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

Quoted from "servicetechMA"

Open up the controller face,see how many colored wires, are wired up in there. It will look pretty empty with only 1 zone. If you have several then that valve pictured could be a master valve,it could possibly be faulty,bad solenoid or somthing,it would open though if you turn bleeder or solenoid. If you get confused about the main water valve in the house. Have somone outside,while you are inside,while you are standing right where the pipe would enter the house. Have them tap on it,its usually obvious but definately not always. If its pvc dont tap on it with metal obviousely,use the rubber handles of a wrench or somthing. And also when you find this pipe inside,track it back to a valve somwhere that will look like a " T " the top of this T is the water pipe,the vertical line is the handle of the ball valve,all pipes that are ON will have the handle running in line,horizontally with the pipe,while any valve that is OFF,the handle will cut across it vertically,up and down. As if it is blocking the water,which it is of course. youll find it. You could have a seperate meter for the irrigation or somthing also,thats pretty common,in shich case there could be 2 valves to turn on.

Quoted from "Wet_Boots"

If that antisyphon valve is the master valve, then you don't have any real backflow protection.