When a controller offline alert occurs, it means that the controller has not had recent communication with the WeatherTRAK Central server. Unless the power is off, the controller will continue to irrigate as scheduled; however, the controller may not receive ET messages and the controller may no longer be synchronized with the website.
Check out the following videos in our Communications Playlist to help understand and diagnose the issue:
- Troubleshooting Basics
- How to Check Power to the Controller
- How to Check Programming of the Controller
Possible Causes:
- The controller has lost power or has been turned off
- The two-way phase integrities are low
- The two-way controller is set to one-way in the ADVANCED menu
- Expired WeatherTRAK subscription
- Cell tower or cell phone issues
Possible Fixes:
Check the signal strength and reset the modem.
1. Press COMM.
2. Press à until VIEW PHASE INTEGRITY displays. The readings for Strength should read Good and Quality should read OK. If you see “No Signal” Try resetting the modem.
3. Press à until the GPRS STATUS screen displays. (COMM screen 13)
4. Press * to reset the modem. Wait a few minutes. If resetting the controller was successful, you will see Online under GPRS Status.
Check the location of your Controller
If the site has known interference or your controller is in a metal enclosure, purchase an outdoor omni antenna (ANT-OMNI). Once installed on a roofline or outside the enclosure, connect the controller to it with one of our cables (ANT-CX-CBL-#, where # is 10',25',50',100')
- Cell signals can penetrate plastic, but not metal. If placing a controller inside a metal enclosure, be sure to install an external antenna.
Clearing a Controller Offline Alert:
You do not need to do anything to clear this type of alert. It will automatically clear when communication is restored.
If these options do not work, contact support. We may be able to isolate if it is a hardware or network issue and recommend a new part or signal amplification solution.