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Irritrol valve solenoids
Hi all!
I inheirited an irritrol irrigation system for my house and have a few questions about it.
When I turn the solenoids manually to the "on" position, my sprinklers and drips have great pressure and run merrily. However, when the timer/comtroller turns them on, the pressure is dismal. My qustion is, do the solenoids wear out and only open marginally?? If so, can they be replaced easily (looks easy) AND can this be done without shutting off the electricity or does 110 volts course through these wires and pose the risk of frying me?
Thanks for your help!!
could be bad solenoids or bad valves. valves only run off 24 volts on home systems. but to be safe......unpluf your timer and you run no risk of zapping yourself when replacing them.
I've found that when a valve doesn't open fully when electrically fired...... and runs quie well when the internal OR external bleeder is opened.... it is the diaphragm, and only the diaphragm. (99.999% of the time and corroded metering pins not included!)
What happens is water fills the upper chamber of the valve faster through the diaphragm port & past the metering pin than the solenoid port can dissapate it.... so the valve won't open fully.
Pin holes (and bubbles) in the diaphgagm can cause the same problem....
Replace the diaphragm....
The Irrigation Specialist Mfg' Az.
Please check my website and you'll find what I do and the unique tools I make and market.
Real timesavers, especially the Suck-Tube and Krik-It.
http://www.tismaz.com
replace the entire valve!!! never do a hack job by "gutting" the valve. i would like to thank bill though. its techs like him that give us customers.
LOL....you realize that Bill Painter is a sprinkler God with more experience in his left pinkie than in your whole body right?
I agree w/ Bill btw.....fix what is broken...that is being a technician....changing valves is a parts changer....
There are times when the situation warrants changing the entire valve....but a bad diaphragm isn't one of them....
Sprinkler Solutions, Inc.
Arizona and Colorado
www.sprinklersolutions.net
i doubt that he has more experience than me. but you seem to wanna take him on a date. good luck you two. let me know how it goes. i would work circles around any of you. trust me. lol. you guys are funny. you make such great laughs in the morning for us when i print these posts and let my guys read them.
so, your guys are just as ignorant as you! now thats funny (but at least they can read-I'll give them that)
I doubt if Lushie has enough time in the field to recall systems installed with galvanized steel pipe and brass heads and valves ~ but would he really have tried to convince anyone at that time that the only recourse for valve troubles was to replace the entire valve? (P.S. - no unions were used in the manifolds or field piping)
....... OK, OK, everyone play nice now.
I just wanted to say that I purchased two new valves and replaced ALL The parts - solenoid, diaphragms, etc. and the problem still persists,
Any ideas now??
Do these particular valves have a metal rod that runs down the center of the diaphragm? If so, replace it as well.
Josh
Irrigation /Landscape Lighting / Pump and Well Specialist