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

For the amateur, the all-encompassing answer is to buy an identical valve and replace the guts. With modern self-contained solenoids, it's pretty easy to ascertain their status.

Once a valve has been working for years (decades, even) the diaphragms are more likely failures than solenoids, in a case where a valve won't open.

Here in Southern California I find it's rarely the solenoid. I've changed more diaphragms this year already than I have solenoids the past 10 years. Discounting the wires people dogs chew off. It's funny though. "Solenoid" is the word every home owner seems to know. They're always telling me how they think it's the solenoid. I just tell them, solenoids rarely go bad. I've learned one thing, when the home owner tells you what they think's wrong. That's not it 99% of the time. Just cross it off the list. lol.
Duke, the screw Sprinkler guy is refering to is the screw holding the seat washer in place. They used to be plastic. They get brittle and break off. When this happens the diaphragm wont open. Many times the screw get stuck between the seat washer and the seat so the valve can't close. I always flush the manifold til I find that screw and the washer or I'll be coming back for a valve that wont shut off.

Good thread!!! Lotsa very good info passed on and hopefully many a Newbie will read this particular thread and realize that 99% of sprinkler system problems are either valve or electrical in nature.
I found it very interesting that some areas of the country experience a reversal of problems, i.e., solenoid problems as compared to diaphragm problems. As mentioned, the west and south west seem to be largely diaphragm problems.
Water in the southwest is extremly alkaline and that could be the cause of diaphragm failure, but I'm STILL removing Nelson/Richdel diaphrams that are close to 25 years old!! Makes one wonder of the product quality as the don't make 'em like they used to.
One point I'd like to make here is when a valve doesn't work at all, I'd suggest a VOM and check solenoid continuity first. Only THEN do you know what you're dealing with....
Again, good on you guys for sharing good info!!@!
Bill

just replace the whole valve babies

gutting valves is a "dirty" "lazy" way of replacing a valve. i cant tell you how many times the same valve goes bad 1 month later. be professional and replace the whole valve.

any company who lets there service techs gut valves to fix them should be ashamed. but i guess thats why my company has been around for 35 years. thats not an accident.

If you fixed cars, you'd be replacing engines, instead of repairing/rebuilding them?

Sigh

The bodies almost never go bad....

Come on Lush..quit rocking the boat....

Sigh

The bodies almost never go bad....

Come on Lush..quit rocking the boat....

Myself and my techs over the last 15 years or so have probably gutted 15,000 valves.....yes we have had to go back sometimes...but we have probably saved our clients $750,000.00 total by doing it this way.....

Hmmmm... I've often wondered WHY folks replace a whole valve when the guts only will more than suffice. Kinda like the shade tree mechanics abounding today replacing parts and not really figuring what wrong in the first place.
When comptemplating replacing valve guts, I gotta ask:

Is the bibb seat scratched or dented from the flow control being closed down too tightly?
Is there a leak on either the upstream or downstream side of the valve connection?
Are any of the screw holes stripped?
Is there a crack in the body of the valve where the injection process brings the hot PVC together and there's a joint failure? (Toro, Hardie, Rainbird??)
IF none of these things are wrong I can really find little reason for the customer to have to foot the bill for a completely new valve installed, labor included!
PVC is an extreemly impervious plastic and little goes wrong with it. By replacing the guts, the customer virtually HAS a brand new valve, especially ALL NEW WORKING parts. When I DO replace the guts only, I tell the customer that I did, and WHY I did it.
EVERY CUSTOMER whom I did this for in the last 45 plus years was grateful for the savings incurred in the transaction... (Save 2 - very anal to say the least, so they got the whole valve... fine! IF that'w what "THEY" WANT!!!)
In my books, using up an extra half hour at an hourly rate to make an extra $20 or so by replacing a valve is not productive as finishing the job up in good shape and going on to another call that is flat rate. Most guys in this industry that I know have valve problems solved and are gone within 15-20 minutes at most!