how to replace control valve?

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topdog

New Member

Posts: 4

Friday, July 6th 2012, 12:05pm

how to replace control valve?

I need to replace 3 Toro valves (circa 1985 I think), each one buried in a different place, each one being plastic, inline, lateral orientation attached to 1" PVC about 14"-15" below grade.

My sprinkler guy recommended Irritol 205S as he believes these are high quality valves which I plan on getting. My ques has to do with the actual installation of same. After cutting out each old valve, how do I insert the new valve - given that the pvc pipes have no "give." The only solution I can think of is to dig up the pipe running from the valve to the first sprinkler head and replace the entire section (so as to provide the necessary lateral or vertical "give" I need to attach and glue to the coupler on the output side of the valve. Is there an easier solution??

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wsommariva

Supreme Member

Posts: 332

Location: Northern New Jersey

Friday, July 6th 2012, 12:27pm

Gotta dig up pvc just enough to make the proper connection.

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topdog

New Member

Posts: 4

Friday, July 6th 2012, 1:01pm

OK. Dumb question - how much is "just enough"?

Are there flex couplers that you can squeeze together, insert in the gap between the pvc pipes, then stretch out to attach/glue to the pipes?

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GatorGuy

Moderator

Posts: 458

Friday, July 6th 2012, 1:55pm

"how much is "just enough"?"

Varies. If pipe is schedule 40 then dig a lot.
Class 200 is more flexible.
Then it depends on soil and how much give it has.
This is one of those 'dig until have dug enough' situations.

Options:
Do you have to replace the whole valve? If you can find an identical couldn't you switch the guts and top and leave the body in place?

"stretch couplers" Check out Quik Fix and Pipe Fix . Also compression fittings.
I'm not fond of these in constant pressure pipes, as in before the valve. However, I've used them a great deal after the valve.

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topdog

New Member

Posts: 4

Friday, July 6th 2012, 3:22pm

Good answer, Gator. Thanks.

Yes, I'm dealing with sch 40 in clay soil 14-15" deep, times 3. Thus, it sounds like my initial idea to dig most, if not all, the pipe from the valve to the first spklr head is "enough."

Thanks too for the info on possible products that can be used on the output side of the valve that I can check out.

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topdog

New Member

Posts: 4

Friday, July 6th 2012, 3:38pm

p.s. GatorGuy -

My sprinkler guy recommends to never try to repair/rebuild an old contractor-grade valve; always replace with a current, quality-grade valve such as Irritol. A bit more work, he says, but considerably less potential frustration.