Testing Mismatched Field-Wire Colors, Adding a 1-Inch Hunter PGV Valve, and Running One New Drip Zone to Shrubs and Japanese Maple Beds

Adding a new irrigation zone does not always require running a brand-new control wire from the sprinkler timer to the valve box. On a New Baltimore property, Hunter HydroTech found extra existing conductors that could potentially be used for a new drip zone, but the wire colors at the controller did not match the colors visible in the valve box.

Two extra wires were available at the controller

The timer had two unused wires available. Hunter HydroTech landed those conductors temporarily on open station terminals so they could be energized individually for field testing.

Testing the wires in the valve box

• The black field wire did not show power during the test.
• The brown field wire did show power.
• The brown field conductor corresponded to the purple wire inside the controller.

The verified brown/purple circuit became the control wire for the new drip-zone valve.

Why testing matters more than matching colors

Wire color is useful when a system is installed consistently from end to end, but older systems may contain splices, replacement cable, prior valve-box repairs, controller replacements, or extensions. Testing the actual energized circuit confirmed which conductor could be used.

Adding a 1-inch Hunter PGV valve

Hunter HydroTech installed a new 1-inch Hunter PGV valve for the drip zone so the new landscape watering could operate independently from existing spray and rotor zones.

Poly piping ran approximately 30 feet in both directions

From the valve area, Hunter HydroTech ran polyethylene irrigation pipe approximately 30 feet in each direction toward perimeter flower beds around the yard.

One zone branched to both shrub beds and Japanese maple beds.

1 GPH dripline with 12-inch spacing

The planting beds were supplied with standard 1 gallon-per-hour dripline using 12-inch emitter spacing. Dripline applies water slowly and close to the root zone, making it well suited to landscape beds where overhead spray is unnecessary.

New Baltimore irrigation additions

Hunter HydroTech provides new irrigation zones and system additions, valve installation and repair, wire testing, and sprinkler-system modifications throughout Southeast Michigan.

See our New Baltimore irrigation service page.