up nearby strikes. We check the board, the common wire and the zone outputs, and fit surge protection where the controller is exposed.
Corroded or loose terminals
Damp garages and outdoor enclosures corrode terminal strips. Intermittent faults that come and go with the weather almost always trace back to here.
Signs your sprinkler timer needs repair
- Blank display, or a display that flickers
- A zone that runs when nothing is scheduled
- Programs that disappear after a power cut or a storm
- One zone dead while every other zone works
- The manual test works but the automatic schedule does not
How the work happens, step by step
No mystery, no runaround — here’s the order we work in.
Confirm power and supply
We check the transformer output and the incoming supply first. It is the cheapest thing to rule out and the most common thing to be wrong.
Test each zone at the terminals
A resistance reading taken at the box tells us whether the coil and field wire are healthy. Too high, too low or open circuit each point at a different fault.
Separate board faults from field faults
We repeat the test at the valve to work out whether the problem is inside the box or out in the yard, so you are not paying to replace the wrong thing.
Repair, replace or upgrade
Some faults are a terminal, a fuse or a transformer. Some are a failed board, and on an older unit replacement often costs less than repair — we tell you which, with the prices side by side.
Recent work around the Triangle
What our Triangle neighbors say
Why homeowners choose us
We diagnose before we quote
A controller fault and a valve fault present identically. Ten minutes with a meter is the difference between a small repair and an unnecessary new controller.
Repair first where it makes sense
Transformers, fuses and terminals are repairable and we repair them. We only recommend replacement when the numbers actually favour it.
Owner-involved, accountable
Adam’s local team has worked on every controller brand common in the Triangle. Upfront pricing, a 100% satisfaction guarantee and a 12-month workmanship warranty.
Sprinkler timer repair in Cary, Raleigh & the whole Triangle
We repair irrigation controllers and timers across the Triangle, on every brand commonly installed here. Choose your town for local details: Cary · Raleigh · Apex · Morrisville · Holly Springs · Fuquay-Varina.
Related services we handle on the same visit: sprinkler wiring repair · controller programming · rain sensor installation.
Sprinkler timer repair FAQ
Is it worth repairing an old sprinkler timer or should I replace it?
It depends on what failed. A transformer, a fuse or a corroded terminal is worth repairing on almost any unit. A failed board on a controller that is ten years old is usually not, because a modern replacement costs less than the repair and adds real water savings.
Why does one zone run constantly even when the system is off?
That is the classic shorted-triac symptom — the switch on the board that turns that zone on has failed closed, so it passes current regardless of the program. Shut the water off at the irrigation supply until it is fixed, because it will run continuously.
Could a storm have damaged my controller?
Very likely. Irrigation field wiring runs underground across the whole property and couples nearby strikes straight into the controller. Odd behaviour that started after a storm season is usually surge damage, and surge protection is worth fitting afterwards.
My controller works on manual but not on the schedule. What is wrong?
That points at the programming or the clock rather than the hardware — a program set to the wrong days, an active rain delay, a seasonal adjust set to zero, or a start time that never got saved. It is often fixable in a few minutes.
Do you offer sprinkler timer repair near me?
If you are in Cary, Raleigh, Apex, Morrisville, Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina or anywhere in Wake County, we are local and cover your area. Call or text 919-341-9644.
Get your free quote
Tell us what’s going on and we’ll get right back to you — usually the same day. Prefer to talk? Call or text 919-341-9644.
- Local & insured
- Upfront pricing — no surprises
- 100% guarantee + 12-month workmanship warranty
Controller acting up?
Diagnosed properly before anything is replaced. Call or text 919-341-9644.