Rainbird system: Where to start?

[wmbadenpwl]

I recently bought a long-vacant home in Texas, and among other discoveries, I am finding rainbird pop-up sprinkler heads and what I assume were drip system connnection points around the yard. I have found five of what must be six pop-up heads for the front yard and recently discovered a single pop-up head in the back yard. There must be more. Anyone who knew anything about this sytem and its zones has either died or moved away, and long-term neighbors had no idea there was even a sprinkler system here. So do I try turning the thing on and look for leaks/geysers assuming it even works? Newbie with a Rainbird system. As you can see, the control box has been in recent use and there are no notes on zones.

 

[havasu]

I love the "extra simple programming" on the left side of the box! That is a joke!

First, try to get that to "manual" (upper right button) which is printed "man start", and try to get the zones activated one by one. That will tell you which zone controls which set of sprinklers. If they work, then I would go for an easier to use Orbit control box, which you can get for about $35 at a big box store. Most sprinkler valve wires are color coded, which will help you with what goes where. If all else fails, find your sprinkler valves outside and turn them on manually. That will let you know if the plumbing works or not.

 

[wmbadenpwl]

I think I'll start first by vacuuming out all the dead critters in that control box. ...
Later:
Well, after fiddling around with it and pushing the manual button, by golly risers started appearing everywhere. The front and back yard stations worked very well, as did one on the east side that only waters shrubs. I still have a blank spot in the program that is unaccounted for, and I think it might be flower beds whose lines were chopped and shoveled some time back.
Now if I can just figure out how to program only the front yard, I'll be able to overseed my struggling Bermuda grass.
Thanks for the nudge, Havasu!

 

[Mitchell-DIY-Guy]

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/1450194/Rain-Bird-Esp-4.html

 

[FishScreener]

From your pictures It appears there are three wires landed to the control bus. Which implies three zones. I’d just jumper them one at a time, and and see what happens.

Do you know where the manifold, or valves are? You can open the valves just by turning out the needle valve opposite the Solenoid. If you don’t have the little valve just screw the solenoid out a bit.

I’d buy some of the wire flags, and a bunch of plugs/caps, and run the system to find heads and breaks, and then flag and cap off heads as you find them. This will give you full pressure to look for leaks.