SPRINKLER TALK FORUM - You Got Questions, We've Got Answers

It's a good valve. I would suggest you stay with what you've been using. It will make repair easier having only one style of valve.

Hey, I never thought to ask, do you guys think there is any reason that the CPF100 Rainbird valve wouldn't work as a master valve or is there a better choice. For now I've been using the CPF100, but haven't really fired the system up at all.
TeaMan

Good point Mitchgo, I think I have it solved anyway. I guess just anal. Wanted it fixed.
TeaMan

Manually turning the valves on / off through the solenoid a whole bunch of times is not the best for the valve.

If your on a well, and you have a master valve-- why are you so worried about such a small leak? I mean depending on your design and size of the system you'll use anywhere from 300-3000 gallons of water per cycle ( or more or lesss) ..

Valves will weep. It is a fairly common repair. Generally, you can actually hear water squeezing past the diaphragm if you put your ear as close to valve as possible. 2 psi over an hour is a tiny leak, if a leak at all.

You know Wet Boots, I do have a master valve, and thought about exactly what you were saying, even if I have a small leak, it won't be under constant pressure when the system isn't running. I guess I convinced myself that the master valve could leak "possibly" and I wouldn't want a leak on the main.
I'll inspect my entire mainline pipe for leaks, but don't suspect I'll find any in the pipe itself. I am curious if anyone has seen a solenoid valve to weep? Or at least before it was actually powered up. Not sure why not powering them would make any difference though.
TeaMan

I have Rainbird CPF series valves, 11 of them. I don't have power to them yet, so I'm operating them manually. I feel like I have my leaks gone now, but I'm loosing lots of pressure, fairly fast. I went to every fitting on the main line, inspected for wet below the fitting, and ran my finger below every fitting and they are dry. I'm loosing about 2 1/2 PSI over about 1 hour it seems. If it's not going through the solenoid valves or one of them, I am really stumped as to where it's going. I turned the water main on, cycled all 11 solenoid valves, and you can hear them close, or the rushing of water stop anyway. The pressure drop slowed it seemed, but didn't stop.

Has anyone seen these valves to weep a little? It doesn't take much of a leak to drop a couple PSI in an hour.
Thanks

TeaMan

If you have a master valve, you don't worry about any of this.

By the way, Auto-parts-store clamps are not going to be all-stainless-steel ~ big difference

Thanks for the advice and tips guys. I have a couple options to try now. I'm not going to fill the trench around my manifolds until the leaks are done, so I can start with Wet boots suggestion to try two new clamps one more time applying a little heat. If that doesn't work, I suspect the pipe has stretched at the fitting, and I'll replace a couple feet as you suggested Mitchgo. I did find some pretty heavy duty clamps at a NAPA auto parts store in the next town yesterday. They look very much like the picture you provided Wet boots. I'll replace the weaker clamps with these and see if it goes away.

As far as finding the leaks. I just ran my finger under the fittings and it it got wet, it was a leak. I was disappointed to find out that the leak moved from fitting to fitting. One would be fine for a couple days, and develop a very slight leak later. I think I'm down to one fitting that is giving me issues.

Again Thanks
TeaMan

With the trench open and the pipe fairly straight.. You should be able to take out 1-2 feet of poly- install a coupler- re-extend the poly leading back to the barbed fitting on the manifold.. Basically then bridge the piping into the barbed fitting

Once you over tighten a clamp it's done for.. Take it out and use another.