Inground sprinkler problem- wiring issue

[Stonecove]

We had a nice Japanese maple that was 8 years old die on us this past winter so in order to keep my wife happy, the new one HAD to go exactly where the old one was. In the process of digging out the old stump I cut some cables. I checked the phone and Direct TV and both were OK so, I smuggly continued with the job, thinking I must have cut the old Comcast cable line (I didn't like Comcast anyway so it was a moment or "Take That!"). I finished planting the new tree in the old hole and everyone was happy. That was 2 weeks ago.
Welllllllllll, I went to turn on my sprinkler system and no water was coming out of any zones. Thinking hard I finally came to the conclusion that it wasn't the Comcast lines I cut but the two 12 volt sprinkler lines that go to the sprinkler control box in my garage.
So I was thinking I would dig up the newly planted Jap. maple and see if I can find those wires-- big job. If I find them I would have to splice the wires and the splice would have to be underground. Would this be a problem? Also, does it make any difference how it's wired (can I wire it backwards and ruin something? I don't know where the closest control box is so rewiring a new line to a box would require hiring the sprinkler company to do the fix, which I would like to avoid.
Your help is appreciated.
Stonecove

 

[DeadAye]

How big around were the wires that you cut and how many?

 

[Stonecove]

Deadeye, I'll have to dig the tree out and find the wires and let you know. Guess I should be outside doing that instead of being on the forum- dang, this is not going to be fun!
Stonecove

 

[kyf]

We had a nice Japanese maple that was 8 years old die on us this past winter so in order to keep my wife happy, the new one HAD to go exactly where the old one was. In the process of digging out the old stump I cut some cables. I checked the phone and Direct TV and both were OK so, I smuggly continued with the job, thinking I must have cut the old Comcast cable line (I didn't like Comcast anyway so it was a moment or "Take That!"). I finished planting the new tree in the old hole and everyone was happy. That was 2 weeks ago.
Welllllllllll, I went to turn on my sprinkler system and no water was coming out of any zones. Thinking hard I finally came to the conclusion that it wasn't the Comcast lines I cut but the two 12 volt sprinkler lines that go to the sprinkler control box in my garage.
So I was thinking I would dig up the newly planted Jap. maple and see if I can find those wires-- big job. If I find them I would have to splice the wires and the splice would have to be underground. Would this be a problem? Also, does it make any difference how it's wired (can I wire it backwards and ruin something? I don't know where the closest control box is so rewiring a new line to a box would require hiring the sprinkler company to do the fix, which I would like to avoid.
Your help is appreciated.
Stonecove

The wires should be color coded so splicing them together correctly shouldn't be a problem. Use a good moisture barrier after you splice them. I'm thinking your biggest problem is going to be whether or not you have enough slack in the wire to strip the ends and have enough to twist em together. Good luck!!!

 

[4011]

Get some wire that matches yours. Dig up the ends and splice the new wire into the old. Before you finish do a smoke test on the system to be sure its working corretly. Put a little solder on each splice some heat shrik then some good old scotch 3m 33 black tape. Then tape the repaired area all together. You will be fine. Wire usually runs near the plastic pipe.

 

[hsmith9491]

If at all possible solder the splice. May have to add a length of wire.
Use shrink tubing over splice and tape up real good.

 

[galena]

You can try the wire nuts that are designed for under ground called "grease caps" and then cover the mend with shrink wrap and black tape for extra protection. Good luck, I don't envy you because I have pulled similar stunts in my day.

 

[Stonecove]

Just dug out the tree and planted it in a pot temporarily. I found 2 wires (with a dozen or so colored wires inside). I can't tell if the two ends should be wired together. They both head off in the same direction. Confusing. Would a system use 2 wire bundles to be operational?? What happens if I were to wire them together and they were both from the box?
Stonecove

 

[sideways]

If it were me I would set a junction box designed for outdoor use and make splices in box with just wire nuts then check system if it seems to function properly then go back and tape up splices with some rubber tape and then scotch 33 electrical tape. If this is a twelve volt system and it should be it will be fine. Make SURE you power down before working on it.

 

[Gasman1972]

can you post a pic of these wires?

Till then, I would start by checking for voltage at the first zone in the system just to make sure you cut the sprinkler wires.

What you should have for wires is a hot wire for each zone and one common wire that passes all zones. Unless the wiring has changed since the last time I had any dealings with irrigation systems.

 

[feralmerril]

Somehow I suspect those wires you cut may not even be the wires you think. There is a lot of other reasons your system hasnt fired up.

 

[mtgianni]

You should have a control box that your sprinklers run off of. Turn them to a manual position and undo the connections and check for voltage @ the control valves before you splice those lines. If you don't get 24 V check the lines leaving your control box to see which colors are powered then match them up against the unknown wires.

 

[m1gunner]

There are tools for diagnosing this stuff. If you have an alarm company you deal with or sprinkler installer, they should be able to fix you right up.

A phone technician from the phone company would have the needed stuff as well.

Do you have a schematic of the sprinkler system from when it was installed? On many systems I have seen this stuffed into a large envelope stuck behind some conduit near the master controller.