# Troubleshooting Watering Issues and Zone Faults
> Summary A "Zone Fault" notification detects electrical faults, which are typically caused by wiring issues. The zone fault may look like a small red flash r...
Source: https://support.rachio.com/en_us/troubleshooting-watering-issues-and-zone-faults-B1A9DL1tD
Last updated: 2026-04-13T19:42:03.048Z
# Summary
If a zone is failing to water, it can be due to a variety of mechanical or electrical issues. This guide covers common scenarios, including how to identify and resolve "Zone Fault" notifications (indicated by a red flash above a zone or Master Valve number) and provides step-by-step instructions to get your system back online.
# Zone Not Activating
If you are able to perform a quick run on the zone from the Rachio app, and **the app shows the zone is running, but zone's sprinkler heads are not throwing any water (or the app displays an Open Line/low milliamps with** [**Valve Monitoring**](https://support.rachio.com/en_us/premium-software-features-Sk7Jpf9GWe#section-3)**),** please follow these steps:
1. Move the wire for a zone that is working with the non-working zone. For example, if Zone 1 isn't working, but Zone 2 is, remove the Zone 2 wire and move the Zone 1 wire into the Zone 2 terminal.
2. Then open the Rachio App and select the Quick Run button from the Home tab.
3. Run the zone you swapped the wire for and check if you see any water coming out of the original non-working zone. For example, if you moved the Zone 1 wire into the Zone 2 terminal, you will test Zone 2 in the app.
If the issue was resolved by swapping the wires, you have a defective terminal for the non-working zone, and the controller will need to be replaced. In this case, please reach out to our support team to see if your controller may be covered under warranty.
If the issue persists, you likely have a physical problem with the irrigation system, such as a broken wire or a stuck solenoid valve. In this case, we recommend that you reach out to an irrigation specialist for assistance.
#### Note
If you can activate a zone through the app but are unable to start a manual run using the physical buttons (because the buttons cannot be depressed), there may be dust, dirt, or debris restriction the movement of the buttons. Using a clean, dry brush gently and thoroughly scrub the space between the button and the controller housing to loosen debris.
**All Zones Not Activating**
When all zones are not working, the issue might be with the common wire of your irrigation system. Your Rachio controller has multiple C terminals. Try switching the wire connected to terminal "C" for a different C and run again.
**If there is no water coming out of any zones at all, here are a few things to check:**
1. Is the water on? Sometimes, a contractor may close the water to do some work in your yard and forget to turn it back on. Check your backflow preventer if the valves are open (there are usually two or more ball valves).
2. Do you have a Master Valve in your system? You can easily check this: If the Rachio controller has a wire inserted in the M terminal, your system has either a Master Valve or Pump.
3. Check if the system runs by using the controller's buttons but not the app. This will indicate you need to enable the M terminal in your controller settings.
4. If you have a pump, check if the PSR powers on with an audible click when the controller starts. If you have a Master Valve, manually open the solenoid by carefully unscrewing it a quarter of a turn - you should hear water flowing when you run the controller.
If none of the above works, you might have an issue that will require an irrigation specialist to diagnose.
# Advanced Wiring
You are able to run zones using the physical buttons on the controller, but are unable to run zones from the app. In this case, the issue could be related to the M Terminal and the associated app settings. Follow the steps below to adjust your advanced wiring settings in the app.
1. Open the Rachio app, select the respective sprinkler controller, and go to the settings tab at the bottom right corner.
2. Scroll down to "Advanced Wiring (M Terminal)."
There, select one of the three options according to your irrigation system:
* Master Valve (if your system utilizes a Master Valve)
* Well or Pump Start Relay (if your system has a pump start relay or indexing valve)
* Neither (use when there is nothing attached to your controller’s M Terminal)
# Zone Fault Troubleshooting
Have you received zone or master valve faut noticiation, find how to fix zone faults watiching the video below
####
**Some common reasons for faults include:**
* Worn or defective solenoid;
* Damaged or faulty wiring;
* Poor wire connections and/or improper wire installation
* When the controller experiences a fault on a zone (or the master valve), we:
1. **Restart the controller.**
2. **Send a push notification to your mobile phone.**
3. **Add an event to your History feed**.
The controller History feed will include the zone number (or master valve) that faulted and the time of day the fault occurred.
4. **Continue attempting to run the zone** as scheduled, although the zone may not actually water.
#### Note
A fault will restart the controller, but will not complete the schedule after the affected zone is identified. The detection feature is not available on Generation 1 controllers.
5. **Isolate the fault**
Remove the wire from the zone terminal identified by the controller. Manually run a 2-minute test schedule for all zones. If the fault is not detected in the activity feed, the problem is with the solenoid or field wiring.
6. **Check the solenoid
**Check the voltage to the nonworking zone using a multimeter.
7. **Check the voltage at the controller**
Using a voltmeter, use the selection knob to set the mode to 200 AC V. This may also be shown as V~. If the meter is auto-ranging, you can just set to ACV or V~. Touch one probe to the station terminal you wish to test and the other probe to the C or COM terminal while the station is activated. Typically, it does not matter which of the two colored probes goes where, but for consistency purposes, use the black probe for the C terminal and the red probe for the station terminal. We are looking for 24-30 volts for a healthy terminal.
8. **Checking voltage at the solenoid**
Use the same AC voltage reading on your voltmeter as used on the controller. It is no coincidence that the solenoid has two wires and the controller has two screw terminals for you to test. Solenoids have two wires, one for the COMMON wire and one for the station's power wire. Typically, COMMON wires are shared throughout irrigation systems to save on wire. Place either probe from the voltmeter on what's presumably the COMMON wire at the valve manifold, and place the other probe on the solenoids' power wire. With the station activated, you should have 24-28VAC.
Test the resistance “ohms” between the common terminal and the nonworking zone. Turn off the system, turn the multimeter to test for ohms (Ω) or (~), and place the leads on the common terminal and zone terminal. This simple test will let you identify if there is a shorted solenoid or a cut wire going to the valve. In either case, the valve will fail to open when the proper voltage is sent to it from the irrigation controller. You should get a reading from 20-60 Ω; every manufacturer’s valves will have a slightly different reading. If the ohms fall below the required amount (20 Ω), the solenoid that operates the control valve for that zone is defective and needs to be replaced. The defective solenoid will be connected to the same color wire as the zone wire at the controller. Conversely, any reading above 60 Ω is indicative of a wiring problem. This usually occurs due to the age of the valve, an electrical surge, or a cut wire.
If you get a reading of zero or offline (OL), this usually indicates a wire has been cut between the irrigation controller and the zone. If you receive the same OL (offline) reading for all the zones, this may indicate the common wire has been cut, as all the zones share this wire. Remember to test Zone 1, as an OL reading for indicated the common has been cut between the controller and the first zone. To make repairs in this situation, you may need to run a new common or track down the break with a fault locator.
Although valves themselves rarely need to be replaced, solenoids do occasionally fail. Replacing them is quick and easy. Remember to unplug the controller and make sure the valves on the backflow device are turned off. Inside the control valve box, remove the wire connectors and disconnect the two wires on the defective solenoid from the common and field wires. Turn the solenoid counterclockwise to unscrew it from the valve. Water will slowly seep out of the valve opening, even with the water turned off.
Place a new solenoid in the valve and turn it until it's finger-tight. Twist the ends of the new solenoid wires onto the same common and field wires that the old solenoid was attached to. It doesn't matter which solenoid wire goes to the common and which one goes to the field wire. Twist a new waterproof wire connector over each connection. To make waterproof connections, use a silicone-filled “direct bury” connector available at home centers.
9. **Check the wiring
**If the ohms reading between the common terminal and fault zone terminal is too high (above 60 Ω), the problem is a severed or bad wire to the control valve. If only one zone isn't working, the field wire is damaged. If none of the zones in a control valve box are working, the common wire is damaged, although the field wires could also be bad.
To find a bad wire, bypass the wire by temporarily substituting a temporary wire for the original that you run above ground. Make the wire connections with the controller turned off. Then turn the controller back on. Test the field wire first. If the zone turns on, the old field wire is bad. Replace it with an 18-gauge wire rated for underground burial. Bury the wire at least 8 in. underground. Follow the same procedure to test the common wire.
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