How to Wire the Valves for a Sprinkler System

Learn how to put a lawn irrigation system together.

Highlights:

Step 1: Strip Insulation Off the Wires
Step 2: Attach the Wire Nuts
Step 3: Install Filters and Nozzles on the Sprinkler Heads

Step 1: Strip Insulation Off the Wires

Remove the cover from one of the zone boxes. Strip back the black insulation covering the main control wire (about 8 inches) to reveal the colored wires; each of these wires can be designated to control one zone. The white wire is the common wire: it will be connected to each valve in the system as well as to the master control valve. For our Zone 2, we chose the orange wires and stripped the insulation off them (about 1/2 inch). The electronic valve comes with two wires attached to it. Strip both of these back the same way.

Step 2: Attach the Wire Nuts

Take the orange wires and one of the valve wires, twist them together and screw on a silicone-filled waterproof wire nut (Image 1). Next, take the white common wires and the other valve wire, twist them together and screw on another silicone wire nut (Image 2). Bend the other colored wires out of the way by wrapping them around the main control wire.

- Image 1
- Image 2

Step 3: Install Filters and Nozzles on the Sprinkler Heads

Place the wires back in the box and replace the lid. Pull up on the protective cap ring until the sprinkler head comes up enough to get your hand around it (Image 1). It's spring-loaded, so grasp it firmly. Unscrew the protective cap and drop one filter (Image 2) into the head (Image 3). Next, screw on the variable-arc nozzle and release the head back down into the casing (Image 4).