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

I have three Rainbird model JTV valves hooked up to a drip system. The largest zone has about 25 dripper and low flow sprinklers. The problem is that when any of the zones come on, water sprays out of the valve. It does not seem to be coming from the solenoid but from what I assume to be the back flow preventer. One of the valves never fully closes unless I manually close the valve. I have very high water pressure and suspect that is the culprit. I've had to install flow valves on the downstream side of the valves in order to keep the water pressure from blowing apart the drip system. I can reduce the amount of water spray (at the valve) by reducing the incoming pressure (main flow valve) but if I reduce the pressure too much, the largest zone won't function at all. This is the third set of valves I've installed.

Anybody got any ideas?

Quoted from "Central Irrigation"

Install a pressure regulator before the drip zone valves.

Okay, I installed the pressure regulator, set it to 80psi and it still does it. Maybe not as badly but it still sends out enough water to fill a large mixing bowel in about 30 seconds.

I was wrong in my original post; the water is spraying out of the cap that has the solenoid and the manual control knobs. The cap is as tight as it is going to get.

Any other ideas?

Quoted from "Wet_Boots"

Drip should be regulated to 40 psi or less - the components in general aren't designed for more than 50 psi

Thanks, but how does that effect the water spraying out of the valve solenoid? When I reduce the output pressure, the valve sprays more water.