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Water Comes Out Of Backflow

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xnmmi77

Starting Member

Posts: 1

Location: In The Desert, North of Los Angeles

1

Sunday, June 1st 2008, 3:33pm

Water Comes Out Of Backflow

Hello,

I have a 4 valve system I have not used for 2 seasons. I started the check out of them and 3 work fine (5 heads each), the 4th has issues. When I charge it manually, the line almost goes full - I get partial action from the heads, then water gushes out of the backflow...Help!!

mrfixit

Moderator

Posts: 1,510

Location: USA

2

Sunday, June 1st 2008, 10:41pm

Water gushing.

It sounds like the float washer is bad. Just unscrew the cap where the water is gushing out and check the black rubber washer on the plastic part inside. It's either loose, torn or missing. Change that and your gushing should go away and the sprinklers should work. If not look for breaks in the line. One more thing, careful not to snap the pipe while unscrewing the cap.

Good luck!
If I can't fix it, it's broken!

Wet_Boots

Supreme Member

Posts: 4,102

Location: Metro NYC

3

Monday, June 2nd 2008, 11:34am

Broken lines in a zone result in low pressures, and low pressures can result in water exiting from a perfectly good PVB backflow preventer. Since some of the zones work, the obvious suspect is the plumbing in the bad zone.

mrfixit

Moderator

Posts: 1,510

Location: USA

4

Monday, June 2nd 2008, 6:34pm

Just a hunch

Sometimes I have to try and decipher what the post is really trying to say. I went with the conclusion that he was talking anti-syphon valves. I'm not sure why. Just a hunch. Also I've never seen a PVB gush water due to a broken lateral line. I've seen a lot but obviously nobody's ever seen everything. I hope he comes back with an answer.
If I can't fix it, it's broken!

Wet_Boots

Supreme Member

Posts: 4,102

Location: Metro NYC

5

Tuesday, June 3rd 2008, 5:09am

RE: Just a hunch

Quoted from "mrfixit"

Sometimes I have to try and decipher what the post is really trying to say. I went with the conclusion that he was talking anti-syphon valves. I'm not sure why. Just a hunch. Also I've never seen a PVB gush water due to a broken lateral line. I've seen a lot but obviously nobody's ever seen everything. I hope he comes back with an answer.
Some PVBs will gush at low pressures - less than 20 psi, or thereabouts for a Wilkins 720, which will reseal itself when the pressure goes back up. But certainly, ASVs could also do the gushing thing.

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