Hi Steve,
To test if the controller is working properly, use a multimeter (AC voltage mode) to test the voltage between the common wire and the zone wire when the zone is active. Normally the voltage should be between 24V and 28V.
You might also want to check whether there are shorted zones or open zones. You just need to use a multimeter to measure the resistance between the common wire and each zone (remove the wires from the slots before testing the resistance). The normal reading would be 20-60 Ohms. If the reading is less than 10 Ohms then you might have a shorted circuit in the solenoid and if it is larger than 80 Ohms you might have an open circuit.
Please let us know if it works.
Thanks,
Netro Support