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

I replaced some old brass actuators with Orbit Automatic Converters (www.orbitonline.com/products/Valves/02/16/10/621/). They work great, except they keep blowing apart where the brass portion screws into the plastic body. The sprinklers won't turn off and I come out to find a fountain of water coming out from the bottom side of the converter. I screw it back together but then it just comes apart again when under pressure.

I installed a pressure regulator on the line, thinking it would solve the issue, but it's started happening again. At this point I am prepared to just go back to brass valves but if anyone has any solutions I would really appreciate it. i am tired of fiddling around with my sprinkler system!

Thank you.

Quoted from "Wet_Boots"

Buy better convertors. Do you know what your water pressure is?

OK, can you recommend a better converter? I had Champion brass ones and I had lots of trouble with them over the years.

The pressure is 55 psi.

Thanks for the advice. I pulled off the Orbit converter today and the threads on the inside plastic portion were just shredded away. I can't figure out what would do it because the pressure is below what they recommend, but I'm DONE with these Orbit products. I'm going to Ferguson and will get an Irritrol 300 as suggested and report back if it fails too. Thanks again.

Went to Ferguson because the Irritrol web site says they carry the 300 valve, but of course they don't -- they only had Superior, which looked identical to the Irritrol -- no threaded plastic piece! So I put that on and it is working well. I also got a hose-bib pressure gauge and it looks like the pressure was more like 70 -- high, but the Orbit literature said no higher than 80 so I still don't get why it blew. I adjusted it down to 65, the sprinklers are a bit anemic now but the coverage is there. I'll post again if the Superior blows apart -- and thanks again to all the helpful advice, I remember the days before the Internet and help forums, you either spent an entire weekend (or week) doing trial-and-error or you paid a pro big $$$ to sort it out . . .