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

I only know of the Lakos separators, from way back when, and never did have to go to the extreme of installing one, so I don't know how well they work in practice. They seem simple enough, swirling the water and letting sand drop out of the stream of flow.

Wet_boots,
I was looking at centrifugal separators last week.
Was thinking of recommending for this problem but little experience in that area.
Any you recommend in particular?

A good pro installer would just design a well-water system with 100-mesh filtration and ordinary valves and heads, and never have to come back to deal with sand in the system. It is possible to have a well that brings up more material than is easily dealt with, but those issues would likely be known, and maybe dealt with by way of additional treatment, like a centrifugal separator.

If you are using a Shallow (Sand Point) well, flushing isn't a bad idea. Generally speaking, backflushing is done when the points intake screen becomes clogged. Very little you can do with a deep (submersible) well. I would suggest running the well for an extended period of time in an attempt to rid the well of grit. Obviously, you need to close a shutoff to the system.

what the hell.. 3 out of your 6 valves are dieing and you installed it last year? I guess you get what you pay for

Get a filter in your system... Get a flush zone in your system.. Get some dirty valve applications..get a quality controller and sprinkler heads...Stop being a cheapo. ... If you don't have the budget.. Then just wait until enough is saved to get to good items.

You come on this site all the time asking for advice but never ever do what we suggest...

I installed my system 6 years ago and have yet to have single problem with it. As it should be

YOu know. What gets me is that it worked fine last year with very little sediment to none. We run off a well. This is the first winter they went through.

For people on wells. Do you usually flush the well for a few minutes on full blast to clean out the sediment from over winter.

I'm thinking about getting Toro 1" jar top valves for $12-$14 each at home depot for new valves since 3 of the six valves I have now are dieing. The solenoid is going in one of them, the other seal leaks, and the last one sticks even after cleaning it.

For the price of new valves, you filter the entire system and keep it in better shape - for general good behavior in valve solenoids, you would want 100 mesh filtration

You might try Rainbird PESB orToro P220s . Both have scrubbers.
Both far more than $15 but at $15 you get basic valves and you are asking for more than that.
As Central says you are pushing the sand down the line to your heads.
If your heads start giving you a problem look at any that are for reclaimed water.
They are a little more debris tolerant.

Very few valves will do any better with your poor water quality. I wouldn't bad mouth the Toro's in this case. It sounds like you've had them apart quite a few times. If it's a Flo-Pro, I could understand, but most of toro's valves last a long time given fair water conditions.

Sand and grit is by far the worst enemy of every component of a sprinkler system. You have to eliminate it! I've built many an oversized filtration system because of this. I've got a residential system that uses three 2" Vu Flow filters for a 30 sprinkler system. Overkill, but necessary. Filter

You could try these or these or these. None of these fit your price range.

The Toro and Rainbird only prevent clogging of the selonoid. You would still have issues with weeping valves. I'm not familiar with Irritrol valve, so I can't comment on it's filtering capabilities, though I would be skeptical of it's self-flushing capabilities.

Even if you find a valve that works with your bad water, you'll just pass the sand down into your heads. You have to filter it!

I currently have Toro 3/4" inline valves, and they suck. Constantly leak, bleed, stay on and don't shut off quick enough before the next zone comes on, therefore leaving the sprinklers all bubbling.



I need 1" inline valves for very gritty water. Around $15 each.



What should I get? I need 6-7 valves. Link me to some good ones please. I'm tired of dealing with these valves every day. ANd I only started the system a week ago.



A filter won't work for this because its all sand/grit, and I would litterally have to change the filter every day.